Yacht Mooring Tips
Denis Korablev
  • 14.10.2021
  • 489

Yacht Mooring Tips

Mooring is not easy and quite laborious. It is difficult for beginner yachtsmen to master this operation, especially on chartered yacht, because it is required not only to maneuver according to the rules, but also to take into account many related factors. To acquire the necessary skill, you will need to repeat the mooring many times, and quite often - in unfamiliar bays.

The mooring place is selected based on the availability of free piers and the planned duration of the mooring. The method of mooring is determined depending on the number of crew members. It also takes into account the depth of the water area (remember about the ebb and flow), sea waves, direction and strength of the wind, etc.

It is necessary to instruct the crew, and if there are newcomers in the team, then a little training will not hurt. All must act on the command of the captain clearly and quickly, initiative is not allowed. Due to the carelessness of one person, the whole process can break down, the consequences are unpredictable (perhaps even damage to your own or someone else's boat).

The most common way is to moor aft to the dock. It takes a little time, provided the weather is good and the work of an experienced team. It is better to prepare and lay out the mooring lines in advance; check - they shouldn't have any nodes. At a certain distance (about 4 hulls of your yacht), you need to release the anchor and slowly (2-3 knots) move in reverse to the berth. Etch the chain carefully; get stern mooring lines, fasten to the chosen place. The anchor chain should be pulled up to tension in order to secure the yacht in a certain position.

Is it possible to moor a yacht alone?

As experts say 2yachts, perhaps, but only for small boats. The main problem is that you will inevitably have to leave the helm while docking, at least for a few seconds. In this case, the autopilot will not help.

Lagging is carried out by adjusting the steering wheel and engine at low speeds. As a result, the yacht is positioned along the berth; after that, the anchor is attached.

How does this happen?

  1. Prepare buttonhole first.
  2. Approach the dock in reverse.
  3. Put the loop on the bollard.
  4. Give the small forward until the boat turns aft.
  5. Run to the tank (after leveling) and attach the anchor.

It is difficult for one person to dock, but will succeed if you follow the rules!