Caledonian Canal Lock Advice

[dewent]

Thinking of going from East Coast UK to West Coast this year via Inverness and the Caledonian canal in April/May. With just the two of us aboard our 40ft yacht SWMBO is worried about how difficult it may be for the two of us to handle the locks, keeping the boat secure, manhandling the locks etc. We are both not as young as we once were but not decrepit yet! Can anyone advise on the procedure and how much of a physical challange it will be for us.

Thanks

 

[Quandary]

We go through most years, two old folk and a dog. It is easy, we enjoy it, particularly the dog, we take bikes for exploring, the only occasional problem are the hire cruisers but the lock keepers usually segregate them.
At staircases like Muirtown you put your crew ashore to walk the stern or bow line, the lock keeper will usually move the other for you, or if not when it is too busy your crew can drop it in to the cockpit and toss it up again. Avoid being in front if possible going up as the wall at the front of the lock is much higher. You do this by not rushing at the bridge as soon as it starts to open, let the Germans take their natural place. At single locks the keeper takes your lines but at deep ones like Gairlochy they will drop a line to you. Turbulence is never too great unlike the Crinan where the locks are smaller. Take your time it is a very relaxing trip and the staff are more than helpful. With a larger boat in the staircases the keeper may ask you to tie a smaller yacht alongside, this gives you two people ashore to walk lines and makes it even easier. Have a good look at the chart of the approach to the Muirtown seal lock it is shallow for quite a way out.
Recommended stops, Muirtown (for shops) Foyers, old hydro quay, walks and waterfalls. Fort Augustus (Lock inn for dinner) Gairlochy (wild life, ducks geese etc.) Commando memorial. Nothing much at Banavie other than buses/ trains to Fortwilliam or Ben Nevis. Corpach and Muirtown sell (expensive) marine diesel. You can not catch the Jacobite steam train to Mallaig at Corpach though it puffs through the station, needs pre booking most days anyway.

More stuff; rig enough fenders for both sides if possible but keep only the wall side ones down approaching a lock so that the keeper knows which side you are using so he can be in position to take your lines, listen on 74, the comments of the keepers are a hoot and carry the length of the great glen, they will talk to you freely. Watch out for large Jacobite day cruisers between Loch Ness and Tomnahurich they like to assert themselves, even if you are under sail. Loch Oich is shallow with just about enough room to sail but no problems in beating down Ness or Lochy. 40 kts of wind in the funnel of Loch Ness is not that unusual at the leeward end but the waves are smaller than you get in the sea. It is usuall about 15 kts more at the leeward end and builds very steadily so be aware if you put a kite up.

 

[Sadlermike]

It will be a doddle! The lock keepers will do all the work for you, will be aware of your approach, be helpful and friendly. I have not been through a canal that is easier.
There is a sting in the tail of this response! Be prepared to share the locks with people who have hired motor boats for the first time, handle them as if at the dodgems and regard your yacht as a buffer.

 

[ianj99]

Having taken my 36' steel ketch through the picturesque Crinan Canal, in August, I can say that two cannot do it enjoyably unless youngsters (under 40!). There were three of us but four would have been ideal - two to operate the lock gates and two on board to look after the boat - pay out / take in the lines as the lock empties / fills.
Crinan Canal provide an 'assisted passage' option where staff will accompany you through at no extra cost (they seemed to be students) or freelance 'canal pilots' were charging about £50 and one helped a couple on a 40' power boat.

Perhaps there are similar options available at the Caledonian locks, otherwise team up with another passage maker to share the work.

 

[Ian_Edwards]

We go through the Canal regularly, the last 5 year in a 40ft yacht, this year it'll be 46ft, we fit your description and my partner is 5ft tall and weighs in at 7 1/2 stone, so we're not exactly a crew of rugby players.

We haven't had a problem yet, the staff are all very friendly and helpful, you don't have handle any of the lock equipment, that's all done for you. When you are "going up" the deeper lock, the lock keeper will drop a rope down to you, so you don't even have to be able to throw a mooring rope very well.

The only minor problems I've had are with fenders, I'd advise fender board, and if you haven't got a bow thruster you need to get the boat off the lock wall before you move forward, otherwise the fenders drag on the wall and tend to turn the boat into the wall and roll the fenders out. The helm just has to take a little care when moving out of the lock.
Go for it, it a beautiful trip.

 

[JimC]

Having taken my 36' steel ketch through the picturesque Crinan Canal, in August, I can say that two cannot do it enjoyably unless youngsters (under 40!).

The Caledonian is very much easier than the Crinan - a different kettle of fish altogether. The locks are very much larger, comparatively free from turbulence and all power operated. Many of the locks are in staircases and on these my partner and I found it easiest to go ashore and just walk the boat from level to level with bow rope and stern rope.

 

[jimi]

My wife and I took our 39 ft boat through both the Crinan and the Caledonian last year. The Caledonian is easier if doing it oneself although the Crinan do offer free assistance. The Caledonian was fine and you'll probably have one on the shore walking the line from the bow whilst you reamin on the stren and helm chucking a line up.

 

[ianj99]

I'm glad to hear that and be wrong about needing more than 2. I'd be tempted to do it single handed - possible?

 

[Mistroma]

Crinan is a bit of a pain with only 2 on board but isn't that much of a problem (just slower and a lot of walking).
Forth & Clyde and Caledonian are both a complete doddle with only 2 people as the BW staff do all the work.

Hired power boats are a bit of a problem in Caledonian as already mentioned. We haven't been through it for several years but staff were very good about keeping us away from "numpties" most of the time. Saw lots of hilarious antics with rope throwing (aka knitting), engines and bread knives (handy when boat is dangling). Lock keepers realised that most owners knew what they were doing and that hire boats were ones to watch.

I know lots of people who went through the Forth & Clyde single handed and imagine that it would be possible on Caledonian. Avoid windy weather, prepare lines & fenders, then take your time.

 

[Quandary]

Having taken my 36' steel ketch through the picturesque Crinan Canal, in August, I can say that two cannot do it enjoyably unless youngsters (under 40!). There were three of us but four would have been ideal - two to operate the lock gates and two on board to look after the boat - pay out / take in the lines as the lock empties / fills.
Crinan Canal provide an 'assisted passage' option where staff will accompany you through at no extra cost (they seemed to be students) or freelance 'canal pilots' were charging about £50 and one helped a couple on a 40' power boat.

Perhaps there are similar options available at the Caledonian locks, otherwise team up with another passage maker to share the work.

Caley is very different as indicated above, but it is not necessary to avoid the Crinan, we keep our boat there and move her through regularly with one aboard and one (my wife) ashore but the boat is a very manouvreable 33' fin keeler, we are regarded as sufficiently competent not to be eligible for assistance. Of course it is much easier to share the locks with another boat allowing two people ashore but it is not difficult for the helmsman to drive the boat and handle the lines. A boat hook reduces the amount of heaving. We rig a bow line through a snatch block right back to a cockpit winch, the shore crew drops the loop over the rail well aft as we leave and picks it up at the next one with a boat hook, the stern line is set short and vertical and rarely adjusted. Assisted passage is variable in availability and quality and can be at least twice as slow as using a pilot but they will get you through in the end. The tedious thing is when the traffic is all one way and you have to keep going back to close the gates and paddles on the lock behind.
(I worked as a 'pilot' until I got my new knee hinge but only go out occasionally as an assistant nowadays but I can give more detailed advice on technique to anyone contemplating the passage for the first time, it can make a lot of difference to time and effort)

 

[Quandary]

No problem on the Caley for single handers, there are lots of them in transit all the time. My wife took ill on the way back a few years ago, the keepers nursed me all the way though, all I had to do was drive the boat and toss the lines up.

 

[awol]

Done it single-handed, double-handed, and mob-handed - it's an easy, fun trip. Avoid Friday afternoons when the hires tend to start and the hirers learn that there are no brakes; hire boats must walk their boats up the flights, you will have the choice; and take it easy 'cos canal-time has a rhythm of its own and the alternative is pointless stress.

 

[Mistroma]

I believe it was a Friday when we locked in near Inverness. We arrived at a lock a few hours into the canal where the keeper took our lines and apologised that he'd have us waiting until a hire boat arrived.

It chugged in 15 mins. later on other side and skipper turned the engine off as he entered the lock. The keeper looked down, folded his arms and said "you'll be needing the engine to stop". The skipper ran back and tried to start the engine as the following wind started to turn the boat sideways. When it had stopped across the lock the keeper went to take the bow line. Unfortunately, the chap's wife just rolled up some polyprop and threw it. The knitting stopped about 8' up and she tried a bit more rolling & throwing to get about 5' this time. Then she rolled it a bit more and couldn't lift the line past her knees. The keeper had some line to pass down by then but she had trouble finding the cleat under a bundle of rope.

I also remember the keeper stopping the drop in level at another lock further on. He'd noticed a problem with a hire boat lifting approx. 6" because he'd put a locking turn on a cleat. The skipper didn't realise that the keeper had spotted his "dangling boat" and so ran around like a headless chicken until he found a bread knife. Twanggg ... splash & all OK to continue.

It was a lovely summer and I remember how easy the trip was and how much entertainment was available. I was surprised how little instruction hire boat crews were given (Close to zero I assume). The lock keepers always seemed to put us well out of the path of these boats (even partially closing gates to force them away from us).

 

[Halo]

If you are going through the Crinan I would advise paying for a pilot and teaming up with another boat who are also prepared to pay for one. The two pilots will work together getting locks ready /closing off together and you will be through with minium hassle and max speed. SWMBO cannot throw a warp so having a friendly chap lowering a boat hook to take them off her makes all the difference. Last time I did this an american we teamed up with said "how come I have not seen my pilot and yours is always around" - all was explained when I said "have you noticed how all the locks are ready for us to go into?" Its a great passge through the canal and as they say up there "naie bother"

 

[ianj99]

Sounds good to me, for next year or whenever we look like getting some decent weather.

Is there a time limit on how long you can bide in Loch Ness for?
What's mooring availability like - eg for a few month?

 

[Daydream believer]

The cally canal is dead simple single handed. You need one long line attached on an aft cleat. When you go in the lock keeper will catch the line. Make sure he gives the free end back to you. Leave the engine in tickover in gear & it pulls the boat forward against the wall. I did not bother with a bow line unless the keer insisted. If you do then leave the engine ticking over in gear & the aft line will adjust itself if it is long enough to start with. Then just trim the bow line to satisfy the lock keeper. To leave drop off the bow use a large buoy fender to hold over the side by the stern so it protects as you motor away after letting go aft
Try to go on the lock side where the wind will pin you in rather than blow you off
If you have a bow thruster fix the stern first. You will end up laughing at idiots with bow thrusters who tie the bow first effectively preventing any bow thruster use & watch the stern drift away which they cannot stop
Do not have loads of long lines it is recipe or disaster as you cannot handle them quick enough
Forget springs etc- a waste of time. You do not need fender boards etc as they just make one more item to snag.
I used 3 fenders plus my large buoy fender on a 31 ft boat. Never had a scratch.
Same goes for the Dutch canals but there you do need a bow line every time & extra fenders.

 

[awol]

If you are going through the Crinan I would advise paying for a pilot and teaming up with another boat who are also prepared to pay for one.

Far be for me to discourage the employment of the locals, but the Crinan pilots make it all a bit too quick for me. Unless I am in a hurry (or the midges are biting), part of the joy is the gentle pace of canal time.

 

[jimi]

The Crinan did a trial free assisted passage scheme which was excellent. Don't know if it was a success from the BW viewpoint, though?

 

[NormanS]

The cally canal is dead simple single handed. You need one long line attached on an aft cleat. When you go in the lock keeper will catch the line. Make sure he gives the free end back to you. Leave the engine in tickover in gear & it pulls the boat forward against the wall. I did not bother with a bow line unless the keer insisted. If you do then leave the engine ticking over in gear & the aft line will adjust itself if it is long enough to start with. Then just trim the bow line to satisfy the lock keeper. To leave drop off the bow use a large buoy fender to hold over the side by the stern so it protects as you motor away after letting go aft
Try to go on the lock side where the wind will pin you in rather than blow you off
If you have a bow thruster fix the stern first. You will end up laughing at idiots with bow thrusters who tie the bow first effectively preventing any bow thruster use & watch the stern drift away which they cannot stop
Do not have loads of long lines it is recipe or disaster as you cannot handle them quick enough
Forget springs etc- a waste of time. You do not need fender boards etc as they just make one more item to snag.
I used 3 fenders plus my large buoy fender on a 31 ft boat. Never had a scratch.
Same goes for the Dutch canals but there you do need a bow line every time & extra fenders.

You'll need a head rope, (bow line), when you are going "uphill", unless you want to land sideways at the back of the lock. There's a fair force of water coming through the sluices, when the level is rising.

 

[Momac]

Always get a bow line on first then bring the stern in on the engine if necessary. With bow and stern lines on you have control of the boat and the engine is not required.
If its windy be aware the wind can bounce off the walls and change direction in and near locks.
Above all take your time - there will be no complaints if you are slow.