Crowded harbours in summer: How to moor safely and peacefully in a cluster
When berths are in short supply during the high season, mooring alongside is often not a stopgap solution, but the standard way to secure a berth. If you’ve got your ropes, fenders and communication sorted, you can moor alongside other yachts calmly and safely. In crowded harbours in particular, it’s not so much improvisation as good preparation that makes the difference.
One positive aspect is that you get longer days at sea. If you accept from the outset that, as a latecomer, you won’t be able to find a berth of your own in the harbour, you can also enjoy the afternoon and early evening out at sea. That way, you avoid the rush to get back to the harbour in the early afternoon.
Some sailors, however, do not like the idea of mooring right next to other boats. For one thing, this means giving up a degree of privacy and having to adapt daily life on board: strangers walk all over your boat, the supply of electricity and water isn’t guaranteed, and going ashore and running errands become a bit more of a hassle. Furthermore, mooring and casting off manoeuvres can prove somewhat more challenging. These are all concerns that prompt some people to head for the next harbour sooner rather than later.
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It also happens occasionally that sailors try to fend off other boats that want to come alongside them. In such cases, no fenders are put out on the open side, dinghies are not moored, or other crews are verbally rebuffed. Often with the line: “But we’re setting off very early tomorrow.” However, given that harbours are becoming increasingly crowded, the mere desire for privacy does not justify such dismissive behaviour; there need to be good reasons. For example, if the yacht’s structure cannot withstand the pressure loads exerted by other boats. In that case, however, it would be appropriate for the yacht to cast off itself, allow the other boat to moor on the inside and moor on the outside itself. This also applies to the supposed early leaver or in the event that a small boat is moored on the inside and a much larger one wishes to moor on the outside. In such cases, the boats should simply swap places.
If, on the other hand, you are moored on the inside and wish to cast off before those moored on the outside, you must under no circumstances simply untie their lines. The crew should be woken up and made aware of your intention to cast off. However, if they are ‘playing dead’ because they want to sleep in, or are even lying in their berths with a hangover so that no contact is possible, you’ll have to find another way. In that case, one of your own crew members should remain on the other yacht to ensure that it is securely moored again once it has been cast off. That crew member will be picked up again after the casting-off manoeuvre; the other yacht’s crew must accept that strangers are boarding and handling the vessel if they do not respond themselves.
Apart from good seamanship, there is also no legal basis for preventing others from mooring alongside. Upon entering a harbour, one is subject to the harbour regulations, which normally stipulate that as many yachts as possible should be accommodated, including mooring alongside one another.
For the arrangement to run smoothly, what’s needed above all is preparation, consideration and clear rules. If you ask in good time, handle things tactfully and don’t wait until the morning – amidst the coffee and chaos – to announce your departure, you’ll prevent most conflicts before they even arise.
Three rules that will help straight away
- Always ask briefly before mooring alongside.
- Adjust the fenders, cleats and departure time straight away.
- Never just throw other people’s towels down.
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In some harbours, harbour masters organise mooring; in others, designated mooring lines are provided for different sizes of boat. In most cases, however, the choice is left to the skipper.
Mooring alongside larger yachts
First and foremost, you should always come alongside ships of the same size – or, better still, slightly larger ones – rather than smaller ones. Heavier boats place an enormous strain on small, inner-berth yachts. If in doubt, it is better to swap berths and move to the outer berth.
Take the freeboard height into account
The freeboard height must also be taken into account: the rubbing strake on high-sided yachts may, under certain circumstances, press against the gunwale of lower boats.
Bow to bow or bow to stern?
Anyone wishing to moor alongside another boat should first ask the relevant neighbour for permission and ensure they have their mooring lines and fenders ready. The manoeuvre is similar to mooring alongside a jetty. Proceed as carefully as possible. Whether boats should moor bow-to-bow or alternately bow-to-stern depends partly on the external conditions. For example, the masts of two neighbouring vessels Do not moor side by side at the same level if the boats start to roll in the harbour due to swell or strong winds. Their spreaders could become entangled, causing damage to the rigging. In that case, it is better to moor bow-to-stern. Alternatively, move one boat one metre forward or aft.
Advantage of alternating lying positions: Everyone has a bit more peace and quiet in the cockpit. However, this makes the route past the bows of the other boats longer; going ashore turns into a slalom course. What’s more, for every other crew or so, the wind blows into the cockpit and companionway, and waves crash against the stern. In most cases, therefore, it will be more comfortable for everyone involved if all the bows are pointing in the same direction.
What matters is not so much a rigid rule as a clear, logical solution that works for all boats. As soon as swell, wind or different rig heights come into play, the order within the group should be actively agreed upon, rather than left to chance.
Cycling into the wind
When approaching another boat, you should – just as when mooring alongside a jetty – take care to approach into the wind wherever possible. This is particularly important when the wind is strong. It significantly reduces the risk of scraping against the other vessel’s side. Fenders, once in place, also help. Once you’ve arrived, adjust them and secure the mooring lines.
The boats should be positioned parallel to one another. Modern yachts, in particular, are just as wide at the stern as they are amidships. Many crews set the bow line too tight and give too much slack to the stern line. If this is done on several boats, the result is not a stable cluster but a semicircle that wastes a lot of space.
Particularly in busy harbours, it’s worth briefly announcing the fender height, mooring lines and intended position before manoeuvring. This saves a lot of last-minute panic at the crucial moment and prevents the whole group of boats from ending up at an angle and becoming unstable.
Cast the shore lines
Shore lines prevent the row of boats tied together from moving back and forth. For this to work, the lines must also be laid out at a sufficiently wide angle from the outer boats towards the shore. However, once there are a certain number of boats moored in a cluster, this is often no longer possible. In such cases, lines to the boats in the neighbouring clusters serve the same purpose.
Anchor additionally
In strong onshore winds, the yachts on the outside can also drop anchors to the side to stabilise the group even further and take the strain off the boats on the inside.
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Boats rarely come as close together as they do in a convoy. However, provided they are well fendered, this isn’t a problem either when mooring or casting off, nor once the boat is secured. Once it’s clear which way round a boat intends to moor alongside another, all available fenders can be deployed on the relevant side from bow to stern – they aren’t needed on the other side to begin with. A crew member standing by with a balloon fender can also help prevent scrapes, particularly in strong winds or if the fenders slip out of place.
Once the boat is moored, the fenders are adjusted for the time spent in harbour. Depending on the size, number and weight of the boats, enormous forces can be exerted on the hull of an inner vessel when the boats are bunched together in onshore winds. In such cases, the fenders must compensate for the often bulbous shape of the hull against the straight jetty. Balloon fenders are well suited for the bow and stern, whilst long fenders are best for the middle. Provided they are undamaged, they will not burst even under particularly high wind pressure, but they can become severely deformed and thus no longer fulfil their purpose fully. In such cases, as an alternative or in addition, tie three individual fenders together to form a thick fender bundle. This adapts well even where there are gaps or ladders on the jetty. A fender board serves a similar purpose. Cushion fenders are also a good addition. They remain relatively dimensionally stable even under great pressure and thus retain their protective effect.
Safely out of the parcel
Boats on the port side, boats on the starboard side and the desire to set sail – some sailors find this rather unsettling. Often, however, there’s no need to worry, simply because those keen to set off are more or less all leaving at the same time.
It’s important to make clear arrangements with your neighbours. It can certainly be a good idea to sort out, as soon as you arrive, who wants to leave and when. If someone moored on the inside wants to set off at five in the morning, experience shows that everyone is happy to agree that they should move to the outside the evening before, so the others can carry on sleeping. The person moored on the outside can then cast off just as easily as from a jetty, without any fuss.
Anyone who finds themselves in the middle of a cluster of boats or as the first boat at the jetty should make sure, more than ever, to clarify with their neighbours well in advance when they intend to set off, so that they can plan their day. In tidal waters, the tides and the destination determine the time of departure; those setting off do not have much leeway.
It is not always necessary for all vessels to cast off when a boat moored inside the group wishes to leave. If there is sufficient space in front of or behind the group, the boat can manoeuvre out without much difficulty. The sequence of images illustrates how this is done. In such cases, action is initially required only on the vessels directly adjacent to it. Using the mooring lines, several boats can be manoeuvred easily from there, if necessary by hauling the lines in tight via the winch or by getting several people to lend a hand.
Exit with a tow rope
Unless there is a lull or very little wind, you should always sail out with the wind, not into it. This is the only way to ensure that the remaining yachts are not pushed away by the wind and drift uncontrollably. However, caution is advised when carrying out such manoeuvres with large boats. They can quickly start to drift, and you cannot hold them in place with your hands on the line. The line must always be secured around the cleat.
In the event of a strong offshore wind, or if there is not enough space, it may therefore be advisable for the vessels on the outside to cast off briefly.
If, despite clear communication and everyone being ready for the manoeuvre, just one crew member is out on an extended shore leave or is still asleep, this need not delay departure. It is an absolute no-go, however, to simply cast off the lines of other boats and set sail. And it’s unnecessary, too. There are almost always helpful sailors on neighbouring boats or at the jetty who are willing to assist with the line work as you cast off. If necessary, a member of your own crew can be left on a neighbouring boat or at the jetty and picked up again later.
Even a brief departure and return under engine power can be managed with an unmanned vessel in a alongside tow – provided one exercises caution and has the necessary experience. In any case, it is helpful to have a few helping hands at the jetty or on the boat to which you are mooring, as well as clear instructions for everyone involved.
A brief guide to parcel etiquette for busy summer harbours
Cramped conditions can quickly lead to friction. But by following a few simple rules, you can avoid trouble:
- Boaters moored alongside should deploy their fenders and keep the side of the boat and cleats clear. Fold the solar panels on the railing away
- Vessels arriving ask for permission to moor. Permission is only refused for good cause.
- Take the mooring lines and adjust your own fenders
- Only board other boats via the side or the bow, as quietly as possible and as infrequently as possible. Instead of making separate trips ashore, for example, combine a trip to the washhouse with a trip to the rubbish collection point
- When climbing over, wear clean shoes suitable for boarding or walk barefoot (Caution: risk of injury!). Hiking boots or smart shoes should only be put on once you reach the jetty
- When climbing from the jetty onto the boat, do not pull on the lake fence; hold on to the shrouds instead
- Boat occupants are clearing the foredeck. Spinnaker poles, washing lines and bicycles are making it difficult for neighbours to pass through
- In everyday life on board, keep noise to a minimum – such as music, loud conversations, and the whirring of a wind turbine or the engine used to charge the batteries
- Route the power cable round the outside of the inboard motor rather than across its deck – for example, over the anchor
- If you’re running short of sockets on the jetty, you can share them with your neighbours using an extension lead. But in that case, don’t run any particularly high-power appliances
- Agree clearly on the planned departure and then stick to it
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Ursula Meer
Redakteurin Panorama und Reise