Mooring Buoys & Rafting

cardinal_mark

cardinal_mark

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Hi all

Planning to head west this year and reading through the various guides, see that rafting on mooring buoys is common practice in certain of the busier ports of call.

Whilst I've rafted and used buoys many times I've never done the two together and, not wanting to make a complete arse of myself, wondered if anyone had any tips as the best sequence of events to follow? I'm assuming one simply attaches to the buoy then to the other boat with the usual lines - but then this is sailing and 9 times out of 10 there's some hidden catch or etiquette to be followed!

Cheers

Mark
 
Haven't done it that often but rigged springs to neighbour to limit back and forth movement. Etiquette I understand in rsing wind/worsening conditions is last on the raft, first off.
 
If you can find this option I think it would be prudent not to raft next to a raggie if Mobo and viceversa,particularly in tidal or windy conditions. Reckon the ask first method is the preferred etiquette in any event. Would be useful info to these forum if you find any!

ianat182
 
Check with the HM first to see if their buoys will take it

If there's someone on board it's polite to ask if they mind you coming alongside, same as if you're rafting really. If not, and there are no signs of life there'll be no one to tell you they are leaving a 4am to catch the tide, not that anyone would do that to dissuade you from rafting up to them /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Then I'd moor along side as if rafting up, bow and stern lines and springs, fenders at toerail height and a couple lower so they don't pop out. Once secure, rig your own line to the buoy and pull it between the two bows.

Try to make sure your rigs are not going to clash
 
Re: Mooring Buoys & Rafting

Provided you aren't a lot bigger than the boat you are going to raft on to, go alongside, secure with breast ropes and springs as you would on a pontoon, then run a line to the buoy and adjust the tension so you are both sharing the weight on the buoy.

Don't make the breast ropes tight as any roll will snap them taut and cause discomfort or damage.
 
Re: Mooring Buoys & Rafting

First thing is to check with HM if at all possible.
Springs between the yachts are important.
Sometimes there are 3 to a buoy, in which case try to ensure biggest is in the middle.
In current, you want the yachts parallel, not pointing in to the buoy, it can help to take the weight on a spring from inside of yacht to buoy, rather than tightening the stern line. Be prepared to adjust lines to get a good result.
If you go alongside a smaller boat, transfer the main load to your bow, slackening his buoy line, don't hang off a small boat's cleats.
I was lucky with my last boat, there was a vast cockpit locker so I was able to carry a pair of 21inch dia ball fenders, these make it a lot easier even in places like Salcombe , which can get bumpy!
Don't leave your dinghy alongside if it's reasonable for the next yacht to want to come alongside. Get some fenders out, help someone come alongside, lots of people are two up on holiday so appreciate a hand and will do the same in return.
 
One of the problems is that the first boat is likely to have the line to the buoy too short for when there are two boats. This means first boat takes all strain for both since the geometry won't allow you to have yours as short and still be alongside them. If first boat is attended then they can slacken their line to the buoy to match yours and you both share the strain: the buoy now being midway between both bows. If first boat not attended I am not sure what to do - let them take all strain until they return I suppose.

If there is a choice go for a boat with a good length of line to the buoy - at very least it means they are expecting company.

Go alongside with their fenders or yours but not both or you will get a tangle.
 
[ QUOTE ]



Go alongside with their fenders or yours but not both or you will get a tangle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't normally find this a problem. If the boats are moving along each other enough to tangle the fenders, perhaps the springs are too loose?
Maybe a good compromise is to have one boat's fenders in the middle doing the main work, but put a couple of the other boat's towards the ends in case the boats move around due to wash or whatever. The fenders need to be more spread than on a pontoon as there will be more movement.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]



Go alongside with their fenders or yours but not both or you will get a tangle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't normally find this a problem. If the boats are moving along each other enough to tangle the fenders, perhaps the springs are too loose?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this was a reference to arrival (and departure), when the two boats are moving relative to each other. This is, IMO, sound advice. Once you are stationary the other boat can pop its fenders over the side since (hopefully) you are not going anywhere.
 
Re: Mooring Buoys & Rafting

Thanks all - reckon I should now be able to carry it off without too much swearing and/or apologising!

Cheers

Mark
 
Question chaps.

In Bray where the buoys have serious mooring ropes attached and 3 boat rafting is common, does one ease the mooring rope of the first moored so that all can get a line through the mooring rope loop. HM doesn't like chain on the buoys anymore and an ordinary warp is asking for trouble. Bet a froggie boat would object if you started loosening his warp to bung your bow line through the loop.
 
We were in Bray and a French boat picked up a buoy 6ft from us...Common sense said it was too close, but obviously Mr French bloke thought otherwise.

At 2am them and their neighbour come back singing and shouting.

At 4:30 am wind less night, tide turns, French bloke and equally silly neighbour swing around and bump us in the night, no sign of life from their boat, I get up, no sign of damage, push them off and they start swinging towards a powerboat moored behind.

We decide there's no point going back to bed, and bog off across the channel.

NB: Not all bad news we found a big shiny new fender floating outside the harbour /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: Mooring Buoys & Rafting

Have shared a bouy (!!) in Fowey before, as directed by HM.

Weather was a bit gusty. Put a warp on the buoy and a couple of warps on the other boat. No problems were encountered.

Rafting is easy, but do put shorelines and springs on, and always walk around the bow of the rafetd boat.

If I am on the shore side, I always put a mat out where others step onto the boat, to help the decks keep clean (ish).
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]



Go alongside with their fenders or yours but not both or you will get a tangle.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't normally find this a problem. If the boats are moving along each other enough to tangle the fenders, perhaps the springs are too loose?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this was a reference to arrival (and departure), when the two boats are moving relative to each other. This is, IMO, sound advice. Once you are stationary the other boat can pop its fenders over the side since (hopefully) you are not going anywhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

Point taken!
So if you are going to put fenders out, put enough fenders out.
I tended to be happy to supply the fenders as I had some big 'uns because I sometimes moor where you need them.
One should always aim to miss the fenders rather than roll them along the topsides, with some hull shapes they will pop over the toe rail.
If going alongside another boats fenders amidships, I would probably have my own fenders a bit back from the bow and on the quarter. Depending on the wind and current it sometimes happens that the bow or stern will swing in to get the lines on. Sometimes of course you can manage a perfect sideways 'ferry glide' approach.
Also, it pays to remember that the boat you're approaching is not fixed and may swing as you come alongside.

I'll never forget approaching a boat in Salcombe at night to go alongside and being greeted by a huge German Shepherd (dog). In these circumstances should one ask it to catch lines?
 
Chatting to a friend in the pub last week, he described rafting up in the Solent area last weekend with a boat on NT buoy(s), fore and aft I think. When the first guy returned he told them to go away, that he wanted to be alone and that was why he sailed solo. He then proceeded to cast them adrift! Despite it being dark they had little choice but to go and anchor somewhere else.
Interesting attitude. Hopefully unusual. I wonder what the legalities (if there are any) are.
 
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