Lock/Dam ????

OK guys, I’m sitting at work over my lunch hour planning my strategy on attacking Pool 3 this evening. I’m looking at a map the DNR sent me. Not a lot of detail, but functional I believe. On this map there are instructions for navigating the locks. Since I’ve never navigated a lock, I’m wondering how accurate the instructions are:

1. Signal lock, pull notification signal rope.

2. Wait for green light and enter lock.

3. Kill engine, observe mooring lines.

4. Upon completion of the lock filling or emptying when gates are fully open, a signal will be give by the lock operator to depart the lock.

Alright, can someone please shed some light on this for me. What are the mooring lines used for?? Is this how you get through the lock without your motor?? How long does it take to navigate a lock?? Are there any stead-fast rules that I should be aware of to save myself a butt-chewing from someone??

Thanks!!!

Fowler my friend,

I do believe that the procedure is pretty simple. I haven’t been through them but I’ve been to them and observed what took place.

When you get to the lock, look for an open chute with a green light. If you see one, enter with the other boats. If not, apparently there is a rope of some sort to let them know you wish to pass through. When things are ready, they’ll give you the green light. The mooring lines are for you to secure your craft. Nobody wants a bunch of loose boats floating around while adjusting water levels. Once the process is finished, you untie and go on your way.

The locks I observed were out west and did everything in 30 minute intervals. I don’t know the operating frequency of our locks.

I’m thinking if you just go there, you’ll see it what you have to do and you’re usually not alone so you can “monkey see, monkey do” yourself through the experience. Just don’t crash anyones boat and you should be fine!

Monkey see, Monkey do… That is Waterfowler’s course of action on way to many occasions. Waterfowler…. I didn’t know we were going through any locks tonight.. I better throw in an extra life jacket!! Stillakid2 – 30 minutes to pass through the lock?!? That cuts in to some quality fishing time….

WHOA!!!!!! DO NOT attach to the mooring lines in the locks. Think about it, as the water level lowers and you have a rope attached, what do you think happens? Can you say dangle my boat? The ropes are there for you to hold onto and remain about the same spot as the water lowers.

Not such a big deal when going upriver.

When the locks are busy it is not unusual to idle in the middle of the lock nd not use the mooring ropes in the lock.

I just don’t know how often they run the process. It may only take 5-10 minutes to raise or lower the water level, but they always keep the last used level open for a while to let boats accumulate in the lock. That’s what I was referring to. For all I know, if boat traffic is slow, maybe they just go ahead and run you through? Like I said, I’ve only seen them operate. I haven’t been through any of our Mississippi locks so you’ll have to wing it a bit on my advice. Sorry I can’t be more specific but that’ll just keep it interesting for you guys! :O)

Thanks for the tip rvvrrat…. I will make sure waterfowler doesn’t have us vertical in some lock LOL!!

Edited by Danger on 07/24/01 12:38 PM.

SEE!! That’s where that “monkey see, monkey do” comes in handy!

When using the locks is a great tiem to have that VHF radio. Barges (commercial traffic) have priority over pleasure craft. You can monitor whe the barges are due at the locks and how many are coming. It can save you a long wait. In lieu of the radio, take the phone # of the lock you will be going through and take your cell phone. You can try calling them, but sometimes it may take a LOOOONNNGGGGG time for them to answer…they are busy!

The process of going through the locks depends pretty much on the elevation change, but 20 minutes is a pretty good average (strictly from memory).

There is/was a fellow who worked at L&D #4 who monitored this board this spring (can’t remember his name) If he reads this maybe he can give you some better info.

OK Danger, I see you’re not in meetings like you said. No, we don’t have to pass through any locks tonight. I figured the next time we run out of gas I’d know what the procedure is to continue drifting downriver until we find a marina that sells gas. Maybe we should take your boat out the first time through a lock, that way we will get the procedure(monkey do) figured out.

Thanks for the info guys. I’ll just have to go sit at a lock and get some “monkey see” time in to learn the ropes.

Having a radio will cut down your wait time at the lock. Use channel 14, while the locks monitor 16 they work on 14. Going up you can request a north bound lock at lock 3 or whatever, going down request a southbound lock. Requesting a lock-up and lock-down work just as well. The lockmaster will come back to you telling you about how much time it will take for the chamber to be ready. When the chamber is ready the gates will open and a green light will show they are ready to receive you. As was said in one of the earlier posts do not tie on the mooring lines. If you are locking up two lines will be daggling along the side for you, if you are alone, no other boats, there will be only one set of ropes and they will be in the front of the chamber. Just drive up to them and grab hold. They keep you from floating all over the chamber on the way up. If you have mooring bumpers put them out because you can end up banging against the side of the chamber some. Going down the lock will usually only give you one rope because it is a much smoother ride. They will signal you when it is safe to leave. You can’t miss the signal, a loud horn. It is true that commercial traffic gets priority over pleasure craft, what is not widely known is that alot of barge captains will let you lock down with them. If you have a radio just ask the lockmaster to ask for you, if you don’t have a radio just go up to the edge of the lock, pull the rope, there is an intercom that you can use there to talk to the lockmaster. Actually the whole thing is really, really easy. If you ever have kids in the boat they get a real kick out of using the locks. Try it sometime, you’ll like it.

I usually hold the mooring rope in my hand and use my feet against the lock wall to keep the boat from rubbing. Take up slack on the rise & let it out on the fall….simple.

Does your boat have carpeting? I would think the slim from the walls would be hard to get out of carpeting.