Thurlewood is the only lock on that side of the hill with a top gate paddle. It is also a funny shape - being wide enough at the top (when full) to allow a boat fit in at a number of angles across the lock. Maybe there is one that catches a 70' boat. In my 52' I stay at the top end 5' off the cill so the leaks up there don't wet the boat. Incidentally at Grindley Brook (different canal) a big hire, avoiding the sill in the 3 rise bottom section, hung up on the gate and sunk. He had some metal bit as well as the (breakaway) fender at the front and this hung him on the gate in the low bit in the middle. Second sinking in a few weeks in locks on the Llangollen. (The other being a private sill job at Hurleston.)
--- On Mon, 10/6/08, Phil Rushton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Phil Rushton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [canals-list] Re: singlehanding (was: Bollards - installation suspended) To: [email protected] Date: Monday, October 6, 2008, 9:14 PM ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Wood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED] org> To: <canals-list@ yahoogroups. com> Sent: Monday, October 06, 2008 8:54 PM Subject: [canals-list] Re: singlehanding (was: Bollards - installation suspended) > Phil wrote: >> The easiest boat to single-hand in a lock is a 70 footer. > > I had singlehanded Bream (70 foot) through hundreds of locks over the > past 8 years without problems until last Wednesday. My technique when > descending has always been to leave the boat in gentle forward gear, > open both bottom paddles all the way then step onto the boat and knock > it into neutral as by this point it has lowered enough to miss the cill. > > I was descending Thurlwood and having raised both paddles in the usual > manner turned to walk to the back of the boat. To my horror I realised > that the front was not descending at all and the back was maybe a couple > of feet down by now. I dried to drop the paddles by lifting the ratchet > (I've always understood this to be acceptable as an emergency procedure) > but both were heavy and had to be wound down which slowed me down. As I > finished lowering the second one the boat dropped from whatever was > retaining it. By this point the cabin roof was about level with the > ground at the back. > > I'm 100% sure it hadn't caught on the top of the gate and I couldn't see > any ledge on the side of the lock that it could have caught so I'm at a > loss to know what happened. Have to admit it completely phased me and I > dropped the rest of the way down to Wheelock rather more slowly than > usual. > > Barring the point that I was maybe too complacent in not paying more > attention to the bow as I opened the paddles does anyone have any > thoughts why this happened and what I could have done to avoid it? The > first thought I had is that there was no bow fender on the boat at the > time (I'd removed it earlier in the day) and maybe this had contributed > in some way with increased friction, but I've singlehanded many locks > without a bow fender without problems. The other thought was that > Thurlwood is a wider lock than most so maybe the boat manoeuvred to an > unusual angle. > > Any thoughts? Steve You are probably aware that Thurlwood has had many problems in the past with settlement due to salt workings? That is why they built the steel lock (now removed) alongside Thurlwood top lock. I suspect your problem might have been due to bowing of the lock chamber. You have highlighted the fact that no matter how experienced you are, the unexpected always happens when you least expect it - I know from bitter experience! Phil. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
