Med Mooring, request for advice

[Dave H]

The guidebook for our area states that Med Mooring is sometimes needed at one of the more popular docks. My questions are about how it is done, both with and without crew. And, how does it work?

In general, do we drop an anchor off the bow, and back to the dock? Is the anchor line kept pretty snug?

I seem to remember the use of a second anchor in my Fortress Anchor book.

Thanks.

Dave

[Terry]

It looks complicated. Here's a link to some information on mooring in the med.

http://www.sailingissues.com/yachting-g ... oring.html

Regards, Terry

[Russell]

The guidebook for our area states that Med Mooring is sometimes needed at one of the more popular docks. My questions are about how it is done, both with and without crew. And, how does it work?

In general, do we drop an anchor off the bow, and back to the dock? Is the anchor line kept pretty snug?

I seem to remember the use of a second anchor in my Fortress Anchor book.

Thanks.

Dave

I have med moored several times, it is not uncommon in the Caribbean.

It sucks, and generally I would prefer to anchor out instead, but sometimes you just gotta do it.

With boats like ours (full keel that dont back up proper), most people, including myself, go bow in for med moor. Some places actually have mooring balls in place to use, some dont. This is also one of those things where single handing a CD36 can really suck (my situation).

If going bow in, have your stern anchor and rode ready to drop, approach the berth as you can in a strait line. Have your biggest fenders, on both sides, out and amidships, the more the better. In some places this is easy, as med moor berths are often a single bulkhead and wide open to seaward. Other times they can be in fairways like a marina, limiting your strait approach, but those types more often have mooring balls and you dont need your own anchor. So when approaching, with anchor ready to deploy, line up best you can so as to not foul your neighbors anchors. You typically want to use larger then typical scope, as dragging even a bit beams smashing your boat into a very hard bulkhead, as well as you wont be able to "set" the anchor like you would under normal circumstances. Some med moor bulkheads can be steep too, others a gradual grade, note the depth before you drop the hook so you know where to drop it. I typically anchor on a 4:1 scope (all chain and oversized anchors), in med moor I do 7:1, if you have the typical short chain lead and rope rode, I would do 10:1 for med moor. As you reach your drop location simply toss the anchor over and make sure the rode is such as it will freely let itsself out.

Often in med moor situations, the space you are squeezing into can be a tad tighter then your beam, especially with fenders figured in, your neighbors may not be "home" but will always have fenders out as well. Snug up your anchor line early, pretty much as your bow goes between your two neighbors. If single handing, leave yoru boat in forward gear as you snug up the anchors so you can go forward and start the slow process of wedging your way in, it involves a lot of back and fourth to let out a few feet of anchor line then forward to adjust fenders (you may have to play fender hop scotch as you work your way in). When you are close enough to the bulkhead you can toss the bow lines to the dockhand who is hopefully standing by and the process gets easier.

Once tied up, your first few hours you dont leave the boat, as you will keep snugging the anchor up as it sets. And after that you will check the anchor a couple times a day and snug it up.

With a typhoon and an outboard you may be able to manage stern to, but it will be more difficult even with the maneuverability the outboard provides. With crew it gets dramatically easier as well (one guy at the helm/anchor line with the other dealing with the whole wedging between the neighbors bit).

Anyway, as I said, its ussually easier to just anchor out. European boats tend to have specific setups to make med moor easier (rollers for stern anchors, line on spools permanently mounted on the stern, etc...). I have only gone through the trouble when I absolutely needed to be at a dock (for shorepower for instance or for repairs).

[Dave H]

Thanks Terry, Thanks Russell,
Very helpful information.
Dave

[Paul D.]

We used to med moor at some of the docks in the Apostles before they prohibited it. For us in CD's it is all about the wind if you want to go in stern to. If you have a wind that will be on your bow as you drop anchor it should be fairly painless but if not it would take some real planning and possibly some help to go in other than Russell suggests.

I like to putz around and check out the area first - depths and bottom characteristics. Then set up a plan and let folks know about it and give them a job. Usually this involves having the greenest person aboard standing with a fender in hand ready to put it between anything I am about to hit. (This is a great method for any docking situation as it prevents them from putting their body between my boat and something else) Then I go in.

Check anchor rode to be sure it will run freely
Drop Anchor where planned, well out from dock
Say a little prayer
Back in with a lot of throttle to get a little speed then neutral to eliminate prop walk and to at least attempt to steer in reverse while there is still some way on
Have boat hook ready for grabbing nearest boat or dock in order to make fast a line
Tie stern to dock with fenders set
Snug bow anchor
Feel good if no teak or fibreglass was significantly damaged

It is a good idea to practice this and other methods a few times somewhere there are no other boats and see what works. Then you can come in feeling a little more confident in how your boat handles. However, CD's tend to always surprise in reverse. They just weren't made to go that way!

[Dave H]

Thanks Paul,

I was not aware that Med Mooring was prohibited in the Apostle Islands. I was referring to Bonnie Dahl's comment that Med Mooring was sometimes needed at Stockton. So, I'll forget about Med Mooring in the Apostles. Your inclusion of the "little prayer" and Russell's comment about the big bumpers, made an impression on me.

Dave

[Paul D.]

Dave,

Med mooring used to be encouraged at Stockton dock but no one does it any more. Can't find an official notice on it but I am sure that's the case.

[Skeep]

This topic caught my eye, "med mooring." I was not even aware of that term. I've sailed repeatedly in the Mediterranean and have moored stern-to with an anchor in the harbor that I just figure that's the way to do it.

I take a bit of issue with the article, which was very good I thought, but in some places, such as Patmos, GR, the winds howled through a saddle and it was simply impossible not to drop the bow anchor upwind, there wasn't enough time to get the 45 footer to the Quai unless we were a bit upwind when dropping it.

Soooo many stories, Prayer before and after the event is critical. Nerves polished. Crew ready to fend-off. And very dark sunglasses to hide your fright! The prop-walk alone will cause you to age prematurely. The large European geriatric in a banana sling will cause you undue concern as will the capitanerie who arrives after you've accomplished what you think is a textbook maneuver, and says, "Oh I am wery sorrie monsieur, bet, you mas muve your vessel to number cent trente six, d'accord?" That is when you must strive to keep mutiny at bay.

I hate it too. I'd just paddle my Typhoon....

[Matt Cawthorne]

I have Med-moored my 36 in strong cross winds 3 or 4 times. It can be surprisingly easy, although I always had a person with me to handle the anchor rode.

Here is where the CDs tendency for the bow to blow off to leeward makes life easy. I pass close as is reasonable to the front of the other boats that are moored off of the quay, choose my spot and turn away from the quay to drop the anchor. You have to choose the distance depending on the depth as with anchoring. I point into the wind, drop the anchor, and point the bow toward the intended spot on the quay (in forward). At this point the foredeck crew is paying out the line. When sufficient scope is out, turn the boat through the eye of the wind, put the stern to the quay and use a sufficient amount of throttle to set the anchor. When it is set, you decide whether you are downwind of your intended spot or upwind of it. If downwind, have the foredeck crew pay out anchor line. The bow will blow off and you will start to back upwind. If upwind, have the foredeck crew maintain tension with a turn on the cleat and wait. The boat will drift to leeward (still in reverse). In an ideal world, the foredeck person will be easing tension and allowing the boat to move backwards at a rate that allows the stern to stay enough into the wind to keep it headed directly for the intended spot. In an ideal world the helmsman will have the right amount of throttle to allow the boat to proceed upwind when needed, but not rip the anchor out. Every time I have tried it there was enough learning happening for the first few minutes that the approach worked out on the first try. Work out hand signals for the crew to be able to respond without hearing your voice.

There is another cross-wind technique that works well, and can be done by one person. It involves running the anchor line to the windward primary winch instead of the bow. A snatch block is set to run along the anchor line, is rigged to a line, through a pulley at the bow and back to the leeward primary winch. The angle that the stern points upwind is controlled by the snatch block and the leeward primary winch. Let it out and the bow blows off allowing the boat to back into the wind. Haul it in and the boat points at the anchor and drifts downwind.


I have never tried backing to the quay with the wind blowing directly off of the quay. It seems like it would be tough in a Cape Dory. I suppose you could always nose up to the quay, tie a long line to it, back away and bring the line to the stern to draw the boat in.

Have fun,

Matt