going thru locks

[shadowdancer]

I am single handing a Pearson 424 up the Caloosahatchee river from Cape Coral FLl to Glades marina (just west of Labelle for a haul out. I need to go thru two locks one goes down 8 ft and the other goes down 2 ft. im 66 yers old and don't move as fast as I once did. Can I do these locks without a crew, I know they have ropes hanging down to hold on to. but going down is different than going up. Are there any problems I might run into ?

[Albinvega27]

As of my experience on the ICW going thru locks is, they don´t like to be delayed and hazzled by sailors, who do not have the agility to handle their boat. Iwould try to get 2 hands to go thru the locks in order to avoid problems with the lockmaster (he can inform future locks and you´ll be delayed)...

[psk125]

Take lots of fenders. Don’t forget boathooks and lines. Issues in locks can depend on a lot of factors: prop wash from other boats (ships) can push you around, the fill/drain rate and location of the pipes for both can create turbulence that throws other boats into you, and where the cleats or “hold-ons” are can make your situation tricky. Two locks aren’t a lot, but two more crew might not be too many. Make it into a party instead of a worry.

[Chotu]

I've gone through these exact locks before.

Pick a day without any wind and you won't need to worry.

Some fenders out on both sides and hold the lines in the locks amidships. Give the bow a nice push off when it's time to motor out of the lock.

Not easy single handed but possible. Get a little help if you can.

Biggest issue is wind so go when it's dead calm.