Lock procedures - an overview

A large lock can seem a daunting challenge to any  powerboater.  Saturday morning in July, twenty boats all gathering to squeeze into a confined and congested space, its enough to drive some skippers straight back to their berth in fear of what might happen.

This article is written to show how straightforward and simple the procedure can be, providing a little care and prior planning is undertaken. Lock procedures vary enormously from lock to lock, a large commercial lock on the Rhine, a modern marina lock as found at Sovereign harbour, to the small paddle operated locks on the inland waterways.

Each one has its own problems and different procedures. We have  based this article on how we  use the locks found at Sovereign Harbour Eastbourne. Local knowledge is essential and you should make every effort to familiarise yourself with any lock that you may end up using  - before you do so.  The lock at Eastbourne  provides a good example because they are relatively large and have a modern light system similar to other marina locks around the U.K.

Safety is the most important part of locking in and out and at this stage its importance cannot be over emphasised. The following paragraphs are a guide to locking in/out safely and efficiently.

Safety: Lifejackets-worn at all times; minimise crew movement while in lock; clear understanding of local bylaws; knowledge of light signals; plan entry and exit.

Preparation for lock entry: COMMUNICATION with crew; thorough briefing on what you require from them; preparation of warps and fenders;

Think position and height of fenders, you may have to raft up so a sensible number of fenders are required 6 minimum, 8 recommended. Length and number of warps, not all locks have floating pontoons some the warp is placed around a pole and simply slides up or down as the boat moves.

Courtesy: You may be first in the queue, but the 60 footer behind you will have more difficulty than you in a ski boat manoeuvring, let him in first.

The following paragraphs address the specifics of approaching, departing and tying up in lock.

Entry: Check traffic lights; wait for eddies and currents to abate after lock gates open; enter lock at a controlled but positive speed; choose your position to come alongside (you can't afford to assume that you will be coming alongside on your port side and lay out all of your fenders and warps on this side as you may be directed to go somewhere else within the lock. Therefore put out fenders and warps for both sides)

Come alongside as you would for a normal pontoon, sometimes the lock has ropes, which you simply place over the cleat on your vessel. Don’t assume this however and make sure your warps are ready in case, if you haven’t it’s too late as you come alongside!

Waiting alongside: Tie up  your vessel fore and aft, a spring to avoid excessive movement as the lock sluices is recommended; switch off engine/engines; use the time while lock level changes to brief your crew for departure; always be prepared to fend off other boats not as well secured as yours, especially if rafted alongside.

Departing the lock: COMMUNICATION; as for entry remembering to be courteous, it’s not a formula one start!

The above procedures are the same for lock entry on the seaward side as from the marina side. If you follow these simple guidelines locking in and out is a simple and painless exercise, and a good opportunity to meet and chat to fellow boat owners.

VHF: Whether the lock office expects to be called on  VHF will vary from lock to lock (local knowledge!). Unless you are sure that there is no need to use VHF before entry then we would suggest that you call and seek permission to enter. You should continue to monitor the relevant marina channel at all times.

Light Signals: The International Port Traffic Light system is used for most locks. The system consists of three lights in vertical orientation often duplicated on both sides of the lock.