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Thames licence.....no one to take my money!!


frangar

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I am currently single-handing Wey to Lechlade and return.

I use two ropes going up whether or not the lock is attended ... with just a centre there is the risk of the bow swinging out (or the boat tipping in extreme circumstances).

But going down I always ask (if an attended lock) to use just a centre line. That removes the risk of hanging up on bow or stern line, or the risk of harm to self when rushing through the boat from one end to the other. My polite request has never been refused.

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On 27/03/2017 at 17:39, OldGoat said:

Not when but IF - if CaRT have any sense, they'll run a mile. It's a money pit.

The locks are large and each major refurbishment costs £500k + It's not practical to have them unmanned, the lock equipment is badly designed and frequently lock up (!) because boaters won't read the instructions. Volunteers are not supposed to operate them without supervision nearby and operating a lock full of very expensive umm - vessels, is risky for a boater even when the lock is on Public Power.

 

I operate power locks all the time on our waterways up here very rarely have problems nowdays so cant understand why Es locks arnt as good and easy to operate foolproof really as they have to go in sequence

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We’ve been up and down the Thames quite a lot over the past ten years, always use bow and stern lines even when no lock on duty. When the lock is no Self Service the wife goes ahead and sets the lock, taking with her a boat hook so she can retrieve the bow line that has been placed on the roof, places rope around a bollard then starts the lock going through its cycle, once the paddles start going up she then attends to the bow rope until the lock is full or empty, easy peasy . No need to stay at the control panel. Now let the fun begin.

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1 minute ago, F DRAYKE said:

We’ve been up and down the Thames quite a lot over the past ten years, always use bow and stern lines even when no lock on duty. When the lock is no Self Service the wife goes ahead and sets the lock, taking with her a boat hook so she can retrieve the bow line that has been placed on the roof, places rope around a bollard then starts the lock going through its cycle, once the paddles start going up she then attends to the bow rope until the lock is full or empty, easy peasy . No need to stay at the control panel. Now let the fun begin.

Unless she needs to stop it

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At this time of year things are pretty relaxed, there isn't much traffic and chances are you haven't even shared a lock. Downstream it gets busier and more so as the season progresses. With just one boat in or lots of space around the keeper is probably not going to get stewed up about using one rope or decline a polite "can I use One?" but the rule is for Two - Sorry but it is - and for good reason, as once they pack them in at the busier locations in peak season you can't go running forwards and back as it fills into some fragile immaculate cruiser tied to within an inch of its life. They will also have sussed that you are pretty experienced with your boat and know what you are doing and will leave you to it, but the volunteers will have been told to look for Two ropes and will ask you to do it, not that they are about yet...

As for the pedestals and the self-service locks, it doesn't help that they have one type that is fire and forget with regards the sluices at the top of the river and older types that are press and hold until it stops, wait a minute - or two or three - whilst jabbing at the button to ensure it is going... repeat... repeat... lower down.  but they all do have instructions.

Nice to see some boats out and moving again - enjoy.

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As I said I've no problem using bow & stern ropes if the lockie is operating on any lock & I see how you can tie off one end and just control the other on the mechanised longer locks when they are self control...my point was the manual shorter locks can be tricky to use two ropes when on self operation & especially if you are not sharing I'm much happier using a centre line plus engine while my OH looks after the paddles. We can commicate with just a nod etc so make a good team  

On any type of lock on any waterway I always like to have someone next to the paddles/control box etc just in case something needs to happen rapidly. 

My other point was...like on CRT waters....every lockie has their own ideas...that wasn't really a criticism more an observation!....last time I was on here the big shiny cruiser owner didn't see the funny side when I said it was good to have a fender next to me.....possibly made worse as a rather large cloud of smuts drifted over them when I restarted the JP....

Just out of interest how do single handers cope on the Thames? 

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30 minutes ago, frangar said:

As I said I've no problem using bow & stern ropes if the lockie is operating on any lock & I see how you can tie off one end and just control the other on the mechanised longer locks when they are self control...my point was the manual shorter locks can be tricky to use two ropes when on self operation & especially if you are not sharing I'm much happier using a centre line plus engine while my OH looks after the paddles. We can commicate with just a nod etc so make a good team  

On any type of lock on any waterway I always like to have someone next to the paddles/control box etc just in case something needs to happen rapidly. 

My other point was...like on CRT waters....every lockie has their own ideas...that wasn't really a criticism more an observation!....last time I was on here the big shiny cruiser owner didn't see the funny side when I said it was good to have a fender next to me.....possibly made worse as a rather large cloud of smuts drifted over them when I restarted the JP....

Just out of interest how do single handers cope on the Thames? 

If alone I tend to use centre rope and keep an eye on the water whilst holding on to the rope. I wouldn't try this at bottom filling locks like Hambleden where the water pushes up around the side of the boat. 

If there os a lock keeper I see what is ok for them . Usually reasonably flexible off season but more wary as the shiny brigade wake up.  If asked to use two ropes on an emptying lock I tend to use centre and rear ropes On a filling lock I tie my bow rope and hold the center or rear rope . If that isn't suitable then I ask for help.

 

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I must be odd I use two ropes 

Stop stern next to stairs, Climb off boat with bow and stern ropes, take one turn on bollard with stern rope, walk to bow with both ropes leaving the end of the stern rope where it runs out,  take one turn on bollard with bow rope, walk back to middle of boat with bow rope pick up stern rope, other half works lock. Perfect control over bow and stern from one position, going down as well as up. It does help that the ropes are long and kept specially for the Thames.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I think there has been a reduction in the numbers of lock keepers over the last two years. I did Oxford to Reading two years ago and every lock was manned about 9 to 5, outside that it was user operated. But going up river Reading to Oxford on 4/5 April with bigste of this forum, we only met lockies at a few locks. This did however include Caversham where bigste bought his one day licence. We got to Abingdon in one long day, arriving in fading light, then were off the river at Duke's Cut Lock about 4pm on day two. It is indeed the rule that you buy your licence the first time you are at a lock with someone on duty, which is a pretty relaxed way to do things, and of course anyone who only went through locks early or late in the day would be unlikely to meet a lockie. Not that I'm suggesting it's right to save £43 (the one day fee for a narrowboat of 16-20m) that way of course....

  • Greenie 1
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