Making fast in a marina

[Daydream believer]

I can think of very few places we have stayed where significant boat movement occurred even in bad weather,

I was in Ostend years ago when I ended up letting my Stella drift away from the pontoon to avoid some damage. I then went with my sleeping bag & pillow & slept on the dock wall at the end of the RNSYC whilst other owners spent the night trying to prevent their boats crashing together. I have been in Peterhead where I have had to tie between 2 pontoons so that my boat touched neither in bad conditions. I checked with the HM that this was Ok and there were spare berths. Several boats did this. I am told that Ramsgate & Lowestoft can be difficult, although I have been in Ramsgate sheltering from gales & personally found it OK.

 

[Daydream believer]

What can be annoying is when one wants to go into a seemingly empty berth only to find the boat next to it has placed a line across to the opposite pontoon thus blocking it off. Being single handed I can do little about it &I have to look for alternatives. If I have a crew I put one ashore to remove the line .
It seems to be prevalent in French marinas, particularly Le Havre, where I regularly come across it in the outer harbour.
Dutch MOBOs seem to like putting their tender alongside to prevent rafting. Another annoying trick.

 

[Poignard]

And sometimes it doesn't matter what you do

 

[Refueler]

I think that this kind of carelessness has increased, and it has become harder to correct people who have adopted a sense of entitlement. There is a special Baltic version, which consists of putting a self-tightening slip hitch on your line above that of the earlier shared occupant of a pole. This makes the usual exit method of slipping your loop up through the later loop and over the pole absolutely impossible, and I have sometimes been tempted to use a knife.

Interested in this 'Baltic' version and how it gets named ??

I live in / sail the Baltic and I have to say generally see much better regard here than I did in the Solent etc. Stockholm Archipelago ... many times noted boats re-arranging lines / mooring to allow others in, open up cleats / bollards etc.

Just interested in the naming ...

 

[Refueler]

Gosh, don't we sailors have a hard time of it! Pile of rope left on the pontoon? - if it's genuinely a hazard, then just accidentally kick it into the water. Other people's ropes clogging the cleat? - undo them, tie them better and perhaps the miscreants will learn how it should be done when they come to depart.

That's fine but I suggest take care - there are some real a*****es out there who would not take it kindly having anyone 'interfere' with their crap.
I'm a bit wary of the 'kick rope into the water' ... given the sloppy nature of the ropes owner - could lead to rope in prop and we all know the language that can lead to !

Re-making lines fast ? I have done it - but only after asking the lines owner ... I don't want any a******e accusing me of their lines letting go ... I know it sounds crazy - but I know of a case in Cowes where a sloppy line let go and even though the other baot had not touched that line - fact they'd re-made another to allow them to use the cleat as well - led to an argument on the pontoon. Some do-gooder who should have minded own business told owner about the other guy ...

 

[Refueler]

You'd think someone who took the trouble to put on that nice whipping would know better.

That's assuming he / she did the whipping !!

Certainly a nicely done whipping !

 

[Refueler]

If you can't tie knots, tie lots. This is how the British Army (infantry) tied up my boat one time; it certainly wasn't going anywhere. View attachment 117054

That reminds me when my forestay parted outside Bembridge ... winds were building to F7 and we were at risk of blown onto Fort's rocks ... Called Solent CG and asked assistance. The Outboard on back end had swamped with the pitching of the boat.
Bembridge LB came out and we had a Rocket Line ... Towing ... event !

The LB guys once we had been pulled clear then set the tow line to take us back into Bembridge. That photo resembles their tow line on the LB cleat !! (My sincere thanks to LB guys - sincerely grateful for their efforts and skill).

 

[mrming]

I was in Ostend years ago when I ended up letting my Stella drift away from the pontoon to avoid some damage. I then went with my sleeping bag & pillow & slept on the dock wall at the end of the RNSYC whilst other owners spent the night trying to prevent their boats crashing together. I have been in Peterhead where I have had to tie between 2 pontoons so that my boat touched neither in bad conditions. I checked with the HM that this was Ok and there were spare berths. Several boats did this. I am told that Ramsgate & Lowestoft can be difficult, although I have been in Ramsgate sheltering from gales & personally found it OK.

I was in Ramsgate for a week last month. Tied up in my usual fashion (warps, springs and fenders) after a tiring passage from the Solent. The pontoons are very low. There was a storm during the week and when I returned I was surprised to see a lot of marks, high up on my gelcoat, but clearly from the pontoon edge. It looked like the wind had leaned the boat right over for a prolonged period and the fenders had been squeezed out in the process. Wasn’t expecting that!

 

[Poignard]

That's assuming he / she did the whipping !!

Certainly a nicely done whipping !

I've really no idea who did the whipping, it was just meant to be a humorous aside; not a statement of fact.

 

[Refueler]

I've really no idea who did the whipping, it was just meant to be a humorous aside; not a statement of fact.

I KNOW THAT AND REPLIED IN THAT VEIN >>>> note the smiley !

 

[Euphonyx]

What can be annoying is when one wants to go into a seemingly empty berth only to find the boat next to it has placed a line across to the opposite pontoon thus blocking it off. Being single handed I can do little about it &I have to look for alternatives. If I have a crew I put one ashore to remove the line .
It seems to be prevalent in French marinas, particularly Le Havre, where I regularly come across it in the outer harbour.
Dutch MOBOs seem to like putting their tender alongside to prevent rafting. Another annoying trick.

Never thought of that! ?

 

[Euphonyx]

And sometimes it doesn't matter what you do

View attachment 117059

Storm aftermath surely

 

[Poignard]

Storm aftermath surely

Yes, I should have added a link. It might have been British Columbia

 

[Euphonyx]

Yes, I should have added a link. It might have been British Columbia

Similar happened in Cork Harbour last year. Flimsy "marina" with no effective breakwater hit by weather from a direction "it would never come from"!!!

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Exactly.

Look at this beauty. I bet whoever did that thought he was doing a really good job!
"That should hold her!"

]View attachment 117026

There appears to be a line with a spliced loop underneath that lot.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I've never seen a problem with that, When I have both forward and backward springs from the midships cleat, what does it matter if it's all one rope?

Presumably in this case the line will be attached to the boat's midships cleat at its centre point and made off on the respective pontoon cleats with OXOs, leaving the excess line on the pontoon.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

At least here, the over-under cleat practice is ONLY for home lines that are left on the dock while away. There is never a reason to remove them under load. (It is a mistake for overnight use.)

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

You shouldn't need to remove the shore end under load if the on board end is made off on the cleat with an OXO in the recommended manner.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I think that you have that the wrong way round perhaps ?????

No, If you tie on over someone else's line with a RTHH, they will have to untie it and hold onto it while they release their own line. If both lines have a loop which is attached "up-and-over", either skipper can release the loop from the cleat without disturbing the other boat's line..

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3921045801284134

OMG!