Rafting up in a swell - what's right?

[AndrewB]

Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

Last week I found myself in a raft of three sailing yachts on a floating pontoon in a harbour where a fair bit of swell was entering. Each of us had out the full kit of fore and aft lines to the neightbouring boat, a pair of springs, each from bow to aft, and shore lines, both fore and aft. (The shore lines were at a rather shallow angle, for the usual reason that there were also rafts ahead and behind us).

Because of the swell which was coming from aft, we were bumping around quite a lot. There was a strong disagreement among the skippers as to what was best for a reasonable night's sleep:

(a) to tighten up all the lines rock hard, to hold the three yachts in a rigid unit;
(b) to leave a little slack in all lines, to allow the yachts to range a bit alongside one another.

Which is right?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

Given the inevitable stretch in warps, you're never going to lock things up solid, so there's going to be movement anyway. And the two inside boats are going to be squeezed so that fenders will squeak and moan.

I'd think plenty of fenders, some slack, and position the boats so that the rigs can't roll into each other.

And how about turning the boats so the bows meet the swell, which would probably mean less fore and aft movement, would stop rudders creaking, and would cut down on transom slap.

Alternatively. book into a quayside B&B!

 

[bedouin]

Re: Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

In my opinion slack lines can be dangerous as they allow the boats to build up momentum and then apply shock loading to the deck fittings as they get taut.

In those circumstances it can be useful to take lines between rafts to try to help prevent too muh fore-aft movement

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

First consideration is not to have short line too tight - or they snub. so brest warps should be fairly loose.

I think that springs will be the most important. These should be set from bow/stern and not from a midship cleat, as this induces the yacht to pivit around the midship cleat and the longer the line the better. They should be set up drum tight, ensuring that masts etc do not touch. I don't think that Nylon line is suitable for dock lines because it stretches to much.

Shore Lines - really do nothing much unless you can get a decent angle, and are there incase french boats leave in the night and of failure of other warps.

Fenders - plenty - if they squeak apply fairly liquid.

 

[kingfisher]

Re: Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

1. Moor bows to stern, or make sure that masts are not in line.

2. Spring lines should be very tight, so no back and forth movement between boats, which will ride out the fenders.

3. Mooring lines should have some slack, although snubbers are a far better option. You could even use a fender as a snubber: just lead the morring warp through both holes of the fender.

If you're sure you are the last boat on the raft, set an anchor out from the midships cleat, thus pulling apart the raft.

Group of people on the pontoon: skipper is the one with the toolbox.
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[jamesjermain]

Beware Fairey Liquid!

I tried this once on fenders which were not completley clean - not filthy, just grubby - and the dirt, loosened by the detergent, was ground into my topsides, never to be removed until repainted some years later.

JJ

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

I wondered about setting a midships anchor, but decided that in a crowded harbour it might not make me very popular. And with all the junk on the bottom of harbours, it might not come back aboard either.

 

[onenyala]

Re: Rafting up in a swell - what\'s right?

Clear out and anchor.
onenyala

 

[AndrewB]

Thanks guys, looks like I blew it.

Tight lines, all boats facing the same way, AND fairy liquid. Never even thought of laying out an anchor, which might have been quite good in the circumstances.

Onenyala - anchoring off is of course the answer in your sheltered natural harbour in the Med or Caribbean. But don't bother in Ramsgate or Brighton!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Did you sleep?

So what was the result of you all snuggling up together?

 

[AndrewB]

Slept like a lamb!

Can't speak for the others though.