Lapworth

Today we did the lapworth flight of locks to get down onto the Grand Union Canal.

The first challenge of the day was a lift bridge. This one is a hydraulic one .You use your windlass to wind it up and down .But it was still heavy going. ( I did offer to do it)

                                                 Lapworth top lock

We are now for the first time going down hill. And the main thing to look out for is the cill. If the boat is too far back as the lock empties the rudder can catch on the cill and cause damage to the boat. The picture above shows the cill in an empty leaky lock.

On some of the locks there was a lot of side wash which could put you off course when coming out of locks.

We are now moored about 3 miles above the Hatton flight of locks .These are all double locks so the thing to do is wait at the top for another boat to come along and then go down as a pair to half the work load. We are not in a hurry so may stay around here for a few days unless we get itchy feet, Or Carolyn needs a shop again.(bloody things).

I am now off to try and repair the TV aerial as it sort of caught a bridge and sort of broke..oops