Lying alongside timbered Quay wall.

pcatterall

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Clovelly in fact! We were hoping to overnight there if conditions were ok. I see ( Google earth) that there are vertical timbers at intervals on the wall. They look quite thick and I suspect that even our large fenders would not keep us clear. The spacing is quite wide but I suspect that our 10 m yacht will have to be adjacent to one of them.
Any specific experience there or with this problem in general?
Thanks
 
The usual technique is to use a fender board. Basically, you rig your fenders along the side of the boat and then hang a plank outside the fenders. The plank or board rests against the quayside timbers and bridges the gaps. Your fenders then have the flat board to work against. The board is tied on to your boat so that it rises and falls with the tide and maintains a constant level relative to your fenders.
 
You need a board,like a length of scaffold board, which you can hang alongside your gunnel. Put fenders berween the gunnel and the board and the board should rest against the vertical timber on the wall. Thus the boat can move around a bit and only the board will take the scuffing.

You sometimes see these boards tied to the rails of cruising yachts
 
Most such quays that are expecting yachts to visit will have fender boards supplied, usually attached to ropes on the quay. If not, you'll have to supply your own - scaffold planks are readily available and quite cheap - so advance info is clearly important, contact the harbourmaster.
 
Fender boards are normal, but it is possible to use large (30") round fenders between the wooden posts. Or you could get a proper boat like the posts were originally installed for - say a 200' schooner or barge for example.
 
Don't tie a rope around the plank, it will chafe and be useless in minutes. Drill a hole right though the plank, you'll need a long drill abit. this should keep the rope and knots away from the quay side.
 
Drill a hole right though the plank, you'll need a long drill bit.

or - drill a 1" or 3cm hole through the plank at a depth in from the edge of the plank that your 'rope size' bit will reach to.
Push rope down smaller hole, fish it out of big hole and tie knot.

or - drill through plank to take a large shackle and attach rope to shackle. ;)
 
Thanks guys, I thought that the span between the timbers was too big for our 8 foot board to span. We are looking for one or more big round fenders which we can inflate as required.

I'm on a permanent quayside mooring & have fastened 2 planks together with a chunk of fire hose & galvanised felt roofing clout nails, But it would be daft to try & carry it about, even if folded in half! Lengths of yellow gas pipe are popular, but again, not sensible to carry with you.
 
Don't know the place but can you raft up to another vessel in anyway?
Not a usual "yacht" harbour: one the one occasion I dried out there against the wall I was the only yacht there amongst small angling-type boats. Fender board for wall, bottom rough and stony. Good weather only. Interesting once though.
 
Thanks guys, I thought that the span between the timbers was too big for our 8 foot board to span. We are looking for one or more big round fenders which we can inflate as required.

Beware the orange ones with black tops often used by fishermen, they go sticky in the sun and it transfers to the hull. We find the white Polyform ones with blue tops don't.
 
Thanks guys, I thought that the span between the timbers was too big for our 8 foot board to span. We are looking for one or more big round fenders which we can inflate as required.

8 ft fender board is ample. you only need to put it against one timber/post - not two. provided you have bow and stern warps and two springs (and adjust them for drop in tide) you should be able to get away with just a cylindrical fender tied at both ends so that it is horizontal against the post. no need for big fat spherical fenders.
michael minnitt
 
Ahh! so the idea is to just lean middle of boat on one of the posts with your fenderboard sliding up and down and some fenders between the hull and the fender board plus plenty of fenders in case boat bow or stern is pushed toward harbour wall despite lines/springs?
 
Ahh! so the idea is to just lean middle of boat on one of the posts with your fenderboard sliding up and down and some fenders between the hull and the fender board plus plenty of fenders in case boat bow or stern is pushed toward harbour wall despite lines/springs?

yes.

you should only need to lean 3 - 5 degrees towards the quay so most of the weight will be on the keel.

if you find you need lots of fenders on bow or stern something has gone seriously wrong!!

don't forget to back up your arrangements by putting a stout rope around the mast and somewhere appropriate on the quay. the rope can be quite loose at high water - as the water drops the rope will tighten and if done properly will encourage a little more lean towards the quay as the boat goes down.

Some boats are more suited to drying out alongside a quay than others. you don't say what kind you have.

PM me for more details if you wish.
michael minnitt
 
I take it this is the quay in question?


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Lovely wee place and a very steep walk up the hill.


But there is a good pub down the bottom (I spent a night passed out on the shingle beach once - ahh, the stupidity of youth) and the other is half way up, so no need to walk all the way to the top to the (rather dismal) visitor centre.

The whole village is owned by a chap called called John - been in the family many years - nice bloke, tall, grey curly hair, talks posh like.
 
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