Canal locking technique guide for French and other European canals.

Locks, Ropes and Safety

‘Directions to Crew’

©2014 Duncan Hart

EuroCanalBoatHire.com.au

http://www.eurocanalboathire.com.au/









INSTRUCTIONS FOR CREW

‘ALERT BUT NOT ALARMED’

Locks and Marinas

Canal cruisers are heavy, with limited ability to manoeuvre and respond either in speed or direction of travel particularly when it has to slow down to tie up within a lock or entering a marina for the night.

Locks vary in size from barely large enough to take one cruiser to those that can take commercial barges carrying 100 containers and 30 or so boats the size of the cruiser pictured above.

The large locks are found on major rivers, the smaller locks in the backwaters.

Any lock will either raise the boat as we go up river i.e. gain height or lower the boat as we go down river (lose height). The amount the boat is raised or lowers can vary. It is usually only 2 to 3 metres but it can be as much as 15 metres (See Photo 4 for instance). As the locks are generally manned and often have considerable commercial traffic they require careful attention and respect. You must take care of yourself, keep a sharp lookout

1 | P a g e© 2014 www.eurocanalboathire.com.au















for other boats and take note of what is happening. It is easy to lose concentration as you wait for the lock to fill or empty BUT this is when accidents happen.

How do Locks work?
















(The above description is from Tom Sommers excellent EuroCanals Guides at eurocanals.com)
















This is a typical ‘city’ lock in the heart of Paris – Note the lock is provided with a suite of ‘bollards’ on either side to which lines are

attached before water is let out and boat descends
















Navigating LocksIn approaching a lock there is usually ample time to prepare yourself to assist in taking the boat through the lock. It is generally ‘all hands on deck’ when a lock is sighted however.

‘Locking the boat typically consists of:1. Waiting to get the 'green light' to proceed (this one is showing red as

there is a boat in the lock coming our way so we have to wait till he leaves the lock)

2. Entering the lock shortly after the gates open and outgoing boats have all exited and the red light goes off!

3. Securing the boat to either the left or the right wall of the lock with 2 ropes (one near the bow and one back aft where I am steering from)

4. There is more detail about the ropes later (page 13), but a rope is usually fed around a bollard on the lock (to hold boat against the side of lock) NOT TIED, so it can be adjusted continually as the boat is raised or lowered and then easily recovered. One rope is used at the bow or front and one at stern or back of boat to different bollards.
















Photo 1 and 2: This shows a ‘right hand tie up’ to a bollard with crew member progressively letting out his forward line as water level drops in second photo – he can pull the rope aboard when we want to leave by letting the unsecured end go – rope is fed around bollard NOT tied.

5. The skipper will indicate as we enter the lock if the boat will be secured on the right hand or left hand side - this may depend on where other boats are tied up ahead of us and where there are appropriate bollards, bars or rings set into the wall of the lock to loop the mooring lines around or through.

Photo 2A: This is a bollard set into wall – sometimes they are merely vertical bars

Bollard

RHS tie up

Water level falling
















Photo 3: This shows small bollards or bars let into side of lock – which can be used to reposition your rope as level falls or rises in

lock

Photos 4 and 5: Crew using small bollards (or an inset ladder as in Photo 6A) to hang off in big lock as we descend – Photo 5 a left hand tie up with two boats using the same forward yellow bollard. In every

case the line is fed around or through a bar/bollard to allow easy adjustment and then recovery of rope when we exit the lock.

‘Bar ‘type bollards

‘Bar ‘type bollard
















6. ALWAYS stand by 'your rope' to make adjustments (loosen or tighten) to your rope as the lock either fills or empties of water (it depends on whether we are going up or downstream) - this is essential - ropes should NEVER be left unattended or tied off in a lock as they ALWAYS need adjustment as boat moves up or down.

7. You may also need, in deeper locks to reposition your rope as the boat falls or rises. This is where the bars/bollards set into walls are useful. Use them as you rise or fall to loop your rope around which makes recovery of your rope when you want to leave the lock easier (Crew member will have moved the rope she is handling in Photo 4 above for instance from an initial position on the top lip of lock progressively downward as water level dropped).

8. When the lock has filled or emptied the lock gates will open, and the boat is able to continue

9. Before continuing however it is necessary to recover your rope! ANDtell the skipper it is ‘ALL CLEAR’

Photo 6A: Using a ladder to tie up – not ‘best practice’ but common
















Photo 7: After descending in a lock (and it’s not too deep) the rope can be pulled aboard without having to re-fix it to a lower bollard set

in the side of the lock wall

Recovery of your rope must be done as quickly and cleanly as possible - the rope must all be placed on deck before your skipper can proceed - it must not trail in the water as it might foul the prop.(which is a big deal) - the rope can be coiled neatly later - don't worry about this until the lock is cleared.

Points to note: It can often be difficult to hear what people are saying because of

engine noise so try and face the person you are talking to when you speak - don't be afraid to ask if you are not sure - and speak up! It's noisier where the skipper is than where you are.

The skipper controls speed and direction at all times - don't try and put any part of your body between boat and lock wall to slow boat down or fend off - the boat will win! Ouch!

The fenders, (or as Sue calls them 'bumpers) are designed to protect the hull not your leg, arm etc. They are usually permanently hung in
















position on either side of boat.(You can see them in very first photo on page 1)

If the boat hits the side of a lock it's no big deal, it's steel, only the skippers ego will suffer – having said that, it’s best avoided!

If your rope gets snagged when you are trying to release it don't panic - tell skipper immediately, we can always recover it or replace it - don't 'hang on' as you may get towed overboard or the bollard to which it is secured aboard pulled out of deck!! There is also a knife which can be used to cut the rope if necessary. ABOVE ALL do not get your hand too near the twin steel bollards on the boat itself around which the rope is secured. This is where fingers can get crunched!

It is beyond the scope of this section to explain how the ropes are deployed, recovered and neatly wound back on the deck. These are all critical tasks and if you aren't happy to manage the ropes or need a refresher just ask - nobody will handle the rope who has not been thoroughly briefed beforehand. Don't take it on yourself to 'give some one else 'a go' - they may not have been shown what is required

As the boat enters and leaves a lock, look out for protruding posts etc. and don't lean over the side (e.g. to adjust fenders) either as locks can often be only slightly wider than the boat and you might hityour head.

don't get distracted when handling your rope - emptying or filling the lock quite often takes 30mins or more as other boats enter or leave and your rope must be adjusted continually - if you get distracted by people on the bank or other crew members the rope may be broken or worse, as the water level rises or falls quite quickly- and often unevenly. It can rush in all at once and boat needs to be kept pressed against lock wall with its fenders taking the strain

It's extremely unlikely you will fall in the water but it has happened if you do, try and get to the bank or the side of the river or lock and we will turn around and pick you up.

Remember the prop is the thing to avoid so stay away from the back of any boat if it is moving. There is a ladder there which can be used but wait for directions from the skipper before using it so engine can be put in neutral which stops prop spinning.
















Ladder at stern

Prop is just here below waterline
















Coming alongside into a marina

This can be tricky as the boat tends to lose direction as it is edged slowly into a mooring position. Sometimes it is a ‘parallel park’, sometimes it’s an ‘angle park’ as can be seen from the next two photos.

Photo 8: Typical marinas – the second photo is a ‘angle’ type

Again a crew member usually stands on the side deck at mid-ships armed with a rope and as soon as the boat touches the bank jumps ashore with the rope and quickly ties off the boat to a cleat, ring or post on the wharf- the skipper will indicate which one well before.

In some cases it is possible to simply hold the safety rail of the boat while skipper jumps off with a rope. Other ropes will then be attached to hold boat in position. Don't jump off the boat until the skipper says so however - he may want to 'go around again' if he is not happy with where the boat is positioned.

The important thing is to stop the boat dead as soon as you can when you get onto wharf using your rope - at this point the boat's motor will hardly turning over at all and there will be very little room to manoeuvre.

Secure your rope quickly and use it to hold boat against the wharf while other ropes are attached.
















Rope Work

1. Make sure both ropes (the forward and aft lines on both sides) are neatly coiled on deck with a loop visible i.e. the fore and aft ropes on either side.

We usually secure one end to one of the bollards and put the rest of the rope in a plastic bucket (see point 8 below).

2. Make sure one looped end in each rope’s case is itself looped around the ships 'bollards' or ‘Bitts’ The AFT rope on both sides will be secured to the AFT ship’s bollard and the FORWARD line to the forward ship’s bollard on both sides. This where you and the ropes will always ‘start’ from.

There are usually 4 sets of ship’s ‘bollards’ – one set of two at each ‘corner’ of the boat. This is one of the sets at the back. They are often called ‘bits’

The end of the rope on the right of picture is attached by a loop to the second bollard (2). The rope on left has been fed around the lock bollard and then back under the ‘bit’ of the ship’s bollard (1) on the left of picture – this is the rope that is being controlled by the skipper in

Twin ship’s bollards

1.

2


Typical bollard with bit















Ship’s bollards at front or bow – there are usually 2 sets at stern or back of boat also – each set has its own rope attached at all times, either in use or in its plastic bucket ready for deployment.

3.As boat enters lock be ready to go to either side of the boat to tie up to top of lock or to the wall of the lock – there are a set of 2 ropes on each side – only the ropes on one side will be used however.

4.Skipper will indicate if it is to be a 'left' or 'right' hand tie up and then he will edge boat forward till you can secure the AFT or rear line first as indicated in next para. on the side nominated. The stern or back of the boat is secured first and then the front or bow.

5.The first line to be attached therefore is the skipper’s AFT line (i.e. the line from the ships’ bollards at back or stern of boat on that side). As you enter lock walk the free end of that rope (one end of which remains looped around an AFT bollard), all the way to very front of boat where you will feed the free end of the rope around a bollard on top of lock or on a small bollard set in the wall depending on whether boat is to rise or fall in the lock (skipper will indicate which bollard you are to guide rope around and get you as close to bollard as he can).

Do not lead lines over the top of safety rail
















This photo (NOT taken in a lock indicates where the AFT rope is to be walked by crew member from back or stern of boat to the bow ready to be looped around first lock bollard and then the free end walked back to skipper BEFORE you go forward once again to attach the forward line to a second bollard.

6.After Feeding that aft rope around that first bollard walk the free end of the rope right back along the side of the boat to the skipper and hand it to him near his steering position at back of boat - he will manage that line from now on. As he drives slowly forward again that line becomes the one retaining the rear of the boat against the lock wall and is controlled by skipper.

7.By then you will have returned to front of boat ready to fix your forward line i.e. the line on that side attached to ship’s bollard at front or bow of boat. Boat will edge forward slowly until a second bollard in the lock is identified to which your FORWARD line can now be looped around. You are thus left holding the forward line securing the front of boat and skipper remains holding his line at rear, both which must now be controlled, one by skipper and the forward one by you as per picture below.

And then bring the rope back to here to skipper before returning to front of boat to secure second line to secure bow of boat

Taking the AFT rope forward
















8. NB. Once you have fed your line around that second bollard make sure you feed the remaining free end of your line under the 'bit' of the deck bollards near your feet at bow of boat and keep the loose or free end in your hand at all times – this next photo shows one end of rope with its loop around the first bollard of the pair and the rope which is looped around the lock bollard (which you hold) under the ‘bit’ of the second bollard –

As the boat drops or rises the rope on the left of photo is progressively let off or shortened to allow boat to move up or down whilst the hull is kept close to side of lock – feeding the rope under the bit and using the ‘bit’ is highly advisable and greatly reduces arm strain. The skipper will be doing the same with his rope.
















Blue arrows indicate how tension is being maintained.

The bollard on lock is out of sight above the ship’s rail – this is the view from skipper’s position at rear/AFT of boat

Free end fed under ‘bit’ and adjusted by hand under constant tension

The other end of this rope is looped around a shore bollard

And then is returned UNDER the second bit
















9. As lock is filled or emptied adjust your rope accordingly to allow boat to rise or fall with the water level, but keeping boat close to wall of lock.

Note crew member has fed free end of her line under the bit of the bollard and the other end has been looped around the other ship’s bollard which is how it is normally left ready for next time, as can been seen on other side of boat

Rope ready to be used – one end looped around a ship’s bollard and the rest of the rope neatly stowed in plastic bucket with the free end visible, hanging ready to be picked up and fed around a bollard on the shore (its not in use in this tie up position however)
















This is the view at stern or back of boat where skipper is controlling his line (and taking the photo at the same time)

9A. Never tie your rope off for any reason it always needs holding and adjusting

10. You may need to secure rope to another bollard in the lock as boat rises or falls and then tighten rope again using rope under bit to keep boat close to lock wall (In the photo below the man is using the rungs of a ladder to adjust his line as the water level rises – it would be better if he led the line under a ‘bit’ on the stern of boat but in this case the flow of water is not severe so he is probably OK)

10A Attaching your line to a ladder 9instead of a bollard) is generally OK but make sure ladder is in one piece as they are often damaged. Avoid using to climb up the for the same reason, they are often very slippery.
















Leaving the lock

11. When skipper directs, loosen your rope and drag it all aboard quickly. Don't let it trail in the water – it might tangle in the prop. Shout ‘ALL CLEAR’ when it’s all aboard

11A. Skipper will adjust his rope and drag it aboard so you don't worry about it unless he wants help.

12.As soon as lock is cleared tidy ALL ropes up ready for next time they are needed. It could be very soon.

13.If rope gets jammed for any reason and you can't adjust it or recover it don't hesitate to cut it using diver's knife which should be always handy nearby.
















‘A well fed bargee is a happy bargee’
















Canal locking technique guide for French and other European canals.

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Transcript of Canal locking technique guide for French and other European canals.