Just 90 days to go.....

[Guest]

and we will be back on the broads...we really can't wait. However my wife is very concerned about mooring and the process of tieing up the boat. Can anyone recommend a good guide that shows how easy it is. (I am the worlds worst teacher) any help would be greatly appreciated.

Clive

[Antares_9]

Click on the link.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=basic+boat+handling+skills&aq=f

[goodall_m1]

and we will be back on the broads...we really can't wait. However my wife is very concerned about mooring and the process of tieing up the boat. Can anyone recommend a good guide that shows how easy it is. (I am the worlds worst teacher) any help would be greatly appreciated.

Clive

I can't really think of a guide as such, although the "boat manual" normally has bits in it to explain how to go about it.

Main points to remember:

1) Get the boat yard to show you and then talk you through a couple of dummy runs.

2) Use the crew's strong points and avoid using inappropriate staff for tricky jobs..

e.g. Perhaps you should let her drive whilst you do the ropes etc

if she is happier steering.

3) Always aproach a mooring up-current as it gives you more control,

(down tide mooring is a black art that often ends in comedy for the spectators,

and chaos for the boaters)

4) The first rope to get attached is the up-tide one,

otherwise the other end of the boat can go out into the river before you get to that rope...

5) 90 days is about the last week in August so things will be busy...

i.e. there will normally be plenty of people around to take your lines for you.

6) If in doubt aim to moor between two private boats with the crews on board

i.e. They will almost CERTAINLY be ready to assist when they see you coming in!

(Any boat with a red ensign up is usually private,

most wooden boats are private (and worried about their pride and joy),

any boat with even more fenders than you usually see is probably private (and worried about their paint!)

)

7) Before doing a stern-to mooring for real, get out on a broad and try going backwards..

Remember that the little rudders on cruisers don't work well going astern

so a judicious short blast of forwards with the rudder hard over can assist the steering

by kicking bow around for you.

8) If possible avoid mooring where there are fast tides / currents

(e.g. Yarmouth, lower River Yare / lower River Waveney)

until you have got the hang of the simpler spots.

Mooring with a 4 knot tide will show you the advantages of doing it against the tide...

Getting off again in the morning with the tide from astern will realy tax your handling skills!

(there is a recent thread about that on the forum(

9) Get the times right if going through Yarmouth..

The tide times in your manual will tell you when "slack water" is.

Shooting bridges with 4 knots of tide under you is not recommended

and going through against the tide gives you plenty of control but you make very slow progress.

10) Boats with bow thrusters tend to be more expensive, but they really do make it easier!

There are quite a few books on "Boat Handling" that you might find useful if really interested

but Broads mooring isnt really normally very difficult.

(ah I see that Antares has given you a link to you-tube, I must have a look at that as well!)

One good thing though, if there are 90 days until you start then you won't have to worry about me bumping into you.

My next trip will see me finishing just before you start, so that is one less thing for you to worry about.

Martin