singlehanded alongside

[lotusman]

I can see possible benefit for single hander stepping ashore as a temporary expedient, but I'm not very keen on one line approach - if line from bow is made off to pontoon cleat first, tension on line from stern may make it difficult to free the pontoon cleat, especially if dreaded , possibly multiple, locking turns have been used...

Could be useful temporary method if pontoon crew is sufficiently well briefed to make line from bow and stern fast to pontoon separately, with loop between.

 

[MASH]

Anyone better it?

Might be able to improve it's use a little - clever device - like it!

Which ever method you use to attach a line between the centre cleat and a bollard near the stern the boat can be held firmly on the pontoon/dockside by putting the helm well/hard over away from the dock and leaving the engine in ahead idle. You may need a fender a bit further aft than usual but once the stern has tucked in a little and the tension is on the spring she'll sit there stuck to the dock like a limpet while you get on with other things. Confidence that the boat is going to stay put on one line takes a lot of pressure off the arrival.

You may need to experiment with how much helm your boat needs to sit tight and how best to lash or fix it there but it seems a remarkably effective technique. (Tiller pilot in manual mode works well)

 

[wrr]

I am always reluctant to step off and leave 7 tons of long keel boat on the other end of a warp! I run a line from the midships cleat to the sheet winch, with sufficient length in the bight to allow it to be dropped over a pontoon cleat. This prevents any accidental tangling with the propeller as there is no loose end trailing towards the stern. The winch is powerful enough to pull the boat alongside without leaving the cockpit.

 

[aussi]

… reminds me of a story my Dad told me where he witnessed a couple on a boat coming alongside, they both jumped off with bow and stern lines, but unfortunately the skipper's stern line snagged the throttle as he landed ashore.

 

[doug748]

That's exactly the genius idea I was looking for. Anyone better it?

Not sure that I can better it, but this is my arrangement:
View attachment 32470

Note the small stick for a small boat. I like the ski rope because it has some give, is easy to see and floats (most useful when used as a slip).

The gert snapshackle is for grabbing the end of French pontoons, so I have a two in one job. I use the winch method as outlined above.

I am not sure I can recommend it.

What normally happens is that I get somewhere near the pontoon, there is an ecstasy of fumbling and the boat starts to draw away. As the stern departs I decide to jump on the sidedeck and go ashore with two lines anyway.
If you could guarantee a long, stable pontoon with a traditional cleat on the end, it would tip the odds a good deal.

 

[Georgio]

Does anyone use the one line approach? A single line from bow to stern (long Loop), step off and adjust one side of loop as bow or stern line while the other side of the loop is a spring. Boat has to been done at slowest possible speed.

Great idea, I have always positioned the boat alongside and then jumped off with seperate bow and stern lines, having one long line may mean I do less running from front to rear of boat (on the pontoon), and also results in not having to worry about dropping the bow line while making the stern line secure.

I don't have a central cleat, maybe I'm weird but I don't really miss having one - maybe because I have never had one.

In the absence of a middle cleat for a temporary line ashore a friend suggested a line taken around the mast, not a bad idea as it would make it east to swap from one side of the boat to the other.

 

[NigelCraig]

Great idea, I have always positioned the boat alongside and then jumped off with seperate bow and stern lines, having one long line may mean I do less running from front to rear of boat (on the pontoon), and also results in not having to worry about dropping the bow line while making the stern line secure.

I don't have a central cleat, maybe I'm weird but I don't really miss having one - maybe because I have never had one.

In the absence of a middle cleat for a temporary line ashore a friend suggested a line taken around the mast, not a bad idea as it would make it east to swap from one side of the boat to the other.

You could also take the jib sheet out of the car and run a line from a cockpit winch through the car and lasso a pontoon cleat as you overrun using the winch to spring on.

Really useful thread - I like the idea of one long line from fore to aft then just take it round a pontoon cleat and voila - fore and aft springs but what do people do when confronted with a ring on the pontoon rather than a cleat?

 

[dharl]

I am novice not master and this might be thread drift perhaps, but I find it easier to stop the boat in clear water and then only build up just enough way to get me into where I want to be. I find it easier to add speed than to take it away, if you see what I mean.

Stopping outside the berth also gives me the chance to take stock of the true wind / tide, to run my eye over warps and fenders and to generally get my concentration on the job. Perhaps one day I will be able to do this stuff while on the move, but for now, this is how I cope with berthing.

I know that doesn’t answer the OP’s question. I don’t have a central cleat so haven’t tried the method under discussion.

well thats almost the way that we do it on the larger ships.......never done it singlehanded over 25ft so cant comment, but on over 25mts you have a few ABs standing by with mooring lines and you tell them and the shore gang where you want them to goto stop you.....

 

[chrisedwards]

Have your lines coiled and hooked on accessible pegs. Step ashore with one line and a good boathook. Make fast your one line and hook other lines as required. Works well in some situations but not in others.