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13.
Picking up a mooring buoy
•
Ensure the dinghy painter is tied off short on the bow or amidships and is clear
of the prop.
•
Approach the mooring buoy, keeping the bow into the wind or current,
whichever prevails.
•
Have a crew member on the bow to pick up the mooring pennant with the boat
hook.
•
The bowman will direct the helmsman to the mooring, using the already
established non-verbal communication system. Once at the mooring, inspect the
buoy and pennant for any signs of wear and tear; if you are unsure about a
mooring buoy's integrity, choose another location to moor up.
•
The bowman should ready a line to a bow cleat to slip through the eye of the
mooring pennant.
cleat.
•
Once set your mooring buoy will be attached either on the port or starboard
cleat and the yacht will be head to wind. Remember to centralize the wheel and
lock it in place to avoid the yacht sailing around the buoy.
•
Next attach a second back up line to the mooring. Attach a line from the
opposite bow cleat and if possible, attach it directly to the mooring buoy. It is
always easier to do this from the dinghy. Do not try to make the lines of equal
length, the first line should be taking all the weight of the boat.
•
To depart, release the back up line first.
create slack, release the line from the cleat and allow the pennant to slip from
the line into the water. Fall back with the wind or current and be careful not to
foul your prop on the pennant.
•
Remember to tie your dinghy away from the stern whenever you are
maneuvering in close quarters.
This line is then shortened and brought back to the same
Slowly motor the boat forward to
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