First live aboard problem!

[Punkstig]

So, when travelling up and down the canal system some locks have signs on saying 'please leave 1 lower paddle open' (the paddles are what let's water in/out the lock and cut)
I always wondered why, but not questioning did as sign asked.

So I get home tonight, step onto me house and nearly stumble over the other side, it's proper squiffy leaning to the port (that's the left, get me with the terminology!)

Have a look, try pushing the boat and it's grounded!

Initial worry was I've taken on water and half sunk, but I have a look at the water level and it's a good foot lower than normal!

So I grab my windlass (that's the name of the lock key for the paddles, again- terminology!)
And go up to the next lock, all paddles are closed so I open it all up to fill up my bit of cut and get me house floating again.

I'm now waiting for my curry to cook in the oven!

[ChristoT]

 

Only you could go aground by not moving on a canal! 

Enjoy the curry!

[midden]

No pictures? 

[Punkstig]

No pictures?

Sorry, I was too busy opening a can of stella to take with me to the upper lock.

All this being said the upper lock looked pretty low after I'd finished, fuck knows if the barges up there are still floating!

[BBROWN1664]

I thought the idea of leaving the lower gate open was to ensure any seepage from the top gate stopped the lock filling up and potentially overflowing. If you leave a paddle open, a newby wont realise, open the top paddles and flood the lower canal.

[Punkstig]

I thought the idea of leaving the lower gate open was to ensure any seepage from the top gate stopped the lock filling up and potentially overflowing.

I initially thought that, but if the upper lock fills up and the cut before is high then the water will just flow over the top of the lower gate (which is lower than ground level) so 'overflow' isn't an issue.

It would appear from my experience today it's to stop shorter cuts from losing too much water from the next lock

[Doddsie]

I thought the idea of leaving the lower gate open was to ensure any seepage from the top gate stopped the lock filling up and potentially overflowing.

It is impossible for a lock to overflow as once the water builds up to the same level as the water entering it, the water stops flowing.

[Punkstig]

I thought the idea of leaving the lower gate open was to ensure any seepage from the top gate stopped the lock filling up and potentially overflowing.

It is impossible for a lock to overflow as once the water builds up to the same level as the water entering it, the water stops flowing.

Although the lock won't overflow the top sides of the lock the upper cut water can at times be higher than the top of the lower lock gate, the lock would potentially fill up then overflow the top of the lower gate,
Which although not the end of the world it's something british waterways don't want happening as it's excessive pressure and wear on the system!

[hightower]

You got any photos punk?

[Punkstig]

You got any photos punk?

Of anything in particular?

[bigralphie]

so its the barge version of catching your kill switch 

[hightower]

You got any photos punk?

Of anything in particular?

Just of your life on a boat in general. I love narrow boats, just anything you can post to give us a feel of what it's like living there.

[Punkstig]

Yeah, will do, I'm not settled in yet, but I'll put some up on a separate thread at some point

[hightower]