Trot mooring and fast tidal stream

rwoofer

rwoofer

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I'm now on a trot mooring where I have to reverse in against the ebb to pick up the aft buoy. The trots are quite tight, with about 6 feeet or so between each one. I guess that the ebb can run up to 3 knots of so.

With two people it is fairly simple as you can ferry glide in. However I often single hand, which is where the problems start. Ferry gliding in on your own is straightforward, but to pick up the mooring I need to let go of the tiller, knock engine into neutral, go to the after quarter (very wide stern), pick up the pennant and get it on a cleat in double quick time!

The first problem is that soon as I let go of the tiller, the strong current whips it to one side making the boat go one direction or the other very quickly. If the above scenario is done quickly, the boat gets whipped back straight as the pennant snatches. The second problem is that there is no room for mistakes. If I fail to get the pennant on super quick then the tide will take me on to my neighbours boat. So far this hasn't happened, but I feel that I really should have a system that has a bit more give as surely one day I will come a cropper.

One thought is to have a line preset to lasso the buoy. Firstly this isn't foolproof and secondly the snatch probably won't do the buoy any good. So does anyone have any suggestions?
 
WHen you say the tide will take you into your neighbours boat, is she between the same two piles? If so, plan to deliberately go alongside then sort out your own lines from there.

We had this problem in Beaulieu and mutually agreed we would leave our lines on each other's boat, assuming we werent both out on the same day of course.
 
Good question and two answers!

I have solar panels just in front of the mast that need to face south, hence bum needs to go north into the ebb. Secondly I doubt I could make it to the bow whilst picking up the boat hook en-route and get the pennent on before I'm into the downstream boat. With an open transom, I don't need a boat hook, which makes it far quicker - important when speed is everything!
 
>> I'm now on a trot mooring where I have to reverse in against the ebb to pick up the aft buoy.<<

I am puzzled. The ebb is almost always stronger than the flood (at least on rivers) so why not head into your trot mooring bow first against the ebb or the flood, whichever is in progress at the time? Or am I missing something? Unless other factors make this a total no-no in your case, I would always moor (and leave) the boat head to ebb stream.

The idea of trying to do it in reverse, especially single-handed, would give me the heebie-jeebies, so good luck if you have no alternative.
 
I often use the same techique and with my tiller extension extended can easily sit tight in the rear quarter, the only thing i do differently is match the speed of the boat to the tide so that my only movement is across the tide, that way I can pick up the line with the engine still in gear and only take it out of gear when the stern line is attached.

Martin
 
I usually need both hands on the tiller as I have a very deep spade rudder, which creates a lot of force. A tiller extension of 6 foot and at an angle of 45 degrees would be impossible I suspect.

I did buy a tiller lock as one option, but the cockpit geometry just doesn't work for the device...unfortunately. If the tiller snatching could be sorted then I think it would allow me to at least keep the engine in gear (as long as it doesn't run over the joining pennant).
 
Could you rig up a line that is horizontal, at a suitable height above the water going from one pile to the other. Then when you leave the mooring clip the stern line onto a loop made in/hanging from the horizontal line. Thus when you come to pick up the mooring you are dealing with something that if non-moving, in the air, rather than having to grovel about in the water.
 
I think I might be using the wrong terminology as they are buoys rather than piles. I always thought trot moorings were anything where the boats are aligned in a straight line.
 
I always thought trot moorings involved buoys rather than piles.

I have two pieces of light line attached either side of my cockpit; when the boat's moored they lash the tiller in place but just prior to getting under way I put a loop in the end of each just long enough to slip over the tiller when centred. That way I can easily 'lash' the tiller more or less central (a little movement available inevitably) whenever required in about 3 or 4 seconds. Could that work for you?
 
Your definition of trot moorings is OK with me!
Can you leave a small pickup buoy streaming from your aft mooring buoy, say half a boat length, and rather than use a boathook to pick it up use a grappling hook (grapnel?)- it works at a longer range, you have a longer target in the line between the pickup and the mooring, and once caught, the hook will run down the rope to the pickup buoy, and still hold it.
You can then take a quick turn on the grapnel rope, either to a cleat or direct to a winch, and thats you bought some time to sort out the rest of your ropes.

Just keep it out of the prop.....
 
What I would do is to attach a large spring clip or a Grabit-type boathook to the end of my forward mooring line [headrope] and bring it aft, outside all, and back to the cockpit.

Then motor up slowly, stemming the tide until I had the upstream buoy within reach. Clip on to it and let the boat drop back whilst taking in enough slack on the headrope so as to bring the downstream buoy within reach. Secure to that with the sternline.

Then adjust the two lines so the boat is midway between the buoys.

This method might not be suitable if the stern of the boat ahead of you is in the way. In which case I would ask her owner if he minded me laying alongside his boat [well-fendered] for a while, whilst securing the buoy. If he was any sort of a seaman he would appreciate your predicament and probably agree, making sure his lines were up to holding two boats temporarily .

Someone has already suggested having a pick-up line between the buoys. I'd prefer that but the HM might not allow it. Also you can get in a mess if it gets round the propeller. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Try half a second - really does need to be that quick when the tide is racing.

One further thought I've had is that I have a detachable hook and line that goes on the boathook. If I could arrange for a large ring on the mooring then I could use this hook and line to temporarily hold the boat until I get the pennants on.

Thanks for all the thoughts everyone. I spent weeks testing and going through different options, but opened this up to the forum as I had run out of ideas.
 
Your response must have come in whilst I was writing mine, but sounds like we are thinking something similar with a detachable hook. Will try it first in slackish tide before going for it at full ebb!
 
For the tiller problem I would recommend make up a simple peg board - should only require drill, and coupla pieces of 3/4 inch or 1inch dowel - cheap and cheerful but effective and doesn't clutter up your cockpit. For the aft line I would get hold of a large springloaded carabineer-type thingy attached to already measured and secured line - once this is clipped on and bow line is secure fine tuning can go ahead after a nice cup of tea.

OR there's plan B





Arrive at slack water /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I have one of those buoy catchers that lets you thread a line through the ring on the buoy. When I'm single handed I have a line rigged to the boat's cleat already and when I get to the buoy I run the line through. I actually moor with the bows against the tide so it means running the line back to the cockpit whilst underway on the autopilot and then bringing the buoy alongside so I can catch it from the cockpit. Once I'm attached I let the tide take the boat and move quickly to the bows and make fast. The line I use isn't the normal mooring line - I pick that up once I'm made fast with the proper line on the buoy and then remove the lighter line.

Would actually probably be easier if you were going stern first - but you may need a telescopic pole to reach from the cockpit but with one hand on the tiller and the engne just holding her against the tide it should be possible. Once through, pull the line with one hand until it's tight and then into neutral, let go of the tiller and hold on!
 
You are quite right with terminology, trot moorings are lines of buoys, pile moorings are lines of pipes stuck in the mud upright, people refer to them both with the same words, I think as in my case because in Pwllheli the pile moorings used to be trot moorings, so those who used to be around when they were trots still call em trots! Confusing eh?
Stu
 
Of course I don't know your area, but have you considered mooring to uptide boat facing uptide - easiest possible option? And then fasten stern cleat to buoy for normal mooring and allow the bow to swing round - a variation on warping her round, but using the tide for power. You should end up standing on the bow as she swings round all ready to pick up the bow strop.

If the tide is VERY strong, use a long warp off the bow, looped thro your neighbour's pulpit, to control the rate of swing. When all fastened up you can simple release one end & pull it back free.
 
That is a fascinating idea that I can't fault, so I'll have to give it a go.

Just what forums are for.

Thanks
 
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