Knack of Mooring

[Fire99]

Hi Again peops..

Since im soo busy sitting here at work today, i thought id ask the oracle another wee question..
Since i've just moved up from an 18ft Little Cruiser with O/Board to a 30ft with twin Diesels, I eventually will have to sail her single handed..
Any suggestions on Mooring techniques both leaving and returning?
She's in a finger pontoon at a quite breezy marina..

Obviously bouncing off everyone elses boats was considered but deemed life shortening!! (terrible thought!)

cheers... (again)

Nick

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[markc]

If your mooring has a suitble cleat, use a breast line (one fixed to a centre cleat of the boat). This way you will manage to get a decent hold on the boat before attaching fore & aft lines, without the bow or stern swinging out

Also, plenty of practise on an empty mooring with loads of fenders. Try with one engine too (out of gear, not off, just in case you need to use it!)

Good luck!
M

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[oldsaltoz]

G'day Fire99,

Practice, Practice, Practice......
But I suspect you knew that anyway. You can practice on a spare jetty, floating log or a zillion other places that will not risk damage to other boats, but practice is what it's all about.
PS, when you have done this, you could fill in your profile and include your nice new boat description, but don't mention the damaged bits.

This link was posted some ago, but may be useful also:-

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://home.attbi.com/~mltsoftware/docksim.html>http://home.attbi.com/~mltsoftware/docksim.html</A>

Hope this helps.

Andavagoodweekend. Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif

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[hlb]

What type of boat is it. How quick is yor access to the ropes and cleats.

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Haydn

 

[paulineb]

nice to see you've remembered everything i taught you Marky xx

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<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.paulinebeddoes.co.uk/php-cgi/gallery>The Perils of Pauline in Pics</A>

 

[markc]

Not how I remember it!. You were too busy falling in as I recall!

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[Fire99]

Cheers for the Replys..

Haydn, she's a Freeman 30.. Aft cockpit, so its a bit of a treck to the bow cleat..
And yeah, i kinda guessed practice would be the key...
2 Engines is definitely a help..
Nearly had to moor her on Sunday with 1 but fortunately had a bit of help then..
You do get some quite strong tidal currents and cross winds down at Sunny Maylandsea, so thought id plug for a few tips..

Mark.. I darent ask what pauline's been teaching you!!

cheers,

Nick

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[markc]

In answer to your question.....not much ;-)

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[paulineb]

I didn't fall in, I just dangled my toes in the water as I did my impression of a fender

<hr width=100% size=1>Pxx

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.paulinebeddoes.co.uk/php-cgi/gallery>The Perils of Pauline in Pics</A>

 

[hlb]

The only way to moor single handed is like folk said.Use a central cleat. Now that works fine for open boats. Water taxis and things. Not so easy if you have to gallop down the fly bridge or run out of saloon and round the deck before the boats been blown six foot off the pontoon. Only fool proof way I have found, is to lead the bow rope up to the fly bridge and throw it to some kind hearted person on the pontoon. Stay by te controls till its tied off. Then bring the back end in with the engines. Walk back or off with stern rope. It's cheating on single handed sailing, but the only safe way I know.

Leaveing the berth is easy. Hold the boat on centre cleat. Big fender near bow. Jump on smartish. Push arse end out on fender and away.

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Haydn

 

[DavidJ]

Do what the really experienced fishermen do....have loads of huge fenders.
David

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[hlb]

That might work if grapling hooks were fitted to the end of them!!

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Haydn

 

[Jerbro]

I'd support comments below regarding centre cleat.

I'm not sure the following advice transfers to text, but here goes... Personally, I run long line from bow cleat to centre cleat, taking loop to stern cleat. Motor just passed your berth, stop, make sure wheel is centred, go astern tick-over with engine furthest from your berth. Nudge engine closest to your berth ahead to control the rate of turn back into berth. Just before being lined up put engine that was astern into neutral and back in using engine that was astern (this should counter act swing still going on from turn). Stop the boat and run like hell to stern, picking up loop of stern cleat and step gracefully onto pontoon. Ta da!

This works for outdrives as well. A bit harder of course when windy!

<hr width=100% size=1>Jerbro
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Click here for <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.btinternet.com/~jerbro> My ex-boat pics</A>

 

[BrendanS]

Even easier. For single handling.

Have a long rope run from front of boat, outside everything, to stern, at a point where you can step off boat.Tie it off, and leave it there, always. Have rope from stern tied off at (nearly) same place.


Bring boat alongside , with stepping off place where front and rear ropes are. Untie ropes. Step off with both ropes. You now can control the boat and put one or both ropes around deckside cleats. Rearrange at you convenience.

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[jfm]

I did this a bit last season. Identify one "crucial" line that, in combination with the engines, will hold the boat alongside. Probly a springer to a centre cleat. I dont like stepping off the boat till it's secure, so I had lines all made up to length on the pontoon, with a loop in the "crucial" one (every second counts in a breeze, and it's faster to put a loop over a cleat than wrap a rope around it). The crucial line can be hung on a prop, ie a stick about 1 metre high, attached to the pontoon on a coil spring. This holds the line at gunwhale level, so you can reach it fast as you come in. I have a spare one of these props, made by plastimo, brand new in original packet, which you're welcome to have if you are at mercury in May (I dont need it because we now berth stern-to, which is of course the easiest berthing method when you are short handed, at least it is if your neighbours are both docked)

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[Steve_D]

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