Mooring for the night

[mireland]

What is the protocol with this? I mosey on out of the marina in Milford Haven to avoid lock in and pick up a suitable buoy with a view to a peaceful night swinging at a mooring. Is someone going to get very very cross? Do I need to get permission first? Do I need to talk to the harbour master first?

Excuse these basic questions but there has to be a first time I suppose!

 

[VicMallows]

Certainly around here (Chichester Hbr, Solent) it is perfectly acceptable, AS LONG AS YOU REMAIN ABOARD, and are happy to move immediately should the mooring holder return (even in the middle of the night). Obviously, you should satisfy yourself that the mooring is adequate to take your boat.

If it is not your home port, don't be too surprised though if the HM turns up asking for fees!

Vic

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Why not pop along to Dale and drop the hook or pick up the visitors pontoon that is moored there?

 

[jerryat]

Yes, agree with Vic. Assuming your boat is not too heavy I don't see anyone complaining. However, and as Vic correctly points out, you really must not leave the boat unattended.

I have boats use my mooring overnight from time to time and a few times (it always seems to be when I've just got back from nipping over to Brittany and am tired!) there's a boat there with no-one aboard!

It's infuriating to have to moor alongside and stay on board until the inconsiderate people concerned return. Mostly though, the crew are aboard and move the boat without any problems, so generally it's ok. I regularly use other's moorings when I'm away from home waters, stick to these 'rules' and have only once been moaned at.

So I wouldn't worry and go ahead.

Cheers Jerry

 

[mireland]

Thank you for your replies - very helpful.

 

[bilbobaggins]

Remaining aboard and 'on watch' is not just a matter of courtesy - important though that is. Consider - a few years ago I delivered a boat to Oban, with owner aboard, from near Milford. We arrived sans engine late in the evening, picked up a vacant mooring off the Sailing Club with an attached 'mooring line' as thick as my arm, which we fished from the water. Feeling quite secure with that, we turned in and stopped overnight. In the morning, it was blowing hard, and we prepared to drop this 'solid' mooring and sail over to the marina on nearby Kerrera. When I heaved up on this 4" diameter line, for enough slack to lift the loop clear of our bits, the damn thing parted. Just like that! Rooted astonishment quickly turned into a flurry of activity, as there were other boats moored astern/downwind of us.

Yes, the roller genny got us out and away - and yes, we sailed back onto another 'big secure' mooring. But this time, we put our own lines - two of 'em - through the steel ring.

Another age-old lesson relearned.....

 

[Birdseye]

Very much varies area to area - a few weeks on the East coast showed a generally fairly relaxed attitude to visitors using vacant moorings, but here (not far from you) the owners would be upset even if they werent using the mooring or likely to do so. In general I have always foung sailors in France much more pleasasnt and helpful in such matters - several have temporarily tied up elsewhere when returning and finding us in mid meal on their mooring. One overnighted elsewhere rather than ask us to move at 10pm. Cannot imaging that happening anywhere in the UK.

As for harbour masters - they have already been paid by the mooring owner.

 

[LeonF]

Several of the sailing clubs on the Thames are quite happy for visitors to pick up a spare mooring. And all for free, although if you go ashore a donation to cash strapped club funds is usually welcome, or at least spend some money in the bar. I have seen some terrible abuses though, heavy cruisers on skimpy moorings. I have picked up moorings in the Crouch when arriving late at night, and headed into a marina the next day.