Mooring lines - how tight?

[yachtcharisma]

Fairly blowy night on the boat on Saturday night while tied to the pontoon set me thinking about how tight to make the mooring lines, and I realised I'm not sure I've ever read any guidance on this. Since the wind was blowing us off the pontoon, I kept the springs fairly tight but slackened the breast ropes until we stayed clear of the pontoon most of the time. That seemed to work, but what's the "right" answer, especially when its blowing - either off or onto the pontoon?

Cheers
Patrick

<hr width=100% size=1>Sailing a Victoire 25 on the Scottish West Coast

 

[Magic_Sailor]

I prefer them a little slack to avoid undue rubbing and squeaking noises and off course chafe.

Magic

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[Guest]

Too tight and you can chafe rope and damage boat on pontoon.
Too slack and you have snatch / jerk loads way past SWL and also damage boat.

I like to have just a little slack in lines - enough that boat lies well without being forced alongside / laying off the pontoon.

In weather that is going to increase be strong. I also likje to have all lines set equal .... if you have one head-line tight and another slack - you defaet the object of 2 lines.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
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[chas]

Depends a lot on the tidal range. If it is going to blow, I tryto take the head and stern ropes some way ahead and astern on the jetty so they have the same sort of angle as a spring, have them and the springs failry tight and then put out two slackish breasts (ropes silly - wait for the comedians). The alternative is to raft up to something a bit bigger and knit yourself firmly alongside.

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[andy_wilson]

Laying up afloat.

I get my stretchiest nylon out in time for the Autumnal gales, due soon.

Use as many different cleats as you can, both on the boat and the pontoon to spread the load.

I never use breast ropes as such, but rather run the lines and springs as far forward / aft as possible to keep them long, and keep them fairly snug. I always try to run a stern line from the outboard quarter to the pontoon to spread the strain for when the wind blows up the wotsit. With a finger berth try running lines from the stem and or amidships from the offside to hold her off the finger.

If you double up any lines (recommended) always use locking turns at both ends, that way if one line chafes through, the other will still hold rather than just run through the eye and let go.

Also if you double up, leave one slightly slacker than the other. That way as a snatch load builds up it is taken up progressively first by the tight one, then the slacker line.

If you have a roller headsail and are leaving it on, wind it right in so there are plenty of wraps of sheet around the sail, and tie a strap line from the tack to the pulpit which will prevent it unfurling in the event of the sheets being worried off in a prolonged gale.

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[Guest]

Doubled lines ....

One good reason to tie off to the cleat that you are doubled to .... the rope effective strength will be severely reduced by the turn around the cleat as well as the chafe factor.

With mooring of ships etc. after 17 yrs of being instructed to make sure all lines are equal to spread the load and also stop snatch / jerk loads on the slack line ........ and the taut line carrying all load initially ........ I can honestly say that I PESORNALLY do not agree with one line slack - one line tighter when lines in same place etc. on a yacht / ship or whatever .....

I do agree that the lines be run as long as possible to a) reduce the load on a short length and any movement, b) to allow the rise and fall of the boat better without having to allow excess slack.

Breast lines are ok if you can get a good length to them, but often they are so short as to be literally a liability..... putting excessive strain on your cleats ........


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
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[LadyInBed]

What you have done is correct.
On a pontoon, Springs tight, to stop any fore/aft surge.
Breasts with a wee bit of slack, so the fenders don’t squeak or pop out.

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[DeeGee]

Re: Doubled lines ....

I have a shortish finger in relation to boat length. Apart from doing much the same as most here, I have to have a midships spring, so I lead a long line from my stern cleat, round the midship cleat, so the actual warp is much longer than the 3 or 4ft it would otherwise be. (It hasn't chafed so far).

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all

 

[Guest]

Re: Doubled lines ....

The short finger is a common problem and many have their own ways to deal with it .....

I use :
2 bow lines. 1 of which is fixed length and stays on the finger when I go sailing.
A midship cleat leading forward spring to finger - again fixed length and left on finger.
A midship cleat leading aft spring to finger - again fixed length and left on finger and is the first I pick up when berthing to stop boat over-running the pontoon !
2 stern lines .... 1 of which fixed length and left on finger.

Once the fixed length lines are fast - I then put the others with the same slack / scope to balance the weight / stress etc.


The fixed lines were a trick for when I used to sail singlehanded ...... it certainly helps when mob-handed as well !!!!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I came - cos they said was FREE Guinness !
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