Tricky berth parking question

Recently I was allocated a marina berth as a single handed visitor which was bows in, starboard side to. The finger pontoon was a fraction longer than my 30ft bilge keeler. My prop kicks to port in reverse. Another boat on my port side already berthed, with fenders on the starboard side at gunwhale height. No discernible current but wind blowing directly (ie pushing) into the berth 15-18 knots. I made two mistakes. One was simply that I had not appreciated the length of the finger and should have stopped the boat cockpit level with the first cleat to get on a midship line. Consequently I very gently t boned the pontoon. Secondly I was also well fendered on my port side so rested gently and briefly against the other boat before pulling myself over to my finger. Not a problem but would like to have done better. I had been quite anxious about the turn to starboard and was pleased with the line I took, and was trying to take it as slow as I could without losing steerage but obviously I overshot the cleat. In retrospect I wonder if I could have done better going in in reverse, but I was worried about my bow being blown off. Alternatively I should simply have asked for a portside to berth and given the wind strength, maybe into the wind. Overall no damage to anything other than my pride and a useful learning opportunity maybe??

Next time try reversing in.

With no current and plenty of wind, you want the first line you get ashore to be on the windward end of the pontoon, whichever that is. With that in mind, when singlehanded, I think I'd probably do exactly as you did as it's going to be a lot quicker to get the stern line on than go all the way forward for your bow line.
One trick that is worth considering is to make up your stern line with a nice big bowline in it, and don't secure the inboard end. So that you can quickly drop that bowline over the cleat and then handle the inboard end without leaving the cockpit.

Wouldn't worry about a gentle fendered landing on the other boat though. That's fair enough for a singlehander.

I think you’d be in a lot more difficulties trying to reverse in. The bow would get blown off very quickly.

If the finger was a lot longer than your boat then a short line from your starboard quarter dropped over a cleat on the finger might have worked. Otherwise a short midships line and helm hard over and motor against it to pin yourself to the pontoon.

FairweatherDave said:

Overall no damage to anything other than my pride and a useful learning opportunity maybe??

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So it was a successful berthing - dont worry. In a similar sized bilgie with high freeboard and grip on the water like a pi55ed snake, I find it handy to have a rope with a 12 inch loop in the end kept open by the loop being threaded through a piece of poly tube. The free end goes through the base of my centre cleat and back to a sheet winch. I drop the loop over a pontoon cleat when nosing into the berth and then winch the boat to the pontoon if necessary.

I also have a bow fender, and fender up both sides of the boat.

Been mooring up for 40 years and still make cock ups. Its the nature of the game

Thanks very much for those replies! I'm feeling better now My instinct was not to try reversing as I didn't have much room for error. Reversing into wind fine, but not the place to experiment reversing downwind or round a corner. I'm well versed in the midship big loop stuff and was trying a Duncan Wells midship bridle. Simply put I approached too fast because of anxiety getting the line right and misjudged how much length I had to stop in. Should have requested a port side to berth for an easy life. Birdseye, I think you might have been looking at a Konsort, which is what I have. Certainly mine needs a scrub so I suspect that didn't help matters.

My only rule is never to attempt something that might not work and will be expensive if that happens. Reversing downwind would come high on that list. especially with a short run at it and no bowthruster, which might just make it possible. My 34' boat kicks the other way, but only slightly. In such situations my only resource is to approach fairly briskly and turn the boat sharply as I engage reverse, hoping to get enough turning movement to counter the prop-walk. At all other times I would just let my boat settle onto my neighbour gently and sort myself out at my leisure. Properly done, this is a normal part of marina berthing.

FairweatherDave said:

Thanks very much for those replies! I'm feeling better now My instinct was not to try reversing as I didn't have much room for error. Reversing into wind fine, but not the place to experiment reversing downwind or round a corner. I'm well versed in the midship big loop stuff and was trying a Duncan Wells midship bridle. Simply put I approached too fast because of anxiety getting the line right and misjudged how much length I had to stop in. Should have requested a port side to berth for an easy life. Birdseye, I think you might have been looking at a Konsort, which is what I have. Certainly mine needs a scrub so I suspect that didn't help matters.

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Konsort should be quite good steering wise - you have a prop just in front of the sked. Try the same thing with a saildrive much further away = or even worse, twin rudders!

Fenders are for fending off so be relaxed about using them for that.. My home berth is nice and tight, my neighbour is well fendered as am I so I squeeze in with just a few inches to spare. Makes life a lot easier than rattling around in a big wide space.

johnalison said:

In such situations my only resource is to approach fairly briskly and turn the boat sharply as I engage reverse, hoping to get enough turning movement to counter the prop-walk.

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I like that idea. Will try that one out in a deserted place....

As another relative newbie to parking big(ish) boats, it's interesting to read others' thoughts on this. I think I'd have done the same as you though Dave, and it sounds as though it worked well enough for you. I / we are also big fans of the Duncan Wells midship bridle. Our recent deserted place parking practice (whilst waiting for the tide to enter our marina) showed us just how easily the wind takes the bow at very low speeds or when reversing.

My only other thought is whether you might have asked the marina if one of their chaps would mind taking your lines. I'm not sure it that's the 'done thing'.

Another technique for the OP to consider is to deliberately bring his bow [suitably fendered, of course] into gentle contact with the walkway, continue to motor ahead and hold the tiller over towards the pontoon [I have a short loop of shockcord at each side of the cockpit for this purpose].

The boat will stay like that while he steps ashore and secures his lines.

The only problem I have encountered doing this is well-meaning people [bless 'em] who rush up and try to push my bow off the walkway while shouting at me to stop!

FairweatherDave I am surprised you did not ask for assistance from the marina. I do this in my Fulmar in strong winds and an unknown berth that is difficult to identify, especially at night. Berth numbers can be very difficult to read whilst heading for a berth. The last time I did this was entering Brixham Marina gone midnight after a very breezy sail from Newlyn. The extra pair of hands can certainly be worth having to identify the berth and prevent T boning the pontoon.

Poignard said:

Another technique for the OP to consider is to deliberately bring his bow [suitably fendered, of course] into gentle contact with the walkway, continue to motor ahead and hold the tiller over towards the pontoon [I have a short loop of shockcord at each side of the cockpit for this purpose].

The boat will stay like that while he steps ashore and secures his lines.

The only problem I have encountered doing this is well-meaning people [bless 'em] who rush up and try to push my bow off the walkway while shouting at me to stop!

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That's the way to do it. In my opinion.

Sounds to me as if the OP did a good job under what were comparatively favourable conditions.
Try coming round the corner to be confronted with a pontoon ⅔ the length of the boat and equipped with staples, not cleats...
I'd see no shame in lying against my neighbour for a brief period while I get lines sorted out - and with an empty berth to my portside I'd probably come safely portside-to there under full control and then warp across to the other side.
Poignard's solution is a practical one too.

Poignard said:

Another technique for the OP to consider is to deliberately bring his bow [suitably fendered, of course] into gentle contact with the walkway, continue to motor ahead and hold the tiller over towards the pontoon [I have a short loop of shockcord at each side of the cockpit for this purpose].

The boat will stay like that while he steps ashore and secures his lines.

The only problem I have encountered doing this is well-meaning people [bless 'em] who rush up and try to push my bow off the walkway while shouting at me to stop!

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I considered that as my plan B. There was a fender on the pontoon I could have aimed at. Trouble was, as I say, I had misjudged the length of the pontoon and had already lost sight of the target fender under the bow when I looked up from spotting the finger pontoon cleats. Must have gently t boned a good 4 ft from the fender. I think I had my priorities wrong, I was more bothered about any fender contact with the neighbouring boat, whereas judging the length of the space is more important. Obviously you want to get both right.

Concerto said:

FairweatherDave I am surprised you did not ask for assistance from the marina. I do this in my Fulmar in strong winds and an unknown berth that is difficult to identify, especially at night. Berth numbers can be very difficult to read whilst heading for a berth. The last time I did this was entering Brixham Marina gone midnight after a very breezy sail from Newlyn. The extra pair of hands can certainly be worth having to identify the berth and prevent T boning the pontoon.

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I'm never afraid to ask, particularly after a long sail. But at some point when I assess the situation as something I ought to be able to manage you have to try. And I should have done a bit better. But I have learned more this way.

FairweatherDave said:

I like that idea. Will try that one out in a deserted place....

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It’s less useful for finger berths where you don’t have much choice of approach angles, but when I am forced to berth on my ‘wrong’ side I will often approach at a steep angle of as much as 40 degrees to give me a chance of getting the boat rotating and moving a little sideways at the point when it is no longer giving steerage way. Easier in practice than to describe.

FairweatherDave said:

I considered that as my plan B. There was a fender on the pontoon I could have aimed at. Trouble was, as I say, I had misjudged the length of the pontoon and had already lost sight of the target fender under the bow when I looked up from spotting the finger pontoon cleats. Must have gently t boned a good 4 ft from the fender. I think I had my priorities wrong, I was more bothered about any fender contact with the neighbouring boat, whereas judging the length of the space is more important. Obviously you want to get both right.

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Here you can see the type of bow fender I use. They are not expensive and don't take up much room in the cockpit locker.

Majoni Bow Fender

I might be buying that sooner than you think!!

FairweatherDave said:

I might be buying that sooner than you think!!

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The boat or the fender?