Gofirstclass
Well-Known Member
As long time boaters on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, we have passed through all 4 locks on each river many times. I first went through Ice Harbor Lock with my 20' open bow boat and over the years as we've moved up in boat size I've also picked up many tips and tricks on how to do it safely and easily.
First of all, not all locks are the same. Some have a guillotine gate at the downstream end of the lock that raises and lowers to allow boats to pass beneath it. Other locks have doors that are hinged top and bottom and swing open to allow boats to pass between the doors. Also, keep in mind that when you are heading downstream, going through the locks is a piece of cake. It's like draining a bathtub, ie., there's no water turbulence. It's only when you are heading upstream that you get any turbulence because they are filling the lock.
One thing that really opened my eyes was when I got a tour through McNary Lock when it was empty. The Corps of Engineers had drained the lock for maintenance and when I found that out I phoned a friend who works at the lock to see about getting a tour. I spent about 2-3 hours with him as he led me through the tour and showed me how things worked. I knew previously that the water entered the lock at the bottom but did not know the physical setup on how the water got into the lock.
Here's a photo of the bottom of the lock. In this lock, the water comes in on the left side of the photo and is disbursed through those concrete structures. If you look at the structures at the bottom of the lock you can see the holes where the water comes in. As the lock fills the water flows up and from the center toward both ends of the lock.
Now picture this: If you are tied up at the far end of the lock the water flowing in pushes on the transom of your boat. That pressure tends to push your boat ahead and, since it's tied to the bollard near the center of your boat, the bow will be forced against the wall of the lock.
On the other hand, if you are parked at the near end of the lock the water pushes against the bow there's very little surface area to push against so the effect will be nil.
So let's talk about securing your boat to the bollard. Many (most?) boaters tie up using a bow line and a stern line. That works, but I think I found a better way. If you have a cleat near the midpoint of your boat, use only one line and make it as short as possible. That way your boat can't move side to side, and it'll be much easier to handle.
Here's what the bollards used on the Columbia and Snake Rivers looks like. As you can see, we have tied up with only one line and it's as short as possible.
First of all, not all locks are the same. Some have a guillotine gate at the downstream end of the lock that raises and lowers to allow boats to pass beneath it. Other locks have doors that are hinged top and bottom and swing open to allow boats to pass between the doors. Also, keep in mind that when you are heading downstream, going through the locks is a piece of cake. It's like draining a bathtub, ie., there's no water turbulence. It's only when you are heading upstream that you get any turbulence because they are filling the lock.
One thing that really opened my eyes was when I got a tour through McNary Lock when it was empty. The Corps of Engineers had drained the lock for maintenance and when I found that out I phoned a friend who works at the lock to see about getting a tour. I spent about 2-3 hours with him as he led me through the tour and showed me how things worked. I knew previously that the water entered the lock at the bottom but did not know the physical setup on how the water got into the lock.
Here's a photo of the bottom of the lock. In this lock, the water comes in on the left side of the photo and is disbursed through those concrete structures. If you look at the structures at the bottom of the lock you can see the holes where the water comes in. As the lock fills the water flows up and from the center toward both ends of the lock.
Now picture this: If you are tied up at the far end of the lock the water flowing in pushes on the transom of your boat. That pressure tends to push your boat ahead and, since it's tied to the bollard near the center of your boat, the bow will be forced against the wall of the lock.
On the other hand, if you are parked at the near end of the lock the water pushes against the bow there's very little surface area to push against so the effect will be nil.
So let's talk about securing your boat to the bollard. Many (most?) boaters tie up using a bow line and a stern line. That works, but I think I found a better way. If you have a cleat near the midpoint of your boat, use only one line and make it as short as possible. That way your boat can't move side to side, and it'll be much easier to handle.
Here's what the bollards used on the Columbia and Snake Rivers looks like. As you can see, we have tied up with only one line and it's as short as possible.