On and off the berth single handed
Launch of Desert Air
Desert Air was Launched and placed on a finger berth at Burnham Yacht Harbour two seasons ago. As this was my first experience with a boat of this size and weight and also the first time in the confines of a marina it was immediately evident I needed help when leaving and returning single handed. The following is my solution to the problem. The pontoon is fitted as one would expect, with one cleat at the end and one half way along. Desert Air has a cleat midships.
Single handed berthing solution
I use what is called a Maxi-Moor "Grab
IT" hook
with a line attached. This hook is like a Carbine Hook but held
open
in a housing which is attached to the end of a boat hook. When
pulled clear of the housing the hook snaps shut. I have one hook
for’d and one aft. The line from each of these hooks is fed
over the guard rail and the aft line fed through the cleat amidships
and back to the cockpit (See fig 1). This line has a marker at
a distance from the hook equivalent to the length of the aft permanent
spring mooring line.
When at sea the boat hook is secured on the side deck aft. A hoop
made from a length of threaded rod covered with a plastic tube
is attached to the outer pontoon cleat making quick attachment
much easier. (See fig 2). I was pleasantly surprised when the marina
management had no objection to me drilling holes through their
cleat.
I always approach as slowly as conditions will allow and first
clip on the stern line. The line is pulled in until the mark reaches
the cleat and is then secured to the winch self taller. With wind
off the pontoon the for’d line is clipped onto a rope stretched
across the berth. Clearly this is not required when the wind is
in the opposite direction. (See fig 3).
I always approach as slowly as conditions will allow and first clip on the stern line. The line is pulled in until the mark reaches the cleat and is then secured to the winch self taller. With wind off the pontoon the for’d line is clipped onto a rope stretched across the berth. Clearly this is not required when the wind is in the opposite direction. (See fig 3).
With docking now under control it was evident some help was needed
in order to vacate the berth in an orderly manner especially when
wind was blowing off the pontoon. My obvious problem was controlling
the bow in the period between casting off and returning to the
cockpit. The solution is illustrated in figs 2 & 4. A pulley
is lashed to the centre cleat on the finger berth and a double
pulley attached to the pulpit. A line is fed as shown with one
end secured to the winch self tailer and the other end to the pushpit.
A second line is fed round the loop at the end of the finger to
hold the stern in position. All permanent mooring lines can then
be removed. The slack is taken in on the end attached to the pushpit
as she goes out thus controlling the bow and finally the other
end is flicked off the self tailer and the line retrieved.
Having rigged the boat as stated above I realised that it was often advantageous to use this system irrespective of where the wind was coming from. I could now cast off without leaving the cockpit. No more horrors on returning to discover some boat has appeared from nowhere and is bearing down fast.
Norman Thornton, Desert Air