Reading the River

Locking Thru

Go up rivers far enough, eventually you'll encounter locks.
Don't be intimidated. Locking can be the highlight of the day. Many locks are attractive with attactive gardens surrounding them.
Some are functioning antiques and historically interesting.
Some have cheering bleachers for tourists. Can make you feel like you are waiting in the arena of Rome's ancient colliseum, for the lions to enter.

Nah. Just kidding. Nothing to fear.

I'll add this personal hint for ease of transit, then a slew of links for locks in Canada, Britain, and USA. Please post others in these and other countrys.

The hint: Entering the lock, plan your departure. If the option is available, secure to the windward lock wall. Once the lock cycles and other end of lock is open, let go your lines and the wind will push you off the wall. Contrary, on the lee wall, you may discover you are wind bound and have trouble leaving.


http://thewaterway.ca/lock_help.html

http://www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/features/how-do-locks-work

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(water_transport)

http://www.tva.gov/river/navigation/reclockthrough.htm

http://www.canals.ny.gov/faq/index.html

http://greatlakesecho.org/2011/12/16/photo-friday-ships-passing-through-the-soo-locks/

http://camdenlock.net/lock/lock.html

http://www.yachtdeliveryusa.com/welland-canal.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVuQIgt1eSg
here's some links

 

Going up jungle Rivers: Tactics
One PCF should tow a second. Tie it up with an old line you won't regret abandoning if escape is prudent.
Naturally, the enemy withdraws from the river upon hearing the engines approach, but return to resume crossing when they hear the engines noise receding. SURPRISE!
The boat that departed returns at high speed when it hears the thunder of the hidden boats 50s.

This isn't a war story thread. Point is: Please post Anything to do with River Navigation. You never know what nugget of inspiration someone will glean from an anecdote, or even a bad joke!

 

It appears we're talking about two completely different types of river navigation. Back when I canoed I preferred rivers that were remote and primarily passed through wilderness settings. I also preferred water with some character with some challenges involved in the passing. On more than one occasion an error in judgement created a dunking but this also is what made the trip worthy of remembering and a learning experience.

But the eventful and happenstance memories of occurrences, upsets, dunking, and dumping when canoeing is completely different when canoeing compared to actual boating. Canoes can bounce off rocks, debris, and underwater obstructions virtually without any real damage of consequences except maybe sometimes to your ego, whereas boats hitting obstructions can really punish your pocketbook.

My current primary boating area is also a river, though on the smaller side of the scale as far as rivers are concerned. As a river it is a living breathing entity and is subject to consistent changes from year to year and even sometimes from flood events in a given boating season. Many of the known hazards are marked with navigational buoys and are best followed through the channels. Some of the other water hazards found are marked with Clorox jugs usually "after" it had cost some other boater some significant cash out of their pocketbook.

There is some truth that rivers can be read in traversing by careful observation because many underwater obstructions do often reflect on the surface somewhat, there still isn't total assurance obstructions don't exist. Some waterlogged timber for instance will retain just enough boyency to float just under the surface but since it's flowing with the current the water fails to reflect it's tel-tail sign too the surface for the discerning eye to see and avoid leaving ones boat powerlessly floating down the river to be disposed of as the river feels fit. Rivers at all times demand our respect but their isn't any other body of water I'd rather do all my boating in either than a living and breathing "river".

 

Thankyou Bamby. Excellent post. Please post more. My intent starting this thread, wasn't to dedicate to any one type of boat, boating, or rivers. i even posted a bit of a Vietnam War experience to make the point, ANYTHING about river navigation is welcome. All skills in reading the river are cross boundaries instructional.
Please post some of your experiences, anecdotes, observations. All welcome. All have value.

 

Yobarnacle,

I do much prefer river boat vs the lakes available to us at least in this area, but rivers for the sake of the name are diversely different in characteristics from area to area mainly due to the terrain the river is located in, as such the flow characteristics and water hazards can be vastly different though they share the same common designation of the word "river".

On our river for instance the surrounding land is rugged and steep in elevation and as such seemingly small insignificant feeder streams can and do often induce huge shoals of eroded material carried with it sometimes halfway point out into the river itself. On our river one hast to watch carefully for just such creeks. I was traveling with a houseboat going upriver sometime back when he came to a sudden abrupt "stop" about a third of the way out into the river.

Upon getting closer to the houseboat I was able to discern a small almost indiscreet feeder stream whose entrance was actually covered by surrounding weeds. The hillside the stream came out of was steep and rugged allowing the water enough power and velocity to carry and disperse it's sediment fully halfway out into the river itself. It was upon this shoal that our fellow boater found a place to beach his boat.

Thank goodness he wasn't traveling at any real speed or he'd have been there for awhile, but it still took two boats to pull him off back downriver to free him up from his predicament..

 

When canoeing near cities you will invariably find yourself going under bridges. Parallel to these you will often find overhead power lines. Where fishing was allowed many times old fishing tackle will be seen hanging from those lines snagged there by those not knowing how to cast a line. Watch for low hanging hooks. Those at or below eye level are to be avoided or removed if possible to benefit subsequent boaters. It is always more dangerous under bridges because of the risk of things falling or being thrown from them, especially the East River.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2000-11-17/news/18144391_1_east-river-unidentified-body-cops

 

And just so everybody knows, I don't consider myself any more than a weekend canoeist, no expert by any means.

Just use common sense. If you doubt your ability, improve it before venturing out.

 

Buen dia Amigo,
Hoyt,
The observations and learning experiences of "amateurs" often carry more weight than opinions of "experts". More people identify with the weekend boater, than with 40 year veteran ship captains! LOL

 

Well I was going to Lake County today but trip didn't pan out. Google Earth south Lake County Florida and look at Water Road to see the terrain. It is all soggy land and palmetto hammocks in a mixed woodlands.

 

Thank goodness he wasn't traveling at any real speed or he'd have beed there for awhile, but it still took two boats to pull him off back downriver to free him up from his predicament..
quoting Bamby.

Bamby, Please share your observations of the rescue attempt. Boaters are normally helpfull folk when they see someone else in a predicament. please mention describe early tactics that didn't work as well as the eventual successfull stratedgy.

An opportunity presents here for a tip. If you need to be towed or dragged off a bar, secure the tow line to more than one cleat. Take a round turn around as many cleats and stanchion bases in line as you can. Spread the strain as much as possible. Not only is repairs expensive when you rip a cleat off, but nylon is very elastic. Slingshotting the cleat through the air is hazardous to peoples health. Also, ripping cleats off doesn't unstuck you.

 

Hoyt,
http://homes.point2.com/US/Florida/Lake-County/Tavares/1152762679-Real-Estate.aspx

Is Lake County sufficiently similar to third world?
LOL

 

You already pretty well covered it in this situation.. one boat didn't provide enough oomph... and two boats proved out just enough...

Anyway here's a blog I've already written some time ago on boating the Muskingum River you may enjoy reading....

 

Partes del lugar son muy similar.

The whole landscape here is covered by small streams of water with little bumps of land between them. One minute you are on upland, the next you are in running water. All too small for a canoe in this frame.

 

Check This Blog

Excellent! More like this folks! Please!

 

Thugs with stones see a boat preparing to pass under a bridge so they run to THE MIDDLE OF THE BRIDGE to drop stones on your head. To outsmart the thugs never pass dead center, pass under the bridge in your lane.