Rafting etiquette

[James_Calvert]

On the subject of rafting etiquette, what about the boats that go out of their way to prevent you rafting on them, eg by tieing the rubby dubby alongside.

Being part of the awkward squad, i will pick them to raft on and ask them to move it . They usually will with bad grace. And when they claim they are leaving at 5am i offer to give them a wake up call an hour earlier. I have yet to meet a skipper who wanted that!

Back to the line of drying nappies and baby clothes for you then.

We find they are best arranged across the foredeck so they don't drip into the cockpit.

One occasion when we might suggest crossing the boat via the cockpit, we wouldn't want to lose any pegs...

 

[johnalison]

I disagree. You have defined manners, which is basic poiliteness. Etiquette is normally adherence to an arbitrary set of rules designed to separate people into "in" and "out" groups.

So, for example, keeping your mouth closed when chewing and not belching are both manners at the dinner table, but starting with the outside cutlery and working in and using the "right" class are both etiquette, because there is no particular reason to do either of these things and no harm or distress is caused to anyone if you don't.

Crossing a raft in front of the mast whenever possible is manners, as is allowing other people to do so. Flying (or is it wearing) burgees in order of club seniority is etiquette, because it's a game whose only point is to establish a social hierarchy. Which is fine for those who want to play the game, but those who don't are free to giggle.

Asking people to take their shoes off to cross your deck is neither. It's just rude.

I think that it is possible to define etiquette a bit more widely than you have. I chose my definition from an online dictionary because it was the one that most closely related to the discussion. You have chosen to define it as an arbitrary set of rules, which is certainly one definition, but not comprehensive. I believe that there are cultures where it is de rigeur to belch after a meal, but I am glad not to have yet experienced it.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Slight shift of topic - one thing that's puzzling me is the notices I've seen at the Folly and elsewhere saying that rafting should be nose-to-tail rather than the usual all-the-same-way practice.

I was always of the impression that this should be the norm, to prevent spreaders clashing in any sort of swell.

I have to say I avoid rafting wherever possible for many of the reasons so far given. Not to mention the possibility of the ‘neighbours‘ having kids....

 

[STATUE]

After a single handed passage and knackered, rafting is a right. Once rafted, talk through any request for you to move elsewhere and expect them to come with you to the new berth to help out. If they refuse that, then stay where you are.

 

[Euphonyx]

why dont you put some carpet or similar accross your deck to save yourself the stress of winding yourself up? Either that or, as they pull alongside tell them that they are more than welcome but that you are leaving at 4 in the morning and youll give them a shout to help with the lines. that usually works a treat.

 

[xyachtdave]

The OP (and Concerto!) would have gone absolutely ballistic if they'd have experienced what I did in Southwold a few years ago.

Go for stroll to the town and come back to find a boat rafted on us, not a problem but...

a) There are some people in my cockpit drinking beers they've got from the pub opposite.
b) No shore lines, a couple of coke bottle sized fenders and not much going on in the way of springs etc. You're looking at a 6 knot ebb here.
c) They have a dog, that's been somewhere muddy recently judging by its paw prints that have turned my deck into a sort of leopard print of brown spots.
d) When I say 'Hey chaps. that's my boat, do you mind vacating?' they look annoyed, bloody snooty yachtsman making a fuss!

I had to get the harbour master to get him to put shore lines on as I apparently don't know what I'm on about and they aren't required. Later that evening he got a guitar out, started singing (strangling a cat) in his cockpit while I was having a quiet beer in mine.

It was a while ago but think at this point I threatened to kill him.

 

[Homer J]

Having read this thread I am left wondering why anyone in their right mind would want steak deck?
Cons - I have gleaned - it gets dirty and looks awful, it’s hard to clean, it wears out and leaks, it’s a pain to maintain, it wears out. It costs a fortune to buy and even more to replace.
Pro’s - it looks nice on day 1???

i don’t fancy a job as a teal deck salesman.
Am I missing something?

 

[Homer J]

Steak deck! Clearly a typo - tasty though.

 

[RichardS]

Steak deck! Clearly a typo - tasty though.

Teal decks are a nice colour.

Richard

 

[Homer J]

To nice too walk on?....

 

[Biggles Wader]

Steak deck! Clearly a typo - tasty though.

Can you eat your dinner off them?

 

[Biggles Wader]

They will become medium rare at this rate.

 

[RJJ]

Having read this thread I am left wondering why anyone in their right mind would want steak deck?
Cons - I have gleaned - it gets dirty and looks awful, it’s hard to clean, it wears out and leaks, it’s a pain to maintain, it wears out. It costs a fortune to buy and even more to replace.
Pro’s - it looks nice on day 1???

i don’t fancy a job as a teal deck salesman.
Am I missing something?

It's perhaps the most glaring example of everything about brand new yachts. To the guy spending 250k, that teak option at 40k looks rather nice and spiffy. To the person who buys the boat for 1/3 the price fifteen years later, with the teak showing its age, depending if Mr Rich looked after it nicely, you are now looking at 1/2 the purchase price to replace the decks.

I believe the teak would last twice as long if properly maintained, hence my concern for it to be kept clear of dirt of any kind. If you keep it free of dirt, and if you appreciate the "weathered silver/grey" look is what it's meant to be (not chasing the new honey look, which lasts a matter of days), then it has its plus points.

I wouldn't have chosen teak on the decks ideally, but the boat has many other advantages.

 

[stranded]

Having read this thread I am left wondering why anyone in their right mind would want steak deck?
Cons - I have gleaned - it gets dirty and looks awful, it’s hard to clean, it wears out and leaks, it’s a pain to maintain, it wears out. It costs a fortune to buy and even more to replace.
Pro’s - it looks nice on day 1???

i don’t fancy a job as a teal deck salesman.
Am I missing something?

You’re missing a great deal, but I doubt there is much that can be done about that.

 

[Homer J]

You’re missing a great deal, but I doubt there is much that can be done about that.

I suspect there is an insult here. Fortunately I don’t understand it.
I hope there isn’t though, there is rather too much of that on this forum.

 

[LiftyK]

Homer J asks why anyone would want a teak deck. My very first sailing boat came with a teak deck. It looked nice but I didn’t have anything especially noteworthy to say about it. My second boat had a regular fibreglass deck. Suddenly it was a case of footprints everywhere. Then I realised that the teak deck never showed the dirt. An occasional clean with seawater was all that was necessary. Teak deck means reduced day to day cleaning.

 

[RupertW]

After a single handed passage and knackered, rafting is a right. Once rafted, talk through any request for you to move elsewhere and expect them to come with you to the new berth to help out. If they refuse that, then stay where you are.

I can see why you have ended up sailing alone. Starting with the premise that something is a right won’t endear you to many people.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I believe the teak would last twice as long if properly maintained, hence my concern for it to be kept clear of dirt of any kind.

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard this theory about dirt and I’m not very convinced.
Teak wears out because people pursue the brand new honey colour look too often and abuse the wood in the process.
We’ve got some teak decking on our boat that’s over 30 years old. FWIW I humbly suggest the rules might be:

Don’t power wash it
Don’t scrub it with a hard brush with the grain
Don’t sand it

Do wash them it down with salt or fresh water frequently.
We use bio washing powder and a SOFT brush across the grain if it gets really dirty (you can’t help atmospheric pollution and dust!)
We occasionally use a two part cleaner with mild scotch pads if it gets really dirty.

I see no reason why the bits of teak decking we have shouldn’t last another five or ten years. They’ve outlasted the Treadmaster that’s on most of the deck.

 

[RJJ]

It’s the first time I’ve ever heard this theory about dirt and I’m not very convinced.
Teak wears out because people pursue the brand new honey colour look too often and abuse the wood in the process.
We’ve got some teak decking on our boat that’s over 30 years old. FWIW I humbly suggest the rules might be:

Don’t power wash it
Don’t scrub it with a hard brush with the grain
Don’t sand it

Do wash them it down with salt or fresh water frequently.
We use bio washing powder and a SOFT brush across the grain if it gets really dirty (you can’t help atmospheric pollution and dust!)
We occasionally use a two part cleaner with mild scotch pads if it gets really dirty.

I see no reason why the bits of teak decking we have shouldn’t last another five or ten years. They’ve outlasted the Treadmaster that’s on most of the deck.

Seawater suffices - and is preferable to fresh. Salt, as we all know, helps things stay damp.

I completely agree about mistakenly chasing "honey" - inevitably that means you scrub it, strip out the wood, it still goes grey and now it's uneven so eventually you sand it....then a few weeks later it needs a scrub...and repeat.

The dirt does matter, because pressing dirt into the deck has much the same effect as sandpapering.

"Dirt contributes to the wear of a teak deck" as it says here The truth about teak decks - Practical Boat Owner

Which is why, per my original post, the RYA indicates it is appropriate to consider removing shoes, and I agree.

 

[[163233]]

Wow. This is enlightening. IDSAC but I'm with the OP and RichardS. If we're an outside boat on a raft I'd be respectful. I'd expect the same of others if I'm inside.

Yes, though perhaps if you have special needs you should go on the outside of the raft. So leave, let them raft up and rejoin.

If you are a bit picky you have to help people to help you..