On 8/7/08, Phil Rushton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: <Some snippage> > I would think most boaters with GRP boats would not want to use > their engines to hold the boat against the gates or cill. Light GRP boats > do not ride cills/gates well.
> > My guess would be from the H&S viewpoint that encouraging rope use by > > the less knowledgeable would cause as many risks to the unknowledgeable > > (boats getting hung up on ropes, trip hazards to gongoozlers) as it > > saves. > > Good point, but probably safer than other techniques that the novice might > use? My parents own a 30 ft steel narrowboat (with unprotected z-drive), on which we cruised many thousands of lock miles over a 34 year period and never once used a rope in a narrow lock. Some friends of ours used to own a 27?ft norman, and even when we were sharing a lock with them never used a rope. I've single handed both a 50ft and 60ft narrowboat both up and down narrow locks, and never used a rope (inside the lock) - there is a need, in some cases, for more bollards outside the lock. The only time a bollard would have been useful to me in a narrow lock was when I was helping to bow haul a butty up Tardebigge, and that would be mainly for strapping. I have managed to trip over a bollard before now - I was standing right next to it, and started off in the wrong direction. I've seen people with ropes in a narrow lock - they were a hazard to both themselves, and the boat. If I see anyone using these bollards in a poor manner I will be talking to them to disuade their use, though I've yet to see any so I don't know if there are any other problems with them. Cheers, Mike -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
