swinging mooring fore and aft

[andy_wilson]

Eh?

"held broadside to winf and or current"

I don't think you will find a mooring layer or authority who will set the trots broadside to the current, otherwise the users of the water way will get a bit pi55ed when they find they can't get past the boats moored across the river etc.

More often than not, almost regardless of wind direction, you will find it tries it's best to follow the water course, particularly if it's a bit narrow, in which case it will probably be quite sheltered too, though I appreciate in a very wide river or lake you could be beam on to the wind.

 

[andy_wilson]

Not realy, you will probably find your boat coming into contact with another that is using the correct method.

There are a few techniques you can use to make fore and aft mooring easier. One is to tie a light line between your two mooring strops, with a pick-up buoy attached if you wish. Simply sail or motor alongside, lift the line and 'walk to one end with it (windward usually best), attach the strop, then walk back to the other end and do the same.

If they don't like or allow a connecting line, approach to windward is usually best, attach that end and hope you can reach the other end to complete. You may find it useful to have a mooring line at each end that is longer than strictly necessary, to allow you to drop fully back to the other in order to pick it up, before then adjusting each so you sit comfortably between the two buoys.

Remember that if you share buoys with your fore and aft neighbours, that you have the same responsibility to them as they have to you to ensure boats don't range back and forth and interfere with each other in difficult conditions. It is worth testing, once you are tied up for the first time or two at least, to see what happens at low water (or at least whilst still afloat) if you apply a bit of power - forward and reverse - to see how close the mooring tackle allows you to get to your neighbour. Bear in mind that this is an artificial test as all boats (at least all of similar type / underwater profile/ windage) will move roughly in unison, but worth knowing if contact is possible at least in theory, and therefore to see if it is preventable.