Inconsiderate or just stupid.

[gus]

There may be lots of sailors doing courses on how to sail and navigate but there is a sad lack of instruction on how to moor up properly. Especially to another boat. With the growth of chartering in particular these part time sailors have no appreciation of the etiquete and conventions involved when mooring alongside. Having evermore frequently experienced their noisy clumping across my coach roof at all hours and having to forever instruct them on the correct way of attaching their mooring lines, I have drawn up a set of 'rules'. A copy has been sent to a well known charter firm for inclusion in their skippers notes and I include here a copy for those who need enlightenment.

Rules for berthing outside of another boat.


1. Berthing alongside another boat/yacht is not a right and it is common courtesy to request permission to do so.
2. Suitable and sufficient fendering must be used by the incoming vessel to avoid any contact and subsequent damage.
3. The use of boat hooks, especially the metal type, is not allowed on painted structural parts and fittings as damage can be easily sustained.
4. Mooring ropes to be of adequate size for the vessel – no string allowed.
5. Mooring ropes to have a loop on the receiving end, which is placed onto a suitable bollard or cleat of the host and led back out through the fairleads. The rope is then adjusted on the incoming vessel, which retains the excess rope.
6. Bow and stern ropes, fore and aft springs, and shore lines to be adjusted correctly so that there is some free riding movement between the boats and the incomer is not hanging onto the host. The final adjustment to be to the satisfaction of the host.
7. When crossing over, standing on any varnished woodwork is not allowed.
8. Footwear shall be appropriate deck shoes – NOT Catboots, hard soled leather shoes, heavy footwear, or black soles.
9. Every caution taken to minimise noise and disturbance to the host boat on crossing.
10. Care taken to use appropriate handholds and not cause damage to less robust fittings on deck.
11. Crossing to be around the bow and only around the stern under exceptional circumstances and with permission. Crossing over the coach roof is not allowed.
12. The frequency of journeys across the host boat to be kept to a minimum to avoid undue disturbance.

 

[Guest]

I totally agree. I thought that these were very basic rules but maybe not. The only question is should they be enforced with a sharp knife in the small hours?

 

[Guest]

Generally agree with that, except 6. - the bit about free riding movement between the boats. If there is any swell/wash etc. this will lead to a snubbing motion which can put a great strain on fittings etc. The reality is that the outside boat IS hanging on to the host, and shorelines, while very important, won't stop snubbing. If shorelines are tight and the other warps aren't, then damage could result from being pulled into the neighbouring boat + snubbing.

IMHO it's better to minimise the scope for movement between the boats to prevent momentum picking up, causing strain + damage. Reasonably tight bow & stern ropes, springs and shorelines + lots of fenders = good night's sleep.

And there's nothing worse than a night spent being alternately jerked to the bottom of your bunk then the top as the boat next to you races backwards and forwards with slack springs.

Or am I being anti-social in liking tight(ish) warps?

 

[Guest]

Agree but also add that halliards etc must be secured in a manner that they do not create that sleep destroying noise.

Pete

 

[Guest]

I agree entirely with your proposed code of conduct. I suggest adding the following points:
- Guest boat has obligation to position itself to ensure no risk of rigging contact between vessels. This may require some cooperation from host boat.
- Each vessels' departure plans should be agreed by the skippers at earliest opportunity. In event host boat wishes to leave first, guest boat should provide full cooperation regardless of the time.
- If rafting of several boats results, all considerations become increasingly important.

 

[jamesjermain]

I'm with you, Simon.

I prefer tight lines to the adjacent boat with loose lines to the piles/quay/buoys. However, this can be taken to extremes and there is always the danger of squeeking fenders.

Otherwise, with the suggested additions, I think this is an excellent set of rules which should be displayed prominently in any charter boat and some privately owned ones, too.

It could be that you will see something similar appearing in YM shortly

JJ

 

[alanhanson]

i agree with what is said but we should note the following it may not be a right to moor alongside someone else but often you are told by the harbour master to do just that & there is no one available to be courtius to, however once along side i have often been faced with very unhelpfull yachties telling me i cant stay there, even though i have moored as instructed . the point is in the middle of this manouver is not the correct time to discuss this .we should all remember that we learned through mistakes & friendly advice is usually very welcome . if i by mistake break one of your rules i would prefer to be told but it is not what is said it is how it is said that counts

 

[AndrewB]

Squeaky fenders

Why is it that this only ever seems to annoy one boat, not the other?

We used to squirt washing up liquid down the side of the fenders as an emergency measure in the middle of the night, but recently I was admonished for doing this by my neighbour who felt it left a mess on his hull.

Does anyone have any other methods for dealing with this problem?

 

[Guest]

Re: Squeaky fenders

Fender socks?

 

[jamesjermain]

Quite so, but not everyone has them

.

JJ

 

[tony_brighton]

A very sensible set of rules. But I do believe there is an onus on a moored boat that may expect to have guests along side. We've all seen some pretty atrocious behaviour from people wanting to be left in glorious isolation. I slogged to windward across Lime Bay a few years ago in F5/rain for 10 hrs to Torquay. By the time I got there it was dark and the batteries were getting low. I asked to come alongside a very nice large yacht moored on the visitor pontoon - and was refused by some rude woman who maintained that I couldn't moor alongside cos 'they had just got there themselves'. Told her to stuff it and tied up anyway whilst I went ashore and found a better berth for the night.

The point is that in some circumstances you may reasonably expect to be 'guested' and should be prepared to lend assistance. Oh - and civility goes a long way.

 

[Guest]

Re: Quite so, but not everyone has them

True...

Amongst my fenders I have one massive one (has to be hung horizontally) with an equally massive sock on it. If placed between my boat and the neighbour no other fender (hung there for back-up in case the massive one is somehow rolled out) dares to squeak.

I think I must be paranoid about mooring arrangements. The harbourmaster at Ostend told me "she isn't the QE2, you know".

 

[gus]

Great concensus of opinion and extra suggestions. Perhaps rather than calling them a set of rules, it should be considered a guidance of good conduct to promote harmony and peaceful sleep.

 

[Guest]

I would agree with all of the above, but add that if a raft starts to develope that maybe every third boat takes a set of bow & stern lines ashore too! This makes it a whole lot easier on the quayside boats lines and cleats. We once had in Boulogne 6 boats rafted on us and it was Gods own job to get the last boat to take lines ashore.

 

[davel]

Generally agree with this comprehensive set of guidelines.

Not too sure about number 1 though. Who has determined what is and what is not a "right" in our sport? I agree that it's common courtesy to ask permission to come alongside but what happens if permission is refused? What happens if everyone on a quay or pontoon refuses?

Whilst I enjoy the company of others I must admit to a preference no have no one on the outside of me, mainly because it keeps my leaving options open. I suspect many of us harbour (sic) similar feelings but recognise the need for cooperation with others. How would you feel if those same charterers refused you permission to come alongside because you had no "right" to do so?

I suspect the true situation is that one has no more right to moor alongside some one than they have to refuse you. We all rely on cooperation.

Does anyone have any concrete knowledge of the "rights" we all have?

 

[Mirelle]

Horizontal one

We don't have fender socks (not gafferish equipment, fender socks!) but we do have a big fender which we hang horizontally; much the most useful of the fenders that we carry. Used to have a really big round one too, but it took too much space.

 

[Mirelle]

A couple more

1. If there is no-one aboard the vessel you are securing to, these rules still apply.

2. If you are in a drying berth, someone MUST stay aboard to tend warps as both boats settle; they may not do so at the same height.

3. Big boats inside small ones, please.

4. Outside boat should take lines ashore.

5. I REALLY MEAN THIS! Wooden boats of a certain age, despite their superior mooring arrangements, with adequate cleats, bollards, kevils and so on, are NOT a part of the quay, they DO go to sea, you have no more right to park there tha anywhere else and their PAINT and VARNISH is just as delicate as the gelcoat you lot make such a fuss about.

6. Why can't you lot with noisy metal masts frap your halyards properly like proper boats always do (have you noticed this?)

7. If you have in-mast reefing, PLEASE GO AWAY as there is no known way of shutting it up.

 

[mldpt]

Like most postings before, I agree with all that has been said, with the exception of the last remark regarding Shore lines only being taken ashore by every third boat in a raft, I have always been under the impression that it was accepted that at no time did you rely on your host boat to hold you too the Quay/Pontoon/etc and therefor always attach shore lines fore and aft to take the weight of my boat, and I expect this to be done by any more boats on the outside of me. Unless of course they are very small and to do so would be impossible, but it would be nice if the skipper was to consult me about this. I always welcome a boat along side and hope I am courteous and helpful to them, but if its a racing boat with a crew of noisy inconsiderate louts on board, then sorry please don't expect me to be to friendly, just last week I was the inside boat in a raft of six on a wall where the tidal range is 7mtrs outside me was a friend in a 100 year old 40+ ft Ketch and on the outside of her was a racing yacht 40+ arrived for the round island race the following day, no real problem there were a load of them they were not too noisy, and reasonably considerate, and we chatted to them quite amicably, until they were off to the pub, when I politely ask if they would attach shore lines, I was told in no uncertain terms that the third boat in a raft never puts out shore lines, and it was assumed that I was a fool for even suggesting such a thing, I should add that as usual they only had one spokesman and the rest just laughed, My boat incidentally is only 35ft and the other boats arrived whilst I was away visiting the doctor. Why is it that a lot of racing crews are so inconsiderate to other sailing people after all we are all participating in the same sport, just because we are not desperate to get there first, is no reason to attempt to walk all over us.
Mike (Paget's Lady)

 

[Guest]

Often you will find the Harbour Master during his patrols will instruct boats where to morr and the 'insider' will not be looked on kindly by HM's if they start picking and choosing who moors alongside them ....

If you don't want someone alongside you - then try the old trick of a nappy 'drying ' from the shrouds .... puts most people of going alongside ! But seriously - if we all adopted the 'Not alongside me' approach, there will be a lot of boats not able to go anywhere, due to lack of moorings.

 

[Guest]

Bembridge .... Marina was full so its down to the pontoons in the harbour .... they are busy also, HM points to a boat and says 'alongside there mate' .... so I do as I'm told. BUT he waves me away, what do you do ???? I shouted back, Problem with boat ??? Leaving shortly ???? His answer is no, find somewhere else and needless to say he hasn't got fenders out ... So Sorry to him, but HM syas there .... thats where I'm going - he said he had no problems, wasn't leaving so what the deal ?????

He then demanded that I put MORE fenders ... I have 3 large evenly spaced along my 25ft BOTH sides ... so I took one from the offshore side to add to my already more than enough inboard side. Any help with lines, very reluctant, any conversation during the 24 hrs alongside each other - very little, any acceptance of my help when he was completing a job on his boat ... nope. Just plain ignorance.

So ..... who says the 'host' has right to be so ????