Mooring a boat
 

How do real salts moor a boat to a post?

A couple of my buddies are taking their entire family
out on a big houseboat for a week's
vacation on Lake Shasta in NoCal. They usually
end up driving a stake into the remote beaches
and mooring the boat to it. Last year they had a
few problems because no one knew any real knots.
The lead from the boat is very long, and they
often had to tie off the boat
with the middle of the rope. The boat was always
a different distance from shore.

They asked me what to do this yr since I'm supposed
to be Mr. Knot (not!), but I'm a lineman, not a sailor.
I suggested a round turn and 2 hh, but that's not too
convenient to tie into the middle of the rope. I'm
thinking loops, maybe. If they tied 4 or 5 butterflies
in the lead every 4 or 5 ft they could drop
whichever one was in the right spot right over the
post. Then they could use the same series of knots
day after day without having to retie every landing.

I dunno! We're dilettantes. I would like to know
what a real boater wld do.

Luke in Ca

How about a "Pile Hitch"?
http://www.geocities.com/roo_two/pilehitch.html

It seems to meet the requirements of your scenario.

Brian.

Brian G. schreef:

How about a "Pile Hitch"?



hi Luke, Brian, all,

and how about:
a (spliced) loop in the end of the mooring line
put over the pole / stake
and belay the line on board, on a cleat, without a knot
"Loop the line around the base, under the arms of the cleat,
then bring it up and over diagonally, around and under one arm,
then over, around and under the other,
in a continuous figure eight"

repeat this, add one half hitch on top (do not use the bitter end)

this is adjustable, and you can untie this under load
the loop might be hitched on the pole
with a cow hitch / larks head formed in the loop



when you want a mooring line that is attached to the boat,
and knotted / adjusted ashore
then, a hitch will do fine
boaters would use one that can be knotted in midline
(formed over the pole / stake)

a pile hitch yes, good choice

(round turn and) two half hitches will do fine
especially when you want to use the ring on the stake
knot it with the line doubled,
then the first half hitch might be a slip knot,
the second one secures this;
(do not use the bitter end)

these two are adjustable under load, and you can untie them


often used, easily adjusted, but not under load:
a clove hitch
in the middle of a long mooring line, formed over the pole end
probably with a half hitch on top of the crossings
then: half hitch(es) with the line doubled; do not use the bitter end


the series of butterfly loops is a landlubbers way ...
may be a reasonable alternative for short visits on land?



what realy is a landlubbers way:
one (large?) stake, one (strong?) mooring line ...

when you put all your money on one card:
let it be a good anchor equipment


how about two stakes / trees and four lines
to keep the ship in place?

"Unless your boat is unusually heavy
or will be subjected to severe conditions,
a bow line, stern line, and two spring lines
are recommended"

and then long lines can become handy:
with mooring line attached/tied to the boat,
tie it to one stake (with a pile hitch)
and bring the long end back on board,
belay it on the other end / side of the boat
so a "spring line" is formed as well

(repeat with other pole and line, on other side)

etc

"use proper chafe protection where mooring lines
may rub on gunwales etc"

etc


so ...
boaters belay on board, on heavy cleats

knot recommending knots,

Ben

Hi Ben,

Your suggestions are great and show that you have worked on Luke 451's
question to the bitter end! :-))

Well ... not a great joke ... but I tried!

Brian

x-no-archive: yes
"Luke 451" wrote:

The lead from the boat is very long, and they
often had to tie off the boat
with the middle of the rope. The boat was always
a different distance from shore.

Unless there is wind and waves, you can use a simple clove hitch, slipped
over the top of the stake.

If there will be any tugging on the line, you can just make a few more
clove hitches on top of it. No fancy shmancy knot tying that your shipmates
could not learn in under 30 seconds and it will hold you.

K.I.S.S.

--
Karl Pollak, Richmond, British Columbia
Sea Scouting in Canada at http://www.seascouts.ca/

The simplest knot, already suggested, is throwing several half hitches
over the stake. I don't think I'd be able to sleep with just two -
I'd add a third or more.

However, you asked what a "real boater" would do. First of all, he
would likely use the end of a line and take up the excess on the boat,
not on shore. That way, more can be fed out if need. The boat will
undoubtedly have cleats for this purpose, so they should learn the
proper way to attach to a cleat. Using this approach, the line can be
tied to the stake in advance, and a round turn with half hitches is
not a bad choice, as long as conditions don't get nasty.

Also, the "stake" would likely be some type of anchor, perhaps a
Danforth style the could be buried in sand. For harder soil an auger
style "land anchor" can be had. In any case, an anchor would have a
ring to attach to, usually with a thimbled splice and a shackle.

Also, the line (or anchor rode) should be nylon, which will provide
some stretch. Presumably, they are renting the boat and it should be
setup with at least one good anchor and rode, and a second for backup.



Luke 451 wrote:
How do real salts moor a boat to a post?

A couple of my buddies are taking their entire family
out on a big houseboat for a week's
vacation on Lake Shasta in NoCal. They usually
end up driving a stake into the remote beaches
and mooring the boat to it. Last year they had a
few problems because no one knew any real knots.
The lead from the boat is very long, and they
often had to tie off the boat
with the middle of the rope. The boat was always
a different distance from shore.

They asked me what to do this yr since I'm supposed
to be Mr. Knot (not!), but I'm a lineman, not a sailor.
I suggested a round turn and 2 hh, but that's not too
convenient to tie into the middle of the rope. I'm
thinking loops, maybe. If they tied 4 or 5 butterflies
in the lead every 4 or 5 ft they could drop
whichever one was in the right spot right over the
post. Then they could use the same series of knots
day after day without having to retie every landing.

I dunno! We're dilettantes. I would like to know
what a real boater wld do.

Luke in Ca

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 22:45:22 -0400, Jeff wrote:

The simplest knot, already suggested, is throwing several half hitches
over the stake. I don't think I'd be able to sleep with just two -
I'd add a third or more.

My father always said: One for a friend, two for
a battleship, but three won't hold a woman. (He
recently passed away having spent 57 happy years
with my mom, so perhaps he was wrong on the efficacy
of half-hitches.)

--
--Pete
"Peter W. Meek"
http://www.msen.com/~pwmeek/