What are the paddles and windlasses that weve heard about?
To let water in and out of the lock you wind ‘paddles’ (a type of water flow valve) using a ‘windlass’, which you can see in the boater’s hand below. Your hire boat will come with windlasses supplied. Paddles may be ground paddles set in the canal bank like the one in the on the left or gate paddles fixed to the gates, like the ones on the double gates on the photo right. Most locks have one type or the other. Always wind paddles slowly, checking to see what effect the water is having on your boat. Be very careful with GATE paddles. When you are going up a lock don’t open them if that could direct incoming water into the front deck of your boat! Working a broad lock is similar to a narrow lock but since they are wider and there may be other boats in the lock, even more care is needed to restrain boats adequately. Always take extra care you share any lock with another boat, boats can get jammed together. See our detailed instructions about going up or down full and empty locks.
