Sailed onto the mooring, did I get my rig right ?

[simonfraser]

O/B failed, see other thread, so no choice.

I sailed onto the mooring, 10knots true, wind direction 30 degrees off the mooring, tide just falling, tender tied onto mooring, ideal conditions.

But, I am on my own, ligh weight trimaran, 7x6m.

So, I reefed it down for 30 knots true, crawled up to mooring at 5 knots.

Nudged into the painter, sprinted to the bow and picked up the strop.

But, she drifted back very quickly.
On the o/b I would have had much more time, also no drag from the rig.

So, would I have been better off with more sail area / drag ???

Can't figure that one out ......

 

[lw395]

More drag and you would have dropped back from the mooring even quicker.

On a monohull, when picking up the mooring gets awkward singlehanded, I would run a line from the bow outside everything and pick up the mooring from alongside the cockpit. I don't see that working in a tri unless you can sail over the buoy or something!

I don't see an elegant solution.

 

[BAtoo]

Did you get sorted on the first go & with no damage??

If so then it was a successful moor....

Bit like an aircraft landing you walk away from......

(But to me 5kts is not crawling up to a mooring......)

 

[mikeinkwazi]

O/B failed, see other thread, so no choice.

I sailed onto the mooring, 10knots true, wind direction 30 degrees off the mooring, tide just falling, tender tied onto mooring, ideal conditions.

But, I am on my own, ligh weight trimaran, 7x6m.

So, I reefed it down for 30 knots true, crawled up to mooring at 5 knots.

Nudged into the painter, sprinted to the bow and picked up the strop.

But, she drifted back very quickly.
On the o/b I would have had much more time, also no drag from the rig.

So, would I have been better off with more sail area / drag ???


Can't figure that one out ......

I have had three timarans over the past 20 yearsand always did a no-motor pick up from the lea side, midships. Sail up on a reach with what canvas you are comfortable with, turn to wind at the last moment and drift onto the mooring. You can do this hove-to or sails flapping, I did both and they both worked!

 

[gull1066]

I also had a similar experience when mu o/b failed. I wasn't on my own I had my wife with me and she steered and I picked the bouy up.
Wasn't the best mooring atempt but as the other guy said if there was no damage then it was a success.

I now don't leave without a rope running from the bow to the stern and always secure to the mooring with that then go forward and sort things out.

 

[Bav34]

Provided you can easily dump the main sheet, the idea is to roll away the jib ... it gets in the way ... let the main out totally and just grab a handful of sheet, pulling and easing to adjust speed.

Sail on a reach and head up as appropriate.

Managed that on a Sigma 36 for my YM MOB drill.

 

[boguing]

Here is my suggestion for both of your problems.

Mooring under sail.

You don't say what your tender is, but assuming that it is moderately durable... Have some sort of grapple ready at the bow. Sail up to it and sprint to bow, drop grapple into dinghy. Sort yourself out (sails down) and get into dinghy with your mooring line. If it's a solid one, you could even sail up to it and have the grapple led back to the cockpit and drop it as you control your collision with it.

Leaving it.

Line made fast to the main hull stern, out to the useful outer bow. Run it across to the mooring eye on your foredeck and back to the cockpit. Drop the eye from main bow and take up tension on the rigged line. Boat is now lying at a useful angle to the breeze. Roll out jib and sheet in - not completely - just until it is powered nicely. Let go one end of the rigged line. I'd do it with the board up but ready to go down, unless the tide is from behind, in which case it will help.

 

[Lakesailor]

Goodness.
Sail across the the stern of the tender. Luff up into the wind. Roll up your headsail (you do have a roller headsail?) let go the main entirely. Go to the bow and pick up the buoy or the tender's painter ( I expect Will will suggest this ). What's difficult?

 

[William_H]

Sailing onto a mooring

One trick is to always give yourself a long painter on the dinghy from buoy to dinghy. This gives you a bigger target to hook the rope. I always sail onto and off my swing mooring but confess I have never done it single handed.
It is always easier to arrive on a reach without jib.
Always allow that you may have to go around and try again.
Not falling off is your greatest priority. Consider wearing a harness and long tether. Long tether is not normally suggested but will allow you to get to the bow easily. If you fall off you will be dragged behind the boat hopefully not too fast and hopefully you can get back on board. good luck olewill

 

[onesea]

Not certain how it works with cats, but with mono hull's I use the main to my advantage.

You can scantalize the sail lift boom release kicker to remove drive, you can also leave kicker on to help provide a little drive. Or even main sheet not fully slack, this can help maintain heading (like basic hove 2) and a little drive to counteract the drag?

Personally if given the opportunity I "play" with the boats handling under power and sail to see what she does.

So much so the local boatmen no longer offer to help with my lines, unless its a really tight fit. They know I would rather look like an idiot and make 5 attempts with no damage to get it right....

 

[Tomahawk]

....

So much so the local boatmen no longer offer to help with my lines, unless its a really tight fit. They know I would rather look like an idiot and make 5 attempts with no damage to get it right....

I have far more respect for someone who realises their approach is not right and goes around for another attempt than someone who carries in and tries to fix it at the last second with much pulling of lines and panic!!

 

[simonfraser]

Goodness.
Sail across the the stern of the tender. Luff up into the wind. Roll up your headsail (you do have a roller headsail?) let go the main entirely. Go to the bow and pick up the buoy or the tender's painter. What's difficult?

Nothing difficult, it just would take too long too roll up the genoa, let go off the main completely, traveller is an 6:1, main 9:1
I'd be way off the painter by the time I'd done that.

I'll try the tight reach on the main only option, no chance heading off downwind with the main only.

I like the grapple option, not sure about buying a new Avon every weekend though


For leaving the mooring I should have thought of / remembered to tie down the stern.