Lock-keeper@Sonning & throwing a line!

[watson1959]

Thanks to the resident lockie at Sonning we finally learned how to throw a line correctly

After a month or so of just trying what appeared to be logical ways to get a line over the bollards when we enter from down-stream (with mixed success!), I asked him to give my wife a hand with the stern line on our way home yesterday.

As the river was virtually empty he offered to spend a few minutes showing us how best to throw a line....good grief! How simple!........how embarassing its been to think back over the recent painful learning curve

 

[Poignard]

When I was in the RN we used to have 'heaving line contests'. Could be an idea for club regattas?

 

[russ]

Thanks to the resident lockie at Sonning we finally learned how to throw a line correctly

After a month or so of just trying what appeared to be logical ways to get a line over the bollards when we enter from down-stream (with mixed success!), I asked him to give my wife a hand with the stern line on our way home yesterday.

As the river was virtually empty he offered to spend a few minutes showing us how best to throw a line....good grief! How simple!........how embarassing its been to think back over the recent painful learning curve

Could do with a lesson my self. Whats the best way then?

 

[watson1959]

Ropes

Could do with a lesson my self. Whats the best way then?

So lets see how easy (!) this is to describe....
...coil the line normally......take the coils and divide equally between each hand ensuring that the end which is attached to the boat has some slack...the 'loose' end needs to be gripped between a couple of fingers so you dont let go....bend the elbows so your hands and the coils are together at your chest, elbows out, then swiftly fling your hands forward and outwards, letting go of the line.....this creates a wide 'spray' effect with the line....and if you cant get this over a bollard...there's a problem

Bloody hell thats difficult to describe A video would be easier.....

 

[teddington_lock]

When you get really good , you'll be able to do it from your waist side with a little flick , you'll throw it further too.

Next thing to learn is how to throw a large diameter rope with an eye in the end , putting the eye over the bollard , like the barge hands do. Not easy.

 

[Barry Jones]

I was taught that technique on a boat handling course a few years ago.

Its called a twin coil throw and its shown in the RYA inland waterways handbook.

 

[watson1959]

Ropes

When you get really good , you'll be able to do it from your waist side with a little flick , you'll throw it further too.

Next thing to learn is how to throw a large diameter rope with an eye in the end , putting the eye over the bollard , like the barge hands do. Not easy.

....bl**dy hell TL.....one step at a time....nobody told me I needed a lassoo (spelling?) on the boat!

I have to say: having pulled in alongside the moorings downstream of Sonning today to practice.....it works 100% of the time. Bugger.....I shouldnt have said that, should I?

Next thing to learn is an easy way to 'flick' the rope back over the bollard when in the lowered position without it snagging on the T-bar......especially when I'm first out in a lock-full of boats

 

[Steve Clayton]

You know that bit when you are in the lock and you've got the stern line on (but not the fo'rard) and the slightest tightness then causes the nose to start moving out; well; keep the stern line fairly tight, engage forward and turn the helm into the wall - the boat comes slowly round.

We would purposely do this in Goring lock to the point the nose was almost touching the other wall. Lizzie would then shout out from the bow "What shall we do, what shall we do??" I would reply "Don't panic my dear, I'll think of something". Engage forward and as the nose came round we would encourage rapturous applause from the onlookers )

 

[watson1959]

Locks

You know that bit when you are in the lock and you've got the stern line on (but not the fo'rard) and the slightest tightness then causes the nose to start moving out; well; keep the stern line fairly tight, engage forward and turn the helm into the wall - the boat comes slowly round.

We would purposely do this in Goring lock to the point the nose was almost touching the other wall. Lizzie would then shout out from the bow "What shall we do, what shall we do??" I would reply "Don't panic my dear, I'll think of something". Engage forward and as the nose came round we would encourage rapturous applause from the onlookers )

sneaky

 

[rosssavage]

I actually rather enjoy watching the crew on the Thames clippers in London (the big TFL cat things, not raggies!!) nonchalantly flick a big rope over the bollard at a pier, then hold the boat in with judicious use of engine power. Very slick, although obviously practised about a hundred times a day!

A lesson in good crew communication too...

 

[TrueBlue]

I actually rather enjoy watching the crew on the Thames clippers in London (the big TFL cat things, not raggies!!) nonchalantly flick a big rope over the bollard at a pier, then hold the boat in with judicious use of engine power. Very slick, although obviously practised about a hundred times a day!

A lesson in good crew communication too...

If there's doubt (I can see the bow or stern starting to move away) I shout "your next" to the Management; otherwise we do it in silence.

If you can manage Goring lock perfectly, then you've arrived. The bollards are set well back and there's the flower bed retaining wall not for behind. So a large loop inevitably hits the wall and bounces off missing the bollard.

 

[rosssavage]

I get "told" by the management which bollards she's going to use, and get chastised if I don't stop immediately alongside the right one for her!

I don't know if you've used the London clippers, but they are big boats, and the crew member on the rope has to align the gate on the boat and the gate on the pier to within inches. Dont forget that these services are used by non-boaty members of the public, and gaps arent acceptable.

Comms are accomplished by a small CCTV camera located by the crew member fed to the upper helm station, and it's all hand signals.

So far, I've not seen one miss....

Ps: SWMBO will also call "rope on / off" as applicable, as I can't always see the bollard from the flybridge. I like to know what's going on (and it saves being shouted at by her too )

 

[watson1959]

SWMBO

I get "told" by the management which bollards she's going to use, and get chastised if I don't stop immediately alongside the right one for her!

....it must be an epidemic! We've had the same symptoms on Akamas....perhaps its one of those water-borne things we're hearing so much about these days

 

[teddington_lock]

I actually rather enjoy watching the crew on the Thames clippers in London (the big TFL cat things, not raggies!!) nonchalantly flick a big rope over the bollard at a pier, then hold the boat in with judicious use of engine power. Very slick, although obviously practised about a hundred times a day!

A lesson in good crew communication too...

Bit naughty though , a woman was killed a few years back when they were running ahead on the line.

Bollard came out of the pier and hit her in the head , exploding it like a melon apparently. Tres unpleasant.

 

[Sulley]

We got taught by James (Jim) one of the lock keepers last year when we were on a hire boat, works every time! He's lovely and always has a smile...

We are normally two handed on the boat so communication is key, I find it stops the arguing and shouting at each other!!

 

[Sometime]

Next thing to learn is an easy way to 'flick' the rope back over the bollard when in the lowered position without it snagging on the T-bar......especially when I'm first out in a lock-full of boats

The best way is to feed the rope through your hands and the pull the last bit through as you set off.

 

[stuartbaggs]

I actually rather enjoy watching the crew on the Thames clippers in London (the big TFL cat things, not raggies!!) nonchalantly flick a big rope over the bollard at a pier, then hold the boat in with judicious use of engine power. Very slick, although obviously practised about a hundred times a day!

A lesson in good crew communication too...

Like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DbSSGcum8U

 

[teddington_lock]

The tug guys who work for the Agency can do that equally as well , and from further out too.

I've seen them throw lines like that over bollards that are out of sight ( coming into an empty lock , the line is thrown up and out ) .... they just know exactly where each bollard is at each lock seemingly exactly.

When the EA used to tow the big dredger barges around , the crews on those were inch perfect.

 

[watson1959]

Lines

The best way is to feed the rope through your hands and the pull the last bit through as you set off.

um...I...err...that's good to know: its what we've started to do for the lack of anything more reliable....I just put it down to inexperience: seems we're on an upward slope at last