Going through an icw lock solo

[Our Idea]

Hi, I have a new (2021) Ranger Tug 23 which I am going to have to take through a Florida icw lock by myself. Has anyone done this? Can you hold the boat in position by just grabbing a rope on the wall from the pilot seat? Do I grab two ropes?

 

[j&lgray]

We have done the Great Loop nearly twice on two different Ranger Tugs, a 29 and a 27. All the locks are a bit different in how to secure the boat to them. The locks in Florida had loose hanging ropes that the boat crew would just hold on to. On the East Coast the next set of locks on the Loop were in New York State and near the junction with the Erie Canal.

To answer your question on point, if the wind is calm and the water levels in Florida are not widely different where the lock is, you have little difficulty transiting the locks single handed. Choose your travel day carefully, wear gloves, and use a cleat to put the loose line around (but never, ever cleat the line). Do not fend off the wall with any body part that you do not want injured. Instead use fenders and push off with a boat hook. Just slow down, think it through, and be intentional on what you do.

Hope this is helpful.