Downwind/Down tide

[Sandy]

I was taught to see which way the other boats were lying and approach from the same direction. This helps decide which is king, wind or tide. In the unlikely absence of other boats or indicators assume tide is king.irstbtime round.

+1

 

[johnalison]

+1

It also works in a situation where the wind and tide are both having an effect, the moored boats lying askew. Although not the only way to do it, it will generally show the direction that your approaching boat will most easily settle while approaching.

 

[lpdsn]

I look after 84 moorings & we loose several each year due to Roy Rogers tactics.
The mooring costs the owner circa £350-00 & we rarely recover by dragging

There's a business opportunity for you. Design a buoy that is invunerable to lassooing. It surely can't be difficult. And you can probably get a few containers worth manufactured in China and shipped in for well under £350. Enough to make a tidy profit.

 

[GrahamM376]

To expand my question further.

Would you approach a mooring buoy with your vessel moving with wind/tide or against ? (simplify by discounting wind against tide)

Again my reason for asking will soon become clear.

I usually approach a mooring in the direction other boats are lying or, if no other boats, into wind or tide whichever is strongest.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I was taught to see which way the other boats were lying and approach from the same direction. This helps decide which is king, wind or tide. In the unlikely absence of other boats or indicators assume tide is king.irstbtime round.

That generally works, but not always. In Loch Moidart, a couple of weeks ago, four of us were lying with direction set by the tide, so we were heading east on the ebb, but pushed west relative to the ground by the wind. In every case the anchor was well behind the boat.

 

[jimbaerselman]

All boats with keels will lie to tide. So, if you have a keel, you have no choice. You must approach into tide. And if that's down wind, reduce your windage as much as possible.

Flat bottomed boats, including sail boats which can lift their keels, may lie to wind rather than to tide. If you use those to tell you which way to point when picking up a mooring, you'll have a lot of difficulty steering while going backwards through the water . . .

 

[lw395]

Seems to me it's confusion between 'going down tide' and coming from 'down tide'.
A bit like East Winds going west and all that.
A lesson in being clear!
I try to say 'west-going tide' in case people think a 'west tide' goes the same way as a west wind....

 

[lw395]

All boats with keels will lie to tide. So, if you have a keel, you have no choice. You must approach into tide. And if that's down wind, reduce your windage as much as possible.
.... . .

I anticipate some exceptions to this being displayed on the dayboat moorings at Cowes Week as usual....
If you have no engine, and the jib alone won't get you there, you gotta do what you gotta do!

 

[jimbaerselman]

I anticipate some exceptions to this being displayed on the dayboat moorings at Cowes Week as usual....
If you have no engine, and the jib alone won't get you there, you gotta do what you gotta do!

Good point. I should have said:

You must approach into tide. And if that's down wind, reduce your windage - as necessary!

Of course, if there's no wind, all bets are off - except a paddle. Or maybe drudging, if you have an anchor!