Mediterranean Mooring

[Capt Phil]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

ALL HANDS ON DECK TO REPEL BOARDERS !

The title of this post is of course only a joke. On the other hand sometime I can see the boats charging to the mooring slots daringly, with numerous crew on action stations, armed with boathooks and other “small arms” (including even deck brushes on broomsticks) and I’m just expecting to hear this famous (or infamous) “death, death, death!” sound of pirate crew closing for prey…
Somehow German all-male bare boat crews look most menacing for me. Ten or twelve big Nordic guys, armed to teeth with boathooks and broomsticks, on 45 or 50 footer are really impressive…
Other kind of crew I’m always looking around for, include some girls of special kind. You know… gym worked up body… deep tan… kind of self adoration on (rather mindless) face… hand on mast, forestay, shroud, bimini, anything… posture of model posing for a photo…
We even invented new special word (in Polish) to describe this kind of girl. It is “PRĘŻYDŁO”, what will be understandable only for few Polish speaking members here, so I’m mentioning this word just for their sake and fun. It is rather difficult for me to propose new English word to match. If I dare to, it would be something like “FLEXERQUINN”, as they tend to flex their bodies to the extreme… Depending on number of such a girls an board we call the boat single flexerquinn boat, double flexerquinn boat, triple flexerquinn boat and so on…
The problem with such a crews are not the girls, but the guys handling the boat. You can bet they will do anything to impress girls by own (often lacking) sailing skills…
So, if You see the pirate merciless crew or multi flexerquinn boat approaching the mooring slot alongside Your boat be aware!
Frankly speaking, better to be aware when any boat is approaching or leaving the slot on Your side, of course.
If the conditions are not benign You can choose to be not only aware, but prepared also.
Switch on and man the windlass, make a slack on your leeward mooring line, engage the engine and, if possible, have somebody ready with spare fender. In such way You will be well prepared to immediately deal with any developing situation.
So – be prepared to repel boarders!

Outstanding description, DoubleW!!! Your painting of an all too common picture of Med mooring and cruising Greek Islands had me rolling on the floor laughing and remembering a couple of similar incidents Patmos and Peyreus. Those were wonderful days!!! Cheers, Phil

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Outstanding description, DoubleW!!! Your painting of an all too common picture of Med mooring and cruising Greek Islands had me rolling on the floor laughing and remembering a couple of similar incidents Patmos and Peyreus. Those were wonderful days!!! Cheers, Phil

Thank You Phil

I still do not know if flexerquinn is well invented and funny enough word...

Cheers,

Tomasz

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

It's provided hours of entertainment sitting in dockside cafés watching others.
Dave


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The best skippers in the world are the ones sittting in the cafe with a drink in their hand.

They know exactly what should have been done.

Kinda like Internal Auditors (in big corporations). These are the guys who come along after the battle and bayonet the wounded

[JPA Cate]

Tomasz,

Thank you for an extremely interesting thread. What breed of dog is your canine deckhand?

Finally, I think flexerquin would do it. US is probably doxie poppies, but "flexerquin" gives you the flexy idea and the mannequin idea, so very well done, saith me own self, who cannot make puns in Polish, or even speak a word!

Ann

[hoppy]

My flexerquinn helping out in Corfu marina last summer :-)

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by hoppy

My flexerquinn helping out in Corfu marina last summer :-)

Not typical - I dare say
Not mindless face, no evident self adoration...
But I wish they all were so beautiful

Somehow I like this photo of Her very much...






By the way - what camera do You use on board, hoppy?

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Tomasz,

Thank you for an extremely interesting thread. What breed of dog is your canine deckhand?

Finally, I think flexerquin would do it. US is probably doxie poppies, but "flexerquin" gives you the flexy idea and the mannequin idea, so very well done, saith me own self, who cannot make puns in Polish, or even speak a word!

Ann

Thank You Ann,

I guess it will be flexerquin in American and flexerquinn in British English..?..

Regarding the breed – it has quite interesting history…

When Mr. Hitler decided to invade his prior ally, the Soviet Union, tovarishch Generalissimus Yosif Stalin decided that it is not politically correct any longer to use German Shepherds as a service dogs for Red Army. So he ordered new breed to be created, as a Ultimate Soviet Service Dog, the best in the world, of course…

As Stalin’s word was a law, the state owned kennel Krasnaya Zvezda (existing up to today) with the help of leading Soviet genetics and cynologists prepared and executed the massive, long term breeding program. They used about twenty existing breeds, but the new cross was genetically in about 85 % related to Giant Schnautzer, Rottweiler, Airedale Terrier and Moscow Water Dog (local variation of Newfounland), in about 10 % to Caucasian Shepherd and in only about 5 % to other fifteen breeds. It took about fourty years of work to get new breed even and stable, and it was registered with FCI as Black Russian Terrier.

Today, properly trained, they are used as service dogs for Russian Army (Spetznaz forces included) and other state agencies in Russia. They are also trained as SAR dogs, especially for Siberia area.
In Russia they are often nicknamed Black Soldier, but also Black Lightning or… Black Death.

But they are also really great family dogs, being extremely intelligent, very quickly learning, playful to the old age and limitlessly tolerant and patient for children or small dogs and home cats.

On the other hand they are very independent minded and extremely powerful, so they need the responsible owner, to provide firm, totally consequent and unquestionable leadership for them. Badly led BRT can grew up as dangerous and aggressive dog.

Our Maurycy (Mauritz) is very well socialized dog, enthusiastically friendly to people. There was no real danger for unhappy boarder nor real need to jump into water. As the guy was stranger, Maurycy would just guard him – without being aggressive. French guy (very nice one – by the way) could just tap on deck or call to get me up, but he readily admitted that the look of Maurycy, closing slowly, with warning growl coming from deep, was too frightening and jump to the water looked a best choice for a moment. Of course, they made best friends in two minutes after meeting again, this time with both of us present

Cheers,

Tomasz

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by hoppy

My flexerquinn helping out in Corfu marina last summer :-)

Here You have examples of much more typical flexerquinns on boat





even, if they are not flexing themselves (too much) at the very moment...

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

It's provided hours of entertainment sitting in dockside cafés watching others. Ever wonder way so many med cafés are right at the dockside edge.......!

Dave

One small tip for all who will cruise the Ionian Sea
There is nice café in Fiskardho, called Theodora's Café. It has a balcony with a magnificent view of all crowded harbour and all the mess there...

Ideal box of scoffers location, indeed!

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Kinda like Internal Auditors (in big corporations).

Do You think some of them are sailors..?..
If so - we should all be aware...

[DoubleWhisky]

So, if You see the pirate merciless crew or multi flexerquinn boat approaching the mooring slot alongside Your boat be aware!
Frankly speaking, better to be aware when any boat is approaching or leaving the slot on Your side, of course.
If the conditions are not benign You can choose to be not only aware, but prepared also.
Switch on and man the windlass, make a slack on your leeward mooring line, engage the engine and, if possible, have somebody ready with spare fender. In such way You will be well prepared to immediately deal with any developing situation.

I forgot to mention one situation, when You obviously should be both aware and prepared. It is flotilla charter coming to the harbour.
Of course, they have their lead crew and the lead crew are mostly competent sailors, taking as much care as possible about their charges.
Still it is high probability for about half of the boats in flotilla being skippered by completely novices. Nothing wrong about this, and I think it is a great way for introducing people to skippering, but it it is a good chance of some problems. If the problem really occur, You need to take care not only for Your own boat, but You will need to be of as much help as possible for novice skipper for common sake, so be aware, prepared and patient

[DoubleWhisky]

COMING INTO THE MOORING SLOT, WITHOUT BOW THRUSTER, IN EXTREME CROSSWIND

When really heavy crosswind is blowing, coming back into the mooring slot after dropping an anchor can be extremely difficult task. The bow thruster is of great help, but many boat does not have this convenient piece of equipment. There is, however, the way to do it quite safe, if the crew has enough experience and exercised the technique in more benign conditions.
After finishing all preparations and after primarily aligning the boat with the slot You should drop Your anchor as far as possible and practicable from the slot intended. I really mean to drop an anchor (by freefall) not to lower it (by windlass). As soon, as You have anchor down, start moving back and put Your rudder to windward rather sharply. The crew on windlass should control the chain well – it should be not tight, neither piling up on the bottom, just put down straight. At the moment when Your boat is at about 60 degrees to the intended line of mooring the windlass should be stopped, ideally with the bow in line with the boat to the windward to the slot or slightly above it. When the chain will stop the rotation of the bow rudder must be swiftly turned to the leeward (ideally rudder should be already passing neutral in moment of bow stopping), and the revs on the engine reduced. The boat will straighten alongside the intended line of mooring , ideally slightly to windward. This is the moment for letting the chain go, putting the rudder hard to the windward and increasing the revs. Stern will go up to the wind again. Repeating this procedure You will close Your intended mooring slot. Take care to not touch the chain of windward boat by rudder or keel. After last move to the windward, as close to the windward boat as safe, straighten the boat as described above and go for the slot, aiming at the bow of windward boat and falling down to the slot in very last moment.
The movements of the boat will remain the movements of falling leaf, so I name such this technique.
This is not very easy, as You need very good timing and coordination, but well executed will let You moor the boat safely in really bad conditions. Just do not give it a try without some exercise in empty, windy anchorage

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

COMING INTO THE MOORING SLOT, WITHOUT BOW THRUSTER, IN EXTREME CROSSWIND

When really heavy crosswind is blowing, coming back into the mooring slot after dropping an anchor can be extremely difficult task. The bow thruster is of great help, but many boat does not have this convenient piece of equipment. There is, however, the way to do it quite safe, if the crew has enough experience and exercised the technique in more benign conditions.
After finishing all preparations and after primarily aligning the boat with the slot You should drop Your anchor as far as possible and practicable from the slot intended. I really mean to drop an anchor (by freefall) not to lower it (by windlass). As soon, as You have anchor down, start moving back and put Your rudder to windward rather sharply. The crew on windlass should control the chain well – it should be not tight, neither piling up on the bottom, just put down straight. At the moment when Your boat is at about 60 degrees to the intended line of mooring the windlass should be stopped, ideally with the bow in line with the boat to the windward to the slot or slightly above it. When the chain will stop the rotation of the bow rudder must be swiftly turned to the leeward (ideally rudder should be already passing neutral in moment of bow stopping), and the revs on the engine reduced. The boat will straighten alongside the intended line of mooring , ideally slightly to windward. This is the moment for letting the chain go, putting the rudder hard to the windward and increasing the revs. Stern will go up to the wind again. Repeating this procedure You will close Your intended mooring slot. Take care to not touch the chain of windward boat by rudder or keel. After last move to the windward, as close to the windward boat as safe, straighten the boat as described above and go for the slot, aiming at the bow of windward boat and falling down to the slot in very last moment.
The movements of the boat will remain the movements of falling leaf, so I name such this technique.
This is not very easy, as You need very good timing and coordination, but well executed will let You moor the boat safely in really bad conditions. Just do not give it a try without some exercise in empty, windy anchorage

Way to hotshot for me, way to much to go wrong

Dave


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Way to hotshot for me, way to much to go wrong

Dave

I do not encourage anybody to use this technique.
To do this, You need to know and "feel" Your boat very well, to have good crew, to have suitable (easy contollable in "free fall" mode) anchor winch and to exercise.

I can not do it on my boat (too big, too heavy, unsuitable anchor winch) and I do not need it (I have a powerful enough bow thruster).

On the other hand for smaller, lighter boat (under 40 feet) it is the way to moor under control, when only other choice is to anchor out (or trying to charge into the slot at extremely high speed - simplest way for unhappy outcome).

I'm not going corners in my car by drifting, and I'm not turning in place on the hand brake, but they are some drivers who do it with success. They just know how to do it

From time to time I saw skippers using this technique, steadily controlling their boats in a blow, so I think it was worth reporting in this thread.

[hoppy]

This thread makes me nervous now. My father and uncle are on Jessabbé in Corfu marina now and tomorrow they head off for 2 and a bit weeks of sailing in the Ionian. My uncle use to own a first 40.5 when they were new and they now jointly own a 40ft motor sailor back in Melbourne.

They have sailed with me a couple of times but when it came to mooring I was always at the helm. I hope they remember how I did it.

Originally I was planning to be with them at the start but I broke my knee at Easter.

I've never really been good with letting others use my good things.