Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

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,,

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

Here's my surefire, never fail method.

1) Head as straight upwind as possible and slow to the minimum speed
at which the vessel will answer her helm.

2) Steer slightly to one side of the buoy. Just before it disappears
under the bow, put the engine in reverse and then look over at the
side; not forward at the buoy. Watch for the motion to stop relative
to bubbles and flotsam in the water.

Note ahead of time if there is current. If there is, you should try
to match it's speed; not stop dead in the water. If it's not flowing
in the same direction as the wind, some judgement will be required.

3) Run forward picking up the boat hook as you go and stab at the
mooring pendant.

4) Repeat 1) through 3) as necessary.

--

Roger Long



"Lester Evans" wrote in message
news:KR_og.2315$TC1.1920@trndny08...
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,,

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

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,,



First...approach your mooring ball motoring upwind.
have a crew member at the bow with a boat hook.
Approach slowly & switch to neutral as soon as he confirms he has
snagged the bridle. You stay at the helm in case of trouble.
If you sail singlehanded...
motor upwind and take the mooring ball on the side that would be easiest
for you when it's abeam.
Switch to neutral when you think the ball is at your bow and have boat
hook ready to grab bridle. Be prepared to take control of the helm again
ASAP if you miss. Mooring fields can be crowded with little room for error.

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

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?

I suggest putting it in neutral far from the buoy and practice coming to
a stop a few times on your actual approach line, keeping the boat in
control. If it starts to drift, engage forward and keep it straight (you
didn't mention if there was a current but if there is, go against it).
Once you get the feel for stopping, slowly move up to the buoy and bring
it almost to a stop again ten feet away, then engage forward and stop
again at the buoy, walk up and hook it.


--
Stephen

-------

For any proposition there is always some sufficiently narrow
interpretation of its terms, such that it turns out true, and
some sufficiently wide interpretation such that it turns out
false...concept stretching will refute *any* statement, and will
leave no true statement whatsoever.
-- Imre Lakatos

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

"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.

I suggest taking some young person with you. If a boy, you can
challenge him that you don't think he can pick up the buoy.

If a girl, ask her to bring a boyfriend and repeat

Make them wear PFDs

Alternate - if you can't pick up another person, then try the other
guy's methods, but have your anchor ready just in case.

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,,



grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id1.html

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

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?

If you have learned the true meaning of the words "DEAD SLOW", you
won't have any problems.

Lew

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

You need to adjust your strategy depending on the amount of wind.

If there is little wind, a long straight coast is very satisfying. Just
a touch of reverse at the mooring will stop you right at the pin.

If there is substantial wind, you need a faster approach to keep
steerage so as not to be blown to the side at the last moment. Approach
quickly enough that you need to give a good strong hit of reverse just
before you go forward.

As Roger says, before leaving the helm make sure you are truly stopped.
Most mooring misses are because the boat is still moving while you are
getting forward. Also, if you are not happy with the situation don't
leave the helm but make an early decision to go around again.

Back in the grand days of racing schooners, I'm told there was a 130'
engineless beauty whose captain would enter Marblehead harbor under
full sail - wing and wing with all jibs flying. Just before hitting the
yacht club porch with his bowsprit, he would put down the helm turning
180 degrees to shoot his mooring. She could coast close to a 1/2 mile
into the wind before coming to rest. This gave the crew time to drop
and furl the sails and even put on the sail covers. As the huge
schooner came to a perfect stop, the steward would be serving drinks
to the owner's party as a single crewman reached down with a boat hook
to pick up a limp mooring pennant. With no engine and the sails under
cover there was no room for error.

Carl

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

"Lester Evans" wrote in message
news:KR_og.2315$TC1.1920@trndny08...
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,,

The best approach is to slow down as Roger suggested. The only thing I would
add is to not run anywhere on the boat. If you are going slowly enough, you
should have plenty of time to walk forward. Also, you might want to let the
mooring ball come back a bit more. The boat is widest on the beam, and you
can use that to help you capture it. Try to grab it just forward of the
beam. You can also let it come all the way back to the cockpit, stop next to
it, and grab it there. Not quite so elegant, but you'll know where it is
without going to look.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

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.

Single handed ,, question about approaching a mooring
 

"Capt. JG" wrote

The only thing I would add is to not run anywhere on the boat.

Good point. I consider "running" on a boat a brisk, controlled walk
but that wouldn't be clear in my post.

My boat falls off pretty fast with the fin keel and the windage of the
roller jib forward so bringing the buoy back very far can be awkward.
I'm either pulling against the friction on the side or trying to pull
the bow upwind to it. Getting the pendant briskly on board slack and
hooked quickly over the cleat works best for me. Most pendants in
this part of the world are short and heavy enough that not having the
buoy right under the bow means moving the boat with the pendant after
you have the slimy, barnacle encrusted thing in your hand. I find the
risk of dropping or losing it while trying to get it under the pulpit
and hooked up with strain on it greater than not finding the buoy in
the right place when I get to the bow with the boat hook.

Several responders seemed to have missed the *singlehanded* word in
the original post.

When you do have a crew member, a very helpful instruction to give is
to have them stand in the bow constantly pointing the boathook at the
buoy. That tells you where it is when it goes out of sight as well as
letting you track other factors more easily beforehand. Most people
will take their first stab when too far away so that's a good signal
to goose up the throttle for full reverse.

--

Roger Long