Singlehanding on/off pontoons at Conwy

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JimC

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I've been allocated a mooring on one of the council-owned drying pontoons at Conwy. The boats are closely spaced with gaps of about four feet, and the tide runs very swiftly past the pontoons. I reckon I could ferry glide in or out but how to do it when single-handed as a I frequently am? I can't see how to control throttle & helm for ferry glide whilst casting off or attaching ropes.

Any suggestions?
 
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Not much of a problem at slack water but difficult to almost impossible on some tides singlehanded and, it depends just where your spot is as water flows through the pontoons and can either pull you in or push off, depending on the state of the tide. Most single handers enlist help from anyone around.

Suggest you talk to someone based there such as Colin on Tucan.
 
How well does your boat manoeuvre astern?

I know the pontoons you mean, but have never tried tying up there. I was just thinking, if you have a boat that is highly manoeuvrable astern, you could ferry glide in backwards against the tide, remaining at the helm the whole time, and drop a short stern line over a cleat, then winch it in.
 
You probably already know the tide rips through there at insane speeds on springs. You'll get good at it or keep Barry Lovell busy at TLC.
 
My boat manoeuvres quite well astern being a twin keeler with a spade rudder. The boats have to be moored with the bows pointing up-river. This means I could ferry glide in going astern when the tide was flowing but not ebbing. The pontoon cleats are forward and aft of my mooring position and the boats are very close to one another. I don't think I could get close enough to put a line on a suitable cleat when making my approach, not with confidence anyway - easy to visualise a horrible gnashing of pulpits & pushpits.

Thanks for your suggestion, I'll give it a try: initially ferry gliding to within a few yards of the pontoon and seeing how much control I have.

If no good I'll just have to limit myself to leaving and departing at HW slack as I mostly sail in the week when there aren't many people about on the pontoons.
 
JimC said:
I've been allocated a mooring on one of the council-owned drying pontoons at Conwy. The boats are closely spaced with gaps of about four feet, and the tide runs very swiftly past the pontoons. I reckon I could ferry glide in or out but how to do it when single-handed as a I frequently am? I can't see how to control throttle & helm for ferry glide whilst casting off or attaching ropes.

Any suggestions?
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If you can rig a short spring (ideally from midships) with a loop on the end, just ferry glide alongside and drop the loop over a cleat near the stern of the boat with the boat hook. Motor against the spring and putie the helm hard over as if you are steering away from the pontoon. You can balance things so that the boat will lie alongside while you walk away from the helm and you go and put the other lines on as appropriate. You might have to practice a bit to get the length of the short sprin and its loop the ideal length and make sure you get some fenders out as sometimes motoring ahead puts the bows in a bit until the forces balance themselves out and things settle down, but its a very easy way to come alongside under complete control.
 
john_morris_uk said:
If you can rig a short spring (ideally from midships) with a loop on the end, just ferry glide alongside and drop the loop over a cleat near the stern of the boat with the boat hook. Motor against the spring and putie the helm hard over as if you are steering away from the pontoon. You can balance things so that the boat will lie alongside while you walk away from the helm and you go and put the other lines on as appropriate. You might have to practice a bit to get the length of the short sprin and its loop the ideal length and make sure you get some fenders out as sometimes motoring ahead puts the bows in a bit until the forces balance themselves out and things settle down, but its a very easy way to come alongside under complete control.
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Thanks for that, I'll certainly give it a try.
 
The tide is your friend - stem it to control your speed and position as you come alongside.

Rig a line with a bowline in the end, running through a midships cleat (or around a stanchion if your boat is small), with the bitter end brought back onto the primary winch in the cockpit. Allow enough line to then bring the bowline back - outside of everything - and drop it over the winch.

As you come alongside, lean over and drop the bowline over a cleat ashore, then haul in the bitter end.

You're now firmly attached by the hip to the pontoon - allowing you plenty of time to step ashore and secure bow and stern lines (which you previously prepared and left coiled near the shrouds).

If your pontoon berth doesn't have a 'middle' cleat, then see if one can be bolted on (or do it yourself).

If you come onto another pontoon without sufficient cleats, then drop the bowline over the first (stern) cleat and motor gently ahead, lashing the tiller if you need to - this should hold you in position while you rig your main shore lines.

PS I wrote but didn't post this before being called away from my computer before lunch - I now see that John Morris (and Twister Ken) have since covered the main points - my advice is much the same. Its all easier than you think, and very liberating. Good luck.
 
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The problem with the spring from midships onto a cleat is that you've got a lot of forces involved - the tide is pushing you back hard, so your engine will need to be throttled up enough to stem the tide and then above that to push the boat forward against the spring. With variable back-eddies from under the pontoons and other boats, the situation could get out of control quite quickly in this situation.

Another option, if you're worried about the angle of approach to your berth to avoid boats forward and astern of you, and especially if you're worried about being pushed by the tide back into another boat, is to come alongside the boat downstream of you while heading up-tide, get a quick midships line around their stanchions (followed by a cleat if possible once you're attached). Then take your bowline ashore and up to your forward cleat. You can then release the midships line and haul the boat forward into your slot.
 
aussi said:
The problem with the spring from midships onto a cleat is that you've got a lot of forces involved - the tide is pushing you back hard, so your engine will need to be throttled up enough to stem the tide and then above that to push the boat forward against the spring. With variable back-eddies from under the pontoons and other boats, the situation could get out of control quite quickly in this situation.

Another option, if you're worried about the angle of approach to your berth to avoid boats forward and astern of you, and especially if you're worried about being pushed by the tide back into another boat, is to come alongside the boat downstream of you while heading up-tide, get a quick midships line around their stanchions (followed by a cleat if possible once you're attached). Then take your bowline ashore and up to your forward cleat. You can then release the midships line and haul the boat forward into your slot.
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Now why didn't I think of that (except I'd be hesitant about ripping their stanchions out - go for a cleat, or at least the shrouds)? I'd clear it with the neighbouring owners first though, if that's the way you're going to do it regularly.
 
aussi said:
Another option, if you're worried about the angle of approach to your berth to avoid boats forward and astern of you, and especially if you're worried about being pushed by the tide back into another boat, is to come alongside the boat downstream of you while heading up-tide, get a quick midships line around their stanchions (followed by a cleat if possible once you're attached). Then take your bowline ashore and up to your forward cleat. You can then release the midships line and haul the boat forward into your slot.
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Tide in estuary can run at up to 6 kts, particularly if there's been much rain up the valley and as soon as you pull the bow in a bit, it would pin the boats together. Only way to get into the short space is to ferry glide. Some single handers have tried leaving lines coiled on posts on the pontoons which they can grab, which can work with a centre cleat but, again, it depends on tide and wind at the time.

Having spent 14 years in Conwy, I would much rather single hand off a mooring.
 
Just thought of a girl I once crewed for in a Carter 30, who parked - somewhat insouciantly - in a very tight alongside berth on a Dutch town quay (no tide). She came in at about a 45º angle from well out and with a bit of speed. Put the tiller down to start the turn about a boat length out, and Circe* sort of skidded (leeway?) into the slot. A fistful of astern and she stopped it perfectly. I'd have never had the nerve to do it myself, but it worked impressively.
*Circe. The goddess that turned men into pigs.
 
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Good point. There's always the option of parking alongside another boat, mooring up properly with bow, stern and spring lines and having a cup of tea while you wait for the strongest flow to subside. Generally a good idea to check that their lines are capable of holding two boats against the strain - take a line to the pontoon if you're at all worried.

I like my mooring too Graham :-)
 
Seajet said:
What you have not made clear is that when approaching moorings you should approach in the direction all the other moored boats are lying into current / wind, which is a very rare luxury in narrow channels.
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and what does " . . . and mindful of the wind strength and direction and tide in a tideway." mean to you then?



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