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Advanced Lock Opening


mikevye

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Once, moored on the SonAvon canal we watched a lockwheeler at work. He set the lock then went on. A few minutes later a boat arrived which was not his, used his set lock and went on. A half hour later the lock wheelers boat arrived swearing at their missing crewman who had gone off in front to set locks and obviously foubnd a pub as not one of the last ten had been set and all were against! When told what had happened we recalled that the boat using the ready locks had been moored a good number of locks back and had obvously decided to move off and use the locks the wheeler had worked. This gave the crew a good laugh as they had originally planned to do another ten locks but would now moor by a pub two down leaving the wheeler to march on into the night.

 

Incidentally, coming through GB the other day there were boats in locks, in pound (with 5 in the pound below the 3 rise) and a lot of seemingly annoyed at being held up boaters. Summer has arrived. s

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I'd turn them if it suited me, I wouldn't wait....

 

I've lock-wheeled on numerous occasions. It enables you to cover the ground more efficiently. I am always careful, where possible, to ensure other boats are not delayed by the process, but there will always exceptions....

Ditto really.

 

and (not to be forgotten) ...

 

dscn9348q.jpg

This never happened...

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it depends on what i am doing as to whether i have someone cycling ahead for me... if i am towing and on a working run then yes i will more often than not have a cyclist ahead of me (i only send 1 lock ahead at a time) it makes it a hell of a lot easier with towing boats and yes i expect to get people hating me for sending someone ahead... but if it is A. not a working run. B. not towing boats then you do not have to give right of way. (am i assuming that towing boats have priority at bridge 'oles and locks or is that a myth?)

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it depends on what i am doing as to whether i have someone cycling ahead for me... if i am towing and on a working run then yes i will more often than not have a cyclist ahead of me (i only send 1 lock ahead at a time) it makes it a hell of a lot easier with towing boats and yes i expect to get people hating me for sending someone ahead... but if it is A. not a working run. B. not towing boats then you do not have to give right of way. (am i assuming that towing boats have priority at bridge 'oles and locks or is that a myth?)

 

Nothing wrong with sending someone ahead to get the locks ready, towing or otherwise. They do have to abide by the usual set of rules about not turning a lock in front of someone for example however.

 

...and re: your second question:

 

http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/media/documents/BW_General_Canal_Bye-laws.pdf

 

 

Vessels passing 17. Except as provided in Bye-law 19 where two vessels meet in any

part of the canal where they cannot pass in safety the master of

the vessel which is nearest to that part of the canal where the

vessels can pass in safety shall navigate his vessel back to such

passing place and allow the other vessel to pass:

Provided always that

(a) a vessel which is not towing another vessel shall give way to a

vessel which is towing another vessel or vessels;

(B) vessels which are unladen shall give way to vessels which are

laden;

Edited by mykaskin
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