--- In [email protected], "Bob Wood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Brian wrote: > > > We often find it slower sharing locks than going alone, especialy when they insist on waiting until you are clear of the lock before they start to move and are settled in the next lock, holding the boat before they start to enter thr next one. > > The trick is to follow the other boat into the first lock - they will nearly always got to the left and you slip in beside them on the right. You then insist that they go first and tell them to forget that you are even there. You set off just after they do, keeping yourself slightly behind (but still abreast) and 'inside' that little wave that is coming from their bow and which would push you away. The steerer on the other boat will be so intent on looking down the left hand side of his boat that he wont even notice what you are doing. Just make sure that you leave enough room for his stern to move sideways so that he can steer. In next to no time, you will be entering the next lock almost together and pulling to a halt a couple of seconds after he does - at that stage you look him straight in the eye and say, "that was good, wasn't it!? When did you learn to do that?" > > Works (nearly ) every time.
Why a couple of seconds? Last time I shared through a flight of double locks, we just left simultaneously, cruised close to each other, and entered the next lock side by side.... (I can see, unless you know the other steerer well, that an offer to breast up and let someone else misjudge the width of the lock, might not be too popular...) Steve
