Help!!

Kristal

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Crystal and I are sitting in Woolverstone, weatherbound (gusts at Gale 8 at the moment, and white horses on the Orwell), and whilst all the other boats are moving about a bit, Crystal is 'surging' with the top of her stem traversing almost two feet from nose-down to nose-up attitude. The warps are creaking like hell and I'm sure it can't be right.

I have two bow lines, two springs, and a stern-line rigged - they were tight enough in lighter conditions - should I tighten them up more to give her less room to move when the wind knocks her over? Is there antything else I can do? At this rate, something is going to tear loose from the deck...

...although at least we are the only boat whose halyards aren't trying to re-record Tubular Bells... because we are good frappers, we are...

/<
 

tcm

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i note that loads of peope use braided lines for mooring. I hope you don't, and i somehow feel that classic boaty types have the right kit (albeit of course, suitably ancient). But anyway, springy nylon or other such material such as hemp is the right thing, set as long as possible to increase the cusioning - no short lines. Also, whenever you tighten a line in a wind, it's an idea to leave the exising ones if possible and add a new one to so you aren't actually loosening. The other good idea is to "not watch" the boat - do something else- you never see the outside of the boat in a gale at sea cos you're on it.
 

Kristal

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Good advice, thank you. I have doubled up bow lines, and tightened them just enough that she doesn't surge up so high, without making them bar-taut. The motion isn't so bad now, nor is the creaking when the lines take up.

I think the F8 I registered wasn't quite an 8, as I just asked the Queen Galadriel what they were registering and they said they're getting just a 6 on their instruments. Even so, it's a bit crazy, and I already rescued one motor cruiser whose owner, it would appear, had used the same line from spring and stern line, but without making it off on his stern cleat - it seems they'd just used it as a fairlead which jumped off as the boat surged around and allowed her to swing across the finger pontoons. Had there been another, smaller boat alongside, there would have been some damage, I suspect.

Thanks again,

/<
 

tcm

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bit late now, but in heavy wind in a "lee marina" if you know what i mean, i often think (if are with the boat) you're better off at anchor in a more sheltered place, if only for the sake of your paintwork, provided (like this) you know it is to be short-lived. I saw an 80 footer do exactly this very close up to a beach near gibraltar, howling gale but no crashity mooring-line worries or wondering-about otherboats-hitting-you nightmares, as they were having in the marina just 100 yards away...
 

mikesharp

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We used to have very tight and as long as possible bow and stern springs on the basis that the longer warp length gave better shock absorbing. Doubled up in a very strong blow. Other warps less tight but again doubled up.
 
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