mooring

[skinner]

can anyone give a newcomer a few tips on mooring?every time i attempt to moor my boat (shetland 570)i seem to mess it up.i enter my mooring on the broads against the tide but when i cut my speed to slow down the slightest bit of wind takes me to the opposite side of the mooring.is this because the boat is so light?
i'm getting desperate fellows,please help!!

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[byron]

It sounds to me that you are allowing for the tide but not wind veer. Pity I am not there because demonstration is the best way to show you. Put your bow to the cleat you intend securing to and get your crew to take a turn but not to tight, put your outboard so the propellor is facing the jetty, go astern ently and the stern will swing in too. Drop the engine into nuetral, quickly step ashore wth your stern line.

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[Col]

Ah!! Is that where I've been going wrong all this time!

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[BarryH]

Now I do it differently. Leave a spring attatched to the bow, motor in slowly and brop a loop over the cleat, helm hard over away from the berth and the thing pulls itself in against the fenders. Leave it in gear on tickover and set the rest of the lines. Same thing but in reverse......sort of.

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[longjohnsilver]

Don't think so Col, Byron mentions direction of prop, thort you usually managed without one of those.............../forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[skinner]

any chance of putting all this into simple english,i'm not into "boating talk" yet,sorry!

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[byron]

He's coming in, his line isn't already attached... if your system works for you then....Greeaaat!

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[DavidJ]

Single prop boats of your size are a real sod, I've had a couple. You would not believe the difference the combination of larger boat, twin engine and a bow thruster makes. Plus with a larger boat people come to help!! However to try and help with your immediate problem, buy some nice big fenders (have you noticed that fishing boats, who do it every day, are covered in fenders) Also if there is any wind at all take all your covers off, they are like sails. Rather than steer the boat like a car try turning the wheel in neutral then prod it in gear, it will turn.
Lastly don't worry, us Brits do try and seek perfection. In the Med they are all over the place and no one cares.
David

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[Bejasus]

I will be passing St. Olaves on Friday evening if you are about. I have a 25 ft boat (with a single shaft), at Beccles, and will be spending the evening at the Berney Arms before catching the early tide across Breydon at aroung 03:00 on Sat morning. Returning to Beccles by Monday afternoon. Unfortunately, tide times are not the best this weekend. {(



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[whisper]

Your sort of boat is probably more susceptible to wind rather than tide so try to approach the berth at a greater angle. Then JUST before hitting the "pontoon" turn away and go into neutral. That is where the fenders come in to play - your forward momentum should just let you gently nudge alongside.
Use a short line (say 1.5-2.5m), already attached to the side of the boat, somewhere near to the front end of the cockpit - so almost at the middle of the boat - and as you come alongside tie it onto the pontoon. This should be easier for you or the crew to do quickly rather than messing about with a line from the front or back of the boat.
When it is attached, re-engage forward gear and with a low throttle setting turn the wheel away from the pontoon and the boat will move forwards slightly and nestle up against the pontoon. Leave it in gear at tickover speed then attach the normal lines at your leisure.
You will get the hang of it eventually as you get the feel of how the boat reacts to different wind speeds/direction and tides. Don't despair - practice !
Have Fun.

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[PGD]

Agree with this, have a fairline holiday and the wind is more problem then the current on the river - moored in a weir stream before you all shout /forums/images/icons/wink.gif.

Agree with bow in the engine astern with drive pointing toward the pontoon, but not gently, more of a quick blast to kick the stern in, then if that doesn't quite work, oposite lock and a nudge into forward, sometimes it takes a couple of goes between the two, if you follow me.

Going from lock, to lock is quite tricky then remembering where your drive is and if you go forward or reverse, practice will make you perfect, trick is, stay calm, and if you mess up, don't panic, just pull away from the pontoon and try again, better to have a couple of goes than hurry one go and clonk the boat next door.

Good luck

peter

Peter

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[Col]

OUCH!!
Hurt a guy, why don't you!!! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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[Eightpots]

Leaving a berth or entering is probably the hardest part of any trip. Knowing your boat and how she reacts to wind and tide will make things easier for you.
Your 570 has no keel, so will have no "grip" on the water. Also with most outdrive or outboard powered boats, they will always tend to go stern first to the wind if left to their own devices. Basically most of the weight is on the stern with the only grippy bit being the drive itself. So this will be the pivot point.
So unless there is a stong stream running take note of what the wind is doing. If the wind is blowing onto your berth, then just run up parrallel to it and let the wind blow you onto it. Use the drive to keep you inline with it using a touch of ahead or astern.
If the wind is blow you off of the berth. Approach at a slight angle to it pushing the bows in and get a line ashore. Take this line from some forward of amidships and fasten to a bollard/cleat atern of amidships. Use the engine ahead to pull yourself onto the berth with the helm hard over away from the berth.
In all situations use plenty of fenders and do it slowly. Practice make perfect.

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