Narrow Boating Holidays

UK Narrow Boating Holidays

About Canal Locks

Locks are devices for raising and lowering narrowboats between different levels of water on the canals. They have two sets of gates one at the top and one at the bottom and a chamber which you enter in your narrowboat. They have openings (or sluice gates) at the top and bottom and it is by opening these that water is allowed into and out of the chamber to raise or lower the water level.

You and your crew will open and close the paddles using a lock handle (or windlass) which will be supplied to you for your narrowboating holiday.

Going Up
Open the gate and take your narrowboat into the lock and close the gate behind you. Using your windlass open the sluice gate and allow the water to flow from the top pound into the lock. Your narrowboat will then rise as the lock fills with water. When the water level inside the lock is the same as the water level ahead in the canal open the top gates and take the narrowboat out. Close both the sluice gate and the lock gate behind you to preserve water.

Going Down
Open the lock gate and take your narrowboat into the lock, remember to close the gate behind you. Open the sluice gate with your windlass and allow the water to drain out of the lock. Your narrowboat will lower as the water level in the lock drops. When the water level inside the lock is the same as the water level ahead in the canal open the bottom gates and take the narrowboat out. Close both the sluice gate and the lock gate behind you to preserve water.

Things to Remember
Water will always flow downhill and when the lock gate is closed against the pressure of the water the gate will not open until the water level is equal on both sides. Travelling through a lock will take approximately 10 to 20 minutes depending how big the lock is.

Be considerate of other narrowboat users and if the lock is set in favour of another boat let them through first. this also saves water.