Northern Ireland - Winter - Mooring a boat - Ep. 215

[@trevhedges]

Thank you!

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

You're welcome Trev! Thanks for the feedback on this 👍

[@ianswales7219]

Interesting video I do a lot of single handed sailing and used to use the golf club threader type thing ..... but you got to be quick and can have you running out of rope. For buoys with a ring on I find a item called a handy dock is brilliant. Basically a hook attached to a long light pole which hooks to the ring and your done , then I pull the boat close to the buoy then use the threader to pass a rope through to the buoy and make fast on that. I usually slack down the handy dock hook and keep that as a safety line should the other chaff through. to let go the handy dock hook has a release mechanism either a second rope or an attachment on the pole. Its good in strong wind or tide as it a quick clip on and that's it as long as other end secured to bow in advance. Enjoy your Videos , fair winds and safe landings Ian

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

This dock hook thing sounds interesting. Is there a link to it or a term to Google?

[@SailHosailing]

Great tips, thank you. Helped us refresh some things that we'd forgotten. The other advantage of mooring balls over marinas is that (from our perspective) mooring balls don't generally have a pontoon to crash into :)

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Of course, the convenience of arriving and leaving and not having to fender the sides is soon offset by having to set up the dinghy and stow it away later 😄😄 But they are great for a tea-break or a short stop

[@cruisingjacksonrose7008]

Great advice!

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Thank you!

[@SVBlownAway]

Nice video

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Thank you. It was nice looking back to summer

[@adventureswithgrandpa]

Awesome video

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@calmwatersailor1947]

I use a slightly different approach to the other solo comments. I have a line attached to cleat on coach roof by cockpit. The line runs forward, around the bow cleat and back around stbd side on the outside to the cockpit. This end of line has s/s carabiner which fastens to eye on pushpit. I hook up pick-up buoy and clip on carabiner then grab line from coach roof and haul line pulling pick-up buoy onto foredeck. Cleat off the line on coach roof and walk forward to properly attach mooring line at the bow.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

That is a method I have never heard of before. We lack cleats up there so probably an issue, but I can see in my mind's eye how it would work. Thank you for mentioning it. Perhaps we could adapt it to work at deck level...

[@calmwatersailor1947]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass wouldn't be a problem with two of you in cockpit. It doesn't need to be kept on a cleat. Just keep the inboard end of line somewhere temporarily fastened handy at helm position. Helm motors to bring buoy alongside cockpit. Mate hooks it and attaches carabiner. Helm knocks motor out of gear and pulls in on line. No weight on line as tide drifts boat back creating slack on line, just briskly haul in slack line until pick-up buoy pulls up to pulpit then makes line fast giving plenty of time for mate to go forward and make mooring more secure. Could use floating line to alleviate possibility of line going under boat, which wouldn't happen anyway if line was pulled in immediately taking out any slack.

[@calmwatersailor1947]

Probably much easier on my boat being only 26 foot, but worth trying just using a long line and weighted fender or something similar while you're docked up safe

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Yes. If we were running a line long enough it would probably have to be our 20 metre dockline and it is quite heavy being 16mm. It is an interesting idea and we shall certainly talk it over. Thanks again for describing to us. 👍

[@PaulusPHM]

Great so Salty and educational

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

I am glad you liked it. Somebody on FB said we talk to much... 😲

[@WavedancerWesterlyfulmar]

We use same hand signal method. Only time we talk anchoring is final depth check or if too dark to see hand signal. We case out first exactly where John wants to drop so depth and conditions can be known before. Our boat hook (TJ) broke this year after 13 years service. Thankfully had our version of Mr Swifty as backup FINALLY got to use it in real life after many years in locker shelf

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Yes, if it is anchoring we go round in circles and criss-crosses a few times to get an idea of the area and the clearance and how the water is moving, then pick our depth and over goes the anchor. We are thinking of doing an anchoring video as well but that could be like starting World War 3 😄

[@seawench555]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass I gotta see that😁

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

@@seawench555 😄😄

[@V8guy3500]

I never pick up at the bow I always pick up from the stern and secure to a rear cleat, then run a rope to the bow and dump the rear followed by shortening the rope to the mooring.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

John - do you singlehand?

[@richardhughes2631]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass When I single hand I lead a line back from the bows(outside all), pickup over the cockpit side and fasten to the mooring strop and walk forward briskly if in a crowded moorings area, or I let the tide drop me back a little) and make off from the bow. Errors made in this approach are ... leaving the engine in gear (seriously bad news can lead to fouled prop) , not aligning with other boats (they show wind/tide effect) and tripping up and falling on deck , all leading to various disasters and close shaves (no insurance claims as yet)_ all part of the yachting experience ... have fun saltys

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Thanks Richard. That is great feedback 👍

[@V8guy3500]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass yes on occasion my wife is often aboard but has a bad back and pulling on mooring pick ups I avoid for her benefit, of course picking up from the stern can introduce a small hazard of getting a rope round the prop, and of course all depends on the wind speed and conditions. But try it and see how you get on,I’ve watched people spend ages trying to pick up a mooring ball and as you say it’s often not visible to the helm position.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

@John Boyle - getting a rope around the prop is the one thing that would give me nightmares about doing it. We once got our own anchor buoy line around the prop with a lee shore behind us and the blue & orange popped out to tow us back in...

[@AdventuresofSeaPigeon]

Nice video and very useful. As you stated many of the mistakes are after a long sail and you are tired. I also use two ropes to moor up to a buoy as a just in case.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

We always add a safety line as well. We have never needed it, but we sleep better knowing that it is there. Thanks for commenting and for the feedback - we appreciate it

[@seawench555]

Hi Lasses, hey Bev what's a Mooing ball😆🤣 I love ur accent. Glad to see ur both well, top vlog very informative thanks xx Aussie Lass 🇦🇺⛵

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Thanks so much 😊 Apparently we should be called them Mooring Buoys!!! I'm shocked! 😄😄

[@seawench555]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass I think it would take quite a lot to shock u Bev xx

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

You may be right.

[@bluenapalm123]

Great format. Prefix the video title with a 'How to' like episodes. ;) Some great shared knowledge here..

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Thanks. We were a little nervous with the format and it probably is only suitable for "How to" videos, we do not think it would work with the sailing passages, but it is nice to change things around a bit. We hope to do another one on anchoring so we will make sure we use the "How to" in the title or description. Thanks again. 👍

[@WavedancerWesterlyfulmar]

Jack Reacher name of our cleat catcher/ Mr. Swifty

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

What can I say to that? 😄😄

[@seawench555]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass obviously they don't listen very well then

[@WavedancerWesterlyfulmar]

TJ Hooker name of our boat hook (John name choices for boat bits…classic is soggy bottom for dinghy)

[@WavedancerWesterlyfulmar]

Our boat hook broke last summer trying to catch mooring 13 years service thankfully had back up in form of Cleat catcher aka jack reacher

[@leefromsvpatchamie8607]

You didn't mention picking up a mooring buoy if your a solo sailor? I used to pick up my old trot mooring from the cockpit, attach the stern line and then walk to the front and attached the bow line. Once safe I used to split the lines and attach the starboard bow and stern lines. I've never tied onto a single mooring body yet, but my time will come for sure. Best to probably pick up the bouy from the cockpit and walk the boat to tie onto the bow.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Hi Lee - we stuck to what we knew and we almost never sail solo, so picking up a solo buoy is not something we have done. Hopefully, it will provoke some discussion in the Sailing and Cruising groups and we can hear from other people what their best practice is. Trot moorings are rare up here, I cannot ever recall seeing one

[@leefromsvpatchamie8607]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass Perhaps just from a safety point of view next summer, maybe you could try it? What if one of you were ill or had an accident? It might be a good idea if you both knew what exactly to do in that situation? Then you can tell me how you got on 😀

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

That is a fair point 👍 Tell you what - we will video it when we do the practice run.

[@tryhardfpv5351]

It's something I do on a pretty regular basis. I however aim for the pickup then cut the power with the aim of coming to a stop at the buoy while I walk over from the helm to the front pick up the pole and hook the buoy. A bit of practice and prep required but once you have it down not much fuss at all.

[@sailingmoonshadow3169]

@@leefromsvpatchamie8607 I have found that knowing how far/fast the boat carries when in neutral I can line up on the buoy, knock the engine into neutral, walk to the bow and pick up the buoy as normal. This does get a bit tricky with wind against tide but in those circumstances I usually do a practice run first. The only time I failed completely and gave up was at Abersoch in Wales where there was a 20kts+ wind blowing and I just couldn't hang onto the pick up line.

[@international12association29]

Thank's for the good tips. I don't find a dealer for mr. swifty / cleat catcher. It would be very nice if you can give me a link ... Thanks in advance

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Hello and thanks for getting in touch. Here is a link for a Swiftie, alothough we have not used this company ourselves as the bat came with three of them aboard. www.seaswiftproducts.com/product/swiftie-50/

[@international12association29]

@@SailingYachtSaltyLass Thank's a lot for the link - Merry Christmas from the north of Germany

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

@@international12association29 - Merry xmas to you as well

[@petermason7072]

Great mooring info: A few days ago I enjoyed your Windlass restoration: but failed to comment. So please, pretty please, buy yourselves a couple of soft faced hammers mallets, old school was hide hammer, but todays choice plastic. Get one small one instrument repairs?[only joking] and a bigger one for that reluctant windlass motor type problems. You should not get to metal hammer beating of precision parts until the soft faced hammer fails to achieve its job. Great videos, keep it up.

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Thanks for the tip Peter! We shall invest in a non-metal hammer. I have been watching engine mechanics at work in order to see how they approach problems and I think I may also need a smallish crowbar too.

[@WavedancerWesterlyfulmar]

Some people use headsets nicknamed marriage savers. Hands free & no raised voices. The key to entry/exit any port is not to draw attention to yourselves

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

"marriage savers" - I love the name. We were once called "Stealthy Lass" for getting out of port early one morning and no one noticed us going off

[@richardayres2949]

Try picking up a buoy single handed, you just shout at yourself 😂

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

In the comments here, a few people are encouraging us to try it. Maybe they like a good shouting session? 😄

[@SurgeMMO]

I mean… I knew it all… honest 👀

[@SailingYachtSaltyLass]

Excellent! 👍👍 We were surprised by how many seem to struggle with it. We love picking up moorings because it is so quick