Crinan Canal 2024

Now up in Loch Craignish, having come out via Crinan this afternoon.

All locks and bridges were manned, great, pleasant service from all staff.

Lock 11 (?) gates were leaking, leading to a delay through lock 12 as staff had to go back to shut both sets of gates at 11 to reduce overspill into 12.

I can see how staff might be stretched if it were busy.

But all in all, a great trip through (2 handed). Even saw a beaver on Loch Coille-Bharr!
 
jlavery said:
Now up in Loch Craignish, having come out via Crinan this afternoon.

All locks and bridges were manned, great, pleasant service from all staff.

Lock 11 (?) gates were leaking, leading to a delay through lock 12 as staff had to go back to shut both sets of gates at 11 to reduce overspill into 12.

I can see how staff might be stretched if it were busy.

But all in all, a great trip through (2 handed). Even saw a beaver on Loch Coille-Bharr!
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The canal is so unbelievably quiet at the moment. Yesterday I had over an hours delay when the water between locks 11 and 12 was far too high and needed to be run off. The two boats in front were also delayed for a long time as we were 4 locks behind and caught them up.

I would choose definitely rather than might.

Beavers seem to be plentiful .
 
A hearty thank you! Went round the MoK on my way to the SIPR start last week mainly 'cos of time restraints and the lack of confidence in the canal expressed on here. Had to motor most of the way due to lack of puff but you can motor a hell of a long way for the cost of one canal transit.
 
What's the latest situation in the canal? Intending to transit Wednesday or Thursday this week, just two of us and we normally take a pilot.

With the changes mentioned earlier, are there enough canal staff at each lock or is it still beneficial to have the luxury of a pilot.
 
Aja said:
What's the latest situation in the canal? Intending to transit Wednesday or Thursday this week, just two of us and we normally take a pilot.

With the changes mentioned earlier, are there enough canal staff at each lock or is it still beneficial to have the luxury of a pilot.
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Went through a couple of weeks ago, staff to help at every lock. We, two of us, were teamed up with a couple of single handers. Really good.
 
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Aja said:
What's the latest situation in the canal? Intending to transit Wednesday or Thursday this week, just two of us and we normally take a pilot.

With the changes mentioned earlier, are there enough canal staff at each lock or is it still beneficial to have the luxury of a pilot.
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I'm busier piloting than I was last year, and the canal is actually quieter. It will depend how many staff and which staff. You might have to wait for them to have lunch. On Friday, a two crew boat that was not helped by the staff struggled badly and the man on the bow took at bath at lock 10. There were no staff helping them when the incident occurred.

It looks like IanCC picked a good day.

For the record, I'm fully booked for the rest of the month so wouldn't be available.
 
Thanks for the updates. Just depends on the day then. I'll get in contact with my usual guy and see if he's available.
 
Peter Pilot said:
I'm busier piloting than I was last year, and the canal is actually quieter. It will depend how many staff and which staff. You might have to wait for them to have lunch. On Friday, a two crew boat that was not helped by the staff struggled badly and the man on the bow took at bath at lock 10. There were no staff helping them when the incident occurred.
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Do they not always have a lunch break? I certainly did...
 
SaltIre said:
Do they not always have a lunch break? I certainly did...
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Of course they have lunch and are entitled to do so, but if you arrive at say Cairnbaan (heading west) just before lunch - you might make it through the bridge but if short handed will not have any help for the flight of locks; whereas with a little planning and enough pairs of hands you’d be on your way to Dunardy by the time the staff have come back from lunch. If you (or really the keepers planning/comms) gets it really wrong - all the locks will be set the wrong way for you too.

Of course if you are not in a rush - then you can time your own lunch to coincide with theirs.
 
Peter Pilot said:
I'm busier piloting than I was last year, and the canal is actually quieter. It will depend how many staff and which staff. You might have to wait for them to have lunch. On Friday, a two crew boat that was not helped by the staff struggled badly and the man on the bow took at bath at lock 10. There were no staff helping them when the incident occurred.

It looks like IanCC picked a good day.

For the record, I'm fully booked for the rest of the month so wouldn't be available.
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One of these day you'll say someting nice about the Crinan... :rolleyes:
 
For the record, I went through the Canal two weeks ago. We arrived at Crinan sea lock at about 0930, and after a short wait while a couple of boats locked out, we were efficiently locked into the basin by a couple of friendly young women. After a short stop to use the showers and toilets, and a chat with the current owner of my old boat we started our progress through the canal in the company of a lovely older wooden motor yacht. Each lock was manned, though we had one crew member ashore to handle our ropes and open and close the lock gate on our side of the canal. The sluices were opened and closed by the canal staff, as were the lock gates on the other side. Movement of boats in the opposite direction in the flights were managed efficiently by the canal staff.
There was a short break while the staff had lunch, and we arrived at Ardrishaig by mid afternoon, in plenty of time for the other boat to lock out and make for Tarbert.
All in all it was a pleasant experience, the majority of the canal staff were pleasant and helpful, and the passage was easier than on previous occasions. It saved us having to hole up in Campbeltown while a nasty little front passed over. Recommended.
 
ctva said:
One of these day you'll say someting nice about the Crinan... :rolleyes:
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I just tell it like it is. Sorry if the truth hurts. I'm transiting the canal most days so I see the good and the bad. Today I had some assistance at locks 7 and 8 from the staff which is always appreciated. Locks 9 to 13 I did completely by myself (the staff were cutting grass) and as usual the water levels were too high with water pouring over the gates making the emptying time of the locks a lot longer than it should be and the gates very hard to push. Travelling from Ardrishaig to Crinan is currently taking longer than last year.

Some of the staff are great.
 
SaltIre said:
Did Dunardry Bridge over lock 11 get fixed or is it permanently open = closed to vehicles?
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have not seen the bridge used in years. it looked a bit forlorn on Sunday when driving past. hopefully i am wrong.

i was pondering over what would happen if the Cairnbaan bridge stuck open, or RTC on the bridge shut it, then an ambulance needed past?
 
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