HOW TO SAIL BETTER
Peter Jones shares a technique for departing a pontoon with limited room for manoeuvre, against a pontoon or between rafts of boats
Reading Jon Mendez’s article ‘Better Boat Handling – Leaving a dock’ (PBO, June 2023) reminded me of a technique shown to me by my late friend Peter Burry, which I have not seen described in print, which is useful if you’re hemmed in by obstructions so that use of a bow or stern spring does not swing the boat sufficiently to clear them, or if the wind is holding the boat against the pontoon.
I have used it only on yachts but I think it’s probably applicable to almost any type of vessel where it’s possible to direct the propwash quite hard to one side and there are cleats on the quarters. I have mainly used this method when allocated a berth in a marina alongside the cross pontoon linking the main pontoons, when the rows of boats on finger berths each side drastically limit the room for manoeuvre.
It could also be useful if against a pontoon or between rafts of other boats. The boat can be turned directly away from the pontoon without having to have much clear space forward or aft of its original position.
Please note: the step by step photos were taken in an unrestricted situation–where this technique was not really necessary–in order to have an unobstructed view.
STEP BY STEP
1 Attach a line as a slip from the quarter away from the pontoon to a suitable cleat or ring some way aft on the pontoon. If there is any doubt at all as to whether the line will slip cleanly round the cleat or ring when one end is released, find someone to stand by to free it at the end of the manoeuvre. This line needs to be long enough to leave room and a bit to spare for the swing in of the stern as the bow swings out.
2 If possible put a large fender on the quarter (if not possible, eg sugar scoop stern or bathing platform projects too far, the line from the offside quarter needs to be longer and the stern will need to be swung out further at the start). Also, if there is not one there already, place another fender well forward to protect the hull if the bow swings in when the stern is pushed out.
3 With
