Rafting-Etiquette

[MAHA]

Looking for some advice on rafting against other ribs.

What is the correct etiquette, is there a correct etiquette?

How do I get out if I have 3 ribs alongside?

Do I assume I can raft up to another rib?

Seems very confusing to me !!

Any info would be gratefully received

[Nos4r2]

Just my take on it:-

Originally Posted by MAHA

Looking for some advice on rafting against other ribs.

What is the correct etiquette, is there a correct etiquette?

Ask the owners if they are nearby.

Originally Posted by MAHA

How do I get out if I have 3 ribs alongside?

Slowly!
If I'm single handed I'll tie their bow line onto the boat inside mine/pontoon, move out backwards if possible, tie their stern line back on from my bow then shorten their bow line.
Far easier with help!

Originally Posted by MAHA

Do I assume I can raft up to another rib?

Harbours would be very low on capacity if we didn't.Worth checking what they are tied up to though-if there's any possibility that they are numpties and have tied up to (eg) rusty metal ladders without fenders etc I'd stay well away.It'll be your boat they move when they want to leave and if they don't care about theirs... In my WAFI days we tied up onto anything suitable unless it had a note on saying it was leaving soon or early AM.

[Richard B]

If you treat other people and their boats they way you would like to be treated, then you won't go far wrong!

Firstly, try to moor to a similarly sized RIB. Or one with well placed cleats to attach to. Avoid lines rubbing across tubes at all costs, and use obvious strong points to tie to on the adjacent boat. If you plan to tie to another RIB's grab handles (on the tubes) then ask first - lots of people don't like this. Expect to find your RIB moved when you come back, as no-one is going to wait around for you.

Keep you outboard leg down - the last thing I want is a sharp prop and skeg pointing at me!

And if you change anyone's mooring lines, take account of the tide... you don't want to be responsible for someone else's boat hanging off the wall with all its weight on the lines - because this owner WILL wait for you to get back

If you can, take a long line ashore as well as the warps to the adjacent boat, whilst this isn't always possible, a yachtie will expect you to do this every time. In fact, a yachtie will expect you to use springs from your boat to his, and run the bow and stern warps ashore. It's a good system when you have the space and the time!

And don't visit busy places on bank holiday weekends (like Yarmouth IOW) until you're confident... you may return to find eight other RIBs rafted to the outside of you.

Finally, if someone is rude and "loses it" as happened to Timboli and me last year, keep your cool. Even the most arrogant pig headed fools can be brought down to earth with a little patience!

[Rodan]

seamanship - try using cleats rather than tying onto the wheel as has happened to me at the Folley.... and trampling muddy shoes all over someones consoles....

here endeth rant

[Observer]

I'll add a few remarks to what's already been said.

1. If you raft up to a decked boat, and have to cross it to get ashore, always walk across the foredeck, not through the raftee's cockpit

2. Springs (ropes that run from your stern to the 'raftee's' bow, and vice versa) are unlikely to be necessary unless you have a particularly large or heavy boat. A short stern line and a bow line taken well forward of your bow will be adequate in nearly all cases to reduce fore and aft movement to a reasonable amount (the purpose of springs).

3. In a raft of 2-3 boats, lines ashore, in addition to bow and stern lines, are really only called for if your boat is substantally heavier than the raftee. However, if you're (say) number four in a raft of RIBs, and the inside boats do not have shore lines, use shore lines yourself (in addition to bow and stern lines) to take some weight off the inside boat's lines (probably not needed in sheltered water with little or no wash from passing boats).

4. If rafting to a yacht or motor cruiser, don't use its stanchions if it can be avoided. Take a turn round its cleats and bring the line back to your boat.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Observer

If you raft up to a decked boat, and have to cross it to get ashore, always walk across the foredeck, not through the raftee's cockpit

Don't forget not to try and raft up to a rib with a full cover on! Saw someone try and walk across one once

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by Observer

Springs (ropes that run from your stern to the 'raftee's' bow, and vice versa) are unlikely to be necessary unless you have a particularly large or heavy boat. A short stern line and a bow line taken well forward of your bow will be adequate in nearly all cases to reduce fore and aft movement to a reasonable amount (the purpose of springs).

You underestimate the usefulness of springs! If you're going to run a line ashore as well as tying to the adjacent craft, you might as well make the lines to the adjacent craft springs. Particularly if the line ashore goes to a fixed wall rather than a floating pontoon, as they will need to be loose (because of falling and rising tide) and won't offer any reduction in fore/aft movement. Generally the more complex the situation, the more useful springs are. The more simple the situation is (eg straight alongside a pontoon) the less useful springs become. Common sense, and that great phrase used above - seamanship - should provide the answer.

Originally Posted by Observer

don't use its stanchions if it can be avoided.

Don't EVER moor to stanchions - they're not structural. And when climbing over them, only place the palm of your hand on the top (if you need to balance) so you don't put any sideways force on them.

[CJL]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Or one with well placed cleats to attach to.

Please note that this DOES NOT include rubber cleats glued on to tubes!!!!

[RichardB]

Originally Posted by MAHA

Looking for some advice on rafting against other ribs.

What is the correct etiquette, is there a correct etiquette?

How do I get out if I have 3 ribs alongside?

Do I assume I can raft up to another rib?

Seems very confusing to me !!

Any info would be gratefully received

Couple of other points I'd add:
- Be patient and don't expect to get away in a hurry. It can take a while to slip out and you need to do it carefully to respect other's boats.
- Be polite if you need to ask other owners to move their boat. They will pretty much always appreciate the situation and will be just as interested in sorting it out - never met anyone who took it badly yet. (But, if you see another boat's crew just tucking into the main course at the Folley, let them finish before you ask!!!)
- If you are on the outside, keep an eye out and be prepared to go back and help out if someone wants to leave. On a short handed rib this really helps (on yachts, I've slipped from the inside with 4 other rafted outside - but that's with a crew of 10 to manage the situation - different solo on a rib!)

[Andy Moore]

Originally Posted by Observer

I'll add a few remarks to what's already been said.

1. If you raft up to a decked boat, and have to cross it to get ashore, always walk across the foredeck, not through the raftee's cockpit

Good tip. And....tread lightly when crossing over so as not to sound like a heffalump to those folks possibly kipping down below. And...try not to 'twang' the rigging and guiderails!

Only small points, but if you are the inside boat, a never ending troop of heffalumps can get repetitive.

[Carl]

Originally Posted by Andy Moore

Good tip. And....tread lightly when crossing over so as not to sound like a heffalump to those folks possibly kipping down below. And...try not to 'twang' the rigging and guiderails!

Only small points, but if you are the inside boat, a never ending troop of heffalumps can get repetitive.

its an unwritten rule that you should always walk round the bow on any boat.shame they dont teach that at the iow sailing acadamy (uksa) as 3 sailing dingys tied up next to me at the folly and about 12 gits thought it would be ok to walk over my back seat with mud and tar on there wellies

[Paul Beaurain]

In most cases we are preaching to the converted, those who would benefit the most from previous usefull comments won't be reading this forum!

What I would add but is:
As an inner boat leaving a raft, leave one of your crew on the raft while you stand off with your own boat. This allows the raft to settle and lines to be adjusted etc. Then come back in and assess the way the raft now sits and advise your crew member accordingly if further adjustment needed. Then pick him up of course!
PB

[m chappelow]

i would put out a couple of lines out fore and aft to shore if rafting more than a couple of boats together as a precaution ,once had an overnight stay in a habour where a dozen or so boats had just tied to the ajoining boats .the next morning the tide had turned and a crescent shaped raft was bending down the harbour ,the inner boats cleats and fittings grossley overloaded taking all the strain of the outer boats just because the crews wanted to get to pub fast . another tip is if tying to a bollard or post with other boats mooring lines there put the loop of your rope through there loops then drop it over the post that way everone can slip there lines without undoing the others.