Skipper - Drop off your shore crew, asking them to close the front doors of the boat. If the gates at your end of the lock are open, go straight into the lock; otherwise, moor up on the lock moorings and wait for the shore crew to open the gates. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/8/8b/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet1. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet1. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/8/8b/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet1. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet1. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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<br />\n</p></div>"} Lock Crew - Walk to the lock side - not forgetting an L-shaped windlass (“lock key”) for everyone. Read the lock notices for any special instructions (if a lock keeper is present ask him or her) {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/7/71/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet2. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet2. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/7/71/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet2. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-1Bullet2. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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When ascending: Open ground paddles first, do not open gate paddles until the lock is half full and there is no danger of a fountain of water swamping the boat (many lock gates now have baffles over the paddles to prevent this). In a wide lock, first open the ground paddle on the same side as the boat - this will usually establish a water flow that will keep the boat neatly against the lock side s it ascends (but there will be exceptions to this rule depending on the exact configuration of the lock). Be ready to close the paddles quickly if any part of the boat appears to be caught under an obstruction (particularly any foot boards overhanging the lower gate). {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/a/a2/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet1. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet1. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/a/a2/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet1. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet1. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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<br />\n</p></div>"} When descending: Do not tie the ropes. Be ready to close the paddles again if the boat appears to be “hung up” on anything - especially the underwater cill (step) just in front of the top gates. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/5/53/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet2. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet2. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/5/53/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet2. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet2. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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<br />\n</p></div>"} Skipper - Ascending or Descending: Be ready to shout a warning to the lock crew if anything goes wrong. Keep the boat as still as possible by using a moderate amount of throttle - this will be all that is required unless you let your attention wander and let appreciable forward or backward momentum build up. Constantly check that the boat is not caught on anything by checking that a) Small touches of throttle move the boat backwards and forwards freely b) The boat is completely level c) The boat is rising or falling smoothly (measure progress by looking at the brickwork joints). {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/b/b9/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet3. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet3. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/b/b9/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet3. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet3. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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<br />\n</p></div>"} Skipper - Ascending: Check constantly that you, the tiller, and the stern rails remain well clear of anything overhanging the bottom gate (particularly the foot boards or bridge) but also that you are not so far forward that any water leaking through or spilling over the top gates (or coming through gate paddles opened too early) is filling the front of the boat. If you have allowed passengers to remain in the front well of the boat, they may discover why a leaking lock gate is called a “Granny-Soaker”. If you ever do fill the front of the boat, you will always close the front doors henceforth! If the shore crew have tied the centre or front rope in the right place, a little constant forward throttle will maintain a gentle tension on the rope which will keep the front of the boat from swinging about, leaving you free to use the rudder to keep the back of the boat neatly against the lock side. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/d/de/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet4. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet4. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/d/de/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet4. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet4. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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<br />\n</p></div>"} Skipper - Descending: There will be little turbulence when descending, though there there may be a significant backward or forward “draw”. But you will probably require only light throttle touches to keep the boat stationary. BUT be absolutely certain that the rudder and propeller remain well forward of the top gate and thus are clearing the underwater sill (step): observe the white lines painted on the lock side. “Hanging” the rear of the boat on the cill as the lock continues to empty will at least damage the rudder and propeller, and is likely to sink the boat. Once caught, the only remedy is to get the lock crew to immediately close the bottom paddles (to stop the lock emptying further), and then (provided the boat is still floating, but not otherwise) to very slowly open the top paddles and refill the lock). If this is not done quickly, then as the front of the boat dips steeper and steeper, the boat will eventually slide off the cill and either drop flat into the water causing a wave that descends to swamp the boat, or simply nosedive under. {“smallUrl”:“https://www. wikihow. com/images/thumb/9/96/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet5. jpg/v4-460px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet5. jpg”,“bigUrl”:"/images/thumb/9/96/Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet5. jpg/aid55530-v4-728px-Use-a-Narrowboat-Sized-Canal-Lock-Step-6Bullet5. jpg",“smallWidth”:460,“smallHeight”:345,“bigWidth”:728,“bigHeight”:546,“licensing”:"<div class="mw-parser-output">
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