In ijmuiden instead of Inverness!

[jimi]

Northerly bashing got too much so turned east, currently in ijmuiden but planning to leave boat on Friday to go home and come back in car on ferry with wife and dogs, any recommendations for where I can leave boat and car when I return?’

 

[photodog]

Sooooo.. that’ll be Amsterdam and the IJsselmeer for this summers cruise then?

 

[Tomahawk]

Would probably have gotten to Inveness quicker if you went clockwise and simply used this delicious high presure system.

 

[Athene V30]

Volendam (new marina not old port) in Merkermeer is a big marina with large car park. Town is fairly touristy but staff at marina keep the place well. Box moorings with a pontoon about 4m long. Has a website if you google it.

 

[sailorman]

Take your pick of marina`s https://dehavengids.nl/index.php/havens

 

[jimi]

in Seaport where they are very helpful, although berths are bit tight with great big posts right in the middle!

 

[PeterWright]

... berths are bit tight with great big posts right in the middle!

Welcome to Dutch box berths!

 

[johnalison]

Welcome to Dutch box berths!

There's nothing wrong with box berths, which I like a lot, but Ijmuiden's fingers have dirty great posts just where you want to turn in, and their positions are not all the same, making entry in the dark and cross-wind more than interesting.

 

[PeterWright]

There's nothing wrong with box berths, which I like a lot, but Ijmuiden's fingers have dirty great posts just where you want to turn in, and their positions are not all the same, making entry in the dark and cross-wind more than interesting.

As do many Dutch box berths. Add to that the propensity for allocating a berth where the gap between the outer rusty steel posts is just 10 cm more than your reported beam and cross winds get really interesting.

 

[johnalison]

As do many Dutch box berths. Add to that the propensity for allocating a berth where the gap between the outer rusty steel posts is just 10 cm more than your reported beam and cross winds get really interesting.

Ijmuiden are not box berths but fingers, with large posts at random positions. I have extensive experience of box berths in Holland and the Baltic. The Dutch ones are a doddle, and mostly in very sheltered conditions. The Baltic ones are a different animal altogether. In some cases you will find a variety of widths and lengths. Too narrow is no problem since you will come to a stop. Sometimes a little more power will gain you entry. Too wide can be awkward. My solution is to park at the entrance diagonally, sort the lines out and continue in a stately manner. In the old E Germany and elsewhere you sometimes find rustly old steel posts, and if you are luck a wrapping of carpet. Nowadays almost all have been upgraded to steel with a substantial plastic sheath. The is toredo worm in much of the Southern Baltic, so most if not all the old wooden posts have been replaced.

All you need to negotiate these berths safely is an HR, or maybe a Najad if you prefer red. :encouragement:

 

[Ali-alshira]

You need a rubbing strake, or something to protect your boat from hitting the posts, and you need a split pulpit to make it easy to get off the boat at the front. We find its best to have excessively long lines, just in case, and fenders on deck ready - most of our disasters have been caused by fenders catching posts, tying themselves round lines, tangling with the neighbouring boat's fenders etc.

All that prepared, we really like boxes, and will choose them in preference to alongside berths, y-booms, or stern buoys or many of the strange mooring options that Baltic harbours spring on you!

 

[johnalison]

Most problems with boxes are caused by the idea that you have to do it in one go. This is normally the case with a finger mooring, but with boxes there is no one correct way and any way that gets you in without harm scores full points. Of various styles, I particularly admired one sailor who approached nearby single-handed and without engine. He arrived slowly across the ends of the boxes and took a line round, got his sails down, and only then manhandled his boat round into a box. No fuss. It's probably what he always does.

 

[michael_w]

If you haven't got a rubbing strake, a good substitute is a heavy line, say 50mm diameter covering about the central 2/3 of the topsides. This enables you to lean nonchalantly on the post without wrecking your paintwork.

 

[jimi]

If you haven't got a rubbing strake, a good substitute is a heavy line, say 50mm diameter covering about the central 2/3 of the topsides. This enables you to lean nonchalantly on the post without wrecking your paintwork.

I've looked in vain for a reasonably priced heavy line! But definitely a good idea, i just grit my teeth now and rub slowly in. The occasional post has been leant heavily on in a crosswind

 

[johnalison]

My mate with a Hanse 370 he bought from new had a rubbing strake built in. It looks effective and is quite inconspicuous.

 

[michael_w]

I found my rubbing strake line in a marina skip. I sewed webbing loops on the ends so I could tie a lighter line round the stanchions.

 

[sailorman]

I found my rubbing strake line in a marina skip. I sewed webbing loops on the ends so I could tie a lighter line round the stanchions.

An Oyster owner bin diving, Oh deary me :disgust: :disgust:

 

[Champagne Murphy]

An Oyster owner bin diving, Oh deary me :disgust: :disgust:

 

[michael_w]

It's called recycling pre-loved boat bits.