Mooring Boat : How to properly moor your boat ?

How to choose your mooring springs to be safe?

There are different types of springs. Galvanized springs, rubber springs, stainless steel springs, and silencers. Also called "shock absorbers", these boat equipments ensure the absorption of shocks, as their name indicates. Here are the 4 types of boat shock absorbers.

First of all, all sailors must know how to distinguish the 3 types of mooring lines that stabilize a boat when anchored. First, there are the points, which are ropes positioned towards the outside. Then come the guards, which are crossed from the front to the back and vice versa. Finally, the third type of mooring line is called the traversers. These are perpendicular to the boat. They are not mandatory for anchoring your boat. However, these ropes reinforce the stability of your boat on the water.

The 5 best positions for mooring a boat to the pontoon

"Alongside" or alongside the dock

This is a mooring in which your sailboat or other is parallel to the dock thanks to 4 mooring lines. These are positioned as shown in the following image:

Stern to dock

As its name indicates, the sailor parks in the harbor with the stern of his boat perpendicular to the quay. In this position, at the front the floating vehicle is held by a trunk*, an anchor or a hanger. While at the back it is hooked to bollards, cleats with a mooring hawser. In addition, to stabilize it as much as possible, you can add mooring lines that cross each other as shown in the following picture:

*PS: A trunk is a floating buoy connected to a dead weight submerged in the water. A pendulum is a rope or chain connected to a mother chain attached to a dead weight.

Mooring alongside another boat

This is simply tying up by attaching your lines to the cleats of a boat that is stuck to the dock. Nevertheless, you should not neglect the attachment of mooring lines to the dock. This allows to increase the pressure on the boat already stabilized at the quay.

On a "catway

A "catway" is a small additional floating platform, which is located perpendicularly to the main pontoon or quay. Mooring is done in the same way as on a quay, with the 3 types of mooring hawsers (Points, Guards, Crossings) mentioned above.

Here is an illustration to know how to moor a boat on a catway:

Concerning these ropes, the two front spikes allow the stability on that side, and the adjustment of the distance between the boat and the dock. Then the back guard comes to maintain your boat as close as possible to the catway. Then the front guard comes to immobilize definitively your boater. Finally, the use of ferries makes it easier to embark and disembark by keeping your boat as close to the catway as possible.

On a trunk

Placed last in this guide, mooring on a trunk is a rare solution and is most often used by large vessels. To perform this operation, a small boat is useful to guide the vessel during the mooring phase. This small model carries the hawsers to the mooring box. When docking, the speed and direction of movement of your boat must be the same as the ship's to avoid the small boat tipping over because of over-stretched hawsers.

However, if you have a sailboat or even a small boat, you can also try a mooring on a trunk, i. e. a buoy stabilized by a dead weight.

Finally, to carry out any type of mooring, it is necessary to have good mooring equipment and to know how to tie stubborn knots

Which mooring knots to use to tie up a boat?

These are the rope-tightening techniques that ensure that your boat is parked at the dock. So it's a good idea to know the 4 main rope knots before you set sail. Here they are:

Cleat knot

As the name suggests, the cleat knot is used to secure your mooring line to a cleat. It is a dead turn, which is then accompanied by a figure-eight crossing, and finally ends with an inverted half-key.

A dead turn is a turn around the element to which the rope is attached. With this simple manipulation, the boat is locked in. The cleat knot is the most popular way to tie up a boat.

Summary:

1. Make a dead turn around the cleat
2. Make a figure eight
3. Make a loop so that it is parallel to the existing loop below
4. Tighten (End)

Capstan knot

This mooring knot, called a capstan knot, is ideal for attaching a fender or mooring to a bitt. This knot requires maximum tension, since its drawback is that it tends to slip. Therefore, use a half-key at the end of the tightening process to secure it.

Summary:

1. Make a dead turn
2. Make a new dead turn that passes through the loop created by the first turn.
3. Tighten (End)

Chair knot

This knot is typically the one you might have to make on your mooring line. It is simply a matter of making a strong, firm loop.

Recond summary:

1. Make a loop. The loop should go outward, to the right. The frame passes under the current.
2. Pass the current through the loop from below. Check that it comes out of the loop.
3. Finally, go around the frame to return to the first loop.
4. Tighten (End)

The dead turn and two half keys

Because a dead turn and two half keys will never let you down if you go to sea without much knowledge, this knot is the easiest to remember and to tie. Indeed, it is very easy to construct and release, despite the tension that will be exerted on it. Two classic knots follow the dead turn, this is what we call two half-keys. To be used on your boat, pontoon, and to attach your fenders.

Rummary:

1. Make a dead turn around the attachment point
2. Make a half-key and tighten to lock the dead turn
3. Make a new half-key
4. Tighten (End)

The Nautisports team