Tips on how to moor your boat

[Mowjo]

As Judi Can't swim she's not allowed out when mooring up and never when we are moving, so I do it all, I have ropes all the way from the bow to the stern so I can just step off with the ropes, when coming into moor up I wing it and if I get it wrong I pretend I meant to do it so Judi and those watching don't laugh and think I'm good at it, it's a shame you can't see me moor up or stern on moor when there's no-one around I do it perfectly every time, why does that happen?? just a hint of someone watching and it all goes wrong,,

 

Frank,,,,

[BroadAmbition]

but methinks there may be a tad more wind about in October!

 

-  You can get treatment for this nowadays!

 

 

Best advice is probably the oldest - Always pick the the strongest be that wind or tide and berth bow into it, followed by slowly then if contact is made it is a nudge rather than a crash.  (Having said that I sometimes go stern into tide when berthing but only if conditions allow and I'm feeling confident)

 

Oh and the best type of skippers? - is a Skipper that never has to prove how good he/she is!

 

 

Griff

[JennyMorgan]

Griff, I note under your avatar that you are located in Gods Country, aren't we all?! Sound advice though.

 

There are occasions when it's perfectly possible to go alongside WITH the tide, I did it at the New Bridge 24hr moorings at Beccles today. Quite simply I was steering from an aft cockpit so nudged in alongside, dropping the stern line over a convenient post and bringing the boat to a halt that way whilst the tide held her against the shore. That way I was made fast before I left the boat's controls. Had I gone in bow first I would have had the braking effect of the tide but then I would have had to leave the cockpit and go forward to make fast. There are times when the wrong way is the better way but I don't advocate running before you have first learn't to walk!

[Mowjo]

Oh and the best type of skippers? - is a Skipper that never has to prove how good he/she is!

We had one at Wroxham this weekend on the 24hr Mooring, nice boat called Carousel, Nice young Lady sees a space and starts to reverse in, not much wind but just enough to blow her off course twice, other half appears shouting at her you havn't got a bloody clue and takes the helm, six goes later we all wondering if he was mooring next to us or on the other bank, Pigs ears didn't come into it, at one point we thought he was trying to come in sideways, Chris on the boat next to me tries to help him by shouting directions, only to be told I've done this loads of times and don't need you interfering, he would have made it as well if he was ten feet to starboard instead of reversing into another boat, next try he's ten feet Port and hits that boat, by this time there's five experienced boaters telling him what do, the rest of us were just cracking up including his other half who was standing at the rear door crying with laughter, she manages to say to him listen to them they know what they are doing, shout goes out F*****g boat if you think you can do any better get up here and do it, I think us lot shouting she couldn't do any worse did the trick and up she goes, and off he goes, coming in nicely but a bit off course, suddenly ole smart a**e here remembers that the RC 45's have bow and stern thrusters, I pass this info onto Doug who knows how they work, two minutes later she in, in one perfect maneuver, us being all gentlemen gave her a round of applause, we! well I mainly made a meal of things by winding him up every chance I could by telling him how good his wife was at mooring, much to the amusement of the others that were egging me on, Chris started singing With a little help from my Friends which resulted in about six of us serenading him, I don't know who laughed the hardest us or his other half, but I think we have a friend for life with her, unfortunately in any funny situation I'm as much use as a chocolate teapot and I swear on Sunday at Wroxham I melted,,,

 

Frank,,,

[Timbo]

Even when I have the crew on board RT I have to solo moor.

 

Having said that there have been occasions when Uncle Albert has had a life and face saving moment of clarity and grabbed the wheel to perform a perfect mooring manoeuvre, but those moments of clarity are few and far between and there is now a constant battle to stop him 'slamming on a few extra revs' to 'help you' when I've left the wheel to hop ashore.

 

Holly on the other hand has all the grace and athleticism of a concrete paving slab so expects you to deposit her no less than ten centimetres to step to the bank. She's still too timid to take the helm but I am sure she will be a brilliant helms-woman. In my experience most women are fantastic at steering and controlling the boat. Now this is in now way meant as sexist...but it's down to shopping trolleys. Boats steer like shopping trolley's...anyone watching me capering about Tesco will realise I'm practising mooring manoeuvres...honest! Having said that my other half took the wheel the last time we hired Glittering Light from Herbert Woods. 

"Turn to port." I said.

The boat moves to starboard.

"Turn to port" I said again.

The boat moves further to starboard.

"Turn left." I say a little panic creeping into my voice as we head for the bank.

"Turn left" I say again.

"Your other left!"

 

 

Royal Tudor has quite a tall cockpit canopy so something I learned fairly early was if there is anything of a breeze about, drop the canopy. She's far more stream lined and manoeuvrable that way.

 

Mooring warps are always laid down the boat sides and draped into the cockpit so I have both warps ready to hand for mooring from the centre. When I complete RT's latest round of renovation I will install additional cleats in the cockpit for the warps to hang from.

 

I have two bow warps so I can have a complete set of bow and stern warps either side of the boat. When hiring I always ask the boatyard for an extra warp for the bow.

 

I will never moor where the wind pushes me onto the bank. It's a pain in the buttocks trying to get off again. Because I solo moor I always make sure that I am tied from 'boat to bank to boat' so that I am stood on the boat when I untie. Although I have to say Royal Tudor's arrangement of mooring rings on the stern instead of cleats is awkward...and soon to be corrected with additional cleats placed on the stern.

 

My biggest mooring calamities have been in Richardson's basin going for a pumpout. The wind there always catches me out and we end up pirouetting around the basin. I nearly ended up in the drink at Waveney River centre when I misjudged the difference between the strength of tide and wind blowing in the opposite direction and came in to moor pointing the wrong way.

 

A mooring most under pressure was coming into Ranworth Island stern on for a forum meet with a large audience. Just as I turned about to come astern Uncle Albert decided to go and make himself some toast totally blocking off my view to the stern. We made it though!

 

My best experience mooring was at Barton Turf coming in stern on for some water. I gently nosed Royal Tudor into the basin, spun the wheel to starboard and started the reverse and gently eased up to the quay where someone on the bank took the ropes.

"My word you've done that a time or two!" exclaimed the chap on the bank.

"To be honest it's the very first time I've got it right!" I grinned.

 

The best tip I can give is to stop the boat opposite where you want to moor and give it a little while to watch what the wind and current do to the boat before you start trying to manoeuvre. The pennant on the bow of the boat is not just for decoration.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Tim,

We not only have the NBN Burgee on the bow of the boat we also have a wind indicator, we have always had these on the boat, they need changing every season but find them indispensable.

 

Getting the mooring right is a pleasure especially if mooring at the likes of The Hotel Wroxham with everyone watching, Tan goes onto the bathing platform ready with the aft rope, I have the bording ladders down and bow ropes laid out so I can step down with a rope. 

 

It does not always go right as you all know hence why I always both ladders down and ropes ready incase I have to turn around and moor on the other side.

 

Regards

Alan 
 

[BroadAmbition]

I would offer that the best and primary aid  for 'Tips on how to moor a boat'   (be it man made or otherwise) has been around for thousands of years.

 

They are well proven and have never been updated since their conception.  They are the very popular 'Port and Stbd Lookouts' or 'Eyes'

 

The problem is that some helms don't use them correctly, or they use them but forget to engage brain and link the two together!

 

BTW - One only 'Moors' to a buoy etc, - one 'Berths to a bank or jetty etc - Sorry - just getting my coat (Again)

 

 

Griff

[lampini]

but methinks there may be a tad more wind about in October!

 

-  You can get treatment for this nowadays!

 

Griff

 

........Especially if Jon is going to be making his special chilli!

 

[JennyMorgan]

'BTW - One only 'Moors' to a buoy etc,'

 

One, being a boat and thus a 'she', only moors to a boy etc., ummmmmmm, so now we know!  

[Timbo]

I've met Juan ...he was a very nice chap! 

[Maxwellian]

Griff, if I had asked for tips on Berthing we would have had lots of baby jokes!

[Baitrunner]

A bit late on this, but a tip for mooring - if your mooring to a post and it's not easy to get off the boat or very windy, then try throwing a loop over the post (make sure you keep hold of the loose end) and you can tie off the cleat on the boat while you get the stern rope on.

 

When your leaving, simply loop round the post and when your ready and on the boat, untie from the boat cleat and either flip the rope off the post or pull it in.

 

Does require ropes long enough to go to the shore and back though. Mine are and I always double them back to the boat cleat. 

 

NOTE - If you do the loop throwing thing, make sure you secure to the post properly especially on a rising tide or the rope could pop off the top and it's bye, bye boat.

 

Also, a lot of the time I drop the mud weight/anchor especially if your on rond anchors. Just in case they slip out of the ground.

 

I also notice this a lot that people often leave mooring lines tied towards the top of the mooring post. Push it to the base - stops it possibly popping off, easier for the boat next to you to tie to it if needed and also reduces the potential of the post snapping.

 

Wish I could get my wife to try and do the helm when mooring!

 

And another tip, to reduce all that heaving. use this technique. Once you get a couple of turns round a post use your weight on your foot to tighten the rope between you and the boat up gradually. Normally once you get the boat moving like this she will come in real easy. Much easier on your arms and back.

 

Another tip, mainly when it's windy or in a fast current, keep your fingers clear of the ropes when tying up. It hurts otherwise.

[Baitrunner]

Final tip - if you can always offer to help take a rope and don't be afraid to call ashore if you think you need a hand with the ropes.

[grendel]

I found that I could flip a loop round a post from the boat, then using a skipping rope type motion, flip a second loop around the post, then I could tie up to the cleat on the boat, and repeat the process at the next corner of the boat (then of course disembark and moor securely).

Grendel