It sucks that when the water runs high like it is right now, all the crap that jams up at the gates both up and down river in the locks. Many years ago, we came out of a lock and the stuff was so thick, something damaged the shaft and prop of the single engine old time cabin cruiser we had in those days. Right now, running the river, that is the thing you have to watch out the most for, all the crazy and nasty things that wind up in and going with the down river flow. Lots of nasty stuff to do some serious damage to a boat hull or running gear.
That goes for any river lock. Had a “break out in a sweat” experience at Old Hickory Dam back in April this year during NFL selection week. Water running high and over the gates creating much more turbulence than usual below the dam. 40 foot of debris to plow through just to enter the lock. Exiting the lock was an eddy full of logs, one of which was as big around as a telephone pole, and it got caught between my outboard and the stern. If I couldn’t break free from it soon, there was a chance of getting sucked back into the dam discharge. Put it in reverse gear, back in forward, turned the wheel in every direction, and finally it broke free. I changed my pants later on downriver.
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Comments
2 responses to “Montgomery Locks on the Ohio River”
It sucks that when the water runs high like it is right now, all the crap that jams up at the gates both up and down river in the locks. Many years ago, we came out of a lock and the stuff was so thick, something damaged the shaft and prop of the single engine old time cabin cruiser we had in those days. Right now, running the river, that is the thing you have to watch out the most for, all the crazy and nasty things that wind up in and going with the down river flow. Lots of nasty stuff to do some serious damage to a boat hull or running gear.
That goes for any river lock. Had a “break out in a sweat” experience at Old Hickory Dam back in April this year during NFL selection week. Water running high and over the gates creating much more turbulence than usual below the dam. 40 foot of debris to plow through just to enter the lock. Exiting the lock was an eddy full of logs, one of which was as big around as a telephone pole, and it got caught between my outboard and the stern. If I couldn’t break free from it soon, there was a chance of getting sucked back into the dam discharge. Put it in reverse gear, back in forward, turned the wheel in every direction, and finally it broke free. I changed my pants later on downriver.