The caique swing mooring technique

[Squeaky]

Good afternoon:

Have decided today is the day that I will suss out how to include images in a post.

The images which hopefully will be included below explain what I call "the caique swing" mooring technique which I first saw being used by Greek caique skippers in Hydra.

The instructions were typed on a portable typewriter for the skipper of an Italian sailing school yacht in Skiathos during the summer of 1998. He had seen me employ this technique when I returned to harbour after several afternoon out at anchor for a swim and wondered about it. After discussing it, I decided to attempt to write up the details for him. These scanned images were the result.

The first couple of instructions explain how to employ crew as it is a great way to involve guests or charter parties when entering harbour but works just as well if not better single handed with a long wander lead to the windlass control.

Suggest you practice on the outside of a harbour wall or someplace where you have lots of room.

Will be glad to explain further if necessary.

Cheers

Squeaky

 

[johnalison]

Being too old to read these at the original size I have redone them a bit, for my benefit and other geriatrics.;

 

[vyv_cox]

We watched the skipper of a 10 metre Dutch long-keeler do exactly this last year at Galixhidi. He told me he uses this method always, as his boat will not motor astern reliably.

 

[silver-fox]

Thanks for that Squeeky - I had not seen it done but like the control it offers - so I shall definitely give it a go.

 

[idpnd]

Sounds fantastic and could be aesthetically pleasing as well

 

[SeamanStaines]

Thanks for that Squeeky - I had not seen it done but like the control it offers - so I shall definitely give it a go.

I tried this once in Kioni on Ithaki when I was a lot younger and full of misplaced confidence! Took out a complete Sunsail Flotilla with about four lifted anchors, a tangle of ropes and an inflatable lilo with a bemused, scantily clad young lady on it. I then had the flotilla leader belting around in the tender trying to prioritise shouting at me and relaying anchors! This was not helped by the fact he had not fixed the outboard to the dinghy properly and half way through the proceedings it spun off like a whirling dervish and, narrowly missing a few heads, disappeared into the water still running.

I retreated to Vathi leaving the carnage behind me! Even more embarrassing, I had left a crew member on one of the Sunsail yachts who had been helping to fend off. I did not notice that he was missing until I got an irate phone call from him half way to Vathi. Ended up costing me a fortune as I had to reimburse him for vast amounts of cold beer to the Sunsail flotilla and a taxi back to Vathi (there was no way I was going back to pick him up!)

Remarkably, he still speaks to me..

Not my finest hour

 

[lefkasman]

Guess that this was the most important part of Squeeky's post....."Suggest you practice on the outside of a harbour wall or someplace where you have lots of room" .