Lester Evans wrote:
Going out single this weekend. Not worried about leaving and sailing
etc .. it is the coming back in that has me in butterflies.

This is a 30' sailboat. Not huge, but not small.

How do you approach a mooring for pick up? The boat has a full keel
so she is heavy. The mooring is in a tight area. I want to do a one
time pick up .. no going around and trying again.

My thought.. get the boat going in the right direction. Once I am
getting close, put her in neutral. Try some coasting. See if I can
coast up to the mooring, leaving the mooring ball on the starboard
side ( this way, if I must go on I can turn to the port which is
where the escape route is,, the deep water ).

Anyway,,, I will have my mooring pick up stick at the ready. Once I
grab the line, get the line on deck and cleated..

I thought that I might ask for help if there is a friendly boater
around. The boat is at a dock now. I must move it to the mooring or
$$$$$$.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,,

Assuming there a wind blowing, and you have a motor, steer about 10-12 feet
upwind of the buoy and at right angles to the wind. Stop the boat, using
reverse, with the pickup as close to 'midships as possible. Just allow the
boat to drift down onto the buoy until you can reach it with the boathook.
If the buoy has a ring but no pickup buoy, try to spear the ring by hand by
laying on the side deck at the lowest point with a rope attached to the
stemhead, it CAN be done, but needs a fair bit of practice.

You must be a glutton for punishment.

Dennis.