Skipper´s Guide EN 2023 1
Locking Locking will definitely be one of the maj
or experiences during your journey on the Göta Canal. The Göta Canal Company’s lock keepers are always on site and will handle the locking for your safety. They can also give you tips and advice if you have any questions about the procedure. However, you are personally responsible for your boat and your ropes during the locking. It is therefore important that you are at least two people on board. Equipment Fenders on both sides, at different heights It is important to have proper fenders in place on both sides of the boat, to avoid the risk of it scratching the lock wall. Place some fenders low, touching the surface, and some higher up to protect against the lock wall. Proper lines of suitable length The stern line should be 8–10 m long and the bow line 12 m long. If you have a sailboat, you should pull the line through a pulley at the bow and in a sternward direction, so that you can use the boat’s winch for the line. For sailboats, the bow line should therefore be 12 m plus the additional length from the bow to the winch. Adjust the length in the first lock and you will usually have the right length for the following locks. Life vest For your safety, everyone onboard should use a life vest. If you fall in, you risk being pulled down by the currents created during locking. General guidelines for locking • Always let one person go ashore to receive and handle the lines, this is the skipper’s responsibility • The engine must be turned off during locking. • Boats heavier than 20 tons must be secured to a bollard rather than a ring. • In order to make the best possible use of available space, the lock keeper always determines in which order boats should enter the lock. Boats then exit in the same order they entered. • The locks are always operated by the lock keeper. • For safety reasons, the Göta Canal Company reserves the right to remove persons who appear intoxicated, or who repeatedly act carelessly or refuse to comply with the lock keeper’s orders. Two locks are a bit different Lock 1 at Sjötorp, Sjöslussen When you arrive at the first lock in Sjötorp, the lock keeper will help you with your lines. It is not possible to let anyone go ashore, because of the tall quays outside the lock. However, in all other locks, the lines are the skipper’s responsibility. The Norsholm lock The Norsholm lock has mooring hooks built into the lock wall, as well as fixed lines to hold on to. Consequently, all passengers will remain onboard during lockage. The difference in height is no more than 0.8 metres. 26 | Locking