String and things

tidclacy

tidclacy

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 Mar 2007
Messages
968
Location
East Coast
Visit site
Went down to BYH yesterday to carry out work on my engine and check mooring ropes etc. I was astounded to see many boats so poorly tied up with bits of string and manky old ropes.
Two had been blown on to the main pontoon and bows badly scraped. Two of us went aboard and sorted lines to relief the situation. Always feel a bit apprehensive about going aboard someoneelse's boat. Should we have spoken to the Harbour Master?
 
Good call by the OP to sort the lines out on someone's boat to avoid further damage. The question is do you do it in advance when you see a potential problem?

It's amazing how poorly some boats are left particularly when a forecast blow has been expected for a week in advance.

I spotted a 36 ft boat with mangy old 10mm braid on braid mooring lines,complete with the loose headsail sheets and bit already partially unfurled to get it started flapping.

The halyards were clattering already in 10 knots of breeze...
 
I wouldn't hesitate to revise any boat's mooring lines and fenders, whether from the pontoon or onboard, if it looked like damage was likely to occur. Same with loose sprayhood straps, etc. I'd hope people would do the same to mine if necessary. I know the marina guys walk around and check, but they can't be there every hour.
 
I would certainly go and check my mooring lines if a big one is forecast. There was a forecast NW 8-9 earlier this summer and I doubled up on the springs and breastropes to make sure she wouldn't surge around in the berth.
 
When I left my boat on Saturday I doubled up the mooring warps and was back last night to check them. Have to agree plenty of owners do not have a clue the power of wind alone can put on the mooring warps.

In the past I had a pair of oversize mooring lines chafe though on a fore and aft mooring, massive damage was the result and it took nearly 18 months to get it fully repaired. It was due to a poor design of the bow fitting and I doubt if any rope would have survived in those particular conditions of wind and wave. Several boats were sunk and a number of others were damaged beyond economic repair.
 
Always have a look at other peoples lines when wandering to and from the boat.
If there's someone around (HM), I'll let them know. Otherwise, I'll sort them out.
I would hope someone else would do the same for us.
 
Last edited:
A chap from Burnham came up river mid week, tied up on the visitors pontoon and went home. The boat was perfectly well moored and happy.
Yesterday (Friday) afternoon a couple of chaps from another boat decided that they should move the first boat...

Long story short.... snapped the bowsprit in two.
 
pvb said:
I wouldn't hesitate to revise any boat's mooring lines and fenders, whether from the pontoon or onboard, if it looked like damage was likely to occur. Same with loose sprayhood straps, etc. I'd hope people would do the same to mine if necessary. I know the marina guys walk around and check, but they can't be there every hour.
Click to expand...

I would not. I have always notified the marina office and they have seen to any problems promptly. Apart from it being their job, they are also trained and insured for the task.
I would not want a stranger aboard my boat adjusting my mooring lines. With the best of intentions he may recognise a potential problem but does he have the skill to correct the situation; and who is liable if it all goes wrong while he's adjusting lines in a gale?
I trust the marina staff as I know them but I have seen too many "boaty" types in marinas with no nautical sense at all.
 
Tomahawk said:
A chap from Burnham came up river mid week, tied up on the visitors pontoon and went home. The boat was perfectly well moored and happy.
Yesterday (Friday) afternoon a couple of chaps from another boat decided that they should move the first boat...

Long story short.... snapped the bowsprit in two.
Click to expand...

Why was somebody from Burnham leaving a boat on the Fambridge pontoon?

Seems to be becoming a more and more frequent occurrence
 
Tomahawk said:
He bought it up for the race on Saturday. Lucky for him he has a spare bowsprit...
Click to expand...

Happy he has a spare bowsprit but ...

He brought it upriver midweek for a race on Saturday eh?

And don't tell me, let me guess, he tied it on the inside of the pontoon I bet

Thus adding to the growing problem of unoccupied boats clogging up the pontoon for days on end

With the exception of boats with mechanical problems etc. in my not so humble and increasingly frustrated opinion unoccupied boats shouldn't be left on the pontoon for days on end

Two or three years ago, it was never a problem.

The reason for my frustration is that we pay a premium price for a swinging mooring at Fambridge, compared to other locations on the East Coast, and a key benefit that justifies that premium is access to the river pontoon for loading / unloading, water, power etc. and (for a modest additional daily fee) overnight mooring. I don't mind if it's fully occupied, as happened this year, by a club rally. That's just life. I don't mind if the inside berths (which provide significant shelter from the prevailing Sou'westerly's as you know) are full of occupied boats. That, too, is life. It does annoy me to be unable to get an inside berth, or on one occasion (until the lads had a boat shuffling session later in the day) unable to get a berth at all because of boats which have been left on the pontoon for days on end with nobody aboard
 
MoodySabre said:
The HM should have sorted before you did. Walking the pontoons, particularly after a big blow, is part their job surely.

Well done anyway.
Click to expand...

+1 on both counts.

In a properly run marina, it is standard practice for the staff to walk all pontoons checking lines and fenders every day of the year at around sunset. Equally, even if the harbour is not normally staffed overnight, when severe weather or a big tidal surge is forecast, they will lay on staff overnight (and not just one!) who will keep an eye on things and take remedial action where necessary. When choosing which marina you berth at, it's worth asking how they go about these things.

Still, in the absence of such action, well done Tidclacy, I'm glad you're not one of those frozen into inaction by fear of legal liability.

Peter
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top