Picking up a mooring buoy from the stern

I agree with Hurricane. Picking up a buoy from the stern may be the only option if you're shorthanded but it is risky for a number of reasons. First, I don't know about anybody else's boat but I can't see the stern quarters from my flybridge helm so placing the boat accurately next to the buoy is not easy. Secondly, because I can't see the stern quarters, I won't see if anybody goes in the water and obviously being so close to the props, that would be extremely dangerous. Thirdly, if your crew is messing around with ropes at the stern, there's always the risk that the rope goes in the water and fouls one or both props. Fourthly as Hurricane describes, there is the risk that buoy goes under the boat.
We had a dodgy incident last year trying to pick up a mooring buoy in windy conditions from the stern which resulted in a rope fouling one prop and my prize Ferretti branded boathook going to the bottom of the sea. Fortunately we were eventually able to attach a rope to the buoy using both thrusters and the remaining engine but we nearly clouted the boat moored on the next buoy.
Now, if at all possible, I try to do everything from the bow. If I have 2 or more crew we have a very simple technique. The strongest crew person simply lifts the buoy out of the water as high as he/she can using a boathook and the second person reaches under the handrail to attach a rope. Obviously the helmsman needs to be inching forward to ensure that the buoy can be lifted as easily as possible without strain. If we're shorthanded ie just my SWMBO on board, we use the stern mooring technique but I must admit I don't like doing it in windy conditions because of the risks
 
@Deleted User post #21, that's yet another example of why you need engine controls in the aft cockpit Deleted User. I've had them since 2004 and would never not have them. They're just essential in my book, exactly for this type of situation and many others
 
Deleted User said:
I agree with Hurricane. Picking up a buoy from the stern may be the only option if you're shorthanded but it is risky for a number of reasons. First, I don't know about anybody else's boat but I can't see the stern quarters from my flybridge helm so placing the boat accurately next to the buoy is not easy. Secondly, because I can't see the stern quarters, I won't see if anybody goes in the water and obviously being so close to the props, that would be extremely dangerous. Thirdly, if your crew is messing around with ropes at the stern, there's always the risk that the rope goes in the water and fouls one or both props. Fourthly as Hurricane describes, there is the risk that buoy goes under the boat.
We had a dodgy incident last year trying to pick up a mooring buoy in windy conditions from the stern which resulted in a rope fouling one prop and my prize Ferretti branded boathook going to the bottom of the sea. Fortunately we were eventually able to attach a rope to the buoy using both thrusters and the remaining engine but we nearly clouted the boat moored on the next buoy.
Now, if at all possible, I try to do everything from the bow. If I have 2 or more crew we have a very simple technique. The strongest crew person simply lifts the buoy out of the water as high as he/she can using a boathook and the second person reaches under the handrail to attach a rope. Obviously the helmsman needs to be inching forward to ensure that the buoy can be lifted as easily as possible without strain. If we're shorthanded ie just my SWMBO on board, we use the stern mooring technique but I must admit I don't like doing it in windy conditions because of the risks
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Mike, if you are thinking of a bigger boat, you will need to do more stern pickups.
As Dough says, it is virtually impossible to pick up from the bows on anything larger than 20m ish - they are just too high off the water.
A stern thruster is a must in this instance - you can kick the stern over without running the main props.
I also use one of those cheap wireless controls for the thrusters
I also have docking cameras (2) that look ate each rear quarter so I can see what the crew are doing.
 
Hurricane said:
This is exactly what we did in Fornells the other day with almost disastrous consequences.
As soon as we had attached to the buoy with the long line the wind change direction slightly and forced the bow over.
This meant that we couldn't then pull the buoy along the side of the boat the bow.
Instead, it went under the stern with 50 tons of boat pulling it under.
Quick thinking by the crew meant that we didn't run anything until we had it sorted.
We then managed to attach a second line to the buoy as it popped out from under the bathing platform thus taking the load off the first line which by now was round one of the rudders.
Then we disconnected the first line and using a third line, manipulated the bow onto the buoy properly
After recovering the first line, we were able to establish that there was no damage to either the boat or the buoy but it could have been far worse.

Now, I'm not keen on this approach so have now modified my technique and would urge others to consider it as well.

Yes, do exactly what DougH says but as you pass the buoy from downwind make a definite turn away to ensure that the bow turns down wind.
Be sure that you haven't "kicked the stern into the buoy" when doing this.
Then pick up the buoy off the bathing platform and tie it off with a short line while the bow drifts down to leeward.
You should now have good hold of the buoy with the stern facing into wind.
You now have plenty of time to sort it out
We find that it was really quite easy to then move the buoy around to the bow keeping it to windward so that it doesn't go under the boat.

I know this all sounds a awful fag but we make the operation slicker using a strong quickly attached hook already made onto a short rope for the initial line onto the buoy.

Sorry DougH - we've been doing it the way you say for a while now and for the reason you say (bow is too high to pick the buoy up)
But the other day in Fornells was a fiasco and could have resulted in damage
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I blame the helmsman Mike:D

The fact that you had the original rope caught around the rudder means that the rope was to long.

We use a rope that when attached to the bow cleat is of such a length that it cannot be within reach of the props or rudders.

Should the wind be of such intensity that we have to make more than one approach it does not matter if we have to release the rope and start again.

I know you are very experience Mike but I would never attach a line to a stern cleat as you describe and to have crew working off a bathing platform leaves me petrified.

Apologies for not replying sooner but we have been on the boat.
 
You can always hang a fat bloke over the bow with a long boat hook and the boat rocking badly from side-to-side in an attempt to pick-up a deep water buoy, but then again, on that occasion I think Hurricane was trying to kill me.... we did get it though!
 
John100156 said:
You can always hang a fat bloke over the bow with a long boat hook and the boat rocking badly from side-to-side in an attempt to pick-up a deep water buoy, but then again, on that occasion I think Hurricane was trying to kill me.... we did get it though!
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I think he will kill you when he sees you next time.:D

Us over weight blokes are not fat, we are just not skinny.

I'm with you Mike.
 
Hurricane said:
Mike, if you are thinking of a bigger boat, you will need to do more stern pickups.
As Dough says, it is virtually impossible to pick up from the bows on anything larger than 20m ish - they are just too high off the water.
A stern thruster is a must in this instance - you can kick the stern over without running the main props.
I also use one of those cheap wireless controls for the thrusters
I also have docking cameras (2) that look ate each rear quarter so I can see what the crew are doing.
Click to expand...
There is another way, at least in Croatia - only visit bays where there's a bloke in a dory who does the tricky rope handling bit for you:) It's become a bit of a growth industry in Croatia recently. The govt sells you a concession to lay a few mooring buoys in a nice bay and then you charge gullible foreigners £30 a night to park their boats on one. Money for old rope. Some of the yottie community are up in arms over this but IMHO its very entrepreneurial and a charge worth paying to avoid me and the SWMBO falling out about how she can't seem to thread a rope through a loop on a mooring buoy even when my superb boat handling skills plonks it under her nose
 
superheat6k said:
Have you tried to lasso the buoy ?

Simply take a decent length older mooring line. Attach both ends to a suitable cleat, then take the large bight out up and over the guardrail. Form a series of short loops and split half into each hand, then simply throw outward from each hand so a large loop forms and falls over the buoy (not floating rope), draw in and secure.

This then allows you time to get a proper line through the normal mooring eye or ring, or find the pickup rope.

Best to use an older rope as it will get dirty from the crud on the base of the buoy.
Click to expand...

Tried that once only. The rope got twisseled round the buoys anchor chain, I had to send for Long John to get it back.
 
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