Rafting Up

[PeterGibbs]

In all my years at sea I've only occasionally come across territorial sailors - mostly in UK, sadly. I rather resent on crowded days when the outer boat on a small raft lays out its rubber duck clearly with the intention of warding off further rafters. It's not on, and I make it plain. We area all entitled to sheltered mooring, and there are few exceptions.

More a problem is when the boat you lay alongside only has fore and aft toy cleats, and these are already loaded - makes springing tiresomely ineffectual. This takes some negotiating, but making fast on any other gear (with the possible exception of a winch) is unacceptable. Taking care with the run of lines not to damage others' topsides is part of the etiquette.

Always asking permission, and negotiating considerately eg when the inner boat would like you to move off etc is of the essence: so why do so many UK sailors just haul alongside, stiff the crew onto your topsides who roam about with odds and ends of lines
as though you were a piece of dock? I always get the attention of the skipper and impose order - in my own defence. This is especially true of in-lock situations.

When larger vessels, and some big MOBO's, or boats filled with gabbling upallnight kids (sometimes a problem in certain continental waters) try to make alongside when space is tight - I have to admit this is a pressure point for me. It does help to have the HM settle the score - I have never been imposed on, but there must come a point when it's better to retreat somewhere else than endure the unendurable!

Finally, lines ashore - part of the etiquette with inner boats, even when often a waste of time, I put out lines if that makes inner vessels feel more secure - everyone's entitled to feel their concerns are being addressed.

On the other hand, isn't it nice when the outer boat waves you alongside with a welcoming smile and takes the lines: makes you want to respect his gear and peace the more, I think! Worth trying.

That's just my view... of course.

PWG

 

[NealB]

I've always understood it to be either:
1. you raft up with permission or
2. The harbourmaster has told you to raft up.

In the latter case, no permission required. (Though I usually ask anyway).

Re lines only ashore? He's having you on!

In a busy harbour, with no other space available, I think it is totally reasonable to lie alongside another boat, even if the other owner is not there to give permission (assuming I use good seamanship).

I would then stay onboard, till the other owner returns, and make all reasonable enquires, before going ashore. On his/ her return, we can make arrangements about who is departing when etc, then share a tea, or something stronger, and a yarn.

Harbours are communal facilities...this 'first come, first served, and everyone else can bugger off' attitude stinks!

 

[asteven221]

What is all this business about cutting lines and the agressive tone to some of these posts here and the previous thread? Unbelievable (and somewhat depressing), really.

Couldn't agree more. We participate in boating for fun. Relax for goodnes sake. Who cares how boats are tied as long as it's safe and it's not going to damage anyones boat. It's really not rocket science and if someone isn't sure - show them nicely.

 

[snooks]

Joining a raft

• If there's someone on board I'll always ask if it's alright to come along side
• I'll hand them the shortest length of rope that we can comfortably moor up with (i.e. enough to get to the cleat, do a fig of 8 and still have a foot or two left over) or just tie bowlines in the end and ask them to drop them over their cleat if they are coming to help us in.
• I won't hand them a snake wedding and ask them to tie up our boat for us
• I'll use bow and stern springs, asking before boarding their boat if they are on deck.
• I'll only use a cleat to tie a rope onto, or ask if they are happy for me to use their winch.
• I'll never use their chainplates
• I'll put on shore lines (if possible), if there isn't a cleat visible I'll run a rope between two cleats and use that.
• If they offer to help pass shore lines across, I'll warn them that they smell of diesel and we are happy to do it ourselves, fortunately these rope they only see the light of day when I need a shore line
  
• I'll usually use all 4 cleats and/or winches on my boat so I can adjust each line independently from on board, and it stops anyone OXXXXXXXOXXOing their ropes on my cleats

When I cross I'll walk on the side of my feet so I'm not landing flat footed on a deck, I'll lower my weight down slowly and I won't twang the rigging, I'll cross as far forward as possible, and never step on a hatch.

Accepting a yacht

• I help accept lines, move fenders etc
• If anyone hand me a bundle of 200ft rope I'll make the end off with a bowline and politely suggest they take in the slack
• If I catch my girlfriend having to pull too hard or being told to adjust ropes by someone else for them, I'll take over from her and ask her to check on the oven. Then I'll make off the end and politely ask them to take their slack on board. I use having undersized cleats as a good reason - they are not, but it makes the neighbour think
• Once all tied up, and I'm happy with their lines, I'll have a chat
• I'll take my jib sheets to the bow cleats leaving the foredeck free from obstructions

 

[curve]

Couldn't agree more. We participate in boating for fun. Relax for goodnes sake. Who cares how boats are tied as long as it's safe and it's not going to damage anyones boat. It's really not rocket science and if someone isn't sure - show them nicely.

Well said. I couldn't agree more. A lot of fuss is being made over something quite simple. It does not need to be some sort of regimental process whereby the raftee is admonished for some misdemeanour. You raft, you slip, you sail.

 

[jonjo]

I'll take my jib sheets to the bow cleats leaving the foredeck free from obstructions

That's a good one, I will consider it in future but no promises.

 

[snooks]

That's a good one, I will consider it in future but no promises.

Only thing I would add is make sure you keep them out near the toe rail and not across the middle of the deck

Unless you don't like your neighbours of course

 

[jonjo]

I suspect the territorial "cut your lines" git in the other thread is a theoretical sailor. Reading his other posts he is rebuilding an old 8hp engine.

Rafting can be a convivial rewarding element during cruising, one of the best days on my Brittany 2009 cruise was an evening invitation to join a French family in their saloon. This invite would not have happened if it were not for rafting.

Over the past 5 seasons rafting has only driven me to consider murder on one occasion but the two crews were on chatting terms the next day.

About shore lines...

This is where I think our Brit mooring convention is a bit screwy, the Dutch think so too. Last year while gale bound in Weymouth my dutch raft neighbours poked a bit of fun at the Brit obsession with shore lines.

The Dutch neighbours claimed that in the Netherlands every 3rd boat in a raft puts out shore lines, which seems more sensible to me. If I was a harbour master I think I would try to establish an every 2nd boat convention.

Where Harbour Masters often fail is in organizing inter-raft bracing when a serious blow is expected.

 

[Fire99]

I did one of my sailing courses on the Solent and funnily enough we 'Rafted' at Yarmouth and at Cowes.

My understanding was that if vacant spaces weren't available then rafting was perfectly acceptable.
It all seemed common sense to me. You are entitled to raft but be polite and courteous to the boat you are rafting to and obviously only attach lines to places where lines should go.

The worst we got was the odd owner who would tell us they were leaving extremely early in the morning. (which I was told was a bit of a fib to deter us from rafting.)

Saying that we were a boat of 6 Firemen so it was unlikely too many people would get too snotty with us.

Saying that, on one occasion, when we picked up a swing mooring for a short time, an old fellow took it upon himself to get in his tender, row over to us (eventually) and start telling us in as many words as possible how wrong it was the way we picked up the swing mooring.

 

[snooks]

The worst we got was the odd owner who would tell us they were leaving extremely early in the morning. (which I was told was a bit of a fib to deter us from rafting.)

I'll always say "All right we'll be up at 0500 hour to cast you off, and if we don't see you at 0510 we'll give you a knock "

 

[Fire99]

I'll always say "All right we'll be up at 0500 hour to cast you off, and if we don't see you at 0510 we'll give you a knock "

Good Call.

I'm sure a few people's faces would of turned a touch on hearing that!!

 

[Skysail]

If you can't see a shore cleat directly, a 'barber hauler' arrangement can divert your shore line to avoid other boats.

Last time we pulled into Gosport the boat inside had to be up at 6 to leave for the East Coast. We duly cast off at 0600 and their engine would not start...

 

[snooks]

I've been casting off from a raft, I asked my girlfriend to haul in on the (singled up) bow while I cast off the singled up stern line. My intention was to go out backwards (into the wind) to port using the kick of my prop to keep the stern clear and avoid the wider raft in front. I'd put all our fenders forward to swing our bows together

French bloke we're attached to has different ideas and comes up on deck when he can see we're leaving.

As my better half is pulling the line in, matie tells his wife to cast her line off at the bow off, while he pulls in the slack I'd just let out at the stern, pulls us close where no fenders are and then pushes us forward into the raft in front. FFS Before I could shout "STOP you stup...." we were heading towards the raft in front assisted by the wind, only the outer boats dinghy stopped us rearranging his self steering.

I was jumping very tempted to re arrange the French blokes stanchions for him... Daft [insert suitable word here] very nearly damaged two boats, one of which was mine

 

[fireball]

Wot? Didn't you have your boat hook on deck? Surely you know that that is all you need for any berthing manouvers - every self respecting frenchman knows that!!

 

[sea]

Well i think if anybody was wondering about the details of rafting then this is the thread! After all of the above, i have rafted my yacht quite a few times, and everyone has been more than helpfull. Bearing in mind i am only 21 they instantly are looking for the "grown-ups".

A bit of humour always works a treat anyway, after all we all have somthing in common. We dont want to damage our boats, im especially keen on this as it also happens to be my home!

What is the "Spur-lash" on a boat?

Its the sound the anchor makes when you forget to tie it on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whHQaTYGAjg&feature=related

Happy Rafting!

 

[Sailfree]

I'll try and raft up bow to stern. Bit more private and helps to stop the rigs getting too close.

I thought this was a better way of doing it especially boats of similar length to avoid spreaders touching. I tried this in Yarmouth against a 45' Oyster (I am 43') and the owner implied it was completely wrong and could we please put our bows to the same end as his. We were rafting up and it was inside Yarmouth so I deferred to his wishes but providing boats are parallel does it matter if they point in alternate ways to avoid masts in close proximity?

I would add that the Oyster skipper was very experienced having done the ARC etc.

Interested in others opinions.

I would add that I have normally found rafting very friendly and at Gunwharf Quays when I did mention to one charter skipper about the black shoe deck marks from his stag weekend crew wearing inappropriate deck shoes he offered to clean up our deck to which I replied that would be nice as otherwise we have to when we returned the boat. He duly did clean the dirty marks off.

 

[snooks]

I'll moor into wind/tide which ever is stronger.

If I have a choice I'll moor the same way as the boat I'm mooring to, it's easier for my crew to make their way to the bows of a boat, make it fast then negotiate their way back to the cockpit to take the stern line. It's also good for the ease of the people crossing and privacy of the people being crossed. If everyone is out of the way up front, they don't end up zig zagging from one end of a boat to another and passing the cockpits of others on the way.

I'll stagger the masts if I have to, but most boats we've rafted against have been bigger than 32ft, so we have always had that option

 

[jellyellie]

...i have rafted my yacht quite a few times, and everyone has been more than helpfull. Bearing in mind i am only 21 they instantly are looking for the "grown-ups"...

I know how you feel! James and I (21 and 19) often feel like that when rafting/alongside in harbours - we get some funny looks as if they're thinking "oh, somebody's borrowed daddy's boat for the weekend" especially as Milestone has a pilothouse saloon; she doesn't look like the sort of boat two young'uns would go for. It makes us even more proud when they realise she is our home.

And as for rafting; I absolutely LOVE it. It's the best opportunity to meet new people, and you never know who you're going to have alongside you - for better or worse! I often choose rafting over other options, as it is just so sociable.

Finally, I have never felt so much anger against someone on these forums as I have felt towards the utter cretin who claims to cut people's lines. He has well and truely outcast himself from these forums and the sailing community; no wonder why he is too afraid to tell us his boat name (if he actually has a boat!).

 

[sea]

nice to hear there are some other young'ns out there. Yes i know the feeling about daddy's boat. I left home young so myself and my partner me 21 and Hannah 24 feel very proud of our home.

We have had some lovely evenings with our rafting neighbours, but i must say i do enjoy pulling up next to a nice new jenneau and seeing the look on the owners face, they are of course thinking i hope that kid isnt going to try to raft here.

Thats the thing with moving boats in marina's, you can always feel the eye's on you, but even more so when you are young!

 

[Elemental]

Harbours are communal facilities...this 'first come, first served, and everyone else can bugger off' attitude stinks!

I couldn't agree more.