An easier way
IN HIS piece on the 30th of June, Ralph Helleman stated 'working the locks is little fun, as they really are man's work', writes Alison Milton.
Really? Really?
Tell that to Eily Gayford, Sonia Smith, Susan Wolfitt, Margaret Cornish, Rose Skinner, Mrs Carter, Emma Smith, Daphne March, and a host of other boat women.
An easier way
Leaving aside the inherent gender bias of Mr Helleman's comment—let's edit it to 'really are heavy work' and discuss further. Like many manual tasks, there is an easier way and a harder way to work locks—watching the old boaters working locks in archive footage, or, if you are lucky, out and about on the system today, you will notice that they never seem to hurry, certainly don't break out of a steady walk, never strain at lock gates.
But still manage to show a clean prop-wash between themselves and the multi-crewed boat behind them that ends up a couple of locks back by the end of the flight with a host of exhausted, red-faced, sweaty crew, while the boaters stroll gently to the last lock, drop the final paddle, close the gate behind them, and disappear up the cut making a cup of tea from the kettle on the back-cabin stove.
Read the books
How do they do it? I could say "go & read the many excellent books in the ‘Working Waterways' series—which are memoirs of people who actually worked on the waterways, or study the wonderful images in A Canal People—the photographs of Robert Longden, by Sonia Rolt. Or watch and learn from the old boaters."
But that would be unfair to someone who needs to know now, at the start of their first boating holiday and doesn't have a lifetime to learn the skills. So, in a nutshell, it's this—a piece of advice that was given to the wartime trainees by an old boater—"Go steady, but keep going." Or to put it another way—always ensure that the boat is moving either forwards or vertically.
Someone ahead
For instance—send someone ahead to make the lock ready, learn to read the gates so that you don't strain unnecessarily—they are infinitely easier to move once the water is level so don't waste energy trying to push that last inch of water back with the gate. If possible, have a crew member stay behind to close the gates after the boat leaves. That way the boat keeps moving and you get through the flight far faster. Which is particularly welcome when it's pelting down cats and dogs and all you want is to tie up and get warm again. You will find that although you run around less, and get far less tired, you will make far quicker progress. It's not about being in a hurry, it's all about 'getting ahead' and enjoying the process.
You could even make a competition between children to see who can work out the most efficient way to work the locks—which should help to engage their interest, particularly if there's a prize or two involved.