Mooring as a spectator sport.

[Norman_E]

When I was in Turkey I fitted a new prop shaft to my boat, because the old one was pretty pitted. I had noted some tendency beforehand for the shaft to turn very slowly whilst the gearbox was in neutral but had not thought much of it. On installing the new shaft I spent a long time carefully correcting the previous misalignment.
When the boat was launched I had to Mediterranean moor it between two boats. Reversed in, put it in neutral, quick short burst of revs in forward to bring the boat to a stop. So far so good. Put it back in neutral with the boat stopped at passerelle distance from the pontoon. Went to throw the mooring lines and found the boat happily picking up speed and motoring out of the berth. NO NEUTRAL! I did get it moored and on investigation found that the gear selector plate in the gearbox is worn, so that it does not stay fully in neutral but allows the forward gear clutch to drag. With the prop shaft now correctly aligned and much less friction than before the forward clutch does not slip. It turned docking the boat into a spectator sport as I juggled between reverse and going forward in neutral in an effort to hold the boat in one place whilst the lines were secured.
Gearbox is now out for a new selector plate to be fitted.

 

[CPD]

youtube ????

 

[Twister_Ken]

Errr, stop the engine, rather than trying to find neutral?

 

[Norman_E]

Did that in the end, but you really need to keep the engine on because once the stern lines are on you pull them tight with the engine so that the bow line can be hauled up tight.

 

[jwilson]

After running on the diesel for about 30 hours non-stop, just about to motor in to a pier when someone dropped a fender overboard. That was when we found that the gearshift had stopped working - no reverse. Could have been expensive!

 

[oldsaltoz]

If you want to see some real funny boatie spectator sport, find a comfy spot overlooking your local boat ramp on a Saturday afternoon.

You think you have trouble getting a boat to stop where you want it or onto a trailer or jinker, oh if you take the kids be sure to be out of ear shot.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[Melody]

We Med moor our boats daily and teach students to remain in slow astern using the chain to stop the boat rather than going ahead to stop.

You need someone good on the anchor to ensure that the chain stops you before you touch but it makes life a lot easier if all the helmsman has to think about is getting the lines ashore and not using the engine to stop the boat. Worth practising.

 

[Norman_E]

I was not anchoring, but putting the boat in to its marina berth, where I had to attach the stern lines first, then pick up the bow line, walk forward and haul in the heavy mooring line attached to the mooring chain.

When I do moor using the anchor I usually have to do it all myself, so I have rigged a remote windlass control.

 

[Lakesailor]

before the 10mph limit an afternoon at Ferry Nab on Windermere was entertainment without peer. The sport and ski boat people ranged from very skilled to "Oh Jesus, I daren't look"

Happily the last time I recovered the little mobo a couple of weeks ago I cut the engine and drifted onto the trailer in a seamless performance.

 

[billskip]

sit by the "North wall" on Poros you see some scary stuff when the flying cat comes in /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif