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Tips on how to moor your boat


Maxwellian

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Not sure if this is in the right area, but I am sure the Mods can put it where it should be.

We spent the last two weeks just pottering about, being onvertaken by many and not actually overtaking many at all. We loved it. Taking it easy and just relaxing at the moorings gave us an opportunity to see many boats come in to moor. With the strong winds and tidal flows some of the moorings were extremely interesting indeed. It was not always hire craft but also the odd private craft.

So I thought it would be a good time for the more experienced of you could share how to do it and some of your favourate tips.

I always try to plan in advance and know the tide times (and have them to hand) and which way the river is flowing. I keep an eye on the wind and anticipate which way it will be blowing for the mooring that I am approaching or planning to use. I approach my intended mooring spot into the wind or tide which ever I think is strongest even if this means going past my intended spot and turning around where it is safe to do so. Approach at an angle I try 30 to 45 degrees. Make sure you approach slowly. As I get close I give the stern a little (very short burst) flick of power to bring the back in only slightly after the bow. Use reverse power to bring the boat to a halt. My SWMBO has both stern and bow ropes in her hands steps off the boat (no jumping) and I help tie up. With the ropes already in the right position I have moored on my own if she is busy. I use clove hitches running the rope back to the boat.

This is how we do it. I am sure that there is lots of room for improvement, and that some will point it out.......the moor (pun intended) the merrier.

This year we had some walkytalky radios with ear sets. This worked very well especially for stern mooring as we were on a bath tub.

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Tip for the crew, when standing on the stern, or indeed wherever, to assist the mooring.

One hand for yourself.

One hand for the boat.

Avoid the Broadland Leap

From boat to bank

Having disembarked from the boat, holding your mooring rope, you may find that your craft will ricochet from the bank, the wind will catch it, the tide will try and carry you away. Not unknown for the helm to leave the boat in gear.

This allows for an ideal opportunity to practice The Broadland Tug of War with your boat.

Not obligatory. Before coming on holiday you can practice, at home, pulling your car down the road.

Can be avoided of course, just a couple of turns round the post you nearly fall over.

Old Wussername

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A list of useful comments the crew can make to the helmsman.

 

"Are you going to be taking her closer to the bank or shall I try to book a ferry?"

 

"Just which bank ARE you trying to moor to?"

 

"No, you have as many goes at it as you like, I understand the pub is opening on Christmas day this year."

 

"Well, I've stepped ashore, I've managed to tie the stern, I'm just about to tie the bow. If we are to look like REAL experts, you might think of taking the boat out of gear!"

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If solo mooring then have the bow rope running nearly all the way down to the stern... you can then step off with both ropes in hand. (In a forward control boat such as our Alpha 35).

 

Instruct crew in which direction to move the bow-thruster controller  if you are lucky enough to have a bow-thruster!

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It is always surprising to us how often it's the man is at the helm of the boat and the lady is given the job of tying the ropes (usually with the help of the man shouting instructions through the window). Especially when the conditions could really do with a 'strong arm' on the ropes. I really don't know why the 'gals' think they cannot moor the boat (perhaps it's more the boys thinking it's their job) after all most 'gals' would be offended if you suggested they needed help driving a car! I remember I had a comment when mooring stern end in a particularly tight spot by gent who seemed quite surprised I had managed it - and my response to him was "yes I can also drive a car"! So come on girls it's not rocket science, even if you are led to believe it is! As a final note my Husband would be the first to admit I am better than he is at mooring (he wouldn't dare to say otherwise), however I would be the first to say I would not have the strength/physical ability he has when pulling against the wind and tide. My Husband would also like to make the point that he feels happier from a safety aspect that he is the one 'doing the ropes' especially in places like Reedham, Burgh Castle etc when the tide runs really fast and does not want me to be outside.

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The type of boat and how comfortable you are with that boat makes a lot of difference too - my latest hire was Blue Diamond from Ludham Bridge Boatyard, a small 25ft forward steer boat - yet because it was so light it was harder to moor than my previous hire that of Brinks Royale - but you learn and adapt.

 

Some moorings are Childs play and everything just fits together and there is no drama, other times I can get rather worried and the heart is beating fast - take coming into moor at Reedham with people watching and the Ranger waiting for you (or maybe it was having two cameras going at the same time too). 

 

The single rule I keep to is not to rush things, always come into a mooring slowly -  worry about the bow first because that (unless one has bow thrusters) is the part you can't control.  Time and again I have seen people come to moor, someone gets off and pulls the stern in only to be perplexed the bow drifts out and can't be then corrected.  You have the rudder at the stern and your power so if one secures the bow you can bring the stern in. 

 

Of course more often than not I am alone, and it is a case of taking both ropes with me as I get off the boat - I much rather more with a wind blowing me on to a bank than off it, as it is easier to depart a mooring being blown on to it than off it.

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It is always surprising to us how often it's the man is at the helm of the boat and the lady is given the job of tying the ropes (usually with the help of the man shouting instructions through the window). Especially when the conditions could really do with a 'strong arm' on the ropes. I really don't know why the 'gals' think they cannot moor the boat (perhaps it's more the boys thinking it's their job)

 

I can't speak for others, but I've always done the tying up, primarily, nowadays, as my partner, sadly, no longer has the agility to enable him to do it  (and anyway I've always been better at it than he is!). However, once I'm on the bank with a turn or two around one post, he will often step off to give me a hand.

 

I don't really remember having much of a problem with holding on to the ropes (even at Ludham bridge in a VERY strong off-shore wind) and I'm 5ft 3in and barely 8 stone.  But then, it's probably the years of humping the vacuum cleaner up and down stairs, moving furniture, carrying shopping, etc. that has given me a 'strong arm'! 

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I do a little bit of everything, helming, mooring and ropes, not so keen on mooring and only do it when we wild moor in the hope there's no one watching lol. I seem to get into a complete flap when people are about and then do the perfect mooring when we are alone.

 

I had to do all the mooring on our hen party boat and we moored mainly at pubs, was a nightmare for me but did get lots of help from other boaters which was very much appreciated, have to agree with Linny you don't see many girls doing the mooring which is a shame. 

 

Sorry Linny there's not much of girl power in me when hubby does a tricky mooring or the bridges and I'm hiding in the cabin lol

 

Grace

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Really?

 

Yes really.

 

When you are on your own as I am often, and the boat is being blown off the bank that makes life very difficult.

 

It is different when you have two people and one is not able to actually get off the boat easily compared to doing it all on your own.  You’ve no back up or second chances. The moment you untie any rope the boat will want to drift away, so it can be tricky.

 

Imagine you have a stiff wind blowing off the bank - you undo the bow rope and right away it wants to drift off away from the bank so you need to keep pulling it back in against the wind while you deal with the stern.  It may be that you have to ‘sea saw’ pull the bow in, deal with the stern, pull the bow in – deal with the stern – depending on the wind strength.

 

Once both bow and stern are free you have to hold the boat on both ropes (that part is fine) but now you need to get on the boat and have your lines ‘set’ read for the next mooring.  Flinging the ropes on the boat might help at the time to leave the mooring and at least be safely on the boat, but would not aid your next mooring if the ropes are not to hand to step off with.

 

It is made harder still with Rhond Anchors having to pull them out of the ground, hold the boat put them on the boat and then get on with the ropes can be fun to say the least on exposed areas such as Womack Dyke.

 

Whereas...Being blown on the bank is easy.  You can un-tie the ropes, or take the Rhond Anchors out the ground and the boat just sits there still and pinned to the bank.  Take your time to run the lines to the bow or the stern depending on boat ready for your next mooring and then you can get on the boat in no rush at all.

 

Once on the boat it is a case of leaving the mooring backwards – wheel hard over pointing to bank – blast of forward throttle to kick the stern out a little, then astern – then another blast of forward and you should now be able to leave the mooring backwards to the centre of the river.  You also should not have had the bow of the boat touch the bank during the manoeuvre as long as your short bursts forward were not long enough to actually make the boat move forward very much at all but just to kick the stern out.

 

Of course the best of both worlds is to have a boat with bow thrusters – even so, it is quite possible if you use them to push the bow out to then have your stern scrap the bank or if you have a boat behind and in front of you risk striking the boat in front as you leave.  I play safe because if you leave in reverse that just can’t happen. 

 

Below is what I did at Paddy’s Lane on a very windy day despite being sheltered there giving the boat in front of me a very clear berth and while also ensuring I did not bank into the boat to my stern.  Bow thrusters in such circumstances are handy tools.

 

http://youtu.be/gmaQiz1CxAw?t=47m38s

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Most boats have a cleat halway down the side of the boat for securing springers etc, I find it very handy when mooring to have a 3rd line tied to this centre cleat. if you secure this to a post first, it prevernts the problen of the bow or stern drifting while you secure the other. Particularly useful if you have a centre cockpit.

 

Dave ice slice

 

Dave, in my experience not many hire boats have centre cleats. Broom used to be the shining exception, but hardly any boats we've hired since they stopped hiring have had them. A great shame as I agree they are very useful!

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All of which I plead guilty too, sometimes I'm brilliant other times my moorings are to quote a poster from another forum, "not so much a mooring, more a controlled collision".

We all make mistakes, the most important thing is, don't panic!

Dave

 

How true :smile:

 

Do you also find that the brilliant ones are never witnessed, the bad ones always?

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I tend to agree regarding the centre cleat, its also handy for having an addition line ashore when stern moored.

Regards

Alan

 

The "center line" is regularly used on narrowboats as a mooring aid, it's crucial on a nb to have it attached at the "pivot point" or things can go a bit wrong - don't ask me how i kno this!

 

It's also not used as a tight mooring line on "the cut", as this line is attached to the roof, and if the wind gets up a tight center line can result in a fair amount of "rolling" as it tightens! More as a "belt & braces" slack "safety" line really..

 

We're back on the broads on the 4th Oct for a week.. thanks for this thread, i tend to be the one mooring and Jon tends to the lines.. with his extra-long legs he can do the "controlled step" onto the bank with ease! :kiss

 

I was pretty happy with my mooring technique in June - but methinks there may be a tad more wind about in October!  ;)

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Stalham - we're going on Petite Gem (or "Little Lettuce" as we've affectionately renamed her!) 

Was v impressed with Ricos in June..

 

cheersbar

 

Also like to thank the folk on this forum John - the "inside knowledge" we managed to glean before our first trip made our week so much more chilled and enjoyable!

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On all our behalves, you're very welcome, Jane.

 

I  asked because I thought to enroll you for the bash at the WRC 'darn sarf'. However the tides wouldn't be favourable for the return North later that week (Unless you over-nighted in Gt Yarmouth).

 

http://www.norfolk-broads.org/tides/tide_report.asp

 

(Just change the dates)

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On all our behalves, you're very welcome, Jane.

 

I  asked because I thought to enroll you for the bash at the WRC 'darn sarf'. However the tides wouldn't be favourable for the return North later that week (Unless you over-nighted in Gt Yarmouth).

 

http://www.norfolk-broads.org/tides/tide_report.asp

 

(Just change the dates)

 

Strange you should say this - i have this open on another tab! Indeed, the tide times do not seem favorable for a jaunt south on this occasion, sadly - as i really enjoyed the Breydon crossing - esp on the way back as it was a tad choppy!

 

But thanks for the thought tho, there will be other times i'm sure!

 

cheersbar

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A centre line on hire craft would be very useful, can't remember one on a boat that we have hired on the Broads. One of the best displays of mooring was at Reedham with a strong wind and tide both going in the same direction and the boat mooring with both behind it. It was several boats away and I did not go to help as I assumed the ranger would be there. They went in and swung out then I read for a little bit. Heard several loud shouts in language that was quite colourful someone else on the boat commenting on the driver, not very complimentary either, loud enough for us to hear, so I looked out again. This time they were stern on to the key and swinging rapidly. Next time I looked they had gone in the correct way and the stern was swinging in.

In difficult conditions it can be great fun unless you are prepared. As far as leaving it in gear is concerned. I was stern mooring at Rockland, got the boat in nicely Sara had stepped off with the ropes and I was just putting the mud weight down when the man in the boat next to us suggested that I take it out of gear. I thought it was but on checking it was just engaged. Either I hadn't got it in the right place or I knocked it. Sara was very happy when the strain on the ropes was reduced. Thanked the man for letting me know. Not sure what shade of red I had gone.

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