Spectacular Med Mooring Screwup

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Hmm, the only problem with this is once alongside you are going to turn the boat through 90 degrees presumably with the rear quarter and then the stern touching the quay. I wouldn't be confident single handed in fendering off the quarter and stern whilst winching in the line from the buoy using a cockpit winch.

Yes, that is the drawback for sure. But if there are people on the quay, and you hand them a couple of your biggest fenders, I think it would be quite all right, especially in this particular case, because I was being blown off the quay as well as to the side.

If you were being blown on, so that the boat would be mashed against the quay, then I think this becomes much less viable.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I go in when I need to, like when checking out via customs two days ago in Croatia. Careful planning makes a difference and then dropping my anchor 150ft out where the Big Boys do makes all the difference. The chain laying taught along the bottom and up to the windlass doesn't snag or catch on anything. Not even on unexploded bombs or canisters of mustard gas.

Nothing special about doing this, many thousands of other sailors and powerboats do this same maneuver everyday here in the Med, which is why it's called "Med Mooring." Poke fun or critisize it all you want, but basically, there's only one correct way to do it.
.

No one is poking fun at your method -- which is classic Med mooring which all of us know how to do. Many of us, including me, have done it hundreds of times.

You must have missed the part about where it was stated that anchoring in this harbor is forbidden, so doing it with the anchor was simply not an option.

And I disagree that there is "only one correct way to do it." As in many questions of seamanship, there are as many correct ways as there are different necessities of circumstances. I am entirely certain that even if it had been possible to use the anchor, this would not have solved the problem in this particular case (although it would have saved my thruster propeller ).

Also if you ever get in a situation where you are tempted to put down an anchor amongst a bunch of mooring balls, I suggest you think again -- that's a recipe for disaster.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Ken, this is the one I was thinking of were they use an anchor and get it in a right mess, but on viewing it I don't think this is you

Originally Posted by Pete7

Don't be daft, there is a mooring ball which means there are ground chains and risers in the harbour. Sticking 80kgs of Rocna into that mess would really make someones day and provide hours of entertainment for the folks on the shore. In fact there is an excellent video of a yacht doing something similar on You Tube. I will see if I can link to it later, wasn't you by chance was it?

Pete

Originally Posted by Dockhead

No one is poking fun at your method -- which is classic Med mooring which all of us know how to do.

You weren't, but a different CF member named Pete sure is along with a few others. Examples above.

I've never heard of anchoring being forbidden in a harbor during an emergency or temporary situation, please provide the name of this harbor, so that I'll remember not to go there.

I'm checking out of this thread now... carry on.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

You weren't, but a different CF member named Pete sure is along with a few others. Examples above.

I've never heard of anchoring being forbidden in a harbor during an emergency or temporary situation, please provide the name of this harbor, so that I'll remember not to go there.

Pete was not making fun of Med mooring -- he was making fun of what could happen if you put an anchor down among a bunch of mooring balls.


In the Baltic, anchoring is forbidden in most harbors, if not all of them. For that matter, anchoring is forbidden in most of the harbors of the UK South Coast -- with Poole being the only exception I know of. It's forbidden in Cowes, on the Hamble River, in Southampton, and Lymington, just to name a few. Anchoring is probaby ALWAYS forbidden where there are mooring balls, for what should be the obvious reason that the seabed is laced with different chains and anchors in such places. You just don't want your anchor there, nor your chain running through, such an area. I don't think many harbormasters will be willing to consider wanting to moor in a strong cross wind, an "emergency situation". They expect you to use the gear they installed and provided.

There are few questions of seamanship where there is a single method which fits all circumstances. Certainly not stern-to mooring.

A lot of people jumped on you because you offered a singularly unhelpful solution, not even possible to use in the given situation, and not likely to have helped anything even if it had been possible to use, and then stridently insisted that it's the "only right way", dismissing as "theoretical, dreamt-up nonsense" all other methods suggested by a number of other people. Those attitudes don't generate a lot of sympathy.

And another thing -- one big lesson to be learned from my experience is that having done something hundreds of times without problems can make one very, very confident But is not a guaranty that nothing can go wrong!! A good thing to remember!

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

And another thing -- one big lesson to be learned from my experience is that having done something hundreds of times without problems can make one very, very confident But is not a guaranty that nothing can go wrong!! A good thing to remember!

Oh ain't that the truth. Normally on my own pontoon mooring

[Dockhead]

Update:

I was just now inflating my dinghy on the foredeck in preparation of going out to the buoy with another line, when a new boat came in and moored up.

Conditions are similar to what I had -- a bit less wind, but still significant.

This boat is a Beneteau First 50, so blown around by the wind more than my boat, so I suppose the challenge was about the same.

There were two on board. The skipper did exactly what I did -- approach in reverse and angled a bit to aim the stern more into the wind. The difference is that he came in FAST, without stopping next to the buoy as I did.

I am a big believer in "Slow is Pro", but sometimes you need fast for more steerage and control -- here is one big fat case for that.

His crew clipped on the long stainless Baltic style buoy hook, with his bow line on the other end of it, flawlessly, and paid out the line so that at no time was a force exerted to rotate the bow. Meanwhile the skipper kept moving in FAST, so fast that he almost bashed into the quay, and needed full power at the last moment to avoid a crash. But he didn't bash into the quay, and he got in safely on the first try!! He had another crew on the quay who took the expertly thrown stern line, cleated to the windward quarter, and got it on in a flash. Then the bow man took in the bow line. There was a bit of running and shouting, but damn -- it was a fine performance.

I'd take them over beers if I had any on board.

[Sandibar]

Just a question: you don't have a buoy mooring hook? That makes all the difference and I would not dare to moor in any significant wind without it, nervermind which end of the boat goes to the dock first. May be difficult to find a hook that's rated for a 25t boat , but even a lighter one could be used that for the approach and fix lines at leisure later.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Sandibar

Just a question: you don't have a buoy mooring hook? That makes all the difference and I would not dare to moor in any significant wind without it, nervermind which end of the boat goes to the dock first. May be difficult to find a hook that's rated for a 25t boat , but even a lighter one could be used that for the approach and fix lines at leisure later.

No, I don't, but after this, I will definitely get one.

I've never had a problem picking up a buoy, even single handed, because I've always been able to bring my boat to complete stop right next to any buoy. So I just reach over, or hang out over the rail if necessary, and thread a rope through.

But it requires stopping the boat -- and this case shows how useful it can be to pick up the buoy while still motoring pretty fast in reverse.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by jtsailjt

After 70+ years are there REALLY munitions that haven't rusted to oblivion and their "active ingredients" compromised by salt water intrusion, or sunk so deep into the muck that your anchor couldn't penetrate that deep no matter how hard you pulled on the rode? I have a hard time believing that threat is very real in 2017. .

The Royal Navy are preparing Portsmouth Harbour by dredging ready for a couple of new aircraft carriers we can't afford. On a regular basis they are dredging up large bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe 70 years ago.

How much of a threat are unexploded bombs? - BBC News

Remember Russia had a go at invading Finland until they got a good kicking and were sent home tails between their legs.

[grossifs]

Hi. I m italian and Med mooring is the only way we do it... I ll try to explain which manouvres we do. First of all if you have wind either coming from your port or starboard the FIRST thing you have to know is that you must somebody helping you on ground. If tou don t things may became soon very difficult. Let s say U have it. Going stern 2 you need to fix FIRST your stern. Prepare a line from the site from wich the wind is coming and make a.cleat hitch. Arriving to the moor launch the line and a.s.a.p make ir fix to the ground. Turn the wheel to same.side pf the wind and power the engine. This will move your bow or at least keep it still till you will pick the bow line and fix it. Give as much ppwer as U can to have the bow turn in to the wind direction. That s it. I don t know.if O madr myself clear causr of my poor "nautical" english but I hope so... fair winds

[LoudMusic]

This is another reason I want a mast camera pointed down to the deck with a wide angle lens. I'd be able to review my actions and make better moves in the future. Same as they do with professional sports (and videogames ... somewhat comically).

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The Royal Navy are preparing Portsmouth Harbour by dredging ready for a couple of new aircraft carriers we can't afford. On a regular basis they are dredging up large bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe 70 years ago.

How much of a threat are unexploded bombs? - BBC News

Remember Russia had a go at invading Finland until they got a good kicking and were sent home tails between their legs.

I read your BBC article, which explains why we hear of so many boats blowing up when they're parked in downtown London.

"The bombs are unlikely to explode, Mr Brosnan said, but their threat should not be underestimated." Referring to the ones dug up from under buildings in downtown London. Nothing in the article mentions any thing about WW2 bombs found in the sea or ocean.

Meanwhile, I'll keep on dropping my anchor without a worry right here off Dubrovnik where the city was shelled in the 1990's. You do what you think best.

I'm not sure why you guys feel the need to frighten people into believing that all the Baltic, UK and Med harbors are peppered with unexploded WW2 bombs.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The Royal Navy are preparing Portsmouth Harbour by dredging ready for a couple of new aircraft carriers we can't afford. On a regular basis they are dredging up large bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe 70 years ago.

How much of a threat are unexploded bombs? - BBC News

Remember Russia had a go at invading Finland until they got a good kicking and were sent home tails between their legs.

I'm in Estonia, not Finland at the moment, and vast quantities of munitions were dropped and dumped here, and huge quantities of wreckage still remain. The evacuation of Tallinn in 1941 was an operation comparable to Dunkirk; around 100 Soviet ships were sunk; many in Tallinn harbour. I'm berthed next to four Soviet Navy hulks, in fact. There were no naval battles comparable to this fought anywhere in the Med during WWII.

[Tx J]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I also like the suggestion to Baltic moor instead of Med mooring, leaving the lines hanging from the pulpit. That gives much more control -- I like it. The big downside of this technique is I can't see the bow of my boat from the helm -- I can't really judge the distance. The greatest value of the bowman when I have crew is to call out the distance to the quay. I'm afraid I might bang the bow single handed.
...

(I've only read a couple of pages so far, so this may have been covered)

Dockhead,
Have you (and any others) considered installing a 'surveillance' type camera forward (or one or more in other locations)? Almost as good as a crewmember on the bow (EG: in your scenario).

These cameras, with minimal cost and power needs, are cheap today; the outdoor models are weatherproof.
For a little more you can get HD resolutions and PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom), highly desirable features. Most have 2-way audible too, perfect for your situation, eh?
Whether wired or wireless (ideal) they can feed into many chartplotter displays (not likely to be using it for CP or radar at this time), or a tablet/smartphone/PC display; whatever works in the cockpit.
With little effort these cameras can also be remoted to your phone or tablet while off the boat, useful for many reasons.

Mounting one on the mast shouldn't be too difficult, it might need a little protection from the jib, there may already be a power feed in there (many of these cams appear to use AC from a wallwart, but a check of the wallwart's output may find that the cam's actually running on DC, maybe even 12V).

I've seen marine-market cams from Ray, Thales, etc., costing as much as a decent boat or new vehicle ($20K+). Unless you're a comm'l, rlybigyacht, or naval vessel, with a need for super-optics, such a cost is nuts.
Sure, probably great devices, but you can get a decent survcam today for $100-800, with most of the bells and whistles.


Finding (like from Newegg), fitting the cam(s), displaying the image feed, networking it, etc., is just another set of 'boat chores'...

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Hmm, the only problem with this is once alongside you are going to turn the boat through 90 degrees presumably with the rear quarter and then the stern touching the quay. I wouldn't be confident single handed in fendering off the quarter and stern whilst winching in the line from the buoy using a cockpit winch.

That was my first thought also Pete but as we were not there, perhaps there was not enough swing room at the Bouy, which if there was, your method would still be my preference.

Reasons
Boat sits bow to gusty weather away from any damages while you are busy setting up shore line
Quiet unobtrusive maneuver and better control as you approach the other boats and pier.
Simpler maneuver with stern lines already in place to pick up and secure.
People ashore will see what your intent is and some helpful soul may already have a dingy in water to take your long stern line

Reasons for not going alongside
Solo person still dependent on shore help in strong wind
Wind gusting and blowing off the pier making tie up stressful
Murphy's law... another boat arrives just as your tender is touching the water

There is an easy trick to avoid damaging the stern quarter.

Make an outboard slip loop at a midship cleat and run slack mooring line thru that so as to pull boat away from pier before slipping loop and turning.

Working from buoy just seems more conservative.