Centre Cleat for Single handed Mooring

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pratkins

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I like what I read in PBO #477about using a centre cleat to assist in coming alongside when mooring. It also refers to other articles in #465 & 466: is there anyway to access these articles?
My main question though is exactly where to position this cleat and how big should it be? Would an 8" one be too small, as I have one? Cheers, Peter
 
Because of where the cleat would be relative to jib sheets flapping and the likelihood of crew sitting on it while racing..

I decided to use a removable cleat attached to the genoa tracks, placed in position after only a minute or so of pure fumbling, making sure the thing is placed with the fixed side hooked over the inboard side of the tracks and the locating pin in one of the track holes (the pin is slightly too large for the track but the holes wear down in time ...)

This as the articles will tell is great. With one fender well forward and another well aft, the boat basically cannot go anywhere away from the cleat. The only danger I suppose is that you end up with a very short distance between cleat on the boat and the cleat on the pontoon so if things are bouncing around , the cleat has to work hard.

The cleat was purchased as a specifically removable cleat for about £40 some years ago. It is a normal cleat but fitted to a piece of stainless steel sheet bent to grip the track, and another that slides to open up over the track, and a knob for tightening the screw that locks the two sides together and stops it jumping off the track.
 
Personally I'd prefer a midship fairlead. Then you can bring the tail of the line back to a sheet winch and, once you have dropped the loop in the outboard end over the pontoon cleat, you can snub the line round the winch to take up the slack and then belay it. Lash the tiller towards the pontoon and run the engine "slow ahead" and the boat will lie quietly in position while you leisurely secure the other lines.
 
If you have a slotted toe rail then put mooring spring through slot near the centre of boat,usually near shrouds. Tie a 2ft loop using bowline in the outboard end of rope and lead back into cockpit near to helm, wrap inboard end around winch and secure loosely to cleat. come alongside pontoon,drop outboard loop over cleat on pontoon with knot pointing towards bow, gently motor ahead and adjust helm to keep boat paralell.
I prefer this method as you can make adjustments.
Secure inboard end of spring lock helm maintain revs and smartly attach shore lines. carefull with your lines dont forget the prop is turning
After you get confident you will be able to do amazing manoeuvres.
Also it looks the dogs from shoreside.
The cleat method I think is asking for trouble also less installation or toe stubbers.
Once you have found the ideal point on toerail you can then attach a block
Must improve typing speed
Between all of us you probably have all you need

Sorry no idea where to get those back issues
 
Just the job .. But depends where you are mooring .. Some pontoons do not have a cleat where its required .. On the other hand we use ours all the time .. Just right when coming alongside .. We ordered our Beneteau 323 with them .. They did not come as a standard fit .. Well worth the extra .. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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My main question though is exactly where to position this cleat and how big should it be? Would an 8" one be too small

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Fix one cleat on the port side and one cleat on the stbd side at the yacht/boats pivot point. You will have to find out where this point is on your own boat. You will then be able to berth either side, single handed. Don't forget the fenders.
Cleat size should be the same size as the other main cleats (bow and stern) on you yacht/boat.
 
Even better to have two midship cleats each side. Then you can rig springs without them both being on the one cleat.
 
I suppose size depends on how big your boat is. As others have said, be guided by your mooring cleats.

There's a video of coming alongside this way at Yachting TV under sail - skills - mooring short handed. (You probably have to register to see this direct link, but IMHO, it's worth it, and I've never had any dross through on the email address I used - usual disclaimers apply.)

Again IMHO, I doubt the earlier PBO articles will add anything to the one you've seen (they all seem to say similar things) so I wouldn't blow any dosh on a reprint if I were you.

Ayla has a combined centre cleat/ fairlead, and I favour passing a long (ish) line throught this with a large loop tied on the outboard end, and the inboard end led to a genoa winch. I set the line so that the loop lies roughly level with the cockpit, but coil it up amidships. When coming alongside, the loop is dropped (from amidships) over a convenient cleat, and the boat allowed to carry its way to take up the slack. After which, the engine is left idling in gear ahead with the tiller lashed towards the pontoon/quay, etc. which holds it alongside while the rest of the lines are sorted out. This line usually becomes a spring. When the time comes to leave, I've found it better to tie up short between the centre cleat and the pontoon / quay, and untie everything else, slipping this line as I leave. Need to be sure that the bow isn't going to blow off, though. Still experimenting...

Andy
 
I always use my centre cleat for a spring when coming alongside. There can be a certain amount of shock loading on it, if the the boat still has some headway as it comes taut, so I wouldn't want an undersized cleat.

I find it helps to have the eye of the spring threaded through a length of hose. This helps keep the eye open and makes it easier to drop on the pontoon cleat. It also makes it easy to flip off when leaving the berth.
 
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Still experimenting...

Andy

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Good post Andy.
Which reminds Me /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

When do want Your next sailing lesson /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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Some pontoons do not have a cleat where its required .

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You're telling me! I remember arriving in Cherbourg years ago with the midship line set up and finding no cleat on the pontoon at all, just a steel tube bent round the end so the eye in the line was useless. Now they have proper cleats on the new pontoons. Even worse is Emsworth Yacht Harbour where they just have a small ring at the end of the pontoon.
 
I fitted a miships cleat and had a fairlead cut into the toerail on both sides of my Moody and it was one of the best things I have done. Coming alongside when single or short handed is now much much easier. An 8" cleat sounds about right, is it the same size as those at the bow and stern? Mine are positioned at the widest point of the hull, they work a treat.

Cheers
 
I use the shroud U-bolt on the appropriate side. I have a 5m. length of 10 mm. ex-halyard with a snap shackle which can be attached to the U-bolt and then, because it's short, quickly run around the shore-side cleat and back on board. It's fine for a first fixing to hold the boat whilst making the proper mooring arrangements.
 
I fitted a midships cleat on both sides on my Moody33. You can get a cleat that bolts onto the aluminium toerail - I forget who make it but easily available, and will fit most of the toerail sections. They are are expensive if bought through the usual swindleries, but I got mine on ebay about three years ago at a considerable discount. I use it all the time.
Just checked and Premier Marinas appear to have them at £80/pair, including fixings.
 
For small/narrow side-decked boats, I would recommend a good quality (I think ours is 8mm) U-bolt as an alternative. We were fortunate in that the two legs exactly matched the centring of our hull/deck bolts, so just expanded holes and slotted them in with a long steel & timber backing bars. It's obviously not quite so handy to use as a proper cleat, but is much kinder to the toes.
 
The problem with all this comes when you find that the pontoon does not have cleats but loops. You can't drop a bowline over a loop, it just slides off. This is a problem at, for instance, Tichmarsh in Walton. Then you need to have either crew to jump ashore and put a line through the loop, or one of those boathooks that thread a line through [and not much time to do it in and no room for a miscue].
 
If you attach either a carabiner type clip or the handy duck type mooring device to the end of the line using a large bowline then you are covered for both cleat and hoop/ring eventualities
 
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