Rafting up in Newtown?

[Seven Spades]

Apparently the buoys in Newtown are able to take two boats. In Salcombe or Dartmouth you just raft up and then attach your lines to the mooring. I have a suspicion that if I do this in Newtown the boat already attached won’t be thrilled and may have put the strop over his cleat instead of attaching lines to it. What should I do, there are only two buoys with sufficient room and depth, for me it would be perfect to come alongside because there is no chance that I can anchor at this time of year.

 

[Elessar]

I’ve only rafted to friends’ boats there so I’m commenting on logistics not etiquette.

One boat makes fast to the buoy, the other makes fast to that boat. Same as you do rafting at anchor.

As you say it’s not possible to attach the second boat to the buoy as you can in salcombe so I slung a loose lasoo over the buoy as a back up. Learn from my mistake and don’t do this!! It became a tangled mess that took ages to sort.

 

[johnalison]

I have often rafted on buoys, both with friends and with strangers. Salcombe and Braye are set up for this. With friends we have usually just come alongside and tied to them in the usual way. With strangers it is usual for both boats (or more) to have their own lines to the buoy. These lines have to be long enough for the boats to be parallel, and it is essential for the boats to be properly sprung. It is also essential that attention is given to the positions of the masts, so that entanglement can’t occur if there is a swell or wash.

There is a temptation to choose a similar boat if there is a choice of moorings. In practice, my experience is that it is far more comfortable for both boats if they are very different in size. In this case for the smaller boat it is like tying to a quayside, and for the larger the movement of the smaller boat is hardly noticeable. I have yet to find anyone who agrees with me on this point, but it worked very well for us in Braye.

 

[[2574]]

I have often rafted on buoys, both with friends and with strangers. Salcombe and Braye are set up for this. With friends we have usually just come alongside and tied to them in the usual way. With strangers it is usual for both boats (or more) to have their own lines to the buoy. These lines have to be long enough for the boats to be parallel, and it is essential for the boats to be properly sprung. It is also essential that attention is given to the positions of the masts, so that entanglement can’t occur if there is a swell or wash.

There is a temptation to choose a similar boat if there is a choice of moorings. In practice, my experience is that it is far more comfortable for both boats if they are very different in size. In this case for the smaller boat it is like tying to a quayside, and for the larger the movement of the smaller boat is hardly noticeable. I have yet to find anyone who agrees with me on this point, but it worked very well for us in Braye.

Interesting observation about size un-matching. Runs contrary to what most Harbour Masters will instruct but I completely understand your reasoning.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We find it best to match shapes. So it’s another multihull or a motor boat. They’re sometimes surprised to be chosen but soon realise why.

 

[johnalison]

We find it best to match shapes. So it’s another multihull or a motor boat. They’re sometimes surprised to be chosen but soon realise why.

The only boats I have had trouble with have been traditional Dutch craft with leeboards, and the older generation of Legends which are shaped like some motor boats, with flared topsides and a metal rubbing-strake the pushes fenders away.

 

[DJE]

Apparently the buoys in Newtown are able to take two boats. In Salcombe or Dartmouth you just raft up and then attach your lines to the mooring. I have a suspicion that if I do this in Newtown the boat already attached won’t be thrilled and may have put the strop over his cleat instead of attaching lines to it. What should I do, there are only two buoys with sufficient room and depth, for me it would be perfect to come alongside because there is no chance that I can anchor at this time of year.

The convention does seem to be rafting by invitation only in Newtown. You could always approach someone already moored, explain the problem and ask politely if you might share their buoy. You might be lucky - but then again it is the Solent! The channel is narrow (at least it is up near the jetty where I usually end up mooring) so I try to moor as close to the buoy as possible by bringing the strop over the bow roller and passing a rope through it on deck. This reduces the chances of the rudder going aground as we swing to the first of the flood. When rafting we each pass a line through a bow fairlead down to the buoy and try to arrange it so that the buoy is midway between the bows of the two boats.

But the bottom is soft and we've often been aground there for an hour or two at LW without coming to any harm. And conditions are often suitable for anchoring outside. Top tip for Newtown is to go when there's a bit of rain in the forecast - it keeps the crowds away.

 

[Poignard]

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That might be stretching it for a National Trust buoy.

 

[RobbieW]

View attachment 159465

iirc Doelan had that sort of arrangement outside

 

[Poignard]

It's Hoëdic.

 

[Pete7]

That might be stretching it for a National Trust buoy.

Not if money is involved. Last time we went there it was the same price as Yarmouth.

Seven Spades, suggest you anchor in the lagoon at Hurst or if its calm just outside the the entrance off the gravel bank. alternatively Black Gang Shine or the other IOW bay towards the Noodles.

Pete

 

[Dunx]

Last time we shared with friends in Newtown it was 2x fees. No incentive to double up so I’m sure it encourages people to just have one each.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

We like to share an anchor with friends. They have a motor boat 5 times heavier than us, we just raft on. Saves a bit of room for the rest of you.

 

[ashtead]

Not certain I’d be that happy to have a large mobo attaching to a buoy alongside me -if it was say a small westerly I might be happier but unlike Dartmouth I had always thought the idea of a mooring buoy was to have peace alone unless of course partying on some form of rally etc.