Goole Ocean Lock

[tinkicker0]

Been at Goole Boathouse almost 12 months now, but with various commitments, hardly ever used the boat. Been out up the Aire and Calder to Pollington lock, but that's about it. Nice enough canal, very pretty, wide and nice and deep.

Next season will have to get out on the lower ouse and humber, but that darn lock scares me silly. I've only got a little soapdish and it certainly looks like a wild ride when its filling, huge whirlpools and eddies with nowhere to tie up, just sit it out.

What is it really like, as bad as it looks and what if you are sharing with a ship?




Is the lock only open at high tide and do you have to book in and out?

Ta.

 

[Momac]

They will not let you in with a ship.
The lock is enormous - you just keep a position in the middle while they let the water out.
Yes you do book your time the day before. But if there are ships or commercial boats wanting to move when you get there they will be given priority.
You will require a working vhf otherwise thay will not let you in.
You will not want to go out of hours as they will charge you. In normal locking hours it's free. I think the normal hours are 1.5 hours before HW until 2.5 hours after HW - but please do check this with ABP .

.

 

[tinkicker0]

Thanks. VHF I have. Guts to enter the darned thing I'm finding rather harder to find. I once had a wander down and saw it filling. I swear there was a fountain in the middle 20ft across and 6 ft high.

 

[Momac]

Going down/out the movement of water in the lock it is gentle enough.
We have only arrived at Goole via the canals from Keadby.
So I have not travelled into Ocean Lock off the Ouse and can't comment on what it is like when the lock is filling. But presumably they let the water in as gently as they can.
If they are filling the lock with no boats in it I have no doubt they fully open the sluices and dont care about turbulance

 

[CX54WEK]

As Martyn says its a piece of cake.

Just ride it out in the middle of the lock going up or down. The lock is plenty big enough to sort yourself out.

They do give priority to commercial traffic and we have been held waiting on the Ouse for a good 45 minutes whilst they sort out the commercial traffic but thats easy enough as well. Just stem the tide and have a cup of coffee while you wait

(Note it is not ideal for your raw water pump to start pouring water all over the alternator whilst you are waiting for the lock stemming the tide )

 

[CX54WEK]

Thanks. VHF I have. Guts to enter the darned thing I'm finding rather harder to find. I once had a wander down and saw it filling. I swear there was a fountain in the middle 20ft across and 6 ft high.

They are a bit more gentle with the filling when they have pleasure boats in the lock.

If its a relatively small commercial they have in the lock they will let you in with it in which case you may prefer to put rope around one of the ladders in the wall unless you are confident with your boat handling.

 

[Trundlebug]

I've been through ocean lock several times and never found it intimidating.

We've always tied up to the bollards on the side (you need very long warps) or as said to the ladders.
The turbulence has never been a problem. It's good practice as with all locks to position the boat as far back away from the incoming water as possible.

For me the scariest part of going into Goole was the swing road bridge - the bridge operator started closing it as we were still approaching and I had to put quite a spurt on to get through and avoid the radar being swiped off. He was a right miserable devil.

Go for it, conquer those demons, you'll be fine.

 

[CX54WEK]

Heres some pictures from our last few times through the lock

 

[Momac]

On my first time through Ocean Lock I asked the lock keeper if I might put a rope on a ladder and he , very politely, said
'No sir you do not do that '.

.

 

[CX54WEK]

On my first time through Ocean Lock I asked the lock keeper if I might put a rope on a ladder and he , very politely, said
'No sir you do not do that '.

.

Depends who you get and what is in the lock with you at the time. If it is a lock full of pleasure boats there is little point tying up as there is plenty of room to keep out of each others way. If you are in there with a little commercial then there isnt as much room so you are far safer tying to a ladder or if you have long enough ropes the bollards.

Oh and dont forget your phonetic alphabet. The git had us spell our boat name out before he would let us enter last year!!

 

[CharlieAlpha]

Oh and dont forget your phonetic alphabet. The git had us spell our boat name out before he would let us enter last year!!

That handy as he will not be able to read your comments then

 

[tinkicker0]

sierra hotel india tango india charlie alpha november tango sierra papa echo lima lima

 

[mersey]

Never had a problem there, thought it quite a calm lock myself.

 

[CX54WEK]

sierra hotel india tango india charlie alpha november tango sierra papa echo lima lima

Wouldnt worry we have only been asked once. Think he was in a funny mood.

Made us think that next time we will have a shorter boat name that is easy to spell though