Anyone around......

I think that I am on my own Saturday and Sunday on the Deben.
A mate may be coming down but nothing definite.
A few jobs I want to do on board and I intend to try some single handed sailing up and down the river.
Need to work out a method of picking up the mooring by myself.
 
Easy Clive..... long line from the bow, led back round the outside.... sail/motor alongside the buoy, till its near the cockpit, put the line through the loop on the buoy, or pick up buoy, and let the boat drop back.... all the time in the world then to bring her in nice and tight, and make the lines off properly....
 
I think you will find that this works better in a textbook than in real life.
Especially on a boat with a high freeboard in a "bit of a blow".

Every week we're treated to a spectacle when fully crewed boats try to pick up a buoy. Singlehanded it's not as easy as you make out. In windless conditions - sure - but where would you sail?
 
If it's your own mooring then just rig a pick up bouy and use a boat hook to haul it aboard. If it it someone elses or a commercial one that requires a rope threaded through an eye, then I anchor!
 
Morganas' method does work, I was tought that by an old salt in the Old Gaffer (Fred Hillyard) thirty five years ago and it has served me well.

Okay, so I miss sometimes, but I think less than if I were trying to fish around from the bow with a boathook while the helm is unattended.

On my own mooring, I leave the mooring strop laid in the dinghr, then it's just a case of getting alongside and picking it up.

Though I do wish I could trust my engine not to cut out when I put it in reverse.....

BTW, where is a good place to pick up a mooring or anchor in the Roach? I left my pilot book on the boat and am going to be in a bit of a rush to get off the mooring before I'm aground on Sunday morning.
 
Single handed pick-up

Down on Sirenia now.
Put a fender on the end of the long strop attached to our buoy.

Tried it under power - no problem.

Tacked up River.
Spotted the massed ranks of the Waldringfield SC racing fleets heading my way so turned back and anchored (single handed). on the other side of the river from The Rocks.
Moved anchorage as I seemed to be in the way of the WSC racing fleets.
Meet Morzen who anchored of the rocks as well.
Good to put another face to a name.
Got the anchor up and stowed under power.
Got the sails up again.
The wind had done a 180 so I tacked back to the mooring and picked it up under sail. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Well pleased with myself.
 
Re: Single handed pick-up

Well, I had a superb few days, one night up Pyfleet Creek and one up an offshoot of the Roach. Single handed anchoring is a doddle, as everyone said, though Pyfleey mud has a certain sticky quality to it!

Not a good idea to cut direct from the Swin Spitway to Swallow Tail at low water, though. At least the sea was calm and I was off after half an hour!
 
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