Leaving at Five...

[tome]

We had 4 boats rafted outside us but had warned them all that we were leaving at 5am. In the event, everyone was very good natured as we fired up our engine at 4.45 to stir the raft.

Almost no wind and no significant tide. Raft of 5 boats ahead and astern. How did we get out? Clues are in the picture.

 

[woody001]

You sunk the crappy blue bathtab, portside to you?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

How on earth did 5 blokes lift her over the pontoon?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

More seriously, I can't see many shore lines from the sterns of the boats outside you, so I assume that you slipped out backwards ?

 

[iangrant]

sprung off forward ot bacward - or sawed thought the pontoon?

ian

 

[tome]

Led a slip-spring forward from our aft cleat onto the pontoon with a couple of big fenders right aft (one pictured). Went astern against the spring to swing the bow out, then out forwards. The entire raft bottled out when I explained the manuoevre and scattered to far corners of the marina...worked a treat, as always!

 

[woody001]

g'sss look's like there's not enough room to do that!

 

[tome]

There's always enough room for this manouvre, that's the beauty of it. You can adjust the slip spring to inch perfection every time. Try it!

 

[iangrant]

backwards or forward it works a treat, we pushed out four motor boats from a pontoon with a spring and got a round of applause from the HM, very satisfing.

Ian

 

[BrendanS]

Or do what Haydn (hlb) has done in past. Take the entire raft out sideways, turn it around in the channel, then put it back in with Muckyfarter now on outside! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[tome]

That's not how the HM tells the story. He reckons you'd had a vindaloo the night before and they were all pleased to get clear. Apparently the applause was a slow hand clap.

 

[iangrant]

tee hee, have to confess I did slip onto the mud for a few embarising moments 'till the tide lifted us off, brought your's truly nicely back to earth!

Ian