Have a choice to make - full length pontoon or bow to Baltic moor ?

[Refueler]

Local Yacht Hbr ... Port worker who has 'reserved' pontoon berth is lifting out for probably all season to revamp his boat. The berth is basically ~40ft and my boat is 38ft. Manager has offered the berth to me while guys boat is ashore.
Its that or join the others at the Baltic Moor ... bow to pontoon + line to buoy holding stern ...

Today I get lifted in .. and will be Baltic Moor ... other guys boat lifts next week.

The pontoon is a full width pontoon - not finger ... basically when the pontoons were installed - one main string - one side was left free of fingers to provide a wide full length berth.

The Baltic moor of course is kinder to hull sides as no fenders rubbing .. but it relies on that stern cleat .. no springs or anything as extra.
The Pontoon is easier to load / unload the boat and has more secure mooring due to springs / possibility of extra lines.

So which would you choose ? (No extra cost .. same price - all inclusive).

 

[Poignard]

The pontoon.

 

[Refueler]

Manager also asked me if I was interested in buying out present owner of Yacht Hbr business - owner is reducing his 'portfolio' and let him know he'd be interested in anyone taking it on.

I was offered it years ago before present owner took it on - but being a flat line coast and basically no cruising area like Riga Bay / Solent etc - would be hard to get investment back.
Since then - a full travelift was added with lifting basin at huge cost ... making it an expensive proposition today to take over purely on inventory costs !

 

[ProDave]

Pontoon definitely.

 

[Stemar]

If, as I understand, you single hand a lot, I'd have thought a pontoon berth would be easier, especially if the wind's being unkind.

I don't think fender scuff is much of an issue, but you could always hang a "curtain" over the side if you're concerned.

 

[Refueler]

I don't single hand the 38 .. I will do later .. but usually its two man ....

The Baltic moor is not so easy single-handed of course - but I've done it enough times with my other boat to not be too concerned ...

The plan is next year to have transom "TORO" removed - red filled in .. then whole topsides are up for light sanding back ... to remove bloom and dull - then 2 - 3 coats of high gloss protective lacquer .... so that each season a polish will maintain her.

 

[johnalison]

As you say, the Baltic moor is kinder to the boat. Given a choice, that is what I would prefer. It took me a while to realise that you are not going for style points when mooring in a box and any method that gets you in safely is as good as any other. Providing your boat has a strake allowing it to lie on or nudge piles, such as most Baltic designs, and you have aft lines the right length, singlehanding should be easy enough.

 

[Refueler]

No piles or guides into BM ... its hook onto buoy .. glide in .. stop just short of touching quay .. bow lines and tighten stern line.

That's my boat next to pals B31 ...

 

[nevis768]

Pontoon, but I'm poor at manoeuvring my long keeler

 

[Supertramp]

Consider the fetch and prevailing winds. A pontoon is great in a fully sheltered area, and if the wind blows along or off the pontoon. If there is swell I would avoid. Get some really big fenders. I carry two 2ft diameter ball fenders with me which don't half clutter the deck but are way better than yacht sausages.

Baltic mooring looks like a complete no for me (and my neighbours).

 

[bergie]

Pontoon, but I'm poor at manoeuvring my long keeler

That's exactly why I'd prefer the Baltic moor. So easy to arrive and leave. Arriving, you only need to drive straight forward, and leaving you can pull the boat out using the buoy.

Stern line on a reel, like you see on most boats in Sweden and Finland, might make the operation easier single handed. Then you just need to clip the line to the buoy and the reel will keep it tensioned as you drive forward.

But I guess the question is what you're used to. It seems here in UK side-tie is pretty much standard, whether alongside a pier or to a finger.

 

[ylop]

You are asking a predominantly British audience their preference - they are going to tell you what they are familiar with! I think there's an important metric not included - the cost!

I've not used the baltic bouys but I have used a dutch box system and I think I could get used to that easily enough. Entry and exit is one thing but "faff factor" adjusting lines, fenders etc might mean the baltic system is actually quicker?

but it relies on that stern cleat .. no springs or anything as extra.

Is there a reason why you couldn't rig springs from aft to pontoon in front and from midship back to the bouy. Do you just use one bouy or do you use two?

 

[johnalison]

You are asking a predominantly British audience their preference - they are going to tell you what they are familiar with! I think there's an important metric not included - the cost!

I've not used the baltic bouys but I have used a dutch box system and I think I could get used to that easily enough. Entry and exit is one thing but "faff factor" adjusting lines, fenders etc might mean the baltic system is actually quicker?

Is there a reason why you couldn't rig springs from aft to pontoon in front and from midship back to the bouy. Do you just use one bouy or do you use two?

For one's home berth fixed lines would be normal whether finger, pontoon, box or stern buoy. In the Baltic one generally has bow lines to shore just from the bow. Since these are short and usually splayed out, there are times such as with strong headwinds when it aids comfort to add an additional line or lines from mid-cleats or stern to the shore to prevent the bow lines from snatching when it is not convenient to fit snubbers.

 

[ylop]

For one's home berth fixed lines would be normal whether finger, pontoon, box or stern buoy.

Interesting. Whilst I see some boats who do seem to have lines rigged permanently to shore I don't think I'd say its that normal up here. My feeling was these were people who mostly leave the pontoon to sail round the cans and go back to the same pontoon and "cruisers" take their lines with them - perhaps its because Scots are too tight to pay for two sets of lines!

 

[Roberto]

Besides mooring, consider also how much/frequently you load/unload boat stuff: a 38' has big sail bags, big warps/ropes, big anchors, maybe several fuel jerricans, etc. Every time I move boat <--> home I have a half car load of things to move, a bow mooring would be a nightmare for me.

 

[Refueler]

Besides mooring, consider also how much/frequently you load/unload boat stuff: a 38' has big sail bags, big warps/ropes, big anchors, maybe several fuel jerricans, etc. Every time I move boat <--> home I have a half car load of things to move, a bow mooring would be a nightmare for me.

I have a small truck with 1 ton Hiab ... that was used to lift all sail bags on yesterday.

I asked the guys who will crew for racing ... unanimous for the pontoon ! I can drive car right up to the walkway down onto pontoon ...

Today she's sitting bows on ,,, till guy lifts out - then we move.



You can just see the transom end of the yellow boat that will vacate the pontoon on the left edge.

 

[ylop]

I have a small truck with 1 ton Hiab ... that was used to lift all sail bags on yesterday.

thats cheating!

 

[capnsensible]

Besides mooring, consider also how much/frequently you load/unload boat stuff: a 38' has big sail bags, big warps/ropes, big anchors, maybe several fuel jerricans, etc. Every time I move boat <--> home I have a half car load of things to move, a bow mooring would be a nightmare for me.

We spent a lot of years in Gib living aboard and running school yachts. Lazy line moorings are a pain in the arris when you are victualing 3 yachts for 4 to 5 people every Sunday morning most weeks of the year. Moving back to a pontoon berth after all those years was bliss.

 

[Refueler]

thats cheating!

Bought to service my pontoons and the large number of mature trees I have - that require 'trimming' regularly ...

 

[johnalison]

Interesting. Whilst I see some boats who do seem to have lines rigged permanently to shore I don't think I'd say its that normal up here. My feeling was these were people who mostly leave the pontoon to sail round the cans and go back to the same pontoon and "cruisers" take their lines with them - perhaps its because Scots are too tight to pay for two sets of lines!

I think we may have to do a survey. I vaguely assumed that because I have permanent lines and quite a lot around me do that it was general, but I've no idea of the actual proportion, We haven't been able to do extended cruising for some years now but I usually left my lines in place when away. This gave me the pleasure of having to spend some time wiping the slime off from the effects of visitors to my berth leaving them dangling in the water. I have on occasion coiled them and cable-tied them tidily, but this makes my own return problematic (because our marina has hoops instead of cleats).