Sharing broad locks on the K&A

RECENTLY a rather bizarre scenario arose on a portion of the Kennet & Avon Canal when some owners of private narrowboats and a few narrowboat hirers became embroiled in a heated debate about narrowboats being accommodated inside a broad-lock chamber.

Seemingly the hire boaters were under the impression that only one boat should be inside the lock chamber at any one time.

Naturally, the private boat owners were aghast, if not a little irate, at what was obviously a misunderstanding of lock etiquette and procedure by the hire boaters.

What irked the private owners more than anything else was the loss of time accrued while they waited for an insistent hire boater to enter the lock on his own, as per what he claimed was the pre-departure handover lock procedure instruction given to him.

Loss of time may be an issue if one boat at a time were to make use of the lock chamber; however, and probably more important, is the water conservation aspect. This latter point certainly is something all canal users should be aware of; water conservation is, after all, part of the bigger picture when it comes to the Canal & River Trust’s canal management ethos.

With the above in mind, wherever possible while cruising on the K&A two narrowboats should always endeavour to share a broad lock. At times this may mean waiting at a lock for a few minutes pending the arrival of another boat cruising in the same direction, but so what? If we think of it, a good narrowboating mantra is, after all, ‘Going nowhere slowly’.

What is important is knowing and remembering only one boat at a time can enter and exit a lock. While the lock chamber dimensions allow for two narrowboats to lie snugly side by side (without the fenders hanging overboard), the lock gates will not allow two boats to enter or exit at the same time. To attempt it means problems of a serious nature may arise because the boats will get stuck.

I’ve also heard it said that if the two narrowboats are of differing lengths, the longer should enter the lock chamber first, and the shorter boat exit first.

Put simply, the procedure for narrowboats at broad locks along the K&A is simple so long as users remember the following:

· Two boats can comfortably be accommodated inside the chamber at the same time.

· Always endeavour to share a lock with another narrowboat because it is a water conservation measure.

· Most important, though, is to reember that only one boat at a time can enter the lock, and only one boat at a time can exit the lock.

Happy and safe cruising as we enter the peak summer months.

Comfortably accommodated side by side; on the left is the Majii Mtoto and, right, our Sabi Star. Right: Brian Butterfield on Majii Mtoto exits Lock 152 behind Sabi Star.

Majii Mtoto exits a lock ahead of Sabi Star.

Waiting for two boats to exit a lock one at a time on the K&A. Brian Butterfield on Majii Mtoto to my front, as we linger at the temporary lock mooring before entering, one at a time.