Springs....and things.....

[Robin]

Agree too. We often have to treat the centre cleat line as the 'stern' line and attach this and the bow line to the same end of finger cleat/ring. Most French fingers are too short to use the centre cleat spring line. Otherwise (and in our home berth) the centre cleat spring is our preferred method.

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[john_morris_uk]

Hmm, I seem to have started something...

Yes I agree midships spring doesn't always work best on every boat. On a mobo and some others, a short stern line from the quarter and slow ahead on the inboard engine sometimes works better. One some raggies, it needs to be a spring from the bow etc etc.

Regarding long keels with a mind of their own. I once spent some time skippering a 40 plus foot semi long keel schooner which walked either way - depending on which way it started moving, or which way the water was flowing past the keel or something. It usually went to port in astern, but sometimes would move to starboard - and at first seemed to have a completely unpredictable mind of its own. In the end the trick was to start the movement with the helm whilst you still had forward motion on and it would (usually walk that way) when put in astern.

Anyway, I agree, boats are usually predictable - even if its only what you can and can't do with them.




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[robp]

Re: What it needs is..

An EC directive for a sign; Put... er, somewhere - "Vehiculo Longo Keelo". Yes and a nice bleeping noise as you go astern. Or even a nice speaker system; "this vessel is reversing, this v..." I'll suggest it to MEP Ashley Mote.

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[Evadne]

Re: What it needs is..

"This vessel is reversing"....
...if only. Forwards and sideways only I'm afraid.

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[DeeGee]

And don't we know how to use springs??

I have a 60m warp, especially for forcing my boat to go the way it doesn't want to when the wind is blowing from the entrance. D'you recognize this scene??

<hr width=100% size=1>Black Sugar - the sweetest of all

 

[Chris_Rayner]

Coo! I discovered this technique by accident when coming in to a down wind and down tide berth at Buckler's hard last weekend. I thought the engine was in neutral, but it wasn't. The boat just stuck there on the pontoon with the bow rope and stern spring. It wasn't until I'd got back in the cockpit that I realised the motor was holding it there. Next time I'll pretend I meant to do it.

Chris Rayner

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[Doug_Stormforce]

I agree, my own policy is never to pass lines to those on the pontoon. Your own crew will have been briefed exactly what is required from them. So often helpful strangers take a bow line back to a cleat rather than forwards to one, therfore creating a very effective spring line that pivots your stern out.

<hr width=100% size=1>RYA Courses in the Solent at http://www.stormforce.biz

 

[rebel_ajc]

I was aboard the Hallberg Rassy you've been criticising and I've never heard such ill-mannered, pompous nonsense in my life.

We came into the berth behind you in fair weather with only a little tide running, and two crew jumped ashore with brest lines. There was less than a boat length for us to moor up in but we tied up and then attached springs as any normal boat would. As you know full well but failed to make clear in your post, we didn't touch your boat - or any other - at any stage. Nor did we crash into the pontoon or any other object.

Perhaps you would like to make this clear by posting a clarification and apology?




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