Pile Mooring -- Single Handed

[Dockhead]

It is not exactly easy but again it’s not impossible, granted a strong cross wind would make life complicated but it should be possible to quickly get a line around the static pile line onto a mid ships cleat. The alternative is to fit a stern thruster to complement the probable bow thruster that can then be set to hold the boat against the taught pile line using proportional thrust. There are many ways to skin a feline.

That poor, multiply skinned feline!

No stern thruster for me, thanks, but yes -- I'm thinking the very same thing with the static line.

Just like docking on a pontoon or quay, getting the middle tied to something is the key to stability. The bow thruster then can control any error in angle -- provided there are no loose ropes in the water.

A strong side wind changes everything, however, and I won't try this in such conditions for the time being. My first attempt on Saturday will be at the high water stand so there won't be much current. Hope this high pressure holds up.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Fixing the stern line first might be better then you can moter gently against it and if necessary use the bow thruster

 

[SaltIre]

Fixing the stern line first might be better then you can moter gently against it and if necessary use the bow thruster

Fix the stern line, then suck the floating line you've cunningly left attached to the fwd pile into the bow thruster and you're done.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Fix the stern line, then suck the floating line you've cunningly left attached to the fwd pile into the bow thruster and you're done.

No it can be brought on board or clipped to the pile centre line it doesn’t have to be left dangling

 

[Egret]

Is there a case for having an afternoon of lots of practice with a workboat on standby and a couple of people on the deck, just in case, to see what works for you best and what doesn't- with tides in both directions - Also is there room somewhere close to mooring to turn easily - at all states of tide - or is it a case of end for ending the boat on warps to go back out again - can you turn it on warps or is it too heavy?

Are you sure the harbour team wouldn't help you with warps from time to time - until both you and they are confident with you, as it is in their interest - where I am they escort all the visitors in and make sure they are safely moored.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Our local boatyard do the assisting for the Waverley. She needs a timely shove from a 300ph RIB to get onto the end of Yarmouth pier without a bit too much entertainment for bystanders

 

[14K478]

Our local boatyard do the assisting for the Waverley. She needs a timely shove from a 300ph RIB to get onto the end of Yarmouth pier without a bit too much entertainment for bystanders

Tam Grundy does the same for the Waverley in Harwich and Ipswich; she is well known as an absolute swine to park because her paddles are fixed and her rudder is tiny.

 

[Dockhead]

+1
Spent only a few weeks on a big boat (a friend s 61' Swan, those from the 80s, IIRC 35 tons?), bring the boat to the exact spot at the right moment and it allows you some more seconds to maneuver ropes and the like, get it even slightly wrong and one has to do it all again, which might be easy but also not easy/impossible, once it has gathered any momentum the human force is irrelevant. Delivered her from the US to Gibraltar via Horta, had only three occasions to moor but it was immediately self-explanatory

Indeed; all it takes is a little experience to understand it

The best thing about a larger monohull is that it is much less blown around by the wind, and has more momentum. It's much easier to get her to lay up alongside a quay or pontoon with a turn at the last moment, burst of astern, and slide in. Unless you're being strongly blown off, it's then child's play to lasso cleats and get her under control, even single handed.

The other big difference, however, is that human arms cannot meaningfully manipulate such a boat's position. It must all be done at the helm. Took me a while to get used to that, after growing up on my Father's 38 footer. He was not the greatest with harbour maneuvers, and this boat was a long keeler which would reverse only in a spiral. His technique was to get some part of the boat somewhere within grabbing distance of something, and for me to manhandle her in . This technique does not work on my boat!

 

[PeterV]

Now some concrete experience Thank you for that.

One question to you -- you tie either end of the pickup line to the mooring strops/lines of both piles? So the pickup line is roughly the length of your boat? You don't untie it once your tied off, but just leave it on deck?

And do you use two mooring strops/lines per pile, or only one?

In order to avoid running up to the bow, which is pretty far on my boat, I think I will try the temporary line through the bow cleat. I can then get the mooring strop/line hardened up from the cockpit.

Strong cross winds are what I'm really afraid of. I do have a 10hp bow thruster which will help with the bow, but so far I think that above 15 knots or so of cross wind it just won't be possible, or at least, not safe.

Yes, two mooring lines on each pile, eye splices in the ends to fit your cleats and the pick up line lies along your deck when moored up

 

[dunedin]

Yes, I have a Sleipner 10hp bow thruster which is incredibly useful. Yes, it's absolutely fantastic for adjusting the bow a metre or two to get ropes on. I don't have a wireless remote and had never thought of that. Interesting idea. Yes, I know all about ropes in bow thrusters, and don't ask me how I know!

Losing thruster would not be an RNLI callout in any situation I can think of, but I shouldn't say that, or that very unthinkable situation will probably happen! I spring off (and on) whenever it's reasonable instead of using the thruster, and the dinghy makes a great tugboat, if you've got crew to man it.

We keep our retractable bow thruster fully retracted when picking up moorings (only used for pontoons etc).
But an increasing number seem to use when trying to pick up moorings. Trouble is if missed and buoy is say 2m away to starboard, helm hits bow thruster button hard - and to move to starboard it sucks a lot of water in from starboard - plus sometimes the pickup rope (as easier to move a light rope than 10 ton boat).

The reason this became a local RNLI call out was a solo skipper on a biggish boat. Did this and caught rope. Now moored up by the rope round the bow thruster blades. Can’t reach to cut from above. And if launched dinghy to cut from waterline, boat would have been on rocks directly astern before could get back on board.

The wireless remote for the bow thruster is a game changer for solo mooring - at least on pontoons etc with no pick up ropes.
For example on departure can go forward and cast off bow rope - then can walk slowly back to cast off the stern rope, using bow thruster occasionally if bow moves whilst going aft.
Coming in to home berth we pick up stern ropes from pole, then can again walk slowly forward and use bow thruster from foredeck to bring bow closer to cleat to pick up bow rope with pole (or throw rope round cleat if away berth).
Mid rope to genoa winch better on away berth, but remote thruster still helps.

 

[Dockhead]

The reason this became a local RNLI call out was a solo skipper on a biggish boat. Did this and caught rope. Now moored up by the rope round the bow thruster blades. Can’t reach to cut from above. And if launched dinghy to cut from waterline, boat would have been on rocks directly astern before could get back on board.

I have been in a similar situation, except the rope was around my rudder.

Boat hook, zip ties, and bread knife are a perfectly valid substitute for RNLI, in this situation, I can testify.

If I had a rope caught in my thruster props, I would just run the thruster and finish breaking off the blades (props are ruined in any case). Before breaking out the bread knife.

 

[Dockhead]

The wireless remote for the bow thruster is a game changer for solo mooring - at least on pontoons etc with no pick up ropes.
For example on departure can go forward and cast off bow rope - then can walk slowly back to cast off the stern rope, using bow thruster occasionally if bow moves whilst going aft.
Coming in to home berth we pick up stern ropes from pole, then can again walk slowly forward and use bow thruster from foredeck to bring bow closer to cleat to pick up bow rope with pole (or through rope round cleat if away berth).
Mid rope to genoa winch better on away berth, but remote thruster still helps.

Thanks for several new ideas here

I actually like harbour maneuvers -- it's often a puzzle, and SO satisfying when you get it right, in a complicated situation.

 

[RobbieW]

You're not the first person to suggest this, and I hadn't thought of it.

We'll see how it goes -- first trial on Saturday! -- and if it seems dodgy, I'll consider this.


I have a secret weapon for this process -- I have a very powerful electric sheet winch right next to the helm position, which I can operate with one hand on the wheel. I'm really thinking that pulling the bow line on board from the cockpit using a leader line on the winch, could be really effective, and enable me to get the bow well secured without every going up to the bow. I use this winch for different berthing maneuvers (besides the jib sheets!); it's really effective.

If I've got hold of a line stretched between the piles, I could loop that over a centre cleat to stabilize the boat laterally. Then if I've got access to the stern line via the loose line, then it should not be that hard to get the stern tied up. I'm starting to imagine this better -- and thanks to all of you for helping me think this through -- and I'm starting to feel a bit better about it.

Sent you a PM

 

[dunedin]

I have been in a similar situation, except the rope was around my rudder.

Boat hook, zip ties, and bread knife are a perfectly valid substitute for RNLI, in this situation, I can testify.

If I had a rope caught in my thruster props, I would just run the thruster and finish breaking off the blades (props are ruined in any case). Before breaking out the bread knife.

I suspect each situation is different. And I dont know the full situation that caused the RNLI to be the end solution.
But a knife on a stick may work on some rudders or a smaller boat with "moored by bow thruster".
But on a decent sized power boat the foredeck may be 2m above the waterline. And the thruster tube 0.5m underwater - plus buoy, rope and tube invisible 2m or so inside deck width due to flare of bows. So working blind 4 m or so away if tried to cut.
Not easy and very close to hard rock.