mooring upwind

[gtflash]

I am never show off ish with my boat, but I can handle her well in 90% of my mooring situations, I am happy to trailer her on one of the worst slips in the world without incident or wet feet. I usually travel single handed or with a 5 year old so, am pretty used to coping.

Today I went to a marina and was given the 2nd to last pontoon on starboard side. So my approach was wind and tide behind me, then a tight right turn to moor starboard on. Except getting the ol girl to turn right then go back upwind, was next to impossible. I got the bow up but I couldnt get her bum upwind(which I know) therefore a reverse and shunt in the close quarters and with an empty berth next door, i chickened out and my only option seemed to be to drift to the left hand berth then rope her over.

Im just curious how I could have done it different, all the articles in mags show upwind otherside or downwind easy side. Maybe drop a bow rope over then reverse? I usually use the midship and sort the rest out later

[kawasaki]

I,m a bit thick!
So the wind and tide were behind
I get that
But was the pontoon on your Starboard or Port on the approach 'bow in'?
Just had some of me brother in laws home brew too
Praps thats why I,m confused!!

[kubcat]

Maybe head in stern first and then power into the wind turning to port if that makes sense.

Rope and reverse sounds good too.

[gtflash]

wind and tide on stern. THEN turn starboard at 90 degrees and end up starboard side bow in...

[martini]

Many boats are happier coming alongside their port side due to the paddle wheel effect of the prop.

My berth is similar, I have to drive down the row of boats then turn to port to put my port side on to the pontoon. I tend to go slightly past my berth then turn, so I'm carrying some way in the direction of my pontoon rather than drifting past it

[Erin]

Only thing I can think of is to have a line (about 2/3rd the length of the boat) tied to the bow of your boat, and drop it on the cleat at the end of the finger/pontoon (a bit like a spring line). As you then drive forward perhaps with a little bit of port lock on the steering the bow will get pulled in by the effect of the warp and the stern can be forced in by using the engine.

[Doug Stormforce]

GT

The title and the description of the situation conflict, I assume however from the description we are talking mooring downwind and downtide.

You need to break this into two manoeuvres. The first is the approach.

Turning starboard into a starboard side too berth regardless of upwind or downwind should if possible be avoided. This is what I call a closed berth because you can not see the pontoon you are tying to come alongside until late and it involves you making a 90 degree turn instead of approaching at a more sensible angle (say 30 degrees).

An open berth is where you can see the pontoon you want to berth alongside.

Step 1 is therefore to sort out the approcah. Go past your berth and do a 180 on the spot so that you approaching from the other direction. (The 180 in this example should be initiated by turning to port, into wind and tide.

Having got the direction of approach sorted it will now be easier to fix the angle of approach.

Next step is to prepare a crew member and a starboard side stern line. This should be the first line that secures to the dock as this is the line that will stop your boat over shooting once you have finished docking.

The steps so far are very straight forward but willmake the next step easier. The actual coming alongside its self is tricky as you need to get the boat moving faster than the tide in order to give you steerage. This means there will be a lot of speed to take of. The wine however will partly play to your favour as it will hold the bow downwind of you (exactly where you want it). It may be therefore you can live without too much steerage as the wind will keep the boat in the right position for you. Concentrate therefore on the effect of the tide and not the wind for the actual berthing.

[kawasaki]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

GT

The title and the description of the situation conflict, The wine however will partly play to your favour

Thats what I meant
I thought it was the 'Home Brew ' taking effect
It's obviously the wine as you say Doug

To be slightly more serious!
If you have to berth down wind and down tide
The approach as Doug says has to different from the 'norm', if there is such a thing
A shallow angle is needed
Parallel in effect
To the pontoon at nil throttle
The wind and tide up yer chuffer will take you there
But the angle of approach must be accurate
As to turning to starboard or whatever
With the elements against you
ie behind you
Then you want to turn against them
Well, the bow will get blown off
SO
So reversing on will be the best solution
I reckon
Into the elements
Your stern will not get blown off as it were
Going astern just on tickover I may add
As Doug says, tiss the angle of 'attack'that is Paramount when berthing 'downhill'
Specially full of wine

[gtflash]

Im confused by the upwind and downwind now.... Upwind is not making the boat move up into the wind?? drunken ribneting! WOW my life is exciting.

Doug, it was a closed pontoon, and yes I couldnt see it until I got there plus a 40fter was moored before it. However the empty mooring to the left or port was the end of the road, of the dead end of the pontoon, so going past, turning round 180 did not appear to be an option, especially as i was aware the left hand stern of my boat would drift with the wind and tide mid 180 into the end of the pontoon. Therefore coming into the wind was not an option, nor asking a mate for help, as yesterday I did not have any .

How would turning 180 to port help? Im a little unsure why, I suppose I should have done it before the berth?

I did have front rear and midship ropes all ready. I am happy I chose to allow the boat to drift, controlled the port stern from slamming, with throttle, then pulled it over, however if that wasnt an option Id love to have a clear answer in my head. Tell them I want another berth?? Interesting feedback thanks

[gtflash]

Originally Posted by kawasaki

Thats what I meant
I thought it was the 'Home Brew ' taking effect
It's obviously the wine as you say Doug

To be slightly more serious!
If you have to berth down wind and down tide
The approach as Doug says has to different from the 'norm', if there is such a thing
A shallow angle is needed
Parallel in effect
To the pontoon at nil throttle
The wind and tide up yer chuffer will take you there
But the angle of approach must be accurate
As to turning to starboard or whatever
With the elements against you
ie behind you
Then you want to turn against them
Well, the bow will get blown off
SO
So reversing on will be the best solution
I reckon
Into the elements
Your stern will not get blown off as it were
Going astern just on tickover I may add
As Doug says, tiss the angle of 'attack'that is Paramount when berthing 'downhill'
Specially full of wine

Think I need to practice stern berthing, never really done it, although she steers very well backward....