Ohio Locks Below Pittsburgh

[Sea Ray]

I'm planning a long trip in a Sea Ray cuddy on the Ohio River below Pittsburgh. Assuming no traffic, how much time per lock should I build into the trip for transiting?

[galleyslave]

It depends on a variety of factors:
1. other boat traffic, commercial tows have priority over pleasure craft
2. the size of the drop, some are 15 feet, others are over 50 feet
3. the posibility of repair work being done on a lock chamber, creating delays

If you're lucky and hit them just right, on average, 45 minutes, but you may be delayed one, two hours, perhaps overnight if there is an emergency chamber closure.

Where are you headed?

[nitsuj]

50'??!! I had no idea any of them dropped (or rose) that much. Now I want to go find one and lock through it!

[galleyslave]

Guess I should rclarify that, the highest on the Ohio is McAlpine Lock at Louisville, KY with a 34' lift. The biggest we came thru was Jamie Whitten Lock on the Tenn Tom at 84'.

[Sea Ray]

We're headed to Louisville. I've got fair amount of experience with locks that have floating bollards. I understand that a few of the locks just below Pittsburgh do not have floating bollards and that a more manual operation is required. I was curious whether the lack of bollards increases the transit time.

[MikeyJ]

I have not been through many locks with floating pins but I can't imaging they would speed things up much. Certainly sounds more convenient but I'm not sure about faster.

For the upper ohio, you need at least 100 ft line for the lockmaster to pull up and through the hooks so you can keep yourself against the wall.

[Sea Ray]

Thanks. I have read on here about the 100' of line needed in the non-floating bollard locks.

[galleyslave]

The first 3 locks are pin, not floating bollard, and MikeyJ is correct, you will need at least 100' of line to lock thru. It may increase lock time by a few minutes, but not much.