Boring lock stuff

 Normal readers should skip this page, as only weird canal obsessed folk like me find locks so interesting.

Before the 18th C when the mitred lock gates allowed craft to climb up as well as down hills, rivers had flash locks. A barricade held back the current until there was a sufficient depth to overcome the shallows,  rocks ... Then the barricade was removed, and a flash flood carried boats downstream.  Imagine the mayhem. What could possibly go wrong?

The locks on the UK canals can be hairy enough. Like getting the stern jammed on the cill or ledge that holds the gates. As the lock empties, the boat tips forward and floods. We haven't done that yet. However Santiago a few days ago caught on the side of the lock, and tilted an alarming degree before the Cap'n sorted it. 



Or the front fender jam in the gap in the top gap on the gate.  Yes we tried to sink our boat that way.

And yesterday the Cap'n slipped into a lock, wet shoes, wet boat, very wet Cap'n.  Very fortunately:

     The lock was full ie no turbulence 

      The engine was in neutral

       My phone which he was holding dropped onto the deck, not into the canal 

       He managed to hold his head out of the water. Canal water looks pretty rubbish.

       A lock ladder was immediately behind him. He's not a large bloke but I doubt I could have pulled him aboard.

Back to lock construction. Mostly stone or brick sides, but can be Iron plated (rare) or earth sided. 

The lock gates are usually oak, weigh upwards of 1300kg. Last up to 25 years. If well balanced even I can easily open them

That's it for now. I'm boring myself to sleep. Goodnight.





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