On 10 Nov 2007, at 08:03, Allan Cazaly wrote: > --- In [email protected], Baz Juniper <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> > ***Snipped*** >> In August of this year we were followed up the Devizes flight on the >> K&A by two crews [of Americans...] who lifted a gate off Lock 27 at >> about 7pm one evening. BW had it back in place by lunchtime the > next >> day. >> Baz >> > How in the devil can anyone manage to lift a gate? Surely the metal > (adjustable) collar around the neck of the top bearing would hold > everything in place? is it due to *BASHING* the boat against the > bottom > gate as a lazy way of opening it? I can't understand anyone chancing > the servere damage to boat or gate.
Don't ask me, Allan. Americans can do anything - land a man on the moon, bring regime change to Iraq.... This was a top gate lifted off by the bow of an ascending boat. The gates on this lock, like most of them at Devizes, are steel [you know, you've been there] and have some stout sections which an enterprising boater can easily get tangled up with. I imagine that the tolerances of the gate bearings are such that a comparatively small movement can disengage the bottom bearing. In this case the felony was compounded by leaky bottom gates which meant that the pound above Lock 27 dropped a couple of feet overnight. So at least the perpetrators got to sleep on an angle. Baz
