Short finger pontoons: a curse on them!

N

Neil

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 Apr 2004
Messages
7,518
Location
Ireland
Visit site
My summer pontoon is very short. My usual singlehanded mooring technique is to form a loop at a centre cleat, throw the loop over the pontoon cleat and haul myself pontoon-wards from the cockpit. However, with a fresh wind blowing away from the pontoon, it catches the bows and the boat just rotates around the end of the short pontoon, which is inconvenient and indicative to casual observers of ineptitude.

I have used a long line from the bows so that I can smartly leave the cockpit, step onto the pontoon and make fast, but it can be a bit frantic. Any tips for a more dignified procedure?
 
You seem to be able to drop a 'loop over the pontoon cleat' from the centre cleat, and I'm assuming that the tail of that leads back along the deck to you in the cockpit, where you are able to heave/winch it in as required.

If that is so, could you not ALSO run a similar BOW loop via the bow cleat, with the tail run back along the deck to a winch/cleat on t'other side of the cockpit AND arrange to drop both loops over the pontoon cleat simultaneously.....?

Hauling in hard on the BOW spring, securing it, then going ahead on engine tickover, with the helm over so as to tuck your stern in, will see you held in position against the pontoon - and not going forward. You can then arrange other mooring lines at your convenience.
 
You should see the finger pontoons at the otherwise lovely Emsworth Marina !

Half the length of any boat, and about 16" wide; so wobbly that unless there's a boat already tied the other side, it's truly like playing ' It's a Knockout ' trying to step off the boat before a crash landing - the berths are rather tight too.

Just to prevent spoilsports with boathooks or midships lines ready, these finger pontoons have small rings on the outer end, not hookable or loopable cleats...:)
 
oldbilbo said:
You seem to be able to drop a 'loop over the pontoon cleat' from the centre cleat, and I'm assuming that the tail of that leads back along the deck to you in the cockpit, where you are able to heave/winch it in as required.
Click to expand...

Exactly!

oldbilbo said:
If that is so, could you not ALSO run a similar BOW loop via the bow cleat, with the tail run back along the deck to a winch/cleat on t'other side of the cockpit AND arrange to drop both loops over the pontoon cleat simultaneously.....?

Hauling in hard on the BOW spring, securing it, then going ahead on engine tickover, with the helm over so as to tuck your stern in, will see you held in position against the pontoon - and not going forward. You can then arrange other mooring lines at your convenience.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea........I'd need a very long mooring line, though, best part of three boat-lengths. I'll try it!
 
Seajet said:
Just to prevent spoilsports with boathooks or midships lines ready, these finger pontoons have small rings on the outer end, not hookable or loopable cleats...:)
Click to expand...

That's just mean! :( How do they manage in a strong wind blowing away from the pontoon?
 
If there is enough length to the pontoon then leave the engine in tickover forward once you have lassoed the cleat. However it sounds as though you may not. If you can move the line you are using a bit more forward you might have a bit more space to allow for some forward thrust, and you will get to a more neutral place on the hull where it will not want to twist, giving you more time. Perhaps a line from the bow with a block, and allow you midships line to pass through it, if there is nowhere other suitable on deck to attach?
 
Pye_End said:
If there is enough length to the pontoon then leave the engine in tickover forward once you have lassoed the cleat. However it sounds as though you may not. If you can move the line you are using a bit more forward you might have a bit more space to allow for some forward thrust, and you will get to a more neutral place on the hull where it will not want to twist, giving you more time. Perhaps a line from the bow with a block, and allow you midships line to pass through it, if there is nowhere other suitable on deck to attach?
Click to expand...

So if I had a line from the bow and fastened somewhere amidships, I could pass this line through the loop from the centre cleat, so that when I loop the pontoon cleat, the bow is effectively pinned by the same loop?
 
Neil said:
That's just mean! :( How do they manage in a strong wind blowing away from the pontoon?
Click to expand...

Well, the berths are narrow so going diagonal across to the next one doesn't really matter and it can all be sorted out, unless the neighbouring boat is home ( 2 boats between each pair of fingers ) in which case one fends off that...
 
If it is your home berth, then have lines made up to length permanently attached to the finger. There really is no need to jump off. The key line is a spring from the end of the finger to the midship cleat, which you pick up, hook on the cleat, leave ticking over in forward with the bows pointed into the finger while you pick up your bow and stern lines. I berth my 37' using this method on my own. Because of the freeboard I have the lines looped on a pole at the end of the finger, but with my 26' and lower freeboard can pick the lines up from the finger. Clearly you need to place your lines carefully when you leave rather than just chuck them on the finger.
 
I've thought about using a big bow fender and just ticking over against it on pontoon in that situation. Interested if anyone does that
 
To some extent, but I think you will need to fix the lines together using either a block or something like a bowline on the bight. The suggestion really was to try and move the midships line forward which should give you more time.

However, I wrote this before oldbilbo, and his suggestion of getting a bow spring on as well as the current midships line should give you more control and so long as you can get both loops over the cleat without mishap is probably easier.

One other comment - if you have another boat moored on the downwind side on the next finger pontoon and it is really howling, it is sometimes easier to moor up to that one first and then get all lines sorted, and heave back to your berth. Although more complicated, it stops any chance of scratching anyone.
 
Sort of repeating what has already been said, but I was recently advised by a very experienced skipper who sails single handed as follows:
Make up a line with a LARGE bowline loop for hooking over the cleat at the end of the finger. The other should already be attached (by another bowline) to the centre cleat on the boat. The line should be the exact length to stop the boat hitting the pontoon, and should include a snubber to absorb the forward momentum.
As you pass the end finger cleat, pop the large bowline over it and let the boat pull itself gently alongside. Leave the engine ticking over in forward gear to keep the boat pinned to the finger whilst you disembark and make secure.
Now, I haven't tried it myself, but it seems like a good plan, and I will be making up said line - hopefully it will prevent the crew having to jump off with lines whilst not fully alongside.
Any thoughts?
 
nicho said:
Sort of repeating what has already been said, but I was recently advised by a very experienced skipper who sails single handed as follows:
Make up a line with a LARGE bowline loop for hooking over the cleat at the end of the finger. The other should already be attached (by another bowline) to the centre cleat on the boat. The line should be the exact length to stop the boat hitting the pontoon, and should include a snubber to absorb the forward momentum.
As you pass the end finger cleat, pop the large bowline over it and let the boat pull itself gently alongside. Leave the engine ticking over in forward gear to keep the boat pinned to the finger whilst you disembark and make secure.
Now, I haven't tried it myself, but it seems like a good plan, and I will be making up said line - hopefully it will prevent the crew having to jump off with lines whilst not fully alongside.
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

THats what I usually do,but on a very short pontoon the stern has a tendency to go round the pontoon cos the wash from the prop/rudder is pushing the stern against a non existent pontoon, but usually its manageable if one is quick enough with the bow line.

The times I've ended up in a fankle is usually when a well meaning helper on the pontoon pulls something too hard or puts it on the wrong cleat!
 
jimi said:
I've thought about using a big bow fender and just ticking over against it on pontoon in that situation. Interested if anyone does that
Click to expand...

I do that when leaving. I also have a pontoon fender for extra protection. All I do before leaving is let the bow rest against the pontoon.

I don't do it when coming in because the prevailing wind is on and in and I worry about being a bit fast and I have a big kick away from the pontoon when going on to reverse. I must practice that a bit because it would make life easier as getting to the stern cleat is difficult on the Legends because of the arch.
 
Tranona said:
If it is your home berth, then have lines made up to length permanently attached to the finger. There really is no need to jump off. The key line is a spring from the end of the finger to the midship cleat, which you pick up, hook on the cleat, leave ticking over in forward with the bows pointed into the finger while you pick up your bow and stern lines. I berth my 37' using this method on my own. Because of the freeboard I have the lines looped on a pole at the end of the finger, but with my 26' and lower freeboard can pick the lines up from the finger. Clearly you need to place your lines carefully when you leave rather than just chuck them on the finger.
Click to expand...

This would be spiffing except the narrow fingers are shared with the boat on the other side, and whoever gets there first would have to be decent and careful enough to leave the others' lines ready to take.

It is however well worth trying, but maybe not relying on the lines to be ready when approaching; due to the layout of the marina a sharp turn into the berths is required, one cannot observe the state of play until actually entering the slot.

The problem remains for visiting or first time occupiers and I would think the problem ought to be made clearer by the marina proprietors so as to warn people what to expect, part of the reason I have mentioned it here.

Emsworth Marina is an otherwise lovely spot, and attempts are being made to gradually fit wider finger pontoons, but it's a slow and expensive process for the owners, not least as I imagine it can only result in fewer berths.
 
Not a problem on home berths. You just carefully lay your lines on the finger then no reason for your neighbour to touch them. With my Bavaria I have them hanging on hook on a pole in the right order of forward spring, stern line and midships spring on top. Exact arrangement depends on where your cleats are. Big fender for the bow to rest against, although my berth is into the prevailing wind so more important to stop being blown back. Midships spring is just the right length for the bow to just touch the fender.

Of course going into a berth where you do not have permanent lines is not as easy, but the principle of getting a midship spring on first is still a valid approach.
 
Drop the line from the centre of your boat over the aft cleat on the pontoon and then mortar against it. Step off the boat with is not inner to the piton and make fast. Personally I find this technique ver difficult because I find id really hard to turn the boat so as to enable me to reach the cleat from the stern,but as you seem to have no problem dropping a line over the stern cleat then the only thing you need to do is keep the engine in forward. Stopping the engine will just let the line go slack and the boat to be at the mercy of the wind.
 
Last edited:
Tranona,

I have already described the finger pontoons at Emsworth, probably 14-16" wide and barely enough to walk on - even without the wobbliness - so there is every chance of disturbing any lines left laid out.

One would hope that once secure the first boat would lay the others' line out ready, but this cannot be taken for granted; I have seen people ' tidy other lines out of the way ' by wrapping them round and round cleats until there is nothing left !

The other point being that the fingers at Emsworth have no cleats, but small rings almost impossible to grab by boathook; a vistor could try boathooking any permanent line if available, but would have to lift it very quickly to hand or the boathook would just run along it until the bow hit the main pontoon - which may or may not have a fender.

I have berthed my own boat in Emsworth Marina for several past seasons, and this year crew a friends' boat there.

The other thing which should be made clear in coming alongside finger pontoons, ' normal ' ones with an outer cleat to grab or drop a line from amidships round, is that as well as the engine being left in very slow ahead gear, the helm should be secured to steer the stern into the finger pontoon; with this set up the boat should stay put until the fuel runs out, giving plenty of time to stroll around with berthing lines.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top