One Man Training Day

My friend Terry has just joined the Narrow Boat Trust, but has no experience of boating, so I invited him to join me for a day on the Wey Navigation to get some experience on my boat.
We left the moorings at 10.30 and I took Stronghold up to Coxes lock, which was set in our favour. I explained the way a pound lock works as it filled up and then Terry took over the helm up to New Haw lock. He got the hang of steering almost straight away, after I explained that he was steering the back of the boat. Once through New Haw and he took over steering again as far as Pyrford lock. After Walsham Gates, we were on the river and he winded the boat in Hoe Stream, stern first so that the current helped us turn. Going downstream now, Terry took the boat very gently into each lock and took the centre line off to secure us whilst descending. In the meantime, we had stopped at The Anchor for some lunch and well deserved beers. We finally got back to the mooring and I winded Stronghold in front of The Pelican gongoozlers after a tiring, but successful training day.

Terry gets the hang of steering.