Rafting

lisilou said:
So I guess you're the 'impressive forumite' with a dislike of bow thrusters :). Now that WOULD be cool to do. Out of interest, did anyone complain??
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It was quite funny really. Me and long John had been at the Pandora inn Falmouth, for quite a time. When they eventually started to serve food, John queued for ages. But then had to come back because they had not got what we were ordering.

So we said stuff it, we're off.

Undoing my ropes, I said to a perplexed looking Long John.

Catch them as the come round!!

Well there was a boat jutting out in front and one behind. So the only way out was side ways.

Think I had three or maybe four boats alongside.

So, full of Dutch courage, MF gave one of her little snorts and out we came.

About half way round the turn, I started getting nervous.:eek:

I thort, you had better get this one right, or there will be hell to pay.:o

So I took it real gentle, so as not to damage the boats, or upset the owners, more importantly.:eek:

The boats went round beautifully and slotted into the little gap. Not only that, they stayed glued to the pontoon like magic.:)

Just then a bloke comes clambering over the boats, shouting. Where have you come from!!:eek:

Being rather vague, I said Plymouth. Waiting for the blow over my head!!

He said, well how the hell did you learn to do that then.:D

I could have told him, I've done it umpteen times, but only when requested.

Mean while Long John had untied us, thinking we had better scarper quickly.:D
 
Never done it, never will. Have booked into marinas and been told got to raft so left.

Why?
At Brighton once watched a boat try to raft they hit the boat about 4 times before getting attached, but the boat they hit was in front of the one they were rafting to.

At cowes saw someone fall in trying to take their boat out as it was on the inside.

Hasler visitors pontoon saw someone damage 2 boats rafting up.

I also think it's so unfair that someone attaches to a boat and get damage so a Marina can earn more money, 30% should go to the boat being rafted to.
 
So whats the difference, in a marina or any where else. You can still hit the boat next door or anyone else.

It's far easier to raft than fit in a finger pontoon anyway and far more fun.

I got my davits bashed up in the boring marina and loads of folk have fallen it.

But I'll agree. There is nothing worse than idiots rafting up to you.



SolentPhill said:
Never done it, never will. Have booked into marinas and been told got to raft so left.

Why?
At Brighton once watched a boat try to raft they hit the boat about 4 times before getting attached, but the boat they hit was in front of the one they were rafting to.

At cowes saw someone fall in trying to take their boat out as it was on the inside.

Hasler visitors pontoon saw someone damage 2 boats rafting up.

I also think it's so unfair that someone attaches to a boat and get damage so a Marina can earn more money, 30% should go to the boat being rafted to.
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Approaching another boat to raft to, I'll aim for about 1ft off, and use lines to pull us in the last foot. That way, less stress for raftee.

In 12 years of boating, we have only taken damage once on a raft: rammed by an incompetent yottie who lost control. Fibreglass man sorted it out. But on balance, the people we have met rafted up have more than made up for the occasional idiot. Also, if they have similar aged kids on board, some kid-swapping can take the pressure off for a bit.
 
FlowerPower said:
Approaching another boat to raft to, I'll aim for about 1ft off, and use lines to pull us in the last foot. That way, less stress for raftee..
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This is a good point. Why do peops think they have to get within 1 inch with a 10 ton lump. As you say a foot or even two is quite near enough on engines and thrust - then just pull in with lines nice and gently with lots of fenders and with crew and you in attendance at the contact points. TBH we avoid if poss, but it can be fun. Never tried to get out from the inside before so we have that experience to come. We were caught out once though with not have long enough lines to get a shore on and had to borrow some in exchange for some beer!

Who rafts up on buoys or whilst at Anchor? If so what methods do you use - same as pontoons for boat to boat ok, but what about primary lines?
 
lisilou said:
Is it just me or does anyone else tend to avoid places where rafting up looks likely. Never rafted and avoid it like the plague coz it makes me nervous and looks a bit complex to me (which ropes to tie where etc). Its a shame as there are places we'd like to go but don't because of the rafting situation. Have pictures of us getting stuck in the middle of other boats and having to wait for their return and worse, being cast adrift by someone not sure of what theyre doing or casting someone adrift because WE get it wrong!!

Lisa
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Don't worry Lisa you'll be fine. We'd never rafted up before and had always kind of avoided it until we went to St Peter Port and knew we'd have no choice.

Really helped that as we apprached gingerly we just let the people know that we were newbies to rafting and the raftees couldn't have been more helpful in making sure lines were held and tips and advice were proffered that it much easier than trying to bravely do it ourselves. We also had a useful chat about exit strategy the following day that made that painless too.

Nice thing about boating seems that there are always folk willing to offer help when we ask for a bit of advice when we're trying something new
 
I wont get to within an inch. I'll hold my boat very gently to yours. On engines. Fenders will be three, mostly, We will touch (only fenders) as we gentlly moor up.

On a buoy it's roughly the same method. Except you try to get a line to the buoy. The HM will mostly help. Or you might need the dinghy. Either way it's not a problem.


Ripster said:
This is a good point. Why do peops think they have to get within 1 inch with a 10 ton lump. As you say a foot or even two is quite near enough on engines and thrust - then just pull in with lines nice and gently with lots of fenders and with crew and you in attendance at the contact points. TBH we avoid if poss, but it can be fun. Never tried to get out from the inside before so we have that experience to come. We were caught out once though with not have long enough lines to get a shore on and had to borrow some in exchange for some beer!

Who rafts up on buoys or whilst at Anchor? If so what methods do you use - same as pontoons for boat to boat ok, but what about primary lines?
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Ripster said:
Who rafts up on buoys or whilst at Anchor? If so what methods do you use - same as pontoons for boat to boat ok, but what about primary lines?
Click to expand...

On anchor, the second and subsequent boat/s go upwind (or tide) 4 times the depth and drop the hook.Then gently motor back , copious fenders and boat hooks until sterns are level. If you don't do this , it is difficult for kids or unsteady crew (:rolleyes:) to swap boats.We use stern to stern and mid -ship cleat to mid ship cleat with a big ball fender near where the bows come together.If there isn't room to drop the anchor this way (the wind or tide has shifted the original lie) , take the anchor out by tender . We find if the tender only has a small engine, you are best dropping both the anchor and chain in the tender and feeding the chain out as you go.Small outboards lack the oomph to pull the chain direct from the windlass IME.
You can just get away with one anchor if it is well set and the joiners are smaller but , obviously, keep an ear and eye out for the anchor dragging.
What looks very weird is a pontoon of 6 or 7 boates changing position en masse.
Some friends pontooned up recently had an idiot go past so quickly and closely that some of their fenders burst but, as others have said about rafting to moorings , it is part of the boating experience
Regards
Rob
 
Wine and rafting

I will usually leave a bottle of wine/note in the cockpit if I raft to a boat with no one on board, I started doing this after a few French boats did the same in Northern Spain when I was not on board.

You don't need especially long ropes just join two or three together.
 
Neil_Y said:
I will usually leave a bottle of wine/note in the cockpit if I raft to a boat with no one on board, I started doing this after a few French boats did the same in Northern Spain when I was not on board.

You don't need especially long ropes just join two or three together.
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Now that seems a good and very civilised idea and for anybody ever rafting up to me....a nice bottle merlot or shiraz please ;).
 
If you're on the inside of 3 or 4 boats does that mean they all owe you a bottle? Wow!

Rafted onto a dormant boat in Teignmouth as I type this and worth mentioning to those worried about the process or getting ashore that you could of course use your dinghy. In this instance it's a mid river pontoon so no real disadvantage to be rafted up. You were going to be using a dinghy anyway to get ashore from the back of the boat.

As for someone mentioning not using engines all the way when rafting I'm actually the other way. I use engines to ensure a nice gentle landing. A touch of engine or bow thruster to soften the meeting to a featherlight kiss has always been my preference. I've seen plenty of cock ups over the years, particularly in Yarmouth for some reason, so I think the trick is to practice coming along side on an inanimate object such as the pontoon rather than using someone's pride and joy.

Henry :)
 
Ah rafting, one of life's little pleasures

I can recommend a bungee anchor buddy fro anchoring off the beach like the following examples. One bungee per three boats seems to work.

Basically two boats anchor off with the bungees then run a shore line so that the boats can be pulled in to the beach by hand. The other boats raft alongside.

Anchor Buddy link

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Never rafted. Problem is, do I want people tramping over my nice clean teak decks? Not really. But I am an anti-social old git. And also with rather limited mobilty I would find it difficult to walk over a number of strange (different) boats.
 
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