Mooring for a kettle: 8 tips for a beginner

You never know what awaits you

Most often you will moor in different places. In some of them you may even be for the first time. Each berth will be arranged in its own way. Each marina will have its own conditions.

An interesting example is the yachtswoman and journalist Zuzanna Prochazka. On her blog, she told the story of how she and her crew landed in French Polynesia. Then they had to moor in some bay on the island of Tahaa.

It was the first day of the charter. The team was ready to go. The only obstacle between the crew and the beer was the mooring. Zuzanna and her partners were on a catamaran, they were mooring. The team decided once again not to check the mooring and become as it is. 

Zuzanna only after mooring decided to look at the state of the mooring and was horrified. Mooring was absolutely not suitable for mooring, and given the strong wind it was extremely dangerous. Remember to always check the condition of moorings, anchor chains and mooring lines before any manipulation with them.

Don't forget the knots!

The ability to correctly and reliably knit knots is an extremely useful and necessary skill. When mooring, several types of knots are very useful. Watch the video below and learn how to knit knots or brush up on their memory!

Mooring on a buoy

This point is a logical continuation of the previous one. If you decide to stand on a buoy, then it is vital to assess its condition at least by eye. Yachting should be safe, remember this.

Make sure the buoy is reliable and only then get up. Alas, it is not always possible to stand on a mooring buoy and know exactly about its condition. However, one must take into account the circumstances. If there is still time, it is better to look for a more reliable buoy. If the weather presses you, then it is better to get up without knowing the state of the buoy than to get into a storm.

We approach the lag

Again, approaching a parking lot can be a spectacular sight. But not for the novice skipper. By and large, your field of view will be limited to one side and only the bow sailor will separate you from a collision with a pier or other boats.

Logging into a parking lot in a headwind or offwind can be a challenge for a beginner. If you understand that you cannot cope with such a task, then wait for the downwind. In this case, everything will be much easier. 

So, what is the sequence of actions, when approaching with a lag and with downwind?

Everything is very simple:

1. We approach the pier in parallel. We display the fenders on the appropriate board
2. We stop in front of our place as close to the pier as possible. The nose is turned slightly into the wind.
3. We are waiting until the yacht is pressed to the pier.

This is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to approach a parking lot. After the boat is pressed against the pier, it will not be difficult to give up the mooring lines and securely anchor.

Do not forget that, out of habit, mooring lines can be quite heavy. If you choose mooring or throw mooring lines ashore, then think about safety in advance. 

Berth or anchorage in the wilderness?

In most marinas, a place will cost you $10 to $70 per night. It's quite expensive. In addition, it is not always clear who will have to pay. On some berths there is a box where you just need to throw the right amount. 

The other berths belong to a nearby restaurant, jetty, or just some guy. There can be confusion when someone pulls up in a dinghy demanding payment for mooring. Of course, there is no receipt and never will be.

Finally, anchorages and marinas in popular areas can be real “parking lots”. So in Datca after two in the afternoon there is nothing to catch. Find out in advance about the availability of a comfortable parking space. 

By the way, quite recently we asked ourselves what kind of anchor is ideal for a particular yacht. Well, we have the answer to this question! It's time to choose an anchor to your liking and yacht:

What should a newbie remember?

A beginner should remember a few points related to mooring. Yes, sometimes you may not have a choice in how to park - the marina will indicate in plain text that only mooring or only anchoring is available.

Don't forget about the length of the anchor chain! Yes, it seems obvious, but there are places where almost immediately near the shore the depth is under 30 meters. No chain is enough.

Don't forget about mooring and anchoring skills! Work them out in advance, study how exactly your boat will be subject to pitching and drifting. Work out the system of conventional signs that will be used by the team when mooring.

Following these simple tips can make your life on a yacht much easier. Do not forget to share our materials in social networks, as well as like and rate our materials!

01.02.2022