furnessvale

On Jun 23, 7:32�am, Dave Mayall <david.may...@ukonline.co.uk> wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:53:32 +0100, Alan N Estherby
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> <a...@notinthisworld.com> wrote:
> >Couldn't agree more. � Doing just this (boat in tickover, nudged against
> >top gate) I was ascending the Lapworth flight, Northern Stratford.
> >Four �or five locks, same technique, no probs - then failed to notice
> >that the top gate of the next one was lacking the rubbing board up the
> >inside of the gate. � The prow of the boat hooked under one on the cross
> >beams of the gate, I was lying on the balance beam, enjoying the
> >sunshine as the lock filled, next thing the beam "jumped" a bit under
> >me, and when I looked across, the water was within about four inches of
> >spilling over in to the front deck, and the stern was out of the water
> >with the prop visible...!
>
> >Fortunately, by running �back, dropping the top paddles and then opening
> >the bottom paddles to let some water back out I salvaged the situation
> >before I sank the boat - but it was a close run thing...
>
> >I've been a bit more careful since!
>
> Which is, of course, the valuable lesson here!
>
> Not that riding a top gate is inherrently bad, but rather that failing
> to devote you attention to a process that can go wrong in many
> dangerous ways is a bad thing.- Hide quoted text -

Indeed! I have single handed a working boat over most of the network
(where it fitted) narrow and broad, but I cannot say I have ever
sunbathed while the boat was rising/falling in a lock.

George