Working a Lock Safely and Efficiently

There is a difference between simply getting a boat through a lock and working it safely and efficiently. Done well, it's quick, low-effort and graceful. Done badly, it's slow, exhausting and hazardous. This guide focuses on the technique that separates the two.

The four enemies of efficient lock work

1. Hurry. Rushing causes most injuries.
2. Bad rope work. Slack lines cause the boat to drift; over-tight lines load the gate.
3. Unbalanced gates. Both upper and both lower gates need to be open or closed together.
4. Paddle-raising too fast. Pushes the boat against the cill, swamps the bow, wastes effort.

Safety first

Quick principles you should never break:

• Sturdy shoes with grip on lock-side stones (often wet, often algae'd)
• Hands and fingers clear of gates, paddle gears and hinges
• Never sit on a balance beam while a gate is moving
• Always keep a hand on the windlass when it's on a paddle
• Wind paddles down gently; don't let them free-fall
• No one in the chamber on foot at any time
• Children supervised, dogs on the boat or on a lead

Setting up before the lock

Before the boat reaches the lock:

• The lock-worker steps off near the lock landing (the short bank just below or above the lock)
• The steerer holds the boat in slow forward, just off the bank
• The lock-worker walks ahead, checks how the lock is set
• If the lock is set against you, the lock-worker swings the wrong gates closed and prepares the right paddles

Setting a lock takes 1-2 minutes; doing it before the boat arrives saves having the boat hold position in awkward water.

Bringing the boat in

Once the lock is set:

• Steerer eases boat into the chamber slowly, eyes on the gate cill (don't ride up onto it)
• Aim for the centre of the chamber
• Stop with the bow about 30cm from the upper gate (going up) or with the stern just clear of the bottom cill (going down)
• Engine in slow forward to keep the boat against the gate (going up)

In the chamber

Going up:

• Close lower gates behind
• Raise upper paddles a quarter, then halfway, then fully, with a few seconds between each. Watch the bow.
• If the boat starts being thrown about, drop the paddles a touch and let things settle
• The boat rises smoothly to the upper level
• Open the upper gates by pushing the balance beam steadily; if it won't move, water is unequal - check paddles

Going down:

• Close upper gates behind
• Raise lower paddles, gently at first
• Watch the boat keep clear of the cill behind it
• Once at the lower level, open lower gates

Centre-line technique

For solo or small-crew working, a line attached to the boat's centre cleat and looped loosely round a bollard above or below the lock holds the boat steady without anyone on the tiller. The steerer can step off, work the lock, and step back on. Practise on an easy lock before relying on it.

Working a flight efficiently

For lock flights:

• Two crew off the boat: one closes behind, one sets ahead
• Three crew off: one closes behind, one works the immediate lock, one sets the next
• A folding bike radically speeds up "spotter" runs ahead
• Hand off the windlass to share the work
• Take a water break every five locks

Hatton (21 locks) takes a fit two-person crew about 3 hours; with four crew, around 2 hours. Tardebigge (30 locks) takes 4-5 hours with two; 3 hours with four.

Sharing locks

Broad locks fit two narrowboats side by side. If another boat arrives:

• Wait for them and share the chamber
• The boat going first usually steps in and ties the centre line
• The second boat enters alongside
• Share the lock work between crews

This saves water (CRT estimates ~50% less water per boat) and is genuinely friendly.

When something goes wrong

• Boat stuck on the cill (going down): stop dropping water immediately, open upper paddles a touch to lift the boat off
• Bow swamped (going up): drop the upper paddles immediately, let water level out
• Gate won't open: water is unequal; close all paddles, wait for level, try again
• Crew member falls in chamber: never rises in lock; throw line, get them out at the next low point

A quick checklist

• Lock-worker off boat at lock landing
• Lock set with the right gates and paddles
• Boat aimed centrally with steady engine
• Paddles raised slowly in stages
• Bow watched throughout
• Gates and paddles closed afterward
• Windlass back on the boat or in your back pocket
• Hands and fingers always clear

Conclusion

A lock done well is one of the most satisfying parts of a canal holiday. The trick is unhurried technique: set the lock, ease the boat in, raise paddles slowly, watch the bow. The whole thing should look graceful, not frantic. Once your crew has worked half a flight together, that's exactly how it goes.

Related

• Canal lock working skills
• Safe canal holiday boating
• Single-handed canal boating
• Boat handling rules of the road
• Avoiding injuries on canals