Tricky berth parking question

[Chiara’s slave]

That's the way to do it. In my opinion.

We do that when appropriate, having a very high windage boat, or rather, high wind/water ratio. Any recommendations for preventing bystanders from cocking it up for you? I think a Gatling on the starboard outrigger might be considered rude.

 

[Seven Spades]

With a pontoon on one side and a boat on the other you are going into a box mooring. Just put fenders on both sides. If you have to lie alonside the other boat that's ok. There is nothing to go wrong really.

 

[Stemar]

Like others. I'd call that a win. Being picky, the only thing wrong (not really) was the lack of a bow fender. To my mind, when going into an awkward berth, it's perfectly acceptable to lay alongside the other boat while you get lines ashore. Obviously, as long as you aren't some monster and the other's tiddler, and you're well fendered.

One of these lived on Jissel's bow, set to the height of most pontoons.

 

[benjenbav]

For years, our home berth was on a tidal river and we were the upstream one of the pair in the box made by the fingers. Add in some ebb, which exaggerated the effect, and it was always good to lie very gently against the neighbouring boat and difficult not to. Both similar size and both well-fendered. All good - as with OP. Bad luck with the t-boning. Hope no damage done.

 

[jbweston]

With a pontoon on one side and a boat on the other you are going into a box mooring. Just put fenders on both sides. If you have to lie alonside the other boat that's ok. There is nothing to go wrong really.

I agree. Provided the width between the other boat and 'your' pontoon is not a lot (I mean more than a few feet) wider than your beam including your fenders on both sides, just motor gently in and lie against the other boat until you get your lines ashore. Be snappy with a short line from your midships cleat if you have one, or wherever is convenient, because once you've got a spring on the pressure is off you.

If it is wider, you might want to get a temporary spring on a convenient cleat on the other boat as you might have to go ashore over your bow onto the walkway or across the other boat and walk round with a couple of your own lines and do some juggling.

When I'm singlehanded I love it when there's a boat to the side of me. That way it's like slotting a slice of toast (my boat) into a toast rack (my half of the opening with the pontoon on one side and my neighbour on the other). If I'm to be the only boat in a double space with the wind blowing me off my pontoon, that's harder.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Thanks, all this agreement is very reassuring real world experience. .

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I agree. Provided the width between the other boat and 'your' pontoon is not a lot (I mean more than a few feet) wider than your beam including your fenders on both sides, just motor gently in and lie against the other boat until you get your lines ashore. Be snappy with a short line from your midships cleat if you have one, or wherever is convenient, because once you've got a spring on the pressure is off you.

If it is wider, you might want to get a temporary spring on a convenient cleat on the other boat as you might have to go ashore over your bow onto the walkway or across the other boat and walk round with a couple of your own lines and do some juggling.

When I'm singlehanded I love it when there's a boat to the side of me. That way it's like slotting a slice of toast (my boat) into a toast rack (my half of the opening with the pontoon on one side and my neighbour on the other). If I'm to be the only boat in a double space with the wind blowing me off my pontoon, that's harder.

I feel the same, it’s reassuring to get ypur boat into a small space where she can’t bounce around, or drift off. Plus, for us, our beam is variable. If we’ve come to rest on our neighbour to be, and it’s too far to step onto our finger, we can wind a float out It’s our role in the marine world to entertain the spectators, for better or worse.

 

[johnalison]

I feel the same, it’s reassuring to get ypur boat into a small space where she can’t bounce around, or drift off. Plus, for us, our beam is variable. If we’ve come to rest on our neighbour to be, and it’s too far to step onto our finger, we can wind a float out It’s our role in the marine world to entertain the spectators, for better or worse.

In some conditions it is much easier to get to one's finger if the other berth is occupied. I moor to my favoured side to starboard but if it is blowing hard from the NW, which is not uncommon, I have only one go at getting alongside and attaching the spring, which is set up on a granny-pole, with failure leaving me awkwardly placed and making it hard to get parallel to the lee berth in time to prevent embarrassment. On the odd occasion when I have had to settle for the lee berth it was though surprisingly easy to winch the boat up to my berth by using a shore line on the jib winch.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I go bow in and I also kick to port in reverse. I fender up on the port side and snug up to my port neighbour stopping just short of the pontoon then step onto the port side deck and hold my neighbours station and gently ease her forward by hand until the bow kisses then walk forward and step off. As the wind is invariably from the starboard it keeps me snugged against the fenders and I have my starboard bow line and a spring from the stern ready. I pull her over and make them fast then take in the slime line back to the starboard stern and attach the stern line. The neighbour is a mobo that never leaves the marina. My bow fender is set to the pontoon height. The trick is to judge how much the stern will move in reverse. Slow is the order of the day.

Edit to add: Trying to slot down the middle is the fastest way to get sideways as you can see how wide my berth is. It's essential to come alongside one or the other neighbours, usually the port.

 

[Sandy]

Recently I was allocated a marina berth as a single handed visitor which was bows in, starboard side to.

You might find some super tips in here

Stress-Free Sailing

 

[Poignard]

You might find some super tips in here

Stress-Free Sailing

Yes, that's a good practical book. And there are some accompanying videos.

I especially like his technique for leaving a marina berth using what he calls "a slipped bow bridle". I use it most of the time now.

 

[FairweatherDave]

You might find some super tips in here

Stress-Free Sailing

Cheers Sandy, yes got the book and studied over and over. It is excellent. It's getting the practice in in a marina environment which is harder.

 

[mrming]

You might find some super tips in here

Stress-Free Sailing

We also have this on board and find it very useful.

A bit of an East coast thing, but I’ve learned some nice tricks by watching the local Thames Barges. They’re usually sailed short-handed, are pretty big and heavy and don’t have particularly powerful engines. It’s not necessarily marina stuff, but we’ve become a lot handier at getting out of a situation where we’re pinned on by the wind, and / or are parked in a particularly tight space.

 

[Stemar]

If I'm to be the only boat in a double space with the wind blowing me off my pontoon, that's harder.

Oh. I'm sorry, I thought you said C25, not C26...

 

[jbweston]

Oh. I'm sorry, I thought you said C25, not C26...

That could work. Or the more polite version 'Please can I have a berth with the wind blowing me onto the pontoon not off it, if you've got one available'.