colbysmith
Active member
Often I see the subject come up of lockage. So thought I'd start this thread and offer some of my own experience and advice.
First respect the etiquette of the lock. That is, Government and commercial tows and craft will take precedent over pleasure craft. Usually one is required to wear their PFD's while in the lock, but not all enforce it. Just wear it. Stay out of the way while waiting to enter the lock. Don't go beyond restriction signs, which are usually on the dam side of the lock wall. Be prepared to lock on either your starboard or port side. Call the lockmaster on the appropriate listed frequency when within a mile or two to notify them of requested lockage and to ascertain if you will have much wait. You can adjust your speed accordingly then. (You can call them earlier, but I've found if they are somewhat busy, until you are actually in sight, they really don't know when you'll be allowed thru. I showed up one time ahead of two tows that I had just passed upstream hoping I could get in and thru before them. When I got there, the lock master told me I would have to wait. As soon as I was tied up to a nearby dock, he changed his mind since I was right there and the incoming tows were moving a bit slower than he had figured and still had to get positioned. He said if I could come right in, he'd lock me thru. One of my fastest dock departures ever as far as untieing and getting under way again.
) Follow the lockmasters instructions. Most of them are very willing to share information with you or provide directions for entering and exiting. Don't enter the lock until you've been given the green or permission to enter. Don't exit or leave the wall until you have been given the lock horn blast or permission to exit. Enter and exit at no wake! If you are the only one in the lock, some lock masters will allow you to just "float" in the middle if you ask them. If you are on the lock wall, once you are situated, shut down your engine (s). Ok, all just basic courtesy and common sense stuff.
I've locked through on the upper Mississippi, the Chicago, the Snake and the Columbia, and even our little local Yahara River lock. And I've done some single handing, and some with two of us. Most likely the water will be fairly calm when you enter or exit the locks. (No one should be making wake going into or leaving the lock!) The trick is approaching the lock wall slowly, with your fenders out, and try to position your boat so you land parallel to the lock wall with one of the locks "holding lines" or "bollard" just behind your cabin wall. (I do this by actually angling into the lock wall, bringing the bow fender in very close or touching first, then reversing to bring my stern in.) Have your bow and stern lines available to you at that point also. (Just behind the cabin wall). Once positioned, quickly walk out to your cockpit and grab the bollard or the lock line and then quickly wrap your lines around the bollard hook, or hold on to the lock lines. I've never used gloves, but sometimes end up with algae or crap on my hands, so gloves can't hurt. With two of you, one can be out back in the cockpit ready to grab a line or bollard, while the helmsman grabs thru an open cabin window. Some make the process harder than it needs to be. Really no different than docking. Colby
First respect the etiquette of the lock. That is, Government and commercial tows and craft will take precedent over pleasure craft. Usually one is required to wear their PFD's while in the lock, but not all enforce it. Just wear it. Stay out of the way while waiting to enter the lock. Don't go beyond restriction signs, which are usually on the dam side of the lock wall. Be prepared to lock on either your starboard or port side. Call the lockmaster on the appropriate listed frequency when within a mile or two to notify them of requested lockage and to ascertain if you will have much wait. You can adjust your speed accordingly then. (You can call them earlier, but I've found if they are somewhat busy, until you are actually in sight, they really don't know when you'll be allowed thru. I showed up one time ahead of two tows that I had just passed upstream hoping I could get in and thru before them. When I got there, the lock master told me I would have to wait. As soon as I was tied up to a nearby dock, he changed his mind since I was right there and the incoming tows were moving a bit slower than he had figured and still had to get positioned. He said if I could come right in, he'd lock me thru. One of my fastest dock departures ever as far as untieing and getting under way again.
) Follow the lockmasters instructions. Most of them are very willing to share information with you or provide directions for entering and exiting. Don't enter the lock until you've been given the green or permission to enter. Don't exit or leave the wall until you have been given the lock horn blast or permission to exit. Enter and exit at no wake! If you are the only one in the lock, some lock masters will allow you to just "float" in the middle if you ask them. If you are on the lock wall, once you are situated, shut down your engine (s). Ok, all just basic courtesy and common sense stuff.I've locked through on the upper Mississippi, the Chicago, the Snake and the Columbia, and even our little local Yahara River lock. And I've done some single handing, and some with two of us. Most likely the water will be fairly calm when you enter or exit the locks. (No one should be making wake going into or leaving the lock!) The trick is approaching the lock wall slowly, with your fenders out, and try to position your boat so you land parallel to the lock wall with one of the locks "holding lines" or "bollard" just behind your cabin wall. (I do this by actually angling into the lock wall, bringing the bow fender in very close or touching first, then reversing to bring my stern in.) Have your bow and stern lines available to you at that point also. (Just behind the cabin wall). Once positioned, quickly walk out to your cockpit and grab the bollard or the lock line and then quickly wrap your lines around the bollard hook, or hold on to the lock lines. I've never used gloves, but sometimes end up with algae or crap on my hands, so gloves can't hurt. With two of you, one can be out back in the cockpit ready to grab a line or bollard, while the helmsman grabs thru an open cabin window. Some make the process harder than it needs to be. Really no different than docking. Colby