Single handing .... advice

Re: Alternative suggestion

Robin

I try to get alongside the long Q pontoon in chrbg if possible, even if it means rafting. At least they have decent cleats and none of those nasty little fingers. At the forum meet, they allocated us some pontoons which would have struggled to accommodate a 25 footer in comfort

Tom

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Re: Alternative suggestion

It's not that I'm overweight, just 6 inches too short (overall HEIGHT that is!). The 'new' Chanterayne pontoons are not springy enough for the displacement measurement method, sorry to dissappoint!

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Re: Alternative suggestion

What I tend to do on these shorties is reverse in and get a stern line on the cleat. Also easier to get on and off the boat thrhough the sugar scoop.

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Re: Alternative suggestion

It least 3 of the boats on the meet (all 32' plus) were moored on Q - and 2 of those arrived single handed. However that probably counts as the most difficult single-handed berthing manoeuvre I have attempted!

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Re: Alternative suggestion

We have used that pontoon too when it has been quiet but rafting up is a pain if you need to leave early, so we usually go on the finger side of the same pontoon or on the next one over. I'm not sure but I think these fingers are slightly longer than those on the other visitors ones, but we get in OK using the centre cleat as the effective stern one. The second outer bow line then holds the boat parallel to the finger. The pontoons over by the Capitanerie (one without and one with small fingers) are really tight, especially if boats are rafted, plus there is the 'Promenade en Mer' tripper boat to allow space for.

We have never failed to find a space somewhere though have come pretty close on Bank Hols! In the old marina days boats would nudge their bows in between two on the fingers, get in as far as possible and tie off there!

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Re: Alternative suggestion

Yes though not always as easy if the marina is crowded and there is some wind about, especially if trying to be bows into the wind. We didn't have any problem with our old 33ft boat since the centre cleat was far enough forward to use for a spring, albeit a short one, but now we have another 8ft stuck out and the centre cleat lies outside of the finger. Also our old boat was centre cockpit so we were maybe only 24ft or so back from the bow, now we are 38ft or so from the bit that hits first!

We did reverse into our home berth when we first got this boat but a slight miscalculation of the crosswind versus the cross tide (and a not requested push from a shore 'helper') conspired to knock a chunk out of the corner of the transom so now we go bows in on one spring line, this works in all conditions. Amazing how the transom managed to miss all the fixed fenders on the pontoon and get through a gap!

I just read the preview of this and it sounds like we always have a problem which we don't, despite being 41ft with just 2 on board it is not that difficult at all as long as there is space to make the turn (no bowthruster, so far haven't felt the need for one either). One thing we haven't yet tried is reversing in using the single centre cleat spring line method, have you and if so does it still work?

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Re: Alternative suggestion

Never tried reversing in with a line on a centre centre cleat .. dont think I'd try revering in with a strong off pontoon wind though! Would just reverse in, drop pontoon stern line on cleat and put engine slightly forward and sort out other lines. Mind you my boats smaller than yours and it handles really well in reverse (as long as you know it kicks hard to port!!!)

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Re: Alternative suggestion

Ours handles well astern too but we have to make a tightish turn into a not too wide space. The prevailing SW wind is straight up/down the berth but it rarely is that these days, and the real killer is the tide which runs across the end of the berth yet is non-existent within the fingers themselves, so you end up with the first bit in going nowhere on the tide whilst the other end is still moving sideways! We have a neighbour with a Jeanneau 43 DS who reverses in easily BUT he has a bow thruster and a bigger gap to aim for. I could see we could use the sternline/engine to hold us once in, but the real difficulty is in reversing all the way in and staying straight whilst the line goes on!

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