Best Practise with Mooring Lines

[Simondjuk]

This is part of a post in Scuttlebutt.




I did not want to drift the thread in Scuttlebutt. Nor do I want to sound personally critical of how Fenders handles his vessel, but the post reminds me of a situation I have observed many times.

Skippers and crew often make fast a warp to their vessel, then pass the line ashore for someone to make fast to the jetty/bollard/cleat. Don't people realize that when they do this, they have surrendered control of that line, and thus of their vessel, to someone NOT on the vessel, and often not one of the crew?

Most often a bowline or spliced eye is used, which cannot be untied under strain. This means the crew cannot cast off if they want to.

I read a seamanship manual once that stated best practise is to put an end of the line ashore, and keep the rest of the line aboard the vessel. It has taken me quite a few years to learn why this is best. It is because the crew can then take in or pay out line as they choose, and keep full control. It should not be easy for anyone ashore to cast off a line without the active consent of the vessel's crew.

I have been a crew at the stern of a vessel, I passed a line ashore, and the person on the pontoon tried to tell me to tie the line to my vessel. I refused. My skipper seemed not to understand why when I tried to explain afterwards.

I am looking forward to Olewill's usual wisdom on this.

Just don't pass lines to anyone ashore. They will invariably do the wrong thing with them.
Your own briefed crew should have a good chance of doing the right thing.

 

[Lakesailor]

Just don't pass lines to anyone ashore. They will invariably do the wrong thing with them.

OK. she left it at the end....... (and you're going to hate the locking turns)

​

 

[Lakesailor]

.....and you're really going to hate this

​

 

[Grehan]

With the greatest of respect, you guys don't know nuffink . . .

This is 100% real and spotted on a French quasi-hotel-barge. Neat eh?
Obviously the concrete bollard wasn't thought to be suitable.

 

[onesea]

This is 100% real and spotted on a French quasi-hotel-barge. Neat eh?
Obviously the concrete bollard wasn't thought to be suitable.

Your right no starting O and not enough 8's for me and I do not like locking turns or the knot in the end of the mooring rope

Must admit I tend to try and check everything I tie up to surprising how easily some big things can move

 

[Grehan]

French small day boat owners tend to bring a line to a cleat, then do an O, then do 8 8s, then dump the rest of the line on top of the cleat in a kind of 1960s Helen Shapiro beehive. They're obviously scared of it becoming undone.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

I've been following this thread with some interest. I appreciate the mainly UK based membership and the sensible use of bollards or cleats on pontoons and quays. Here in Greece though you're as likely as not to find rings; large ones bolted to the front face of concrete quays and small ones used on marina pontoons.

I would respectfully suggest that the only method that works well with rings is to secure one end of the warp to the boat, throw the free end to someone ashore, get them to feed it through the ring and then throw the line back. That's certainly how most yachties cope with rings over here.

Oh, and that's true whether coming alongside or mooring stern-to your own anchor.

Same here. I keep two bow lines on deck, each with an eye on the cleat. The free end goes through the rings on the pontoon or quay and then back to the boat where they are made fast as appropriate. The length of each is slightly less than the length of the boat.

Casting off when single handed is a doddle. I undo the inboard ends at the bows and then walk back to the cockpit where I cast off the (permanent) stern lines. Astern is engaged and I back out of the usually tight berth. The bow lines slip out of the rings and fall into the wet. Once out in clear water I engage autopilot and go forward to retrieve the lines. The lines are shorter than the boat so that they cannot foul the prop. Proof of the pudding is that it works fine for me.

 

[Enya]

I have read this post and would like to comment on the best way to tie up your boat for a period away. I feel I have read something about expectations of the Yachtmaster scheme that expects 4 lines tied off on the quay/pontoon. Is there a yachtmaster instructor among you who can confirm or refute this?

Enya

 

[GrahamM376]

+1. We use the centre cleat, take the line ashore and take to a cleat or bollard aft. It is then made off. First mate turns out a little and motors against it. This brings us alongside, and holds us against the spring. Stern line next, then bow and then sort out the springs. No doubt we would do it differently if we had a crew, but this way is best for us short handed with a heavy long keeler.

+1
Not being marina based, every visit is into an unknown berth and we're always short handed. We always have fenders both sides and 6 lines tied off on the boat. Bow and stern lines are draped along the guard wires so they can easily be reached from the finger. As above, one of us steps ashore with centre line, then usually stern, followed by bow. They're passed though the cleat but with turns around it and then back to the boat. When we want to leave, the turns are taken off the shore cleats and they're ready as slips.

I get frustrated when marineros come to assist, they always want to take the bow line first and often haul it short, kicking the stern out.

 

[Simondjuk]

.....and you're really going to hate this

​

No. Just, no.

 

[Lakesailor]

I said you'd hate it.

 

[Grehan]

+1
Not being marina based, every visit is into an unknown berth and we're always short handed. We always have fenders both sides and 6 lines tied off on the boat. Bow and stern lines are draped along the guard wires so they can easily be reached from the finger. As above, one of us steps ashore with centre line, then usually stern, followed by bow. They're passed though the cleat but with turns around it and then back to the boat. When we want to leave, the turns are taken off the shore cleats and they're ready as slips.

I get frustrated when marineros come to assist, they always want to take the bow line first and often haul it short, kicking the stern out.

I think I agree with every point there, especially the last sentence. Centre line is favourite for a quick fix, then deal with the stern line pronto. Once everything's basically safely ok I can then amuse myself setting ropes properly (fiddling).

Could some kind person please fill me on why the deck cleat vid is so bad? I'm obviously missing something. Apologies in advance.