Rafting Etiquette

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lionelz

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Ok I am planning on having a trip to Lymington over the next few weeks and I understand that the public pontoon in the town centre can get quite busy, resulting in boats rafting together.

What are the rule?

Where should you tie too?
what happens if your outside and the inside wants to leave?
What happens if your inside and you want to leave.

Any advice on what the rules are.

On a second note, how much is to berth the boat at Lymington for a few hours?
 
What are the rule?

Where should you tie too? anywhere the owner of the boat want you to be tied to but if not on board tie a route for the warp that would not damage there boat.
what happens if your outside and the inside wants to leave? You ask the night before and just move your boat when they leave.
What happens if your inside and you want to leave. Same as above just communicate

Any advice on what the rules are. - know how to handle your boat, place fender at boat height and have ones on your pull pit "in case" if you have extra sure-footed crew give them a fender to have over the side ready to plug the gaps.

Also no shouting. Have a nice stay.
 
Thanks for that, I take it you cannot just park up for a few hours?

Ok how do you move the boat if the boat owners are not there? Or don't you? do you have to wait?
 
Rafting is all about talking to the other people in the raft and planning who is doing what and when.

Don't forget to have shore lines on as well. Not many motorboats use shore lines and it's very bad manners not to.

Rafting is not hard to do as long as you have crew who are nimble and can get lines onto the other boat fast.

I only have my lady as crew and try as i might she won't listen to me and always does her own thing which is a nightmare....wind blowing the bow off so she get the stern line on first despite my pleadings not to.....fenders at the wrong height because that's what she wanted to do...arghhhhhhhhh.

Just give it a go and you will be fine...but remember to moor up alongside a boat of similar height and size to your..yachts and motorboats have very different sides and heights and do not park well together.
 
Colvic Watson said:
Never been charged for a short stay stop.
Click to expand...

Do you mean you've not stopped to pay your berthing fees? Short stays are permissable but you should speak to the Harbour Master as they will tell you where and when this is appropriate. He will also advise on rafting - putting longer stay boats on the inside.

Fees are listed here.
 
Sailorsam101 said:
Just give it a go and you will be fine...but remember to moor up alongside a boat of similar height and size to your..yachts and motorboats have very different sides and heights and do not park well together.
Click to expand...

This is true, even when they are mates. Saturday's raft. Awkward at best

20160430_125318.jpg
 
BruceK said:
This is true, even when they are mates. Saturday's raft. Awkward at best

20160430_125318.jpg
Click to expand...

You could have just cast off the second boat while still attached and done a nifty "turnaround" with the nice engines you have on board. the yacht has a lovely rudder too ;-)
 
All good points in terms of etiquette. Two essentials in my book are put out your own shore lines and check where the master cabins are on the inside boats so you don't clomp over them when leaving or returning to your boat (and do communicate if you are going to be ashore and you think the inside boats might move). Asking "which deck do you want me to cross" lets them know you have thought about any inconvenience they might suffer.

With a little coordination and thought it is quite easy for an inside boat to move out but make sure that you shorten up your shore lines once they have gone.

We once rafted alongside Arthur Lowe's magnificent motor yacht at Tough Brothers in Teddington. Someone spilled diesel on his lovely teak decks. Stupid boy.
 
The accepted norm is to walk over your neighbouring boats fore deck so as not to intrude on their social life around the cockpit. The one thing I hate is people walking over our fore deck! Mucky footprints clumping around on the roof of the front cabin and putting weight on side stanchion rails as they try to get on and off mid ships.

I would much rather they use the bathing platform (assuming no dinghy) or the cockpit which is easy to access and we can keep side canopies open. In spite of telling people you will always get the odd person who wants to show they know their boating etiquette by tramping over the front of the boat and doing gymnastics on the stainless railings :)

A little tip re: departing if you are the inside of a raft. Carry a small white board and place it in the window stating what time you will be leaving. That way it gives other boaters a chance to be on site or arrange their departures accordingly.

Henry :)
 
How I hate rafting!

Expect no help and generally avoid it, everyone has a different approach and style - rafting should be added to religion, politics and sex that generally are best not discussed or practised in polite company.

My heart goes out to the contributor who has a "free spirit" crew. Have one of those too!
Ashore we have survived 40 years, but on board the span on contentment is measured in minutes.

Anyway, if they have fenders out then avoid deploying them until you are attached.
Ditto on your exposed side leave no fenders let the approaching boat make the judgement call and avoid the entwining that always follows when both boats have fenders out.

And as for the charming fishwife from Guernsey, we did have f'ing fenders and they were not out for a good reason. Also did the owner of the boat realise you had borrowed it for the weekend?
TWOCing is an offence with boats as much as with cars!

For us getting the centre line on makes sure that we are not going anywhere. Then you can deploy the bow and stern as appropriate.
Bring the lines back on board so you can depart without the risk of abandoning a crew member as you drift away.

We were always taught to pass forward of the mast and move quietly. Younger crew seems to find stealth a challenge.

Long shore lines are a courtesy and they do add to the fun and games that ensue when the inner boat wants to leave. Eight boats rafted together and drifitng free is challenging - happened in the Netherland when the inner boat decided he was leaving and cast his neighbour adrift. 100 tonnes of drifting mayhem.

Regarding departure times everyone on the inside of you intends to leave at 04:00, but something turns up to deny them that pleasure. Then the odd one will call your bluff by actually doing it.

Rehearse with your crew who you want on deck and that they have to be quick in the event that you do have to move and what they will be expected to do. No time to do their hair, have a cup of tea or brush their teeth.
Encourage everyone else to stay out of the way.

Or adopt the school boat approach and give them all a fender and get them standing on the fore deck in a line. Matching fleeces makes it all look so professional.
 
Thanks guys, I'm only looking to stay for a few hours, so will I think leave a note in the window so that people know what my plans are. Apart from that I suppose just make sure I have lots of fenders out and some on standby and will try to run lines to shore
 
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