shorthanded Tips

[shanson 0]

Gidday All.

 

Does anyone have any tips on leaving and arriving at the Westhaven poles single handed?

 

If there's no wind I'm usually ok but even the slightest gust and my nose blows off and into neighbouring boats!

 

Cheers

 

SHANE

[Guest]

Rocket may suggest a bow-thruster.

[PaulR 3]

Phone or VHF Ch 13(?) ahead to security and they will meet you. Details on the back of the parking permit sticker on your windscreen.

 

Reverse up to your berth, put a long warp around a windward pile, then slowly pay out and you will slide into your berth at the speed of a snail. Then when secured, release the warp and retrieve it, but it will be wet

 

Best to use an anchor warp or another long couple of sheets joined but make sure the end you eventually release is just a simple melted end, not one with a back splice or thimble spliced in that will foul when you go to retrieve.

 

Leaving: run a warp out in dinghy and gently winch (warp) your self astern.

 

It can be easy to warp out half way from your berth with a spare warp or two. It attached with a Highway man's hitch, they will hold your boat well but are easily released with a simple "tug".

 

Sounds like one rum per knot demostration comming sometime soon. PM or phone me when you have the BIG bottle of rum, ice & coke ready

[Bogan 8]

There's another thread somewhere on this with quite a few suggestions.

 

Haven't tried any of them yet myself.

[shanson 0]

A Bow thruster would be great! wish I could afford one! :-/

 

Thanks PaulR I'll def drop you a PM!

 

all the pole berths are setup for Bow in, but you've given me something to think about!

 

SHANE

[PaulR 3]

For the benefit of other readers:

 

Some of the moorings on the poles have two ropes at/near the tops of the poles, making a "V" shape. On first glance, these just look like lines to hold up the bow and stern lines to make them easier to reach.

This they do do, with different levels of efficiency.

 

Some of those horizontal lines between the piles are a lot STRONGER (Thicker) than what one would use just as retrival lines to mooring warps.

 

It this case, they are designed to HOLD the yachts side stays / shrouds so the bow does not get blown off, so comming in at "Dead Slow Ahead" the high "V" ropes catch the shrouds both sides of the mast, giving one enough time to get to the bow and retrive the bow warp, then one can stop the prop turning, and the yacht will drift back about 1m and the mast and shrouds will now not touch the top "V" ropes, and when the stern warps attached, the yacht will sit nicely in the normal berthing position.

 

Another trick is to have a longer "spring" warp from the aft pole, normally only one on the windward side is required. Then when approaching, the plan is to aim so that the shrouds stop at that pole, the spring is attached, possibly the stern warp captured at the same time, passed around a winch. Now one is held beside the pole, more or less admidships.

 

Then go ahead as above until the spring takes the load, leave the prop gently turning over and take up in the aft line as you gently move ahead until you can secure the bow line.

 

The trick here is to have the stern line with the final mooring eye spliced in (say a third of the way along the warp), so that the longer tail can be used as a "spring" above until the bow warp is secured. Then later the aft eye can be slipped over the mooring cleat in the aft quarter, or lead to a winch etc of your choice.

 

The aim should always IMHO be to get one warp secured to the boat, either by passing a spare warp around a pole, or by using one of your normal mooring lines, all be it NOT in its final position.

 

Once you have one warp attached, your boat is "stopped". Officially NOT UNDER WAY, even though still moving through the water and/or over the ground a little bit. Pass a second temporary warp around the pole and lead it aft to the cockpit. Now you won't go anywhere fast. Safe!!

 

Then it does not matter whether you take one, ten or thirty plus minutes to gently "WARP" your boat into it's final berthing position.

 

The real trick is to "balance" one's boat to the wind, then use that wind to gently push you into the final berthing position, or gently work the warps (winching) in slowly, using the wind to push the boat against the warps, and then when the ropes slacken, take up that slack, even if only an inch (25mm) at a time.

 

Don't wear yourself out. Let nature help you.

 

Remember your engine is far more powerful than you at pushing and diesels like to be worked. That's why one bought and services the engine carefully. Now is the time to use it to help you. Learn to use the prop turning slowly against a "spring" line, and /or with and against the tide.

 

It's the rush rush modern lifestyle that causes us to want to do everything immediately. Go back to the old sailing ships where they warped themselves in and out of docks, along canals etc. and took their time about it.

 

 

PANIC S L O W L Y

 

Aim always to hit any pile, dock, wharf or other boat at a speed you are happy with.

 

Maximum damage is knot always desired in peacetime.

[John B 106]

Yeah, re rig the top lines as rigid and heavier. I did that for a decade and it solves nearly all problems.They catch the boat coming in.

And I recall I had a couple of traveller lines which could run along along those top lines. Pick the windward one needed to control the bow when going out in a breeze and throw it when the boat is safe.

[PaulR 3]

I think one or two have wire ropes as top lines so they a VERY strong, but was keeping things simple, using say an old genoa or main sheet etc that most people seem to have somewhere,

 

saying "If only one could remember where"

[John B 106]

My boat was about 8 to 9 tons, depending on whether it was christmas or not , and I only had about 8 to 10mm laid rope up there. Never had a problem with that. Cue mental picture picking up the windward stern line in a 40 plus knot NE, waves were breaking over the sea wall and we were getting wet from the spray a third of the way along the line .

 

Because it had a bowsprit, I had a spreader bar of about 1.5 M at the forward pole end but that wouldn't be needed on your usual boat.

[shanson 0]

Thanks all for your help, especialy PaulR

 

JohnB I think I'm only a couple of berths down from you, there's one with a spreader close by.

 

I've got 6mm horizontal lines so I may need to boost them up but I'll certainly give your method a try PaulR.

 

I'll let you know when so you can come and laugh!

 

SHANE

[PaulR 3]

In the nicest possible way, given your boats displacement, 10mm or 12mm top lines would be better

[John B 106]

I practise my crash landing skills in a marina berth now Shanson. Funny thing, there always seems to be seats and guys with beer and chips whenever I come in.

[PaulR 3]

I practise my crash landing skills in a marina berth now Shanson. Funny thing, there always seems to be seats and guys with beer and chips whenever I come in.

 

 

Audiences are needed for really big stuff ups.

Seats are booked weeks in advance, you know.

[Guest]

My berth is right in front of a pub!!! Causes lots of this and and and

[lilouder_01 0]

How much is a Bow thruster? I want to buy one. Does any of you selling?