Sounds simple enough doesn’t it?
There are however a few more things to take into account when carrying out this manoeuvre.
a) The sluice key. A vital tool to have at hand when leaving the boat to operate the lock. It is the tool used to turn the Sluice gear and without it you are merely an observer.
b) There are sluices in both the paddles at the lower and upper end of the lock. Before you start to fill the lock you need to make sure that the sluices at the lower set of paddles are closed, otherwise it is like filling the bath with the plug out.
c) The Bottom Paddles need to be fully closed when you open the top sluices so as not to make them slam together when the water rushes in. This can cause some serious damage to the lock and has been known to break the paddles away from their hinges.
d) Opening the top paddles can only be done when the water level is equal on both sides of the paddle. The tonnage of water pressure bearing down on the paddles when the water level in the lock is lower than that of the top canal is immense. Opening the top paddles before the pressure is equal would take the strength of goliath. Be patient and in time the paddles will start to open on their own and this is when to put your back into it, not before.
Don’t tie your boat to the side of the lock simply fend her away from the side if needs be. If you use ropes to guide her as she rises the ropes will go slack and be pretty close to useless. As the boat rises and the rope dangles into the water it can get snagged of dragged with a potential of damaging the boat. Not best practice!
Apart from this point to take into consideration I would say it was a piece of cake.
