On Thu, Oct 9, 2008 at 12:14 PM, Julian <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > "nbquidditch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in >> That's a fair point. It is certainly more difficult (hazardous) to go >> against the flow - next time I see the lockie I'll ask him whether >> they do take that into account. > > Alrewas may be a special case but in general it is safer to go against the > flow, so much so that at Chertsey if the river is up and I am going > downstream I will turn the barge upstream and go through the bridge > backwards as I then have much more control.
As far as I am aware of, that stretch of the river is still safer going upstream IF you have a boat suitable for the conditions. Many canal boats seem to struggle to reach 4 mph, if you have a 3-4 mph flow then going upstream is just as dangerous as going downstream! When the national was at Burton they closed the river section after an under powered boat nearly got swept down the weir stream heading upstream as they couldn't go fast enough to push the flow - they did manage it on a second attempt. BW wouldn't open it again until it was in the yellow, when they did it was a trivial journey for us, but I'm sure others found it a little exciting. Perhaps another good reason why there should be a driving licence needed for the canals? (Along with broken bridges, lifted gates, sunk boats etc). In fact during a St Pancras cruise to the tidal barrier going with the tide, we were scarred witless when one boat didn't seem to appreciate that the current was dragging them on to a float, and missed it by inches after giving up trying to pass it the right side. This after a very good lecture on the danger of this! Cheers, Mike -- Michael Askin http://shoestring_DOT_zapto_DOT_org/
