Marina Berthing... without the stress?

[prv]

Make off the rope to the centre cleat OXO style so it can be adjusted if necessary.

When I'm doing things that way, I pass the line through the hole in the middle of the cleat (under the forward horn would work if there's no hole) and back to the sheet winch. This lets me adjust the length very quickly from the wheel.

Pete

 

[corinthmistral]

Everyone struggles with this issue to start with, whilst gaining experience or getting used to a new boat so you are not alone! As others have said, rig plenty of fenders on each side. I normally keep an extra fender on the coach roof so it can be used quickly when and where needed. Definitely get a centre clear if not already fitted (or one of the Barton removable cleats that fit on the genoa track) alternatively make a line off a'midships on a strong point. Rig fore and aft lines and take each end outside of everything to the midships / widest part, then crew can step onto the pontoon with bow and stern lines (and the midships line, if required.) if you get the midships line made fast in the right place on the boat and made off in the right place on the pontoon you may well find you can put your engine on dead slow ahead and the tiller pilot can be used to keep the boat parallel to the pontoon whilst you sort the other lines out - that works on my boat, so worth practising on a quiet day. Above all dont panic. If it goes wrong the worst that will happen is you end up alongside the adjacent boat and if you've got plenty of fenders out it really isn't a problem. Another tip to consider is asking the crew not to heave the lines up tight straight away; often inexperienced or excited crew will eg heave the bow line in hard which the means the stern swings away leaving yourself or the other crew member then struggling to heave it back in, and vice versa. Good luck!

 

[emnick]

See if you can get a copy of John Goodes three part series 'Handling under power',was done by PBO. It starts with the very basics and gives some very sound advice on differing situations and how best to deal with them. IMHO confidence is then the key

 

[garvellachs]

1. We all make a mess of it sometimes so don't beat yourself up if it all gets in a muddle - just try to learn from what happened.

2. I always accept any offers of help, but it's good to tell them politely what you want them to do rather than allow them to take over. There's no reason not to ask for help if people are watching - "can you help us by taking our lines please - the wind is awkward?" is fine in the UK (in the Med it can be expensive but that's another world).

3. Go as slow as you can while maintaining steerage - keep your eye on the bow to check that the wind isn't starting to blow it off course and go just fast enough to stop that happening. I berth mainly in neutral (or tickover astern if I've had to come in more quickly because of a strong breeze) coasting the way off the boat as I turn in. You may be surprised how slowly you can go and remain in control.

4. Fenders and warps both sides, as others have said so wisely.

5. It's pretty easy when there's no wind nor tide; a strong breeze is another matter, especially if blowing you away from the pontoon or into the berth. That's when deliberately berthing onto the other boat in the bay becomes sensible - the owner will be much happier if you rest gently on your fenders on another boat's side for a minute or two than if you remove chunks of their gel coat trying to achieve the near-impossible. It's like rafting up temporarily.

6. If there's a strong breeze and a tidal flow as well then safe berthing may actually not be possible - find a hammer head or an empty bay (both fingers vacant) where it's easier?

7. If it's all starting to go wrong and there isn't enough space/water to extract yourself and start again, then just stop, re-arrange the fenders if necessary and let the boat drift somewhere sensible before damage occurs - a Cobra 850 isn't so heavy. I'm thinking of situations such as when you just can't turn back into the fairway because of wind or tide and start to drift towards the wrong end of the leg. Usually people come and help - with lines and fenders most messes are sorted out easily and beers can be exchanged. But what we all see so often is the attempt to recover using excessive engine revs - sometimes it can work, but otherwise it just results in serious damage. Incidentally, bursts of engine speed ahead for a second or two with the rudder over will turn a boats without putting way on - a useful trick. (And another thing: you'll have read here that scratches and dings in grp don't really matter much - wrong! Many/most of us hate scratching our boats and will get seriously upset if someone damages our boat because of lack of care or attention. But the fact that you're posting here suggests you would never do that).

8. Getting off from a finger pontoon when the breeze is blowing you towards the boat next to you is always awkward. The easiest way is to get someone to release the bow line from the shore (assuming you are bow in) but to keep hold of it and to walk the bow down the pontoon to stop the wind blowing it into the boat next door as you leave. A crew member can do that too but you'll have to pick them up afterwards from a hammerhead or something. The alternative is to release the lines together (doubled back so that they will pull clear easily - practise that beforehand while tied up with other lines?) and move off smartly with more engine than usual just to begin with and plenty of fenders on the lee side.

9. Prop walk can be friend or foe depending on the side you're berthing on, but at least you should know what its effect will be when you try and stop the boat and allow for it as best you can - once a crew member is ashore they may need to turn up the bow very smartly and come back to take the stern line as the boat drifts out, while another crew member holds a fender to guard the opposite quarter of the stern (you mention two)?

10. Finally, see 1 again.

 

[symondo]

Ive got a day booked to learn more on this at the weekend. Guess practise makes it easier.

 

[knuterikt]

Lots of good hints already
important to understand how wind and current will affect your approach

If you have crew, talk through your plan before executing.

If you can do a test run first - do it to se how conditions influence the boat.

You can practice boat handling with a mooring bouy as target, approach it from different directions/conditions.

Debrief with crew after each time
what worked and why
what did not work and why
No blame game

 

[Uricanejack]

A few tips.

Don't fry bacon when nude.

Don't worry about what the side walk superintendents think. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.

Always approach at a controlled speed you where can stop the boat easily.
Don’t be tempted to come in fast because of wind or tide. Come in at a controlled speed slow early get your speed down so you can get your power up when you need it.
Have a Plan “B” when it all goes to hell in a hand cart. Stop the boat.
A boat stopped in the water will not suffer or cause much damage if it drifts down on another boat or the wrong dock.
Plan “C” if you can get “stopped” and “parallel” to what you are going to hit you will do little or no harm.
Add fenders of shore J.I.K. See plans “B” and “C”.

Before you try plan A, have a wee chat with your crew experienced or not and explain your plan A, Plan B and Plan C

Avoid backing down wind.

Most folk new to the game will avoid backing in. Backing into the wind is easier than coming bow into the wind. ( On a modern fin Keel) Backing best avoided with full keel.

If coming in stern to. Stand in front of the wheel or tiller and face aft.

Now go pick a bigger outer finger pontoon with a vacant berth beside you and give it a go.

The mid ship line and cleat has already been mentioned. They do come in handy

 

[GrahamM376]

The answer is simple. Fit a bow thruster.

Some of those who have them seem to have forgotten what the wheel is for and ignore what the stern is doing.

 

[wrr]

You have identified the most important issue, practice! By practice you can learn the characteristics of your boat, the relative influences of wind vs. tide being key to predicting the forces acting with or against you. You also need to know your turning point, usually 2/3 of the way from the bow, if you turn too soon into a berth, you may encounter your neighbour's anchor in its bow roller!
Many mishaps seems to result from too much reliance on the revving of powerful engines and not enough consideration of how the prevailing conditions can be used to facilitate the manoeuvre.
A few more suggestions:
Fender both sides, especially bow and stern, this will prevent damage if you swing a bit. If you have large overhang at the stem, consider fending here also in case you overshoot a bit.
Consider using a midships line led back from a cleat or even a strong ring, to a sheet winch. This can form a large bight that may be dropped over a pontoon cleat but will not foul the prop if it is dropped overboard by accident as the end is around the winch.
Identify an appropriate pontoon cleat, i.e. one that will not allow your stem to hit the walkway pontoon at the end of the berth when the cleat is opposite your midships point.
Have your crew stand at the shrouds and allow the boat to creep slowly up to the cleat.
Have the crew drop the loop over the cleat.
Knock the way off and winch up tight.
Your boat will now be held to the pontoon and the crew can step off gracefully with bow and stern lines.
If you need to lie against your neighbour because of adverse wind/tide or the absence of cleats on French finger berths, this arrangement can also allow you to winch your boat broadside onto the pontoon.
When leaving a berth, this midships arrangement can be used to hold the boat when you have slipped all the other lines and this allows the last line to be controlled from the helm if necessary.
There seems to be a modern aversion to walking a boat out of a finger berth. A reasonably agile crew can walk a boat astern, even helping it swing, and step on board. If you need to use a spring and are short-handed, consider using a spring with a large loop for the pontoon cleat and a length of light recovery line spliced to the loop. This can be used to recover the spring and reduce the risk of a long slip line fouling the prop.

This is a spectator sport and you know that you have mastered this when you get a round of applause from the onlookers!

 

[Allergy]

Book a half day with a good instructor and practice on your own boat.

+1

 

[rob2]

This is a spectator sport and you know that you have mastered this when you get a round of applause from the onlookers!

Such optimism! I know I've finally got it right when the audience which appears as I approach just look disappointed. Even on a swinging mooring there are many different ways to foul up - running over your neighbour's pick-up buoy so you're tethered by the prop, ending up moored by the stern 'cause the bow paid off whilst you hauled the strop aboard, etc. It is easier with a buoy to aim for as you're not constrained by the geometry of the pontoons, but try to carry your experience of the swinging mooring to the new situation so you can guesstimate the correct approach for the wind and tide conditions on the day.

Rob.

 

[Pitterpatter]

All good advice here. My two bobs worth (featured in others but worth emphasising) are:
1. if you think it has potential to go wrong (ie a little too far out, too slow, too fast, ...) never feel embarressed about aborting, reversing out and going round for another try. I have become a master of going round again!
2. be very clear in instructions to crew. A good example was last week - young teenage son, has helped dock on hundreds of occassion (generally responsible for attaching ropes to boat in preparation and attaching to pontoons). My instructions were along the lines of 'The long rope attached at the front and the short rope at the middle, short rope attached to first cleat on the finger and long one to the front'. When we arrived, short rope from the middle went on cleat - fine. When he tied the bow rope on and we started swinging wildly I saw it was attached to the right cleat on the pontoon but the midships cleat on the boat. Absolutely my fault and I made sure he knew, as my instructions were not clear and as it was rough, I had not ....
3. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare and for you to check that all preparation is done as you want it to be.

PP

 

[westernman]

There have been a lot of complicated descriptions here. However, it all comes down to

1) Understanding what your boat will do in the given conditions
a) How fast will the bows blow off
b) Which direction will it go when I go backwards
c) How a warp looped around the cleat on the pontoon and around a cleat on my boat can be used to pull my boat in a certain direction

2) Then conjugate the possibilities to get your boat to go where you want it.

For me with 32 tonnes, 16 feet of bowsprit, and a long keel which limits options in reverse and a strong cross wind this can sometimes be an intellectual challenge.

But I get more lucky each time.......

 

[Storyline]

+1

Fenders and lines both sides, centre line to end cleat on pontoon and (as others have said) motor against it with opposite rudder. If very strong wind blowing you off, intentionally lay against the next boat and rope it over.

Those are both excellent solutions and after many years sailing (so zero stress coming alongside these days) I have never thought of either of them. Do use the engine of course but had not thought of putting a warp from center cleat first and then motoring against it. Have also been cautious about being blown off but provided you are well fendered on both sides that idea of coming alongside the leeward boat and then warping across is like all good ideas, simple.

Thank you

 

[Poignard]

+1

Fenders and lines both sides, centre line to end cleat on pontoon and (as others have said) motor against it with opposite rudder. If very strong wind blowing you off, intentionally lay against the next boat and rope it over.

That technique works well, and I use it whenever I can.

But a problem arises with those commonly encountered French pontoons that don't have a cleat on the end, just a large loop of approx. 40mm plastic-covered steel tube at the end. Someone has to pass a line through it, either to tie a knot or to pass it back on board.

I haven't tried it but I think a small grapnel might help. This could be attached to the midships spring and simply dropped through the loop, and when pulled up it would hold the boat until a more permanent line was fixed.

Something like this ought to do the trick http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/240mm-Fou...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item5d4e4001ba

 

[stevebrassett]

Don't worry about what the side walk superintendents think. Any landing you can walk away from is a good one.

And one where you can use the boat again is an excellent one.

 

[GrahamM376]

But a problem arises with those commonly encountered French pontoons that don't have a cleat on the end, just a large loop of approx. 40mm plastic-covered steel tube at the end. Someone has to pass a line through it, either to tie a knot or to pass it back on board.

Some of those French fingers are truly 'orrible, very narrow with a cylindrical float underneath, if you jump on they're like a trampoline with a danger of bouncing off straight into the oggin!

Although berthing is simple in theory I must admit to being nervous in marinas as I use them so infrequently this holiday being an exception so, I'm just getting into practice again

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Does anyone have any tips on reducing stress levels (improving competence) on Marina finger pontoon berthing/ leaving?

If you have a permanent berth here's a quick and dirty way to do it from the guide to single-handed sailing...

Fit one of those pontoon fenders to your berth just in front of the bow. When you come in just drive straight into it at a suitable slow speed and keep the engine in forward on low. It will squidge and hold your bow in place.You may bounce off it if you hit it too enthusiastically, but just stab it repeatedly until you stop bouncing backwards and forwards. Lob the tiller over with the engine still in forward and that will bring the stern in. Calmly step ashore and attach lines. If any shoreside helpers run to your aid in alarm as you gently crash into the pontoon in front of you then fend them off with suitable Scottish expletives. For leaving, reverse the above. Works every time. Soon your neighbours will get used to the sight of your boat attempting to mount the pontoon every time you arrive, and ignore your unseamanlike ways.

 

[Poignard]

If you have a permanent berth here's a quick and dirty way to do it from the guide to single-handed sailing...

Fit one of those pontoon fenders to your berth just in front of the bow. When you come in just drive straight into it at a suitable slow speed and keep the engine in forward on low. It will squidge and hold your bow in place.You may bounce off it if you hit it too enthusiastically, but just stab it repeatedly until you stop bouncing backwards and forwards. Lob the tiller over with the engine still in forward and that will bring the stern in. Calmly step ashore and attach lines. If any shoreside helpers run to your aid in alarm as you gently crash into the pontoon in front of you then fend them off with suitable Scottish expletives. For leaving, reverse the above. Works every time. Soon your neighbours will get used to the sight of your boat attempting to mount the pontoon every time you arrive, and ignore your unseamanlike ways.

I saw this done recently in Brittany by a French boat that came in on the pontoon next to me. I rushed to help by holding the bow but her single-handed skipper politely told me that my help was de trop and, leaving his boat nuzzling the walkway, he stepped ashore and secured his lines. I noticed many more French boats this year with bow fenders so I guess this practice has featured in some French yachting magazine and is gaining popularity. It ain't pretty but, if it works and causes no damage, what does it matter?

 

[corbu]

Thanks for both the warm welcome and all the great advice.

I'll be practicing my 'stabilised approach' and many of the other points tomorrow (with all fenders deployed). Handling Under Power and a pair of mid-ship cleats are also now on the 'to buy' list.

I keep telling myself that if this sailing lark was all easy it wouldn't be so much fun!

(If any of the Clyde Coast regulars see a slightly erratic blue topsided, black masted yacht in the vicinity of Largs or Portavadie over the weekend you'll know who it is!)