Fore & Aft Moorings

[AllanG]

Hi,

Can anyone advise what the ideal length the 'pick-up' rope should be between the two buoys on my fore and aft River Hamble mooring?

Should it be approximately the same length as the distance bewteen the buoys, or should it be longer?

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Best regards,

Allan

 

[MikeBz]

I find the ideal length is just long enough to hook over a fairlead at each end of the boat - this means that when you approach the mooring all you need to do is grab any part of the pickup-rope, walk to the bow and hook it through the fairlead, walk to the stern ditto. Now you're safe and can rig your proper mooring lines at your leisure.

Mike

 

[LadyInBed]

Ok till a cross wind streches it like a drum!
I have two lines between the buoys, one tight that keeps the buoys the 'correct' distance apart and the other with some slack in it that I tie off my mooring lines to ready for pickup.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I'm on piles, so the scenario is a little different. Each mooring line is about 20% too long for its job (which enables me to shuffle about a bit to avoid clashing masts with my neighbour). For that reason there are no eyes spliced in the end of the mooring lines. I then have a light pick up line with a pick up buoy in the middle which is tied relatively tightly between the post ropes. This means I can pick up and have a mooring lines aboard without having to haul in yards and yards of sopping string. Also means there less string to keep clear of the prop on arrival and departure. Not that I've always succeeded!