Mooring on rivers in heavy wind

[Smelly]

We came upstream on the Severn today with a developing Big Wind behind us.

 

We tried mooring a couple of times however getting the bow line on first the wind just had us at right angles to the pontoons so I gave up and sought the haven the Avon presented.

 

I tried a good long bow line to steer against but three factors put us off:

the sound that we were about to rip the pontoon free,

the fact that the bow would usually reach the pontoon with enough angle to leave us wedged against the pontoon unable to get the stern in (think too tight bow lines) &...

Bagpuss ending up with a taut rope wrapped around her leg.

 

I've had a couple of thoughts how to manage it since such as turning into the wind or trying to get the stern line off first as if we were running downstream... either would've left us prone to the current when the gusts dropped and me with a hernia and Bagpuss being stronger in spirit than body I didn't fancy trying to haul the hull in against the wind from 90 degrees.

 

Using the centre line to strap against has also struck me but that risks running horizontal to wind/current and the associated risk of rolling.

 

At the time things were moving too quickly and other opportunities so available as to do anything else but give up on plan A and try it again in place B...

 

How do other people manage?

Edited September 6, 2011 by Smelly

[The Pipe]

Simple for me just strap it but my centre line is mounted on the gunnel and cannot pull the boat over.

I do not think you need to worry about which way your boat is facing on the Severn not in todays flow.

I allways strap my boat in anyway, too lazy to heave a 24 ton boat in with a rope.

[Smelly]

Simple for me just strap it but my centre line is mounted on the gunnel and cannot pull the boat over.

I do not think you need to worry about which way your boat is facing on the Severn not in todays flow.

I allways strap my boat in anyway, too lazy to heave a 24 ton boat in with a rope.

 

Although there was no tide; that was when we went down and it was a big one , there seemed to e enough of a flow to move the boat. Maye some fresh after the rain?

 

I like having the centre line at gunwhale height and of we were to do more river work I'd think seriously about commissioning a welder but it won't be for a couple of years now...

[Naughty Cal]

If the wind was stronger than the flow of the water then turning into it would have been your best bet and use it, much the same as yiou would normally use the flow of water, to help with moving the boat.

 

Depending on how much room you had to play with using the ropes was your second bet, but again much depends on the state of the pontoons and mooring cleats. Reversing a narrowboat off a dodgy pontoon could well end up with it ripping the pontoon in half!!

[nipper]

We came upstream on the Severn today with a developing Big Wind behind us.

 

We tried mooring a couple of times however getting the bow line on first the wind just had us at right angles to the pontoons so I gave up and sought the haven the Avon presented.

 

I tried a good long bow line to steer against but three factors put us off:

the sound that we were about to rip the pontoon free,

the fact that the bow would usually reach the pontoon with enough angle to leave us wedged against the pontoon unable to get the stern in (think too tight bow lines) &...

Bagpuss ending up with a taut rope wrapped around her leg.

 

I've had a couple of thoughts how to manage it since such as turning into the wind or trying to get the stern line off first as if we were running downstream... either would've left us prone to the current when the gusts dropped and me with a hernia and Bagpuss being stronger in spirit than body I didn't fancy trying to haul the hull in against the wind from 90 degrees.

 

Using the centre line to strap against has also struck me but that risks running horizontal to wind/current and the associated risk of rolling.

 

At the time things were moving too quickly and other opportunities so available as to do anything else but give up on plan A and try it again in place B...

 

How do other people manage?

 

In a sailing boat or narrowboat and any other boat for that matter, I'll always moor facing the strongest element, whether it be wind or tide!

Using the engine, or sails to give you have far more control of your boat.

 

Nipper

[cereal tiller]

Simple for me just strap it but my centre line is mounted on the gunnel and cannot pull the boat over.

I do not think you need to worry about which way your boat is facing on the Severn not in todays flow.

I allways strap my boat in anyway, too lazy to heave a 24 ton boat in with a rope.

i have often wondered why narrowboats do not have centre lines at gunwhale level,our boat has them approx. 60 % back from the bow,welded to the gunwhale.

 

they are forged rings that were originally used for handling ATM machines!

 

as mentioned,they are very useful for strapping in to a mooring and mine are hung on the aft end of the cabin roof when not in use,this allows the helmsman to step ashore with line in hand.

 

on the thames,the water flow can reach 5 miles per hour in flood conditions,i under stand that the severn can get a lot brisker

!

[Smelly]

i have often wondered why narrowboats do not have centre lines at gunwhale level,our boat has them approx. 60 % back from the bow,welded to the gunwhale.

 

they are forged rings that were originally used for handling ATM machines!

 

as mentioned,they are very useful for strapping in to a mooring and mine are hung on the aft end of the cabin roof when not in use,this allows the helmsman to step ashore with line in hand.

 

on the thames,the water flow can reach 5 miles per hour in flood conditions,i under stand that the severn can get a lot brisker

!

 

We were drifting at 6 on last week's tide but we're going home now.

 

As for turning into the wind... I think.I will be speaking to a welder soon...

 

Food for thought so thanks all.

 

[jonk]

This is of no help to you - just a query that comes to mind. Would a bow-thruster help in this sort of situation, or would it not help at all?

I find wind to be the big destroyer in so many situations!

John

Edited September 7, 2011 by jonk

[mike31]

always good if you can find a mooring where the wind can help you get onto it.

 

sometimes using a fore or aft mooring line to spring off can help. but never easy if the wind is against you.

[Smelly]

This is of no help to you - just a query that comes to mind. Would a bow-thruster help in this sort of situation, or would it not help at all?

I find wind to be the big destroyer in so many situations!

John

 

I've never seen a bow thruster move a boat as quickly as the wind did so, from my limited experience I doubt it.

 

always good if you can find a mooring where the wind can help you get onto it.

 

sometimes using a fore or aft mooring line to spring off can help. but never easy if the wind is against you.

 

I did try springing (strapping?) against the bow line; maybe it's too short but the bow beat the stern to the pontoons, hence the comment about tight mooring lines.

 

The wind was dead straight down the river; probably due to the channel; it was following down the Avon as well. I thought when we attempted Upper Lode lock that, due to the angle the pontoons at we'd be blown onto it. I was wrong!

[by'eck]

Not sure if it works for a narrowboat but turning into wind or current or both, then securing midships line to shore whilst keeping forward propulsion usually pulls you in.

 

Leave engine idling in forward whilst making off bow & stern. Extend midships lines to acts as springs securing to shore fore & aft & your done

[mrsmelly]

This is of no help to you - just a query that comes to mind. Would a bow-thruster help in this sort of situation, or would it not help at all?

I find wind to be the big destroyer in so many situations!

John

 

Proper bowthrusters on sea going ferries etc are great but the piddly stuff fitted to most inland boats are completely useless, to prove to myself my theory for many years I tried it last week. The boat I recently bought ( I would NEVER fit one ) has a vetus bt jobby and its not the small one its quite substantial supposedly so 3 days ago in very high winds on the river calder with a bit of flow I put it to the test..........complete waste of space !! I used my experience as I always have and managed the boat with the rudder. The bt could not beat the wind at all and I was totaly unsuprised.

[Keeping Up]

Admittedly talking about current alone, rather than wind and current, but many times I have deliberately come to a mooring with a strong flow behind me and NOT turned into it, but instead used lots of reverse power to get the stern to the mooring. That way I could just step off with the stern line and attach it to a bollard, letting the current hold the bows pointing downstream, and then use the centre line to pull the boat in properly (we also have rings welded half-way along each gunwale).

 

If the wind were massively stronger than the current as in the case you describe I would have moored in this way with the stern to the wind, content in the knowledge that I was still facing upstream so would be perfectly moored when the wind dropped.

[The Pipe]

When people talk about bow thrusters I allways say look at the other end and think about your rudder, just watch a big 1000 ton german barge with no forward movement turning in forward gear. Schilling, Becker and flap rudders NACA airfoil sections are all out there. Not too many flat plates are seen.

[jonk]

When people talk about bow thrusters I allways say look at the other end and think about your rudder, just watch a big 1000 ton german barge with no forward movement turning in forward gear. Schilling, Becker and flap rudders NACA airfoil sections are all out there. Not too many flat plates are seen.

 

That's an interesting observation! So do you suggest that narrowboats should have a different type of rudder to be most effective?

 

John

[mike31]

Proper bowthrusters on sea going ferries etc are great but the piddly stuff fitted to most inland boats are completely useless, to prove to myself my theory for many years I tried it last week. The boat I recently bought ( I would NEVER fit one ) has a vetus bt jobby and its not the small one its quite substantial supposedly so 3 days ago in very high winds on the river calder with a bit of flow I put it to the test..........complete waste of space !! I used my experience as I always have and managed the boat with the rudder. The bt could not beat the wind at all and I was totaly unsuprised.

 

The boat i had a go on afew weeks ago with a bow thruster was similar, it may move the front on a nice calm day, but didnt even manage to move the boat against a slight breeze. not really the miracle cure people say they are.

[The Pipe]

That's an interesting observation! So do you suggest that narrowboats should have a different type of rudder to be most effective?

 

John

Gazelle had a plate rudder fitted when new I replaced it with a modified Schilling profile rudder not 100% sucessfull maybe a Becker type profile would be better or a simple NACA airfoil section, I would like to try a flap rudder most efficent rudder around but could be damaged on the run back in locks.

You could also try a plate rudder with horrizontal plate to control the flow or even putting a simple Gurney flap at the back of the rudder.

I remember in the 60's the wooden hire boats we hired had profiled rudders so not new on the canals.

[Neil2]

I'm beginning to think the only answer to this is not to be there in the first place!

 

Forget rivers, two of us tried to get into Clarence Dock in Leeds in a strong wind the other day. Once the wind had us broadside we were going nowhere except sideways.

 

Got into the sanctuary of a pontoon and then had the equally challenging business of getting out. With a huge sigh of relief we made the exit only to be hailed by a guy filming for the local news. " We'd love to get some film of a boat - could you go back and come out again..."

[mike31]

if the winds coming from the wrong way an to strongly theres not alot you can do about it.

 

could always get a dinghy as a tender an use it as a tug