Cross tide (river) pontoon berth

[Ammonite]

If the stern line is sufficient I'll stick with that although being centre cockpit theres a bit more clambering. If it wont come around I was going to run the line from the stern cleat round the cleat on the pontoon and then on to the midship cleat i.e. like a regular slip line but attached to two different cleats. Its a WIP but my thinking was that this would automatically start transferring the load as you make the turn?

The line would be a bit long but if its a floating one I think it should be OK

Maybe I should patent it if it works

 

[johnalison]

I have a very simple policy when manoeuvring in harbour. Never initiate an action that might go wrong and from which there is no escape if it does so. This has stood me in good stead for for the best part of half a century. I deliberately went against my policy on one occasion a few years ago and got away with it but felt guilty afterwards.

 

[Ammonite]

I have a very simple policy when manoeuvring in harbour. Never initiate an action that might go wrong and from which there is no escape if it does so. This has stood me in good stead for for the best part of half a century. I deliberately went against my policy on one occasion a few years ago and got away with it but felt guilty afterwards.

Very sensible advice.....which is why the sprong remains attached until the bows are into the tide. If it doesn't you drift back to where you started

 

[LittleSister]

I've never heard of 'spronging', and having watched the video I would have still called that springing off.

I find it hard to believe that the particular technique in the video would have worked had the tide been at 90 degrees to the pontoon (which is what I assumed the OP to have).

It looked at about 30 degrees from the pontoon in the video (and of modest speed), so once the boat was over 30 degrees from the pontoon the tide will have been helping the turn. Had it been 90 degrees and any strength, I think they would have struggled to get away from the pontoon, and once the bow of the boat had passed through the path of the tide things would have become exciting very quickly, especially had there been another boat moored behind the first.