Hurrah...3rd time successful.

[snuggtopz]

That's the curse of Saxon with the pontoon being cross tide, have you tried attaching a bow line with a big loop in it. You can then come in bows to, lassoo the moorings and drive in using the bow line as a spring. Need to make the bow line about 1/2 the boats length.

Another way to achieve the same lasso but with greater success is a bicycle tire tied onto a rope, and tied off to a
centre cleat, motoring at idle ahead once you catch the cleat and turning the wheel away from the pontoon.
http://youtu.be/MNnaEdNrQjA



I thought this was good for leaving a pontoon where the wind is blowing you on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_OrS3X5aVI

[cookee101]

Another good tip is to make all of the lines off on the boat not on the pontoon, that way there is no rushing about jumping on the boat when you leave.

(Cookee - Commercial Yacht Master )

[jokaboat]

That's a good point cookee. Especially on bigger boats. When sailing we always used to double warps up so that they could be released from on board.

The bicycle type is a good idea, also threading the warp through a length of garden hose works to create a loop that does not collapse.

Unless you have a pukka cowboy on board who can use a lasso properly

[markanddawn]

When is the next season of Dragons Den because I'm in. Smart ideas Cookee et al

[cookee101]

My advice would be for you to do a course with an RYA approved centre - I don't use anything other than standard stuff - you'll learn how to hold a coil (of the same rope) in each hand and it will land either side of the cleat, pull gently and there you go! There should never be any need to throw it a long distance as the skipper should put the boat pretty damn close anyway.

You will also practice getting on and off moorings and pontoons - and it's cheaper if you use your own boat!

[Matt13]

I was taught all the above ideas when I did my PB2 on my own boat, and again when I did the refresher own boat tuition with the Mrs in March, the preferred one for us at the moment is when coming alongside the pontoon tie off a line from stern cleat to pontoon, steer into the pontoon with a bit of power to hold the boat alongside, we have done it before without gettin off the boat just leaning over and tieing off to pontoon.

Single handed I do the same putting small amount of power on after tieing aft cleat towards pontoon then just walk off and tie bow line. Of course thats not to say its all gone t1ts up occasionally!

At Saxon I saw one boat practising the other technique with an instructor, boat was coming onto pontoon pretty much at 90 degrees, wife was on the bow with the rope, chucked it over a pontoon cleat the same way cookee describes (coiled in each hand) the boat went astern and came nicely round to the pontoon, the tide was running fast as well pushing the boat off, so seemed to work well. She then tide off at the stern with nobody getting off the boat.

My initial fears of finding the bigger boat harder to handle seem a bit unfounded at the moment as it seems easier than the Karnic, although it is still early days yet! Anyone else so far had a boatless April, cant see it changing anytime soon!?

[snuggtopz]

Boatless APril ??

I'm so far behind with my canvas work I need a telescope to see
that far back.

I opened a chandlery too a couple of weeks ago and with all this rain
i've only seen a few customers.

Rich

[cookee101]

I was taught all the above ideas when I did my PB2 on my own boat, and again when I did the refresher own boat tuition with the Mrs in March, the preferred one for us at the moment is when coming alongside the pontoon tie off a line from stern cleat to pontoon, steer into the pontoon with a bit of power to hold the boat alongside, we have done it before without gettin off the boat just leaning over and tieing off to pontoon.

Single handed I do the same putting small amount of power on after tieing aft cleat towards pontoon then just walk off and tie bow line. Of course thats not to say its all gone t1ts up occasionally!

At Saxon I saw one boat practising the other technique with an instructor, boat was coming onto pontoon pretty much at 90 degrees, wife was on the bow with the rope, chucked it over a pontoon cleat the same way cookee describes (coiled in each hand) the boat went astern and came nicely round to the pontoon, the tide was running fast as well pushing the boat off, so seemed to work well. She then tide off at the stern with nobody getting off the boat.

My initial fears of finding the bigger boat harder to handle seem a bit unfounded at the moment as it seems easier than the Karnic, although it is still early days yet! Anyone else so far had a boatless April, cant see it changing anytime soon!?

Which all goes to prove that you learn stuff on the courses useful in real life!

[jokaboat]

He's got a point there