How do you tie yours...

[Danny Jo]

I don't understand why people leave a coil of rope on the pontoon, all be it neatly coiled.
I like my spare onboard so I can easily adjust them.

Danny Jo's mooring lines are a mixture of 18mm polyester three-strand for the springs and some 14mm braid on braid ex-genoa sheets for the bow and stern lines. The 18mm three-strand lines were bought when I bought the boat, reckoning that although larger than necessary they would stand up to more wear and tear. That turned out to be a mistake, because I can only tie off one 18mm line on each of the Danny Jo's cleats, one of which is just visible in the first picture (taken before her name change).

I run the fore and aft springs from the centre cleat. Since I cannot make up both springs on that cleat, one of them is attached to it with a spliced loop. Hence the coil of 18mm rope on the pontoon in the second picture. The round turn and two half hitches on a bite looks messy but was a habit acquired while sailing round Ireland, where it seems to be almost the only hitch used by what remained of the fishing fleet in 2009. I agree with the comments about the single loop through the pontoon cleat, but reckon it's OK in calm conditions for a short stay.

 

[tidclacy]

Am I not right in thinking there should be separate lines for bow, stern, springs and breast ropes if used. Springs should surely be bow and stern from the bow and stern cleats and not the centre cleat? As below?

http://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/p/techn...technical-articles-/mooring-alongside-diagram

 

[Joker]

This is very common in the Baltic:

 

[Athene V30]

This is very common in the Baltic:

Add a bit of chafe and you have two ropes each half the length of the original!

I though you should always try and have a complete turn round the thing you are attaching to in order to cut out chafe, which is why a round turn and two half hitches works well.

 

[johnalison]

Add a bit of chafe and you have two ropes each half the length of the original!

I though you should always try and have a complete turn round the thing you are attaching to in order to cut out chafe, which is why a round turn and two half hitches works well.

Guilty M'lud. We don't get much swell in Stralsund.

 

[LadyInBed]

Add a bit of chafe and you have two ropes each half the length of the original!

Not with smart s/s bollards like that

which is why a round turn and two half hitches works well.

not if you ate single handed, slipping from onboard.

 

[Athene V30]

Not with smart s/s bollards like that.

Agree in this case they are very smooth however there would still be some friction. The places I go rarely have such smart bollards!!

not if you are single handed, slipping from onboard.

Berthing and slipping are two completely different things to my way of thinking. I sail 95% of time singlehanded and will almost always re-rig lines as appropriate just before sailing so I can slip easily. I wouldnt leave the boat berthed for any length of time on slipping lines.

 

[dunedin]

John not arguing any which way on what you have said, what I would say is as examiner you might do one thing but as teacher (assuming you do) are you still this flexible? do your students walk away thinking your methods are the only way?

If any one is curious I am No 7.

Looks like I am with you on this one (though perhaps one less turn round cleat). Visiting a sheltered marina we use 12m bow and stern warps, spliced to loop through boat cleats. Both give enough length to allow some give when coming alongside, then cleat off as bow and stern rope then back to middle as springs with just small end to tidy.
Has worked a treat for some years, and much less ropes to fiddle with.
Would do different for tidal wall mooring, or very busy cleats, and may change before departure if a bit tricky (eg to spring off) - but don't see any reason "to do one rope for each" or other worries some have. But each to their own

 

[LadyInBed]

Berthing and slipping are two completely different things to my way of thinking. I sail 95% of time singlehanded and will almost always re-rig lines as appropriate just before sailing so I can slip easily. I wouldnt leave the boat berthed for any length of time on slipping lines.

True!
I should engage brain before typing as that's what I do as well

 

[john_morris_uk]

Looks like I am with you on this one (though perhaps one less turn round cleat). Visiting a sheltered marina we use 12m bow and stern warps, spliced to loop through boat cleats. Both give enough length to allow some give when coming alongside, then cleat off as bow and stern rope then back to middle as springs with just small end to tidy.
Has worked a treat for some years, and much less ropes to fiddle with.
Would do different for tidal wall mooring, or very busy cleats, and may change before departure if a bit tricky (eg to spring off) - but don't see any reason "to do one rope for each" or other worries some have. But each to their own

OK I will confess that sometimes I can be lazy and do the same and I have already admitted I was being a little provocative with my list. However, you and I are both aware that the slightly lazy technique of using one line to 'carry on and do another job' shouldn't be used on a harbour wall with swell and tide to cope with. I am anxious that there is a generation of sailors who never tie up in tidal situations and perhaps might think that some of the ways they tie up to pontoons will cut the mustard. In my humble opinion, if they tie up in the way some of them tie up to pontoons they will get into trouble sooner or later. Hopefully some people have thought about what they are doing.

Lets try another list and I will try and be less provocative?

If you are on a pontoon berth try and leave the cleat so others can use it.

Don't leave excess line on the pontoon; lines should be made off on board and the line coiled on YOUR deck.

Be very careful how you lead your electric cable; make sure its not going to get nipped by yours or another persons mooring line.

Don't moor with loops through or round the cleat and back on board; its a bad habit, an abuse of the line and it WILL chafe eventually.

Long bowlines are perfectly acceptable - but remember that they can't be undone under pressure so think before you use them as a matter of habit.

A round turn can be used with a bowline; it reduces chafe to insignificant amounts compared with a line lead through a cleat.

All IMHO and there's no real hard and fast rules in seamanship - but there are some pretty selfish and stupid things one can try and avoid doing.

 

[Athene V30]

If you are on a pontoon berth try and leave the cleat so others can use it.

Don't leave excess line on the pontoon; lines should be made off on board and the line coiled on YOUR deck.

Be very careful how you lead your electric cable; make sure its not going to get nipped by yours or another persons mooring line.

Don't moor with loops through or round the cleat and back on board; its a bad habit, an abuse of the line and it WILL chafe eventually.

Long bowlines are perfectly acceptable - but remember that they can't be undone under pressure so think before you use them as a matter of habit.

A round turn can be used with a bowline; it reduces chafe to insignificant amounts compared with a line lead through a cleat.

All IMHO and there's no real hard and fast rules in seamanship - but there are some pretty selfish and stupid things one can do and try and avoid.

+1

Also when berthing outboard of another boat just ask them to secure the end of your line on their boat and take the spare back on your boat. Have had an occasion with a British boat abroad when I have been thrown several ropes and more or less been left to tie their boat up while they start on the tinnies!!

 

[sailorman]

+1

Also when berthing outboard of another boat just ask them to secure the end of your line on their boat and take the spare back on your boat. Have had an occasion with a British boat abroad when I have been thrown several ropes and more or less been left to tie their boat up while they start on the tinnies!!

I would move rather that have that. we had a crew of 3 men in Oostende one time they rafted with their cockpit at our stem & were loud most of the night drinking, i guess Shepard Neame carp too