Lock Thru Question

[Tug]

Sometime this week I will be making my 1st transition though the Lock where i live. I was talking to the Lock Master and watched a couple of boats lock through but there was a few people on board manning the ropes,he said there was nothing to it. Here's my question: as I will be locking thru alone, when I come to a stop beside one of the vertical cables on the lock wall ...can I slide a rope thru a stern cleat before a pass the rope behind the cable(s ) and than back in thru a bow cleat and hold the ends to keep me close to the wall. I know it says not to tie off to a cleat but if the rope is not tied and free to slide would that be effective and safe. Thanks Tug

[Captains Cat]

How much of a drop/rise is it Tug?

Charlie

[Tug]

It gives the depth of the lock as 44 feet, I am not sure if this is the rise and drop or just the total depth of the empty lock. Tug

[thataway]

My concern is that a boat can pivot around these several axis fairly easily. You would want fender boards next to the lock walls. In the small boat as the c Dory a boat hook can keep you off the wall, but there can still be a lot of motion from turbulence of water coming into a lock (less going out).

Most of my experience is in much bigger boats, and I have two people handling lines.

[Sunbeam]

This isn't direct help, but at one point in time I searched and read several longer threads here about locking through. There were some fantastic tips on various styles of locks, and on solo passages as well. I saved excerpts just for "someday."

Maybe you already looked through them (and nothing wrong with getting fresh info), but if not, here are links to three threads on single handing through locks:


http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=3919&sid=57d4ec9bc25f5b465c4af0c627cf7216

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=20842

http://www.c-brats.com/viewtopic.php?t=12610

[Tug]

It is probably best if I bring an additional person with me during my first trip, that way I will be able to see how things go. Thanks for you replies. Tug

[rogerbum]

I've locked through the Ballard locks from the Seattle Shipping canal into and out of the Puget sound many times single handed in my 22. In those locks there are two different styles (neither of which is similar to the Sault Ste. Marie locks). In the small locks out here, there are cleats on the wall that float up and down with the rising/lowering water. For those you wrap your lines around the floating "button" and tie back off to the boat. You have to make sure that you can rapidly provide line in the rare event that one of the floating buttons sticks as long as you pay attention and didn't tie off too firm or with a gazillion unnecessary wraps around your cleat, it's pretty easy to provide additional line.
In our "big locks", there's a fixed cleat at the top and the lockmasters attach your bow and stern lines to the fixed cleats. Then as the boat rises or falls, you have to feed or take up line manually. Typically this is done by wrapping around (but not tying off) a bow and stern cleat and standing in the cockpit to tend the lines. For large boats, you may need a person on each line as it can take some strength to keep the lines fairly tight. For a small boat without much draft (like a C-Dory) it's pretty easy.

As I understand the Sault Ste. Marie locks, there are fixed vertical cables at fairly regular spacing (maybe 2' apart?) that you can use to loop a line around. As these cables are fixed at the top and bottom but have no attachment to the wall in between, the lines simply slide or roll up the cable as you lock through. Correct?
In such a case, I'd still use two lines one from the midships cleat (just outside of the helm window) and one from the stern. The reason for using two lines is that you always want to release the line that is down current first (and tie it last). If you instead release the up current line first, that end of the boat can rapidly swing around the pivot point provided by the down current line and it can be hard to recover from that - especially if it is the bow swinging around.

My single handed procedure for locking through always had a line at the midships cleat. Prior to entering, I would fender both sides of the boat. This would allow me to lock to either side and, if needed, raft another boat on my side. In our locks, we are often rafted several deep so LARGE fenders are good as you may need a lot of fender depending on the shape of the boat you raft to or that rafts to you. I would come in and:
1) if moving into current, tie the boat off from the midships cleat while it was still in motion and then put the boat in gear to hold it against the wall while I dealt with the stern line. OR
2) If moving with the current, put the boat in neutral and tie off the stern line prior to typing off the boat line. Either way, the motion of the boat keeps the boat against the wall.
3) Then (with sufficiently long lines), I would do one wrap around the boat cleats and stand in the cockpit with one in each hand to keep the lines taught while going up or down. Unless you have one or more larger boats rafted to you, it's easy to handle. If you have other boats rafted to you and you anticipate a strong current, ask one of the people on that rafted boat to step onto yours to help tend the lines. Make sure you give them detailed and firm instruction since you never know whether they are newbies or experts (or idiots). Also, if you are rafted to a bunch of boats, be prepared to start your engine if needed to keep the group perpendicular to the wall. I've had to do that when the line tenders on the inside were either not paying attention or were not strong enough to keep boats rafted 5 deep in place.

4) When leaving, release the down current line first and put it in the cockpit. Then release the up current line and motor slowly off the wall.

Key items:
Large fenders - more than you think you might need.
Fairly long lines - you want to make sure that they are long enough to go from your boat's cleats to the wall and back such that you have both in your hands in the cockpit.
A handy knife in the rare event something hangs up and you need to cut a line prior to it ripping out a cleat or turning your boat over.
Patience - a swear some divorces must get their starts in the locks out here.
Situational awareness and a willingness to spring into action to help others, fend off boats who don't know what they are doing apply power if needed etc. If you're rafted and someone near the wall is losing control, don't feel bad about jumping onto their boat to offer help. It is often appreciated, especially by older cruisers who can afford very large boats but may not have the strength necessary for some locking procedures.

[Will-C]

I'm not sure how turbulent the water is in your locks but I have seen C-Dory's being single handed by someone sitting at the rear of the cabin holding on a cable with a single boathook or a line with a pair of gloves. The boat can't spin if you can hold it close to the lock wall. Usually if locks are that turbulent they will require you lock thru with a least two people. Most get too flipped out about the process. But we have only done the Erie canal maybe your situation is different.
D.D.

[Tug]

That is correct , there are vertical cables closely spaced where the boats lines slide up or down the cables. I think that both procedures you mentioned would work. The Lock Master told me that he raises and lowers the lock slowly so there is less turbulence . A single rope at the mid-ship cleat would probably work OR two ropes. one rope at the mid ship cleat and one rope at the stern cleat with me standing in the cockpit. The two rope method sounds safer and is the one I will use. Good point about which lines to release first. Thanks Tug

[JamesTXSD]

We have been through locks many times with our 25. In one particularly large lock on the Hudson River, the cables were too far apart for both of us on the boat to make any kind of connection. It was not a big deal to have one "connection" - I was able to hold our CD-25 fine by myself (holding a line through the helm window). Since we always have the two of us onboard, the boat is better balanced in a lock by one on the bow and one in the cockpit.

With a 22 Angler, you should be pretty close to mid-point in the boat where the cockpit meets the cabin.

Also, I would not run any line through a cleat on your boat when locking - if the line should get caught in ANY manner, you are going to be in a world of hurt... picture your boat "hanging by the line" as the water disappears under it. 44 feet is a significant drop in a lock. Best to be holding the line in a loop around he cable.

Dr. Bob's idea of a fenderboard is good, or have at least 3 good size fenders (you will want to have your boat away from the slime or rough sides of the lock). A boat hook and a pair of gloves that you don't mind getting "slimey." Let the lock master know it is your first time through and they will give you some guidance.

When locking through in the Trent-Severn, we came across a guy who was driving a 38' boat by himself, and he had no issue doing the locks solo. I would think your 22 Angler would be easier (due to the larger cockpit) solo than a 22 Cruiser.

The first time is always a bit of angst. Good luck and have fun with it.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

[thataway]

Great idea to take a crew. We went thru the Sault locks last year on a tour boat--and my thought was that those are big locks.

You don't think a line can hang up, but if they do…bad results.

[journey on]

DON'T EVER CLEAT OFF A LINE IN A LOCK>

I have a bent stern rail on Journey On where I cleated off a line, the boat lifted, the line tightened and I finally got a knife to cut it. I haven't straightened it just to remind me of one (more) stupid act.

Boris

[Tug]

Well I went through the Sault Ontario Recreational Lock on 18/07/2014 , it was a very simple and easy process. The Lock lowered and raised slowly and there was very little current which was easily handled. I had one big round bumper hanging from the front railing and a smaller round bumper hanging from my rear downrigger. I fastened a 12 foot dock line to the rear and mid-ship cleat and passed each one thru and behind the hanging wall cable . I held the end of each dock line tight to the wall standing just rear of the cabin . It was not as difficult as I envisioned, thanks for all the great advice , it helped a lot. I posted a couple pictures of the Lock thru in my album. Tug

[Wayne McCown]

Our experience with locks is running the Erie Canal. Most of these locks have hanging vertical cables or ropes (we prefer the fixed cables). The boater passes a line (or two) behind the cable and moves it up or down as the water rises or falls.

Ideally, I will catch a vertical cable from the helm window, while my wife catches one from the cockpit. My line runs from the prow; my wife's from the stern. Both are brought to a point immediately behind the cabin bulkhead. From there, one person--with both lines in hand--can manage the boat quite well.

We typically use a combination of fender boards and fenders; the entire side of the boat is well protected (as the walls can be quite rough, and the current quite strong).