Berthing Single Handed

Virtually all my boating experience has been on the inland waterways and I learned very early on that the easiest way to moor up single handed is by taking a rope from the centre or near the centre of the boat back to the helm and when near enough to the side simply step off and secure said rope. So often I have seen folk running around, often three handed trying to get the bow and stern lines secured which, in a strong wind would be virtually impossible on your own. When I began doing my RYA training the first thing that surprised me was the insistence that you secure the boat from the boat ie by throwing lines ashore rather than stepping off with a rope. I'm still not totally sure why this is - I've done it this way hundreds of times and never lost control of the boat, but I did see someone fall in once trying to lassoo a bollard from the bow of a river cruiser. (and yes, I did have to help drag him out)
Is it a case of you have to learn the rules before you can break them...?
 
Nealo said:
When I began doing my RYA training the first thing that surprised me was the insistence that you secure the boat from the boat ie by throwing lines ashore rather than stepping off with a rope. I'm still not totally sure why this is - I've done it this way hundreds of times and never lost control of the boat, but I did see someone fall in once trying to lassoo a bollard from the bow of a river cruiser. (and yes, I did have to help drag him out)
Is it a case of you have to learn the rules before you can break them...?
Click to expand...

It's taught that way for two main reasons. Firstly if the boat can move away from the pontoon then you may slip or fall as you step off, and secondly in case you accidently leave the boat in gear, or it jumps into gear, or someone knocks it into gear. If the boat is moving, and you're not on it, then all sorts of things can happen. I'd always prefer to have a rope on before leaving the boat if single handed.

edit: using the mid cleat, and staying on the boat aren't mutually exclusive, in fact that's exactly the way i'd do it. Why do you prefer to step off rather than loop the rope from the mid cleat, round a pontoon cleat, and back to the mid cleat?
 
Last edited:
Agree with Nealo's comments about lassooing and the use of a line of the middle-cleat. I always have a line on that cleat with a shortlength to a loop ready to drop over a cleat and also a longer line for tie-ing off on a cleat instead if necessary..

When I took the Canadian Day Skipper equivalent course as we neared our first docking I offered to go to the bow and lassoo a cleat (as taught by the RYA). I was met by blank looks. As we neared the dock I realised why - no cleats. Instead there are rails. Unless someone is on the dock to take a line you have to bring the boat in so that someone can step off to tie off a line. Its good practise for single-handing here.

I took this photo of our boat on a charter there last September to show the problem.

All good practise!
 
I can't see that anyone else has suggested this, so here goes. Sometimes when single handing I use a bridle - that is, a long length of rope secured fore and aft running outside everything with 3 or 4 feet of slack.

Once alongside step off with the bridle and secure to a cleat. If the wind blows her off at an angle it is easy to adjust the position until it is about right. Then begin securing the mooring ropes which should be readily available.

I should add that I have only one engine and some flappy things on top, but I've used the bridle with a near gale blowing her away from the finger pontoon, and it worked.
 
Pipdoc, you tell us that you successfully docked, but not how, single line from midships cleat
or bow/stern line. There are not many looking to score points, but quit a few that have one way to do things and that is the only way it can be done. As for peeps trying to make others look silly, they eventually make a mistake then run away. Most people treat these remarks
with the respect they deserve, and ignore them. Stay with it and enjoy it.
 
Kawasaki said:
I know what you are saying Jezz but I,ve noticed with people who relatively new to outdrives and twins in general that once they start twirling the wheel confusion sometimes sets in.
I am presuming Thepipdoc is fairly new to boating
Could be wrong:o

It is a job to theorise and give good info for boat handling.
By way of the Forum etc
Simps when passing on info practically!

However
Thepipdoc
Take as much of this info on here as you can

Sounds like a load of stress
Taint though
And its right good when it all comes together!:D
Click to expand...

Yes. teaching Kwackers boat handling on twin shafts, was not easy. The instruction es he gave MF to do were easy. Do this, do that. So she gave a pirouette and showed her knickers.
 
Last edited:
To thepipdoc: one thing I think is worth mentioning - it's been useful to me anyhow, and I do a lot of single-handing - is that, if the pontoon berth is to become your regular berth then it's worth making up a line with loops at either end which is the right length to hold the boat away from obstructions. You can then just drop the loop over a shore cleat and sort the other lines out at your leisure.

My next-door neighbour calls this arrangement his handbrake.
 
Well - I have a Targa 34 with sterndrives: having berthed many times single handed and once at night in an unfamiliar berth in Majorca, I reckon Jez has it just perfect. The only difference is that I would make ready by tying off my bow line near to the stern of the boat, otherwise what he has said works perfectly well for me.

1) Prepare lines and fenders well, more than when SWMBO is onboard.

2) Approach slow against wind/tide if you can, whichever is strongest, just using short bursts port/stbd engines to get the right angle of approach 20/30 degress. Do it slowly, dont panic, no need to rush this. If in any doubt, take it out and come in again, but if you do it slow this would only happen very rarely.

3) When the bow fenders just about to touch, wheel over towards the berth and gentle blip astern with the engine furthest away from the berth to bring the stern towards the berth.

4) Do not just use the engines IMO, use wheel before power, and only short bursts. Sterndrive boats are very manouverable using this method. I have skippered both. With shaft drive use engines only, sterndrive with drives closer together, most definately wheel before engines IMO works best.

5) Step off bathing platform with both bow and stern lines in hand and tie off stern quickly, then walk along the side of the boat, pull the bow on and tie off.

If its windy I sometimes use a mid-ship line first instead of the bow, I then make ready the bow line next to the midship cleat.

If you approach it this way and things go wrong as you bring the stern in, with your wheel over towards the berth and bow almost touching, if too far astern you can just blip ahead on the same engine (furthest away from berth) to bring the stern out again, straighten and reverse out or if to far forward, wheel hard over and reverse out!

Plenty of fenders, good prep before you approach, relax, go slow/gently is the order of the day!

When you have done it once you will realise how easy it is!

Best of luck and let us know how you get on and which method worked best for you!
 
Oh dear - he's already done it - well done anyway!

Should have read all the treads above first.......

20giqvm_th.jpg
 
Harpsden said:
Agree with Nealo's comments about lassooing and the use of a line of the middle-cleat. I always have a line on that cleat with a shortlength to a loop ready to drop over a cleat and also a longer line for tie-ing off on a cleat instead if necessary..

When I took the Canadian Day Skipper equivalent course as we neared our first docking I offered to go to the bow and lassoo a cleat (as taught by the RYA). I was met by blank looks. As we neared the dock I realised why - no cleats. Instead there are rails. Unless someone is on the dock to take a line you have to bring the boat in so that someone can step off to tie off a line. Its good practise for single-handing here.

I took this photo of our boat on a charter there last September to show the problem.

All good practise!
Click to expand...

It's an issue with which river cruisers are very familiar - often there is nothing to drop a line over/lassoo, eg if mooring rings are being used. Also, if you are trying to moor on a tidal river or even a river with a strong current, there's no option but to get off the boat. Nick H makes a good point and it's interesting that I don't think I have ever been on a river/canal boat that you could accidentally knock into gear (because of the type of controls) - that may just be coincidence. It still seems to me quicker to step off the boat and quickly get a turn round the cleat/bollard. If you miss with your first attempt at throwing a line over, the boat may have drifted away and you start all over again. I don't want to labour the point, but the guy I saw fall in was trying to do exactly what the RYA teach. He had the bow line with his wife at the helm, and unfortunately she misjudged the approach and caught the side, catapulting him into the river. (It was very early one morning and he was dead lucky I was watching as there was no-one else around to help.) I remember asking them why they didn't just bring the boat in so that one of them could step ashore and secure the boat from a safe position. There's surely more chance of you falling off a boat than from dry land?
I don't suppose we can all agree to differ on this can we - just because a certain method is taught by the RYA doesn't necessarilty mean it is the only safe way to do it - how many of us drive our cars exactly as we were taught to?
 
alruss said:
Pipdoc, you tell us that you successfully docked, but not how, single line from midships cleat
or bow/stern line. There are not many looking to score points, but quit a few that have one way to do things and that is the only way it can be done. As for peeps trying to make others look silly, they eventually make a mistake then run away. Most people treat these remarks
with the respect they deserve, and ignore them. Stay with it and enjoy it.
Click to expand...

Ah sorry ... I forgot that bit!

As mentioned, the conditions were perfect and so it was made very easy because of this.
Basically I prepared everything before I left the swinging mooring i.e. more fenders than normal and I rigged a line from the centre ( spring) cleat to the stern and laid near the helm seat ready for me to pick it up without any hassle.
I also had a line ready from the stern cleat ready to pick up from the pontoon.

When I arrived at the pontoon about 30 mins later I had nothing more complex to do than glide slowly onto the pontoon and slowly step onto the pontoon and take a turn on the cleat right below the already rigged spring line.
To be honest - even if I hadn't prepared anything it was one of those afternoons that I'm sure I could have left the boat untied! (at least for a few mins).
Having said that I didn't know how it was going to be when I arrived at the pontoon but the preparation I had made ensured there was no panic.
 
There you go, easy innit! Actually this time of year is really good for practising single handed mooring as there is more room in marinas and on quaysides etc.
I regularly practice "circuits and bumps" during the "off season".
My only problems have been when there has been either a strong wind blowing me off or else strong tide. Have been known to step onto a pontoon only to be nearly pulled off my feet, by the boat trying to leave on its own. I think the lassooing ? of a midship cleat is safer in these circumstances.
 
Thepipdoc said:
Do you know what? I wish I'd never asked.
You can be sure I won't be asking again.
Click to expand...

Yep, I see where you're coming from. Anyway, glad all went well, singlehanded is daunting the first time, I did it last year and was given some sound advise from the good folk on here.
Trouble is with some, they don't recognise they have a skill, they think because they can do it, everyone can! ;)
 
Me too

Thought I would try to practice what I preached (humbly I hope). Berthed 33' MOBO single handed in my U-shaped berth on Sat and Sun. Conditions perfect though. Throttles only. So easy that I could just step off the swim platform with the aft line and the bow line (which I had led back). Only awkward bit was the 'line up' before reversing it in. Loss of confidence the first time allowed it to drift a wee bit even though it had been perfect. I was actually more pleased that I 'recovered' everything without panic.
Overall, I dont know that I have proved much other than that I would be prepared to try it in poorer conditions next time; or try the helm in the calm.
What a great sense of achievement I felt.
Congrats Pipdoc
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top