I agree with this approach. When the boat is up in a lock I will open the top
gate if needed or, going down, will wind a paddle after shutting the top
paddles and gate while the wife sets the next in a flight. But I am not going
to climb up and down ladders to get off/on the boat.
What annoys us is how some crews can be in a mad rush when in a queue of
boats going up a lock flight and we are next up in the queue in front of them.
On the last holiday this happened at Bosley with madam (from boat behind)
walking on the the next - and attaching windless to bottom paddle before we
were up in the lock - while her husband was expected to drive into the lock
below, climb the ladder then work the lock before driving out, stopping and
shutting the gate before moving over to hold the boat at the side until madam
had opened the bottom gates of the lock he was waiting to enter.
I must admit to liking to do locks with a minimum of effort for all and find
it fascinating how some people will waste energy by not opening (say) the
correct bottom gate first. The wife does not waste a bit - but shes done a
lorra locks. My job, while she is doing this is to keep the boat safe and hoot
and tell her if needs be if something is not quite right at her end from my
viewpoint while making sure the boat stays under control at all times from mine.
qwertybjg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
--- In [email protected], "Michael Askin" <[EMAIL
PROTECTED]>
wrote:
> Also, what is it with the people who are steering. Are they incapable
> of helping with the locks (closing a gate, lifting a paddle)? They
> just stand there like lord (or very occasionally lady) muck, and watch
> their significant other run around after them (including handling the
> ropes for the boat).
>
> Mike
>
> --
> Michael Askin
> http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
>
When I am steering, I very rarely help work the lock. However, this is
because we have a competent crew aboard who are more than capable of
working the locks themselves.
With people who stay on board when there is, perhaps, only one other
crew member, it may be that they wish to be able to control the boat in
the lock at all times or that they don't want to scramble up from boat
to lock edge or (when descending) from lock edge to boat. I find that
perfectly reasonable.
If people work through locks slowly, I doubt that the speed at which
they work would be greatly improved by the steerer also lending a hand.
I admit that it is probably sensible, sometimes, for the steerer, when
ascending a lock, to open the top gate himself and drop some paddles.
It may also be sensible for him (or her) to drop the paddles and close
the top gate when descending.
Ben
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
