Which Ex Hire Boat For Single Handed Use

[MauriceMynah]

I have just reread the original post again and given that I am of similar age and far from agile, have been very interested in some of the replies.

The center cleat is a game changer to the point of being almost essential. For the other points I'm going to make, please bare in mind I shall be making them from the perspective of my boat, a 42' center cockpit craft.

My second essential is a rope about 12' long fitted with a ring at the end. I set a slip loop using the ring and when approaching a linier mooring hold the loop out with a boat hook, slipping it over the mooring post, and tying my end off on the center cleat. Now secured, I can moor properly at my own speed.

These days, the modern boat hook is an alloy telescopic unit and very light. Keep one readily available at the helm, the forward well if you have one, and at the stern well. You can't have too many boat hooks I say! However always remember, make sure you are in a safe and stable position when using one to push with. Several times I have had one telescope inwards, and had I been standing on the deck I would have fallen in!

Something else I've bought though am yet to use, is one of those 4 fluked folding anchors, except the one I have is designed for kayaks. It's about 6 inches long in the shaft with the 4 three inch flukes. I have it attached to about 30 feet of cord. My idea was that if I was wild mooring, or trying to moor where there were no posts, I could try chucking it ashore into brambles or whatever and pull myself in using that, again tying off on the center cleat. As I say, I've got it but am yet to use it.

Finally I would say, encourage your wife to be at the helm for some tight maneuvering so she can be really confident at the helm in all instances

Firstly because it's fun,

Secondly because one gets a really smug glow when it goes well and...

Thirdly, one day it might be important that she can.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DAVIDH]

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Yes, see below on how to easily set and remove rhond anchors

Thanks Griff, but it's not the setting and removal of the anchors, it's how to keep the boat alongside while doing it. I only have so many hands and have to let go of the ropes while placing/removing the anchors. 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

29 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

I have just reread the original post again and given that I am of similar age and far from agile, have been very interested in some of the replies.

 

My second essential is a rope about 12' long fitted with a ring at the end. I set a slip loop using the ring and when approaching a linier mooring hold the loop out with a boat hook, slipping it over the mooring post, and tying my end off on the center cleat. Now secured, I can moor properly at my own speed.

 

 

Finally I would say, encourage your wife to be at the helm for some tight maneuvering so she can be really confident at the helm in all instances

Firstly because it's fun,

Secondly because one gets a really smug glow when it goes well and...

Thirdly, one day it might be important that she can.

 

Could you learn how to lasso the post and pull the boat in MM 

And on the last point, I know of one member who would agree that it is always good that the other half can moor up should anything go wrong, ie head butting a low bridge for one. 

[Vaughan]

21 minutes ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

And on the last point, I know of one member who would agree that it is always good that the other half can moor up should anything go wrong, ie head butting a low bridge for one. 

On behalf of a very known forum member, that is a low blow.

No pun intended!

[OldBerkshireBoy]

4 minutes ago, Vaughan said:

On behalf of a very known forum member, that is a low blow.

No pun intended!

Really! Has the very well known forum member asked you to speak on their behalf,  if not I think the very well known forum member might agree that it was a good example to use without naming and shaming anyone.

[rightsaidfred]

If  the other half is happy helming no problem, having observed the number of first timers having to do it all while other half sits back it cant be that dramatic although never tried it myself.

Fred 

[YnysMon]

I would recommend that you encourage your wife to gradually gain confidence with mooring up. After all, if I can do it (normally successfully) anyone can. It's unfortunate that, if one member of the team gets more experience and confidence with the mooring side of things, that can put the other member of the team off rather. The same thing has happened with me and Graham, nowadays I tend to do all the mooring and he looks after the ropes. When we had our first few hires, I was very conscious that he'd had a lot more experience with boats generally than I had done, so I made a point of gaining experience at mooring. Slightly overdone it rather, as Graham now doesn't want to do the mooring at all!

[ranworthbreeze]

Tan was always at the helm apart from mooring, bridges and if there were too many yachts.

Alan

 

[kpnut]

After re-reading your original post and looking up what an alpha 32 was, I was going to say -just keep it, as you already have the easiest design (in my opinion!) and put in the bow thruster, centre clears and reversing camera, (and wing mirror if you can) but you came to that conclusion yourself and especially cos you’ve already got those things. 
Have fun learning new ways around things!!!

I like MM’s idea of a rope with loop, I’ve see it on a video before but maybe a bit awkward when on you own with forward well access rather than out the side. 

[Broads01]

14 hours ago, grendel said:

I always bring my mooring lines front and back to the helm position, and loop the front around the centre cleat, that way I can step off and get that line tied, once the boat is tied, I can then go round and tie any other lines and adjust the front line back onto the bow.

Very good point and I do the same thing myself. The only fly in the appointment is you have to plan ahead before setting off, decide whether your next mooring will be side-on or stern-on and position your stern ropes accordingly. It can cause some faffing about if your plans then change for whatever reason, such as lack of space at your intended mooring.

[grendel]

33 minutes ago, Broads01 said:

It can cause some faffing about if your plans then change for whatever reason, such as lack of space at your intended mooring.

yes, that can be an issue, generally though if the ropes all come to the helm and where you will step out onto the deck, you can grab at least one rope to take to the stern.

as for Rhond anchors, i go ashore with 2 ropes i hand and 2 rhod anchors, i very roughly set the first anchor and tie off to it, now while thi may not be the most secure mooring, t will give me time to go and set the other rhond anchor, once both are in the ground and sort of holding, I can now set about making sure they are firmly in the ground.

setting off is the reverse, untie one rope, hold it, and pull up the anchor, then go to the other rope and untie, then pull up that anchor, yo now have the boat under control with 2 lines, and can dump the rhond anchors on deck and step aboard, the only time this may be tricky is with a strong offshore breeze. to this end, my mooring lines have plenty of length, and as long as i can get part of the boat close enough to me to step aboard, I am happy.

[andyg]

21 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Yes, see below on how to easily set and remove rhond anchors

Griff

 

That's brilliant griff, so easy. Sadly I'm guilty of using a mallet. Not anymore. Thanks.