Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2016 9:36:45 GMT
This from narrowboatworld;
IT TOOK four years and thousands of pounds for Canal & River Trust to eventually admit it had lost the claim by a boater whose boat was hung-up in a lock causing it to sink.
There is a protrusion below the water level of Bank Newton Lock (40) on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal that is dangerous as it causes boats—when there are two in the lock—to hang, tip and sink.
Which is exactly what happened to Patafea pecosa on the 10th August 2012 with the Trust doing all it can to avoid responsibility, but four years later a settlement has been agreed. Its owner, Kenneth Churchill, tells the sorry tale:
Out of Court Settlement
An Out of Court settlement has been agreed by the Canal & River Trust (CaRT) regarding my boat hanging-up on the chamber wall and sinking in Bank Newton Lock (40), Leeds & Liverpool Canal, near Gargrave, on 10th August 2012.
Note: My boat hung-up on the chamber wall, not the 'Cill'.
After four years of litigation I am now free to describe how our boat hung-up and sank in less than two minutes and warn boaters of the hidden protrusions below water level which remain today. The Canal & River Trust have not carried out any Lock 40 remedial work.
Unaware of the risk
For the past four years and many years previously, while CaRT have on record at least six previous Lock 40 chamber wall hang ups, it has been known to CaRT, boaters have been kept unaware of the risk of hanging-up on a hidden protrusion on Lock 40 North Chamber Wall, 12 feet from the tail-gate recess, two blocks below the coping stone, where the North chamber wall is six inches out-of-vertical.
(The photograph shows the interior of the boat after it was pumped-out.)
My wife was at the helm and our four year old grand niece was inside the boat watching a DVD when our boat hung-up.
The bottom gate paddles were being opened slowly and sequentially, two turns of the windlass at a time. Forty four turns of the windless are required to open wide one Bank Newton Bottom Gate Paddle.
Paddles immediately closed
Within no more than six turns the alarm was raised and both paddles were immediately closed. On completion of opening a top gate paddle I was aware that water was pouring over the Starboard 'cant', down the steps and into the boat. The flood water was pouring through the legs of the owner of the second boat in Lock 40 who was calling support to my wife inside the boat. Thankfully the Port side hatch door was open and by breaking the side hatch glass I was able to rescue my wife and four years old Cara before the boat sank.
Within minutes CaRT staff happened on the scene.They were carrying out a routine Friday afternoon check of the Bank Newton Flight.
It took CaRT staff about four hours to drain the lock and the pound, pump out the boat, refloat it and re-open the navigation.
Early in this operation I told a member of CaRT staff that I did not understand how our boat hung-up. There was no evidence of scars in the area of the bottom gate or its recess. He asked me to follow him across the bottom gates. Turning and pointing at the North Wall he said:
"See that scarring on the ledge, 12 feet from the bottom gate, third stone down. The Port base-plate hung-up on that ledge tilting the boat to Starboard to rest against the bottom gate. The Starboard Stern rested against the other boat in the lock. Wedged at three points as the water level dropped, the only way the boat could move was down by the stern. One inch drop in water level at the bows was about ten inches at the stern. You did not stand a chance."
He knew more than he was prepared to disclose.
www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/news-flash/9417-boat-hung
IT TOOK four years and thousands of pounds for Canal & River Trust to eventually admit it had lost the claim by a boater whose boat was hung-up in a lock causing it to sink.
There is a protrusion below the water level of Bank Newton Lock (40) on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal that is dangerous as it causes boats—when there are two in the lock—to hang, tip and sink.
Which is exactly what happened to Patafea pecosa on the 10th August 2012 with the Trust doing all it can to avoid responsibility, but four years later a settlement has been agreed. Its owner, Kenneth Churchill, tells the sorry tale:
Out of Court Settlement
An Out of Court settlement has been agreed by the Canal & River Trust (CaRT) regarding my boat hanging-up on the chamber wall and sinking in Bank Newton Lock (40), Leeds & Liverpool Canal, near Gargrave, on 10th August 2012.
Note: My boat hung-up on the chamber wall, not the 'Cill'.
After four years of litigation I am now free to describe how our boat hung-up and sank in less than two minutes and warn boaters of the hidden protrusions below water level which remain today. The Canal & River Trust have not carried out any Lock 40 remedial work.
Unaware of the risk
For the past four years and many years previously, while CaRT have on record at least six previous Lock 40 chamber wall hang ups, it has been known to CaRT, boaters have been kept unaware of the risk of hanging-up on a hidden protrusion on Lock 40 North Chamber Wall, 12 feet from the tail-gate recess, two blocks below the coping stone, where the North chamber wall is six inches out-of-vertical.
(The photograph shows the interior of the boat after it was pumped-out.)
My wife was at the helm and our four year old grand niece was inside the boat watching a DVD when our boat hung-up.
The bottom gate paddles were being opened slowly and sequentially, two turns of the windlass at a time. Forty four turns of the windless are required to open wide one Bank Newton Bottom Gate Paddle.
Paddles immediately closed
Within no more than six turns the alarm was raised and both paddles were immediately closed. On completion of opening a top gate paddle I was aware that water was pouring over the Starboard 'cant', down the steps and into the boat. The flood water was pouring through the legs of the owner of the second boat in Lock 40 who was calling support to my wife inside the boat. Thankfully the Port side hatch door was open and by breaking the side hatch glass I was able to rescue my wife and four years old Cara before the boat sank.
Within minutes CaRT staff happened on the scene.They were carrying out a routine Friday afternoon check of the Bank Newton Flight.
It took CaRT staff about four hours to drain the lock and the pound, pump out the boat, refloat it and re-open the navigation.
Early in this operation I told a member of CaRT staff that I did not understand how our boat hung-up. There was no evidence of scars in the area of the bottom gate or its recess. He asked me to follow him across the bottom gates. Turning and pointing at the North Wall he said:
"See that scarring on the ledge, 12 feet from the bottom gate, third stone down. The Port base-plate hung-up on that ledge tilting the boat to Starboard to rest against the bottom gate. The Starboard Stern rested against the other boat in the lock. Wedged at three points as the water level dropped, the only way the boat could move was down by the stern. One inch drop in water level at the bows was about ten inches at the stern. You did not stand a chance."
He knew more than he was prepared to disclose.
www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/news-flash/9417-boat-hung
Fuck! He's on his way! Better get the Hoover out....
