Cheap effective mooring aid

[mad_boater]

SWMBO doesn't like jumping off the boat to moor up.Since I am on the flybridge and have to rely on her to do this so I thought of a good idea to help. Get a length of plastic pipe thats used for toilet over flows or some other riged pipe about 5ft long, pass a rope through it, tie a loop on one end that would go over a mooring cleat,make an other loop at the other end to go over the boat cleat,make it a tight fit so it doesn't pull off easily.I leave a extra 2ft of rope on that end with a knot to stop the extra rope pulling through the pipe, the extra length makes it work better.With this SWMBO can lean over and hook the pontoon cleat(as in hook a duck) and get one rope on even if I can't get too close she shouts ' its on' then I can do my stuff with the bow thruster or the props.With the bow rope tied on the boat ready to get at easily on the hand rail she just steps off to tie up.I know there are expensive items available that do a similar job I have got one but this is easier to use and much cheaper, hope it does't sound too complicated.

 

[colingr]

We have a similar idea, it takes a lot of stress out of mooring in adverse winds / tide as once that line is on you've got all the time in the world to sort the other lines out. We use a length of stiff hosepipe but otherwise the same.

 

[Searush]

Use a spring rather than the bow line & you won't need thrusters, engine on tickover will hold her against the pontoon on tickover.

 

[Philiz]

Use a spring rather than the bow line & you won't need thrusters, engine on tickover will hold her against the pontoon on tickover.

Yep that's what we do if it's blowy, Liz drops the stern spring on portside, I lock her hard to s/board and engage forward gear, tickover holds the boat fast to the pontoon while we drop the other lines on. We berth stern to I hasten to add.

 

[rafiki_]

Rafiki wants to take the Pontoon with her at tickover. I get within a couple of feet, and hop onto the pontoon, Rafiki in neutral, SWMBO ready with the bowthruster.

 

[benjenbav]

SWMBO doesn't like jumping off the boat to moor up.Since I am on the flybridge and have to rely on her to do this so I thought of a good idea to help. Get a length of plastic pipe thats used for toilet over flows or some other riged pipe about 5ft long, pass a rope through it, tie a loop on one end that would go over a mooring cleat,make an other loop at the other end to go over the boat cleat,make it a tight fit so it doesn't pull off easily.I leave a extra 2ft of rope on that end with a knot to stop the extra rope pulling through the pipe, the extra length makes it work better.With this SWMBO can lean over and hook the pontoon cleat(as in hook a duck) and get one rope on even if I can't get too close she shouts ' its on' then I can do my stuff with the bow thruster or the props.With the bow rope tied on the boat ready to get at easily on the hand rail she just steps off to tie up.I know there are expensive items available that do a similar job I have got one but this is easier to use and much cheaper, hope it does't sound too complicated.

Excellent idea mb. However, I've just thought of a refinement: the madboater moorer mkII, if you like:

1 Take warp and tie a bowline in the end of it with a nice big loop

2 Jab or poke pointy bit of boathook through the knotty bit of the knot

3 Hold boathook and warp together with warp pulled tight at non-pointy end of boathook.

4 Use boathook to place loop over cleat at a distance of [(boathook - a little bit) + arm's length] away from body.

 

[colingr]

With some people that I take out I'd almost certainly be looking for a new boat hook with that method

 

[Renegade_Master]

"I get within a couple of feet, and hop onto the pontoon, Rafiki in neutral, SWMBO ready with the bowthruster."


not a good idea what if you miss the pontoon fall in a bag yer head.

whats wrong with lasooing the cleat which is what we teach on training courses, much safer

 

[mad_boater]

Use a spring rather than the bow line & you won't need thrusters, engine on tickover will hold her against the pontoon on tickover.

I should have mentioned we use the stern cleat to do this and use the door onto the bathing platform, it makes for an easy exit on to the pontoon for SHMBO.

 

[rubberduck]

Use a spring rather than the bow line & you won't need thrusters, engine on tickover will hold her against the pontoon on tickover.

Whats wrong with doth bow & stern thruster & a remote control.

 

[PilotWolf]

Or let SWMBO do the driving and you jump off with the lines?

W.

 

[Thepipdoc]

I should have mentioned we use the stern cleat to do this and use the door onto the bathing platform, it makes for an easy exit on to the pontoon for SHMBO.

Sorry I'm following it so far but can you just clarify..... the hooking of the pontoon cleat is done from the stern and not the bow?

 

[mad_boater]

Sorry I'm following it so far but can you just clarify..... the hooking of the pontoon cleat is done from the stern and not the bow?

Thats correct.Once I have a rope attached to the pontoon then as I said before bow thruster or engines do the rest bringing the bow in depending on conditions tide/wind ect.It could of cource be hooked from the bow but along with most boats the bow is high off the pontoon so the length gained by using the pipe would not be as effective.I notice another reply suggests my wife should helm the boat.This is definatly not an option, she is a reluctant boater at the best of times.My epitaf will be Ian Shipmans dead, boat for sale.

 

[rafiki_]

"I get within a couple of feet, and hop onto the pontoon, Rafiki in neutral, SWMBO ready with the bowthruster."


not a good idea what if you miss the pontoon fall in a bag yer head.

whats wrong with lasooing the cleat which is what we teach on training courses, much safer

With any breeze, I have little time to faff around with lassoos/boathooks etc. I know that one day I will overshoot the pontoon, or I'll leap onto one that is less stable than I expect, and I'll get a dunking, but so far so good. I was a regular swimmer in the Norfolk Broads when we boated over there, but the water was cleaner there, so I am a bit more careful these days.

 

[PilotWolf]

I notice another reply suggests my wife should helm the boat.This is definatly not an option, she is a reluctant boater at the best of times.My epitaf will be Ian Shipmans dead, boat for sale.

Out of interest why is she reluctant?

My ex was the same - tolerated it and supported my shopping trips etc. until I let her loose at the helm one day, took some encouragement initially but she was then a totally different person - I almost had to push her out the way when we were getting low on fuel to go back in!

After that she was unstoppable and was keener than me sometimes to get out on the boat. Previously she had just felt like a passenger and could as easily sat at home sunbathing/reading/ec. as she could on board.

W.

 

[mad_boater]

Out of interest why is she reluctant?

My ex was the same - tolerated it and supported my shopping trips etc. until I let her loose at the helm one day, took some encouragement initially but she was then a totally different person - I almost had to push her out the way when we were getting low on fuel to go back in!

After that she was unstoppable and was keener than me sometimes to get out on the boat. Previously she had just felt like a passenger and could as easily sat at home sunbathing/reading/ec. as she could on board.

W.

Lack of confidence/interest.I would say many women are the same.The ones I have talked anyway.I now its not a male preserve.I would be interested if there was a poll asking who's partner/wife is prepared to moor a boat in a brisk breeze especialy if it is blowning you off the pontoon.

 

[PilotWolf]

I found that my ex wasn't interested until she was involved in what she saw as the fun things rather than just be an extra pair of hands. I'm not suggesting that
's how you treat her - just a simplified view.

After a short time I knew she was capable of doing things (and things off the boat too - that previously she had been told she couldn't or shouldn't do by family/exs/etc.) and would refuse to take over and do it for her!

Just a thought!

W.