The plan, step by step
Arriving
Come in at an angle
Slowly, under engine, heading 30 to 45° to the pontoon, bow aimed at the middle of the berth. Choose the favourable side: with a right-handed propeller, port side to. Lines and fenders ready on both sides, outside the guardrails.
HelmHelm hard away
One or two metres off the pontoon, helm hard over away from it and neutral. The bow runs along the pontoon and the stern swings in towards it; the boat comes almost parallel.
HelmA touch of astern
A brief burst of astern, a few more revs. The way comes off and, on the favourable side, prop walk pulls the stern in against the pontoon. The boat stops parallel, on her fenders.
HelmStep off with the bow spring
The crew, at the shrouds where the boat is closest to the pontoon, steps off with the bow spring without jumping and makes it fast on the cleat, leading aft. Ahead at tickover, helm away from the pontoon: the boat stays pinned on her own.
CrewBow and stern lines
Bow line, stern line, then stern spring. If the wind is blowing along the pontoon, the windward line goes on first. Stop the engine once the boat is held.
Crew
Leaving
Read the wind
The wind may have shifted overnight. Start the engine early and test ahead and astern. Let go the leeward lines first; the last one is the windward line.
HelmWind pinning you on: stern out first
Leave the bow spring on, rigged on a slip so it can be let go from on board, and a big fender just aft of the bow. Ahead at tickover, helm towards the pontoon: the stern swings out. Neutral, let go the spring, bring it in quickly, then go astern.
Helm and crewOr bow out first
On a stern spring, fender on the quarter, gentle astern: the bow swings out. Neutral, let go, then ahead without turning too early. With a strong wind pinning you on, this method works poorly.
Helm and crew
Who does what
On the helm
Chooses the side and the angle, calls the moment for helm hard away and the burst of astern, never motors against a line before the crew is ready.
Crew
Prepares the lines and fenders, waits at the shrouds with the bow spring, steps off when the boat touches her fenders, makes the spring fast, then takes the bow and stern lines.
Single-handed
A midships line, made fast at the widest point of the boat and looped over the pontoon cleat, holds the boat while you do the rest.
The dangers
A foot or hand between hull and pontoon
Never stop a boat with your feet, knees or hands. A leg trapped between the hull and the edge of the pontoon is the classic injury.
Jumping too early
A missed jump ends with a leg in the water between the boat and the pontoon. Only step off when the gap is under control; otherwise go round again.
Fingers on the cleat
When the engine pushes against the spring, it snaps tight. Keep your hands half a metre from the cleat: it is the friction of the line that holds, not your grip.
A line round the prop
When leaving, a spring that has been let go trails in the water right next to the propeller. Neutral, bring it in quickly, then engage.
The wind at the wrong moment
A gust on the beam pushes the bow, then the stern, towards the neighbour. If the manoeuvre goes wrong, get clear and start again rather than forcing it with the engine.
Common mistakes
- Coming alongside on the unfavourable side without knowing it. With a right-handed propeller and starboard side to, the burst of astern pushes the stern away from the pontoon instead of pulling it in. Know which way your propeller pulls the stern in astern.
- Coming in too fast. Going astern alone won’t stop a heavy boat, and nor can the crew. Keep the speed moderate and carry your way in.
- Making fast to leeward first. Held by the leeward line, the boat pivots head to wind and swings onto the neighbour. Windward line first.
- Pulling the boat in by hand. You can’t pull a boat weighing several tonnes. Make the spring fast and let the engine do the work.
- A line you can no longer let go from on board. A bowline on a deck cleat can’t be cast off under load. Always keep a way to ease or let go from the boat.
Depending on the wind
- Wind pinning you onto the pontoon. Come in almost parallel, stop about a metre off the pontoon and let the wind push you onto it.
- Wind blowing you off the pontoon. More angle, a little more speed to keep steerage right to the end. The bow spring, or a midships line, goes on first; motor ahead against it, helm away, to bring the stern in.
- Wind along the pontoon. Come in head to wind: it slows you down and doesn’t push. The windward line goes on first, and the boat then lies head to wind on her own.
- Current. Come in against the current: the stronger it is, the more the boat holds her position. With the wind blowing you off, position yourself off the berth, bow into the current, and let it carry you sideways onto the pontoon. Coming alongside with the current by mistake is the classic early-season error.
- Between two boats. Aim for the middle of the free space. In a current, too much speed or too much helm and you end up pinned on the down-tide neighbour.
- Rafting up to another boat. Ask first. Choose a neighbour of the same size or larger. Fenders from bow to stern, at the height of her topsides; shift fore or aft if the masts touch as you roll. Breast lines and springs first, then your shore lines.
Local customs
- France: when the harbour is full, you accept a boat rafting up alongside with good grace; you leave your fenders out on the free side to show they are welcome, and say what time you plan to leave. On a cleat that is already in use, pass your line under your neighbour’s without undoing it. Accepting help from neighbours is polite.
- United Kingdom: the boat rafting up brings her own lines and fenders, takes her own shore lines (not doing so is seen as very rude) and crosses the neighbours forward of the mast, asking which deck to use.
- Netherlands: in visitors’ harbours, the harbourmaster allocates the berth, and you are expected to accept a boat rafting alongside you.
- Germany: in a “Päckchen” (raft), the inside boats serve as a bridge to the quay. Ask before rafting up, cross by the bow with your shoes off, and agree the departure time the evening before.
- Italy: in the Mediterranean you mostly moor stern-to; in a public harbour you can also moor “all’inglese”, alongside the quay.
On the VHF
“Harbour office, this is sailing yacht Alcyone, eleven metres, from Île de Ré, four persons on board. Request a visitor berth alongside for two nights. Over.”
See also
Practise it
Level 4 · La Rochelle
Do this manoeuvre again in the app, as many times as you need, without scratching a hull.
