How to raft up single handed?

If you are going alongside a bouy moored boat it MUST be bow first, surely! Otherwise, both boats are lying to either wind or tide & will be forced apart by the shape of their bows & that wind or tide? :confused:



Err, singlehanding? I have been doing it almost since I first got a dinghy. Not that I still get it right very time! :o:o I'll agree that the first time in a cruiser was exciting, but not hard, as it was a real handy little 25 footer. I think that's where we loose out when buying big boats as starter craft.
 
If you are going alongside another boat swinging to a single buoy mooring then you should also moor to that buoy.

Lines to the vessel alongside are of secondary importance; often with just breast ropes and no springs.

Mooring that way ensures that neither vessel is dependant on the other and both stay bow to tide and/or wind. It also means either vessel can leave independantly.

Mooring solely to the other vessel may put excess loads on her mooring to the buoy.
 
If you are going alongside another boat swinging to a single buoy mooring then you should also moor to that buoy.

Lines to the vessel alongside are of secondary importance; often with just breast ropes and no springs.

Mooring that way ensures that neither vessel is dependant on the other and both stay bow to tide and/or wind. It also means either vessel can leave independantly.

Mooring solely to the other vessel may put excess loads on her mooring to the buoy.

Agreed, but in the first place I have found it easier to moor alongside before taking the strain on my own mooring warp.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimi
I'd put a line on my midships cleat and secure to the aft cleat of the raftee, leaving the engine on trickle ahead and the wheel hard over to keep the stern in and sort out the rest at my leisure.

Must admit its one I would do if mooring to a pontoon but not one I would do mooring to a raft of boats. Either on a buoy or pontoon, on a buoy you will start chasing in circles, on a pontoon/ quay you will test how well the other boats are moored

Jings what size of engine have you got if you're going to swing the raft ;-)

Gentle trickle ahead to keep line from centre cleat taut and waterflow over turned rudder to keep stern in for the minute or so you get head lines on is hardly excessive!

I was however assuming that the guy was rafting onto an alongside raft rather than buoy, if to buoy then dead easy as raft will allready be lying to wind/tide so just go along and get the bow rope on, no arguments on that from me!
 
Good OP

I’m so glad this OP was asked, as if everything (the weather) stays anywhere apart from East ... there will be opportunity to have a Raft at Brodick for the Music Festival. :)
 
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One thing to be aware of with centre lines, is that they tend to be used very short, so can tighten violently if one boat is moved vertically against the other by wash etc.
 
Single handed rafting up

What I would suggest is have excessively long lines. Jib sheets are good. Then a good throw to the receiving boat. It is worth practicing throwing the rope. Do you throw it properly. I have met amny sailors who do not know how to throw a rope....
Fix the inboard end then coil the rope up in easy loops in left hand using RH. When you get to about half way using an LH index finger keep coiling but divide the coil into 2 parts. Now separate the coil for the furtherest end and take it in your RH. Throw the rope by swinging the coil in RH underarm as if it were a weight as you do so throw the coil in your LH with less force so that it follows the RH.
The mass of the first RH coil will carry the rope until the LH coil is undone then will start to unroll. Practice you will find this the best way to throw a rope with a plain end . good luck olewill
 
Goodness me - what alot of complication....

If you are rafting to a boat on a mooring it will be sitting in line with wind / tide. The same wind / tide will allow you to make a nice slow approach.

Keep it simple.

Prepare you lines and check them a couple of times - bow and stern - lead outside everything and back. If somebody is aboard the other yacht then come alone side, smile and hand them the bow line. Once attached then, assuming that your boat will sit to tide / wind in a similiar manner, it's all over. Relax and rig the stern line. Springs next and then a pleasant chat in the cockpit.

All good if there is wind / tide to work against on your approach. If there is no wind / tide, you can rig any lines you fancy as you'll have plenty of time.

Keep it simple and check everything a coupl eof times before you make an approach.

Personally don't like the idea of rigging any sort of stern spring (stern line to bow) early as if you mess up the bow line, your boat will, well, spring off......maybe not a good thing!

Take it easy, keep it simple, and if you don't like look of it on the day try it another time.
 
Personally don't like the idea of rigging any sort of stern spring (stern line to bow) early as if you mess up the bow line, your boat will, well, spring off......maybe not a good thing!

.

1. Did anyone suggest making fast the spring before the bow line? I certainly didn't.

2. There is absolutely no point in getting the stern line across until you are in position because it won't be doing anything!

3. The purpose of the spring from the stern of the arriving boat to the bow of the other is so that the arriving boat does not slide back along the first boat. Which it will do unless you have a spring to prevent it . That is what springs are for - to restrain a vessel's fore and aft movement.
 
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Fair enough

Just a few times.

Spring would be considered depending on the relative length of the boats and conditions etc. My point remains the importance of keeping it simple ande the danger of that stern spring- thought you said that if there was a problem with the bow line then the spring would give you plenty of time to get back to your boat - thats the bit that would concern me. Might have misunderstood and won't be going back to check.

Nothing personal - I won't question your experience - just respct your different opinion.
 
and...

my original message was responding to the post by 'onesea' who suggests taking your sternline to the midships cleat first or, failing that, to the bow andmake off first...then the bowline. I thought it was you as you responded.

Just trying to help the OP - nothing more
 
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