Lassoing a cleat

[mdonnelly]

Had a lovely sail today on my own. I knew the wind was blowing off my pontoon so decided to rig a midships spring and give it a go. Getting the warp on the cleat from the cockpit, using the boathook did not go according to plan!! Basically the loop on the warp collapsed and was impossible to get on. Thankfully a pal was on his boat and he placed the warp for me. It's actually really pleasing watching the boat come in parallel with the pontoon and staying there. Anyway, my question is any suggestions on how to keep the loop of the warp open?

 

[robmcg]

You could put some hose around the loop. It will hold it open and also prevent chafe when it's on the cleat.

 

[chasroberts]

Don't bother with the loop at all! Make one end off on the boat cleat and have a loop ready to just throw over the cleat on the pontoon when close. Then just pull yourself in. You can 'lassoo' the cleat from much further off and save yourself any grief. Job done!

Chas

 

[mdonnelly]

You could put some hose around the loop. It will hold it open and also prevent chafe when it's on the cleat.

That sounds simple and effective. Will give it a go tomorrow. Thanks Rob.

 

[mdonnelly]

Don't bother with the loop at all! Make one end off on the boat cleat and have a loop ready to just throw over the cleat on the pontoon when close. Then just pull yourself in. You can 'lassoo' the cleat from much further off and save yourself any grief. Job done!

Chas

My berth is a hammerhead and has a box with safety equipment right in the middle and at the edge of it. It sort of gets in the way!

 

[superheat6k]

Using the panama is very effective short handed.

Beware though as some purists on here go in to anaphylactic shock at the mere suggestion of lassoing something !

 

[mdonnelly]

Panama??

 

[VicMallows]

Interesting. I am usually single-handed. I prepare a forward and stern line. Both are lead so easily accessible from the cockpit. When approaching the pontoon I chuck them onto the pontoon and step ashore to secure them. Seems to work!.

 

[Spuddy]

I've been using a line with hose round a loop for coming alongside pontoons for a while now - works a treat. I clipped a climbing Karabiner to the alu toerail to use as a cleat and shifted it about to find best position which was further aft than I first thought.

 

[mdonnelly]

Interesting. I am usually single-handed. I prepare a forward and stern line. Both are lead so easily accessible from the cockpit. When approaching the pontoon I chuck them onto the pontoon and step ashore to secure them. Seems to work!.

That's usually how I do it. Sometimes, like today the wind is too strong to allow me time to do this hence an attempt at midships spring.

 

[Caer Urfa]

Watching someone lassoing a cleat can be quite entertaining at times.

I watched our local Captain Pugwash (Ex Royal Navy) of course with his RN blue flag trying to lasso his mooring cleat,

totally missed it but did manage to lassoe next doors dog

Mike

 

[cryan]

I will try and explain how we did it on tugs when working barges etc.
The first mistake people make is to make the spliced eye too small. Make the eye between 1 metre to 1.5 metres long.
Fold one side of the eye back along the splice and grip the standing part and the side of the eye in the right hand at the base end (towards the standing part) of the splice.
Then, starting at the right hand, slide the left hand along both the standing part and the side of the eye for a couple of feet and fold the standing part and side of the eye into a loop in the direction you intend to throw and pass the loop into the right hand ( as if you were coiling a heaving line). You will now have in your right hand two coils, one big-one small, made up of the eye and the standing part of the rope.
With the left hand throw some of the standing part over the rail/gunwale so as it does not catch when thrown. Then starting at the right hand slide your left hand along the standing part to a comfortable stretch to form a catenary ready to throw.
Take aim and throw the loops in the same motion you would a heaving line. When released from the hand the splice will act as the weight, the smaller loop will unfurl and in doing so open up the bigger main loop so that it can lasso the target.

 

[superheat6k]

Panama??

A Mid ships cleat.

 

[mdonnelly]

A Mid ships cleat.

Thank you.

 

[mdonnelly]

I will try and explain how we did it on tugs when working barges etc.
The first mistake people make is to make the spliced eye too small. Make the eye between 1 metre to 1.5 metres long.
Fold one side of the eye back along the splice and grip the standing part and the side of the eye in the right hand at the base end (towards the standing part) of the splice.
Then, starting at the right hand, slide the left hand along both the standing part and the side of the eye for a couple of feet and fold the standing part and side of the eye into a loop in the direction you intend to throw and pass the loop into the right hand ( as if you were coiling a heaving line). You will now have in your right hand two coils, one big-one small, made up of the eye and the standing part of the rope.
With the left hand throw some of the standing part over the rail/gunwale so as it does not catch when thrown. Then starting at the right hand slide your left hand along the standing part to a comfortable stretch to form a catenary ready to throw.
Take aim and throw the loops in the same motion you would a heaving line. When released from the hand the splice will act as the weight, the smaller loop will unfurl and in doing so open up the bigger main loop so that it can lasso the target.

Think I'll try that after I'm berthed!

 

[oldbilbo]

I will try and explain how we did it on tugs when working barges etc.
The first mistake people make is to make the spliced eye too small. Make the eye between 1 metre to 1.5 metres long.
Fold one side of the eye back along the splice and grip the standing part and the side of the eye in the right hand at the base end (towards the standing part) of the splice.
Then, starting at the right hand, slide the left hand along both the standing part and the side of the eye for a couple of feet and fold the standing part and side of the eye into a loop in the direction you intend to throw and pass the loop into the right hand ( as if you were coiling a heaving line). You will now have in your right hand two coils, one big-one small, made up of the eye and the standing part of the rope.
With the left hand throw some of the standing part over the rail/gunwale so as it does not catch when thrown. Then starting at the right hand slide your left hand along the standing part to a comfortable stretch to form a catenary ready to throw.
Take aim and throw the loops in the same motion you would a heaving line. When released from the hand the splice will act as the weight, the smaller loop will unfurl and in doing so open up the bigger main loop so that it can lasso the target.

I think 'tossing dwarves' would be simpler.....

 

[cryan]

I think 'tossing dwarves' would be simpler.....

Lol, Obviously it sounds complicated when written out but in use it takes a few seconds at most, as basically your just making one and a half coils of rope and throwing them.
If it was long and laborious it would not be an effective way to crew short handed.

PS, I should also add that with enough practice to have a good aim it looks proper impressive to onlookers.

 

[Twister_Ken]

I will try and explain how we did it on tugs when working barges etc.
The first mistake people make is to make the spliced eye too small. Make the eye between 1 metre to 1.5 metres long.
Fold one side of the eye back along the splice and grip the standing part and the side of the eye in the right hand at the base end (towards the standing part) of the splice.
Then, starting at the right hand, slide the left hand along both the standing part and the side of the eye for a couple of feet and fold the standing part and side of the eye into a loop in the direction you intend to throw and pass the loop into the right hand ( as if you were coiling a heaving line). You will now have in your right hand two coils, one big-one small, made up of the eye and the standing part of the rope.
With the left hand throw some of the standing part over the rail/gunwale so as it does not catch when thrown. Then starting at the right hand slide your left hand along the standing part to a comfortable stretch to form a catenary ready to throw.
Take aim and throw the loops in the same motion you would a heaving line. When released from the hand the splice will act as the weight, the smaller loop will unfurl and in doing so open up the bigger main loop so that it can lasso the target.

Any chance of a video of that!

 

[Tranona]

Much easier to have a permanent line on the pontoon cleat of your home berth. Make it up to the right length with a loop on the end. Lay it on the pontoon when you leave and pick it up with a boathook when you arrive and drop it on the midships cleat. Refinement that I use is a pole at the end of the finger with a hook on it holding 3 lines. Useful if the boat has high topsides. Saves all that throwing lines and jumping off business.

 

[cryan]

Any chance of a video of that!

Since my boat is in the restoration stage I've not got any mooring lines sitting about. (and its dark) Give me a few days to get some and I'll see if i can make a video.