Using a Marina for 1st Time - Advice Required

[Spartan]

Having spent all my sailing from a private mooring and only having gone out for the day returning to my mooring later that day, I have never, to date, ever needed to stay over in a marina.

Having now purchased a larger yacht that would be more comfortable to stay in, I found that I now need some work done in a local marina.

So the questions are:
How do you go about staying over in a marina ?
Do you need to book in advance ?
When you get there, how do you now where to tie up ?
Do you need to radio or phone the marina when close ?

I appreciate to most of you these will be questions that those of you think who use marinas every week or so will have a good laugh at and wonder why I don't know these basics. However, before slating me too much please appreciate that this is a new learning curve to me having never had any reason (or sizable yacht) to even think about using a marina - so any answers and/or advice would be most appreciated.

I'm looking forward to the new experience - but don't want to make a fool of myself when I arrive.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fireball]

First off - visiting a marina is easy - if it's just one planned overnight stop then a phonecall in advance to check they will (probably) have avaibility is often a good idea. They may book you in there and then.
Failing that then a VHF call when you are in the vicinity (check your Almanac, Marina Guides or their website for the channel - down here it's usually Ch80 - which is a duplex channel fyi).
They will direct you to a berth - some have dedicated visitors berths, others will just use known empty normal berths - they will usually give you a berth code and which side too - eg A14 port side too (bows in). The berth labelling is usually straight forward - the fixed piles will have the main code (letters in my example) and the individual berths will have a number - how this is laid out varies from place to place - so it's a case of look and see! The Marina guide given out with the last 2 years Reeds Almanacs also have many marina plans in - so you can see where the berths are.

As you're getting work done at the marina - I guess you've booked that in with someone - if they are based at the marina they may have their own customer spots to use - best check with them so you're not paying for a berth when you don't need too!

Also - I would make sure you're fendered on both sides and if you're short handed then warp up on both sides so you're ready to go in whereever - less vital if it isn't a locked marina I suppose as you could always turn round and head for sea until you're ready!

 

[john_morris_uk]

The only thing that needs adding to Fireballs comments is Marina equals

"Get your wallet out!"

 

[jonjo]

Some marinas with a high visitor turnover have dedicated visitor berths where you can just turn up and tie up, this can mean rafting. Haslar, Portsmouth and Cherbourg marinas are examples. Dedicated visitor berths are often in the most exposed corner of the marina so it pays to phone ahead on your mobile for a vacant berth holders slot if the weather is poor but you will miss out on the conviviality of the visitors area.

Many marinas offer a part day rate at about 35-45% of the full rate which allows you to turn up mid morning and depart before (guess 3pm). Useful for shopping and filling up water tanks.

I prefer to phone ahead rather than use VHF because it is simpler to clarify which side to and then say "erm what will the tidal current be like at 10am in the morning, ummm, got anything else because my prop wash will push the stern the wrong way".

 

[davidwf]

Don't be afraid to ask the marina staff to help you berth if you have any doubts, generally they will be more than happy to help you tie up.

Oh and every one of us cocks up berthing at one time or another no matter how many times we do it so don't worry if it goes wrong. Don't ever try to power your way out of a problem but cut all power and protect boats as you gently settle wherever you end up. Then without panic you can extracate youself from whatever you've dome quietly with no fuss.

 

[Malabar]

One minor piece of marina etiquette - when you tie up, try not to load up the mooring cleats etc with lots of hitches. (Sometimes other peaple wish to use the same cleat etc. ) When you have arrived and are in position best adjust warps etc so that you have either a loop on the cleat or run the line back on board ready for slipping. Avoid if at all possible running warps across the pontoons. Some marinas have rules about anchors sticking out over walkways.

 

[Ubergeekian]

As an occasional marina visitor myself, all this advice sound good. I'll just add one thing I have found useful - if possible, I like to visit on land first to get a feel for the layout, room and so on. That includes walking down to the berth if it looks like a good idea.

 

[Babylon]

Also - I would make sure you're fendered on both sides and if you're short handed then warp up on both sides so you're ready to go in whereever

I couldn't agree more - make life easy for yourself by being prepared for anything entering a new or difficult environment (wind, tide, lack of space). As I'm normally short-handed, I also usually make up short midships lines, so my crew can just step ashore with just one warp to hold us to the pontoon by the hip before dealing with the main bow and stern lines.

BTW, if on first entering you find yourself disoriented or unable to confidently get yourself onto the allocated berth, then temporarily go onto an easy one. Once secured, you can walk around the pontoons to your final destination to have a look-see and think through your manoeuvres.

We're long-keeled, sail off a mooring, but - touch wood - have never had any real problems visiting unknown marinas. Just take it all slowly.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Other thing is maneouvering in marinas.... its easy if you take it steady.... It often amazes me to see how much throttle people seem determined to use....

...its worth remembering that in the tight confines of a marina, the engine generally gets you into trouble more than out of it... use as little throttle as you can get away with, rather than as much as you can get away with, and then any (inevitable) bumps will be minor ones rather than insurance jobs...

 

[sarabande]

It's also traditional to offer a couple of cans of beer to your neighbours on arrival; that is neighbours to the right, left, ahead, astern

Don't be surprised by the noise in a marina from halyards, generators, parties, repairs, etc. You may be glad to get back to proper moorings.

 

[fireball]

Other thing is maneouvering in marinas.... its easy if you take it steady.... It often amazes me to see how much throttle people seem determined to use....

Reminds me of when we visited the Hamble - we watched a charter boat come back in ... didn't get the line up right into the berth so he shuffled back and forth (full throttle both ways) before the engine cut out and he ran backwards into a boat on opposite berth ...
moral? If you've got the angle completely wrong then don't be afraid to go away and come back afresh (done that a fair few times! )

 

[snowleopard]

Other thing is maneouvering in marinas.... its easy if you take it steady.... It often amazes me to see how much throttle people seem determined to use....

...its worth remembering that in the tight confines of a marina, the engine generally gets you into trouble more than out of it... use as little throttle as you can get away with, rather than as much as you can get away with, and then any (inevitable) bumps will be minor ones rather than insurance jobs...

A motto I heard from an old seaman: As slow as you can, as fast as you must. (i.e. no more speed than is essential to give you control).

Having seen a few macho young men using fistfulls of throttle to show off and coming unstuck when things go wrong, I always take it steady. My favourite manoeuvre is to put the boat a few feet from the pontoon and let the wind or current push me in.

 

[colvic987]

If your not to far away from the marina your looking on getting the work done in, go and get a marina booklet or download from the internet, it should have a layout of the berth coding and numbering.

So when they give you a berth number, you will at least have an idea of where it is and how your going to get to it, and on the day when sailing/motoring to the berth will at least know which way the wind is blowing and tide is going, to have a decent chance of not cocking it up, which would put you off them for the rest of the year, if not forever. !!!!!!

 

[Gordonmc]

Without repeating what has already been offered... a little bit of preparation will not go amiss.
Some marinas, for instance Ardrossan and Rothesay (am looking at your location), use a traffic light system to prevent unwanted entanglement with ferries. In the case of Rothesay you must speak to the harbourmaster by VHF as he, not the berthing company, controls the swing bridge access to the inner harbour.
Generally you will be ok contacting the marina by VHF on Ch. 80 but do that just before entry and after your fenders are ready. They don't like people calling for a berth an hour before arrival.
I have never found it a problem requesting a particular hand for a berth which is important for me as a solo sailor with a long keeled boat and a starboard prop-walk in astern. Just make it clear you are looking for a starboard (or port) hand berth.
If you have an inclination of which marina/s you intend using shout out and someone will advise further on specifics.

 

[doug748]

You will be amazed at the number of bits of rope needed. At least 3 per side, prob 4, plus all the fenders already mentioned.
It adds up to about 16 (all important if you venture into a marina, sight unseen). It's a right sod if you are short of hands or time.

 

[aquaholic]

Other thing is maneouvering in marinas.... its easy if you take it steady.... It often amazes me to see how much throttle people seem determined to use....

...its worth remembering that in the tight confines of a marina, the engine generally gets you into trouble more than out of it... use as little throttle as you can get away with, rather than as much as you can get away with, and then any (inevitable) bumps will be minor ones rather than insurance jobs...

If only more of us had the same idea

 

[Pitterpatter]

Only other thing I do is make sure either you or the crew get fenders and warps ready in good time. Nothing worse than sailing up to a berth in a new marina with people still running around getting ready. Basic I know, but took me a few shots to realise not everyone does things at the same speed, so now ask to make ready about 5 mins out from the marina, longer if crew I don't know. Everything seems much easier if the boat is ready and the crew are just sitting around on the coachroof waiting as you enter. You are (more) relaxed, they are too.

And as said, if it looks like it is not going right, just go astern and try again. For me, not getting it right is generally not being close enough for crew to get off. If you think you are too far out, tell them not to try to jump on (mine won't anyway, but my nephew reckoned jumping off the deck a couple of feet out was fine - didn't quite realise the lack of buoyancy at the end of the finger and promptly went off the other side). One thing I do if I am going round again, is to think about what went wrong, and take a different approach if need be (e.g. I have been known to be too far out turning to port in to a port to finger - in that case, I went back out the other way so that I could turn to starboard, which I find easier)

That said though, as others have said, just take it slow and all will be fine.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

Having seen a few macho young men using fistfulls of throttle to show off and coming unstuck when things go wrong, I always take it steady. My favourite manoeuvre is to put the boat a few feet from the pontoon and let the wind or current push me in.

Likewise. I once watched a young charter company skipper drive a 35' yacht backwards out of a marina berth in a curve that took him backwards into a new vacant berth a few fingers along in a single move. This was done at full throttle astern, with the same full throttle ahead to stop the boat very neatly at the new berth. Very impressive I thought, but mused on the certainty that one day he will do a similar manouevre and find that he can't disengage gear....

Pologies for the thread drift.

 

[vyv_cox]

A motto I heard from an old seaman: As slow as you can, as fast as you must. (i.e. no more speed than is essential to give you control).

Having seen a few macho young men using fistfulls of throttle to show off and coming unstuck when things go wrong, I always take it steady. My favourite manoeuvre is to put the boat a few feet from the pontoon and let the wind or current push me in.

My observation is that boats get into more trouble in typical Med afternoon winds by not using enough throttle than by using too much. There is a natural reluctance by people not used to stern-to berthing to go in quickly but so many forget that the wind is blowing them sideways quite quickly. Just remember that a yacht will almost never stand still!

Having watched real experts in yacht handling, the charter yacht employees who move them constantly for fuelling, cleaning, etc., I note that they always use lots of throttle, forward and astern.

 

[aslabend]

Having watched real experts in yacht handling, the charter yacht employees who move them constantly for fuelling, cleaning, etc., I note that they always use lots of throttle, forward and astern.

Hmmm, Yes but.... they're probably better at it than average Joe punter & also (and this makes a large difference) it's not their boat and they're not paying for the insurance.