|
Post by naughtyfox on Dec 9, 2018 10:59:16 GMT
No, I'm very quick at pointing. I hope it's something you don't have to find out from experience, but when it goes wrong in a lock it happens very quickly. As Bassy says, do it slowly. If there's no-one else around, you have all the time in the world. Just a couple of clicks on one paddle and observe the water level rise/descend stone/brick course by course. All done silently and smoothly. Very satisfying defying gravity.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Dec 9, 2018 11:05:12 GMT
...also you can’t use the front of the boat as a guide if it’s going through backwards...so confusing lol Yes you can! The gate in front is still 'the front gate'. When the boat is going down fast it's best to swim for it, NOT stand at the helm (sorry "hold on to the steering stick" in your parlance) shouting "I'm the Admiral, I know best". Now go and learn the proper terminology. It's more important than planning your tower grabbing.
|
|
|
Post by naughtyfox on Dec 9, 2018 11:17:12 GMT
Yes you can! The gate in front is still 'the front gate'. When the boat is going down fast it's best to swim for it I'd have thought scampering up the lock ladder would be more apt. I always use workgloves, as the rungs are wet & slimy.
|
|
|
Post by kris on Dec 9, 2018 11:17:21 GMT
I hope it's something you don't have to find out from experience, but when it goes wrong in a lock it happens very quickly. That’s true, which is why when I’m solo I do everything slowly! Keeping control of what's happening and paying attention is what's important. Doing this at a speed that is comfortable for you and you feel confident is the one. This is why generally unless I know the people I refuse help when locking my boat. Especially from boaters that turn up and are trying to speed up my progress through the lock. The obvious exception to this is cart volunteers, the ones locally to me I've found very helpful and understanding of what they are doing.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2018 12:17:35 GMT
That’s true, which is why when I’m solo I do everything slowly! Keeping control of what's happening and paying attention is what's important. Doing this at a speed that is comfortable for you and you feel confident is the one. This is why generally unless I know the people I refuse help when locking my boat. Especially from boaters that turn up and are trying to speed up my progress through the lock. The obvious exception to this is cart volunteers, the ones locally to me I've found very helpful and understanding of what they are doing. It usually comes back to trust and experience in the end. If I’m solo, I usually only open my side of paddles so long as I’m not holding anyone up (in which case hopefully they will help). If things go tits up it takes a while to step across a lock gate to shut or open paddles! I always use ropes rather than climb up and down wet ladders when I can too. Might take a bit longer but less chance of falling in and getting trapped in a lock by your own boat.
|
|
|
Post by kris on Dec 9, 2018 12:29:55 GMT
Keeping control of what's happening and paying attention is what's important. Doing this at a speed that is comfortable for you and you feel confident is the one. This is why generally unless I know the people I refuse help when locking my boat. Especially from boaters that turn up and are trying to speed up my progress through the lock. The obvious exception to this is cart volunteers, the ones locally to me I've found very helpful and understanding of what they are doing. It usually comes back to trust and experience in the end. If I’m solo, I usually only open my side of paddles so long as I’m not holding anyone up (in which case hopefully they will help). If things go tits up it takes a while to step across a lock gate to shut or open paddles! I always use ropes rather than climb up and down wet ladders when I can too. Might take a bit longer but less chance of falling in and getting trapped in a lock by your own boat. It's a matter of what works for you really, it's your boat in the lock so your responsibility. I agree about just opening one paddle when single handing, so you can drop it quickly if needed. The problem with this is that a lot of locks are leaking so badly now that it's Impossible to get a level just opening one paddle.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2018 12:38:36 GMT
It usually comes back to trust and experience in the end. If I’m solo, I usually only open my side of paddles so long as I’m not holding anyone up (in which case hopefully they will help). If things go tits up it takes a while to step across a lock gate to shut or open paddles! I always use ropes rather than climb up and down wet ladders when I can too. Might take a bit longer but less chance of falling in and getting trapped in a lock by your own boat. It's a matter of what works for you really, it's your boat in the lock so your responsibility. I agree about just opening one paddle when single handing, so you can drop it quickly if needed. The problem with this is that a lot of locks are leaking so badly now that it's Impossible to get a level just opening one paddle. Yes, it’s normally the last 10% or so which takes ages to fill. so I’ll sometimes nip over the other side and open the other set of paddles towards the end if I get bored waiting. The last 10% isn’t likely to be a risk to the boat.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2018 12:41:47 GMT
It usually comes back to trust and experience in the end. If I’m solo, I usually only open my side of paddles so long as I’m not holding anyone up (in which case hopefully they will help). If things go tits up it takes a while to step across a lock gate to shut or open paddles! I always use ropes rather than climb up and down wet ladders when I can too. Might take a bit longer but less chance of falling in and getting trapped in a lock by your own boat. It's a matter of what works for you really, it's your boat in the lock so your responsibility. I agree about just opening one paddle when single handing, so you can drop it quickly if needed. The problem with this is that a lot of locks are leaking so badly now that it's Impossible to get a level just opening one paddle. Broadly similar to you and @bassplayer. When filing a lock to go uphill it’s the paddle boat side only. then when it’s as good as full walk round to the other gate, open paddle to finish filling, open gate when level equalises. Shut paddle on that gate, walk around to side boat is on, shut paddle, open gate, fetch boat out. Walk back, shut gates, empty lock then repeat! Any assistance offered going uphill is refused -,too many only do it to rush you through for their benefit rather than out of genuinely wanting to help a solo boater. Too easy to get tossed around in the mailstrom caused by enthusiastic racking of the paddles. However- any assistance going downhill is greatly received, you can’t cock up pressing a button when emptying the lock pen - and being forced to wait by a timer before you can press it again helps 👌👍
|
|
|
Post by kris on Dec 9, 2018 12:52:06 GMT
It's a matter of what works for you really, it's your boat in the lock so your responsibility. I agree about just opening one paddle when single handing, so you can drop it quickly if needed. The problem with this is that a lot of locks are leaking so badly now that it's Impossible to get a level just opening one paddle. Yes, it’s normally the last 10% or so which takes ages to fill. so I’ll sometimes nip over the other side and open the other set of paddles towards the end if I get bored waiting. The last 10% isn’t likely to be a risk to the boat. Yes this is the way, the locks around here won't get a level no matter how long you wait. Unless you open both paddles (they leak so badly.)
|
|
|
Post by kris on Dec 9, 2018 12:56:04 GMT
It's a matter of what works for you really, it's your boat in the lock so your responsibility. I agree about just opening one paddle when single handing, so you can drop it quickly if needed. The problem with this is that a lot of locks are leaking so badly now that it's Impossible to get a level just opening one paddle. Any assistance offered going uphill is refused -,too many only do it to rush you through for their benefit rather than out of genuinely wanting to help a solo boater. Too easy to get tossed around in the mailstrom caused by enthusiastic racking of the paddles. However- any assistance going downhill is greatly received, you can’t cock up pressing a button when emptying the lock pen - and being forced to wait by a timer before you can press it again helps 👌👍 I gently refuse offers of help going up hill or down hill, just for peace of mind. Especially from people who are in a rush and trying to speed me up. There are swing bridges on the Leeds and Liverpool that are impossible to do on your own ( controls on the off side.) So you have to recruit a willng member of the public. But I'm going off topic now, we are talking about boats in locks.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2018 13:00:28 GMT
Any assistance offered going uphill is refused -,too many only do it to rush you through for their benefit rather than out of genuinely wanting to help a solo boater. Too easy to get tossed around in the mailstrom caused by enthusiastic racking of the paddles. However- any assistance going downhill is greatly received, you can’t cock up pressing a button when emptying the lock pen - and being forced to wait by a timer before you can press it again helps 👌👍 I gently refuse offers of help going up hill or down hill, just for peace of mind. Especially from people who are in a rush and trying to speed me up. There are swing bridges on the Leeds and Liverpool that are impossible to do on your own ( controls on the off side.) So you have to recruit a willng member of the public. But I'm going off topic now, we are talking about boats in locks. I don’t blame you one bit 👍
|
|
|
Post by naughtyfox on Dec 9, 2018 13:52:56 GMT
Any assistance offered going uphill is refused -,too many only do it to rush you through for their benefit rather than out of genuinely wanting to help a solo boater. Too easy to get tossed around in the mailstrom caused by enthusiastic racking of the paddles. However- any assistance going downhill is greatly received, you can’t cock up pressing a button when emptying the lock pen - and being forced to wait by a timer before you can press it again helps 👌👍 But I'm going off topic now Please try to stay on topic or I shall have to lock this thread. LadyG.
|
|
|
Post by naughtyfox on Dec 9, 2018 14:20:27 GMT
Supermarket checkouts: "To be honest I don’t mind chatting to them if I have a lot of stuff to bag up, and there’s no one else in the queue. They must be bored out of their tiny minds doing the same old shit all day long. Their choice of course, but still. Sometimes I can strike gold with a rather attractive hard-up (ha!) undergrad student wench (seen at Farmfoods or Iceland usually); sporting a rather tight t-shirt or low-cut blouse. So tight and curvaceous that I forget what I’m bagging up as I ogle those golden globes! But that’s very rare to see at the bigger supermarkets where staff have to wear standard issue uniforms, and look like extras out of The Walking Dead!"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2018 14:42:47 GMT
Yes, it’s normally the last 10% or so which takes ages to fill. so I’ll sometimes nip over the other side and open the other set of paddles towards the end if I get bored waiting. The last 10% isn’t likely to be a risk to the boat. Yes this is the way, the locks around here won't get a level no matter how long you wait. Unless you open both paddles (they leak so badly.) The other thing I try to do going up, is slow the boat down to a crawl as it goes through the gate just before jumping off with the rope. It’s about trying to let momentum do it’s job rather than me and the dodgy back! I have thought about nudging gates open with the bow when the lock looks empty, but if I can’t see the beams fully I’m worried I might knock someone. Also, some people frown on using the boat to move gates due to causing potential damage.
|
|
|
Post by naughtyfox on Dec 9, 2018 15:05:06 GMT
Yes this is the way, the locks around here won't get a level no matter how long you wait. Unless you open both paddles (they leak so badly.) Also, some people frown on using the boat to move gates due to causing potential damage. Such as the people who actually make these gates at Stanley Ferry! I asked them and they said definitely DO NOT open gates with your boat, this is how the holes ("John Wayne's legs") are formed. If anyone knows, surely it is these people!
|
|