goforitnow
new user
Reged: 05/07/2008
Posts: 4
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Hi all, hope you can offer a tip. I am trying to back into a mooring between two boats in a marina in Greece. I struggle a little as I am new at this. It is a lazy line technique.
I have a 60 footer twin screw with bow thruster.
My problem is when the wind gets up... Should I be gently teasing her astern or commit and give here some beans astern to get in quick before the wind gets me?
Just looking for tips really.
Thanks for any help.
Cheers
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hlb
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 17247
Loc: Any Pub Cornwall or Devon
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Wait for the med lot coming round, they will have a better idea of med mooring.
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Haydn
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goforitnow
new user
Reged: 05/07/2008
Posts: 4
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Hi, it's not really the med thing so much as basically backing a boat with a crosswind. I am new to boating so just learning as I go. I have the basics, but looking for pointers.
Cheers
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hlb
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 17247
Loc: Any Pub Cornwall or Devon
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Think in the med, the idea is, if theres boats both side, it's easier. Loads of fenders and push yer way in. Not sure I'd do it fast though.
With bow thrusters and shafts, you should be able to hold yerself still'ish. Or at least, going in the right direction. Best bet is, go some where safe and practice for a day or two.
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No one can force me to come here. I'm a volunteer!!.
You get yer forum burgee here. PM me.
Haydn
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Tranona
regular
Reged: 10/11/2007
Posts: 1084
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Cross winds are a problem. Easy to say, but they are predictable, so first thing is to try and avoid mooring in the late afternoon when they are at their worst. Easier said than done, of course.
Easier mooring is when you can use your own anchor as you then have more choice on how you compensate for the wind, and may find it easier controlling reversing against the pull of the anchor. This is my preferred method in my sailboat. Wife drops the anchor and sets it, then lets it out at he same rate as I reverse. Stress free, and if I feel I have mis judged the wind, easier to abort and try again.
Using lazy lines is more of a problem as you can't control the bow so easily. However, with a bow thruster you should be able to use it to hold the bow into the crosswind. Probably needs a bit of practice as playing with two throttles and a bow thruster is not natural!
The gung ho technique has its advocates, but you need commitment and an agile crew to pick up the lazy line and run the 60 foot to the bow! - plus plenty of fenders to "lean" on the adjacent boats.
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Sun_Coast
regular
Reged: 27/01/2003
Posts: 3457
Loc: Spain
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Hi I have a 56ft flybridge boat which I also use for charter and indeed occasionally for school. Firstly the use of an anchor is not practical in most Marinas due to the amount of ropes and chains on the bottom.
As you have a boat on each side this is most certainly a help.
We have generally westerlies or easterlies and nothing much in between.
Naturally its best if the wind is directly astern of you as you come in, as you will have more control.
However momentum is the key not teasing as you say, if you stop the momentum the wind is more likely to effect your direction natually. When I say momentum I dont mean extra speed, tick over will suffice in lost conditions.
This is indeed largely the case with my current berth in an easterly.
In a westerly it is just off my port bow so no chance of driving in with engines against the wind now. Imagine this if you will. What I do is turn the bow into the wind, go astern keeping way on, I head for just inside the bow of the vessel to starboard this will keep my bow into the wind, (if you square up too early the wind will blow the bow to starboad)
As the stern enters the space albiet at an angle, I engage port astern briefly which kicks the stern to port and bow to starboard, I now have enough of the boat in the gap to make use of the fenders and nudge her directly in squared up, before the wind takes the bow. (I am assuming no bow thruster during this as mine is knackered)
Hope this all makes sense. Basically in this situation if one was to turn and line up for the gap like you would with a no wind situation, this manouvre will involve the boat stopping at some point, between fwd and astern, the wind will now take effect and by the time you get her in, the bow will be blown onto the starboard vessel.
A bit like turning when skiing, each time you do, it involve crossing the fall line, and we all know what happens when we falter in a turn and hit the fall line.
So read the wind direction first plus maintain momentum. Hope this helps
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Sun Coast Sea School & Charter
Atlas MarineBoat Brokers
Med Boat Charters
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goforitnow
new user
Reged: 05/07/2008
Posts: 4
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Excellent stuff there. Thanks everyone, I'll try it all out and see how I get on. Some great pointers.
Thanks again
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Martynk
regular
Reged: 28/12/2004
Posts: 985
Loc: Cheshire, UK
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Hi
You will get lots of driving tips - but a couple of extra things we find (we moor stern to with a lazyline) is if it is windy, we take our bimini top down before mooring - it acts as a kite! or at least for us can provide unpredictable movement if the wind catches it.
Second is I found slooow is better, as mentioned above, you have a huge boat and so it is less effected by winds than a smaller boat. Just very small gentle nudges works for me, a second or two in gear then out again, and the boat pretty much maintains its line and angle. It is also easier to correct - I do misjudge it still, and just take it back out, get lined up and do it again slowly. Dont get hassled by people watching, just ignore them, no matter how many times I do it, I still feel like its my first time! We are opposite a busy cafe (bistro de mar) so we lierally drive up to within 100 yds of the tables, before reversing. No pressure then!
I think it was JFM who gave me a good tip, which I always use - think of the controls as a circle or arc, so when you look down on them, if you nudge the port control down into and out of gear, the effect on the boat is to move the stern back and right, if you nudge the port control down same time as the starboard control forward, the boat will turn pretty much on its axis, again reflecting the 'circle' of the controls. Since I have used that method, its very rare that I need my bowthruster.
I am sure someone can explain it better than that, but for stern mooring in any wind, with or without boats around me, it works every time. And really just nudges, any faster and you cannot so easily correct it.
We had a day boat handling lesson when we first got ours, and it really helped - mooring is just half of it, it gets harder when you have to refuel, whilst the wind blows you onto the fuel quay, and you have large boats either side of you - I found the 'how the heck do I get off from here' lessons quite helpful.
The problem you can get is when you dont have boats either side of you, if they are out for example, then just be more aware that you need to use your bowthruster a little more whilst someone gets the lazy line, or ensure the lazy line is picked up reasonable quickly so that the bow doesnt swing, and you end up at an angle!
Thr first time we moored on visitors mooring in Pollenca, we had no one near us, and the wind was blowing us onto the moorings, as we left we realised we had left something on the berth, so went back in gently, one of the children got off, picked it up, and just as I kicked off, I used the wrong control, whack - the bathing platform took the brunt of the hit, shattering a small area of fibreglass. We were absolutely distraught, but 500euros later you would never know, and it taught us a good first lesson about planning getting off was as important as planning getting on.
Hope it all works for you!
MartynK
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Tranona
regular
Reged: 10/11/2007
Posts: 1084
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On the point of using an anchor - the OP is talking about Greece where there are few marinas with lazy lines. In the two I am familiar with, Gouvia and Levkas, large mobos are often assisted by marina staff and their RIB.
Most town quays do not have lazy lines so you have to use your anchor, but many (in the Ionian) face east west so suffer from cross winds. Provides a bit of a challenge!
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mikef
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 8858
Loc: chesham, bucks and palma,major...
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Quote:
I engage port astern briefly which kicks the stern to port and bow to starboard
How does that work then? Have you got your props on the wrong way round? 
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