Planning for next year!

johnalison said:
The sailing club at Edam is very welcoming too. There is a twenty-minute walk to the town, or a few minutes by bike. The town is attractive and has a couple of interesting museums. You can also buy cheese, which doesn't in the least resemble the stuff you get here.
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A word of warning. There is extensive weed in the Markermeer along the shore starting near the entrance from Amsterdam towards Hoorn. If you are not visiting Edam or the other towns, it pays to keep well away. The buoyed channels are said to be clear due to the action of the barges, but you can't hang around there without keeping a good lookout.
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we picked up a good bit of weed between Edam & Hoorn in 2017. This was about half of it.
 

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AntarcticPilot said:
I note that box moorings are the norm. I can't see how Capricious could be boarded over the bow, and she handles badly in reverse! Any suggestions?
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You'll find a way - usually plenty of people to grab ropes. Come through the posts with fenders up (the boxes are deliberately quite tight (you often get asked for your beam) then fenders out and rest against the next boat while you get sorted. The thing about reversing is to get moving some distance from the box and then reduce revs and steer in. It all adds to the fun!
 
MoodySabre said:
You'll find a way - usually plenty of people to grab ropes. Come through the posts with fenders up (the boxes are deliberately quite tight (you often get asked for your beam) then fenders out and rest against the next boat while you get sorted. The thing about reversing is to get moving some distance from the box and then reduce revs and steer in. It all adds to the fun!
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Well, I guess I can learn a new trick! Sounds like having people on the aft quarters is a good idea, and walk her into the berth. I've read that fenders hung horizontally works, too, using clip hooks on the toe rail.

What is our beam? I can never remember and always end up guessing. Between 3 and 4 metres, I think.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
Well, I guess I can learn a new trick! Sounds like having people on the aft quarters is a good idea, and walk her into the berth. I've read that fenders hung horizontally works, too, using clip hooks on the toe rail.

What is our beam? I can never remember and always end up guessing. Between 3 and 4 metres, I think.
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I have written about box moorings before. Basically, you need to learn to love them. They have many advantages, being comfortable and private. Almost all Dutch ones are wood, so the odd slip won't do much harm. Contrary to the advice above, it is not necessary to enter in one fell swoop. There is no harm in stopping halfway in while you sort things out. It is far better to use a generous bowline on each stern line than a long loop. It is easy to run out of line with a loop and a single line is easy to control. It is the depth of depravity to use a slip knot over the post, which makes it impossible for your neighbour with his loop below yours to leave.

All Dutch speak English, except skippers of traditional craft wearing beards, who don't and won't, especially if they smoke a pipe.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
Well, I guess I can learn a new trick! Sounds like having people on the aft quarters is a good idea, and walk her into the berth. I've read that fenders hung horizontally works, too, using clip hooks on the toe rail.

What is our beam? I can never remember and always end up guessing. Between 3 and 4 metres, I think.
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large dia lines draped bow > stern over max beam ( what the locals do ) fenders are a pia
 
I would advise against making too many hard and fast plans. To me, the joy of Netherlands is coming across the unexpected gems.
The only place I have been disappointed with is Volendam. Bursting at the seams with bus loads of day trippers from the Amsterdam cruise ships. Loved Edam though, just a short bike ride away.
We loved the ship museum at Lelystad but not sure we ever found the town centre.
Relax and enjoy, it's all very laid back.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
Well, I guess I can learn a new trick! Sounds like having people on the aft quarters is a good idea, and walk her into the berth. I've read that fenders hung horizontally works, too, using clip hooks on the toe rail.

What is our beam? I can never remember and always end up guessing. Between 3 and 4 metres, I think.
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Fenders, either horizontal or vertical are not a good idea when entering box berths - you risk sudden wedging as the fender arrives at the outer pile. With a beam of 4.05m, we were once allocated a berth with 4.1m. between the (rusty steel) outer piles - that left us .025m, otherwise known as 1 inch, clearance each side. If yoou want to prepare for it, a thick line hanging each side, as suggested by Sailorman is the answer and will also be helpful in locks. There's a good reason why many Dutch yachts are fitted with sturdy rubbing strakes. If you fit the thick line, remember to give your beam including th at bit extra.

As others have said, you'll find a way, and it's just a different way of doing things. The skill of most Dutch boat skippers at close quarters handling is impressive.

Peter.
 
PeterWright said:
Fenders, either horizontal or vertical are not a good idea when entering box berths - you risk sudden wedging as the fender arrives at the outer pile. With a beam of 4.05m, we were once allocated a berth with 4.1m. between the (rusty steel) outer piles - that left us .025m, otherwise known as 1 inch, clearance each side. If yoou want to prepare for it, a thick line hanging each side, as suggested by Sailorman is the answer and will also be helpful in locks. There's a good reason why many Dutch yachts are fitted with sturdy rubbing strakes. If you fit the thick line, remember to give your beam including th at bit extra.

As others have said, you'll find a way, and it's just a different way of doing things. The skill of most Dutch boat skippers at close quarters handling is impressive.

Peter.
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The Moody 31 has its maximum beam below the gunwhale - there's a slight, but significant tumblehome. I guess it would be necessary to hang a rope as you suggest in loops from the toerail. It needs some thought!

My immediate thought is that a nice, hairy natural fibre like coir or hemp would be best - or is that just a prejudice?
 
Hi,

The slight tumble home is common to most Moodys, certainly there on our 425, so the line needs to be rigged to hang below the toe rail. I think it's best arranged not to be in loops but as straight as you can get along the line if max. beam. I believe your boat has the SL alloy toerails which give ample opportunity for short lanyards to hang the line from. I don't think there's any need to run it to the ends of the boat, but from ahead of the shrouds back to around the genoa turning block.

As to material, nice though something natural may be, I would go for a laid polyester of at least 50mm diameter,. maybe more.

All this is surmise as I have never actually done this, but have thought about it a bit as we certainly plan it for our next trip to Holland.

Peter.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
The Moody 31 has its maximum beam below the gunwhale - there's a slight, but significant tumblehome. I guess it would be necessary to hang a rope as you suggest in loops from the toerail. It needs some thought!

My immediate thought is that a nice, hairy natural fibre like coir or hemp would be best - or is that just a prejudice?
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I think that it would be unnecessary to go to the trouble of rigging a rope fender up for a trip to the Netherlands. We managed perfectly well in Sadler 29 many times, though that is a little smaller. Box moorings are almost invariably in sheltered harbours, unlike many that I have visited in the Baltic, and a gentle approach to the 'gate' followed by a bit of manhandling is all that is needed. In the Baltic, with our 34, we started out by trying to enter boxes in style, sweeping in with the crew placing the ropes as required and coming to a smart halt just ready for the bow-person to step ashore and hold the bow off. After a number of failures, with crew missing the poles and the wind playing havoc with our plans, I gave up and now shuffle in any old how, and have even learned to look as if I am enjoying it.
 
There is no harm in exaggerating your beam a couple of centimetres, to give yourself that extra bit of wriggle space, but do not overdo it. Mooring in a box that is too big for your boat makes it quite a lot harder to get the lines on. You will often find a line strung from the outer pile to the pontoon to help you guide the boat to its final position.
Do not worry overmuch, you’ll soon get the hang of it.
 
westhinder said:
There is no harm in exaggerating your beam a couple of centimetres, to give yourself that extra bit of wriggle space, but do not overdo it. Mooring in a box that is too big for your boat makes it quite a lot harder to get the lines on. You will often find a line strung from the outer pile to the pontoon to help you guide the boat to its final position.
Do not worry overmuch, you’ll soon get the hang of it.
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I entirely agree. It really isn't a problem once you get there. We first did them in a 26' boat and didn't think about it.

With an over-large box, it can indeed be a bit harder. You are unlikely to encounter this in the Netherlands, except perhaps in Willemstad, nearer the south. The difficulty is that the aft line-handler, often the helm, can't reach both posts to place the bowlines. My solution to this has worked well many times for me. You enter slowly at an angle, towards the wind if present, and stop the boat about halfway in. The boat is now close to both poles, and the two aft lines can be placed. Any fenders forward of the poles can be deployed. When this is done, the boat can then be moved forward towards the pontoon while the aft line-handler/helm pays out the windward line, leaving the lee line slack, but not so as to be at risk of fouling the prop. In difficult conditions, it is quite acceptable to settle against a leeward boat, and even, if necessary go ashore via its deck. This is far better than risking damage.
 
johnalison said:
I entirely agree. It really isn't a problem once you get there. We first did them in a 26' boat and didn't think about it.

With an over-large box, it can indeed be a bit harder. You are unlikely to encounter this in the Netherlands, except perhaps in Willemstad, nearer the south. The difficulty is that the aft line-handler, often the helm, can't reach both posts to place the bowlines. My solution to this has worked well many times for me. You enter slowly at an angle, towards the wind if present, and stop the boat about halfway in. The boat is now close to both poles, and the two aft lines can be placed. Any fenders forward of the poles can be deployed. When this is done, the boat can then be moved forward towards the pontoon while the aft line-handler/helm pays out the windward line, leaving the lee line slack, but not so as to be at risk of fouling the prop. In difficult conditions, it is quite acceptable to settle against a leeward boat, and even, if necessary go ashore via its deck. This is far better than risking damage.
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Thanks for this, and to all who have provided tips on using box berths. As they're rare (if they exist at all) in the UK, I was a bit concerned. I'm going to investigate rigging a rope fender at the height of greatest width; as I have an alloy toerail with holes, I can easily arrange hanging loops.

There should be plenty of manpower available for close in handling; we should be 4 adults, so I envisage two hooking on the outer piles and one looking after the landward end. I think we'll have to investigate which way to go in; it's much easier to go ashore via the stern, where there's a tiny sugar scoop than over the bows where there's a pulpit and quite a height. My wife is small, and I think she'd find climbing over the bow difficult.

Thanks to everyone, it's coming together! Next summer looks like being fun.
 
I forgot to say that I rig a length of large diameter rope, mine is sisal at 30mm diameter, down each side from the toerail as you suggest.
It stays on until I leave the low countries. I also exaggerate the width a bit when asked.
 
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