Mooring: The Art of Proper Approach

Indeed, mooring conditions are always variable. The wind, current, marina or harbor occupancy are constantly changing. Furthermore, the professionalism and coordination of the crew are also ever-changing characteristics.

Is there any algorithm to follow that can make mooring in the marina a smooth process, avoiding not only trivial matters but also attempts to deal with the security deposit? Can mooring in the marina be carried out smoothly and without losses by following certain rules?

Let’s try to outline a certain scheme and general rules that will help avoid major mistakes when approaching the mooring in the marina.

But first, let’s define some terms. Let’s consider the layout of yacht harbors using the example of a standard Mediterranean marina. The ‘entrance gates’ (entrance of marine) marked by navigation lights serve as the entrance to the marina: red on the left, green on the right. Beyond the entrance gates is the main or transit corridor, which leads to the berthing corridors located between the floating pontoons. It’s understood that this is just a schematic representation.

However, if you look at Google photos of the Alimos Kalamaki marina in Athens, which looks quite different from the image on the left, you will easily identify all the elements indicated on the scheme.

Well, let’s begin the approach for mooring! How should we best pass through the entrance gates: stern-first or bow-first? Unless we consider specific cases (such as when your assigned berth is located almost directly across from the entrance gates), you can approach in whichever way you prefer or as dictated by the conditions, which we will discuss below.»

However, when entering the berthing corridor between the pontoons, it is generally best to approach stern-first: it is the correct and professional approach. This method eliminates the need for intermediate stops and allows for better maneuverability of the yacht as you bring it to the assigned berth at the dock.

The key to a successful mooring is the yacht’s maneuverability at every moment of the approach. When moving stern-first towards the mooring spot, the yacht follows a predictable trajectory. Naturally! After all, it has momentum. And since it is in motion (at a speed of at least three knots), it is easily controllable.

This applies to almost any wind direction, with one exception. But be patient! We will discuss this exception a little later.

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Pay attention: in the upper phase of the turn, the boat stands beam to the wind, and it tries to push the right quarter away from it. But during the turn, the bow of the boat centrifugally seeks to move outward, outside the circle outlined, thereby compensating for the pressure of the wind flow on it.

Look, even in this case, everything goes well and smoothly! The yacht moves stably and controllably in reverse, with the bow not veering into the wind. The danger of the bow veering into the wind will arise at the last moment when the stern of our yacht is already close to the dock and in the space between the boats moored at the dock. But now, this veering is not a threat to us: there is nowhere for it to veer. On both sides, there are neighboring boats. And besides, everyone, including your yacht, is equipped with fenders. In general, there is no room for veering.

I separated the pictures of positions (2) and (3) to avoid confusion. In reality, all of this happens in the same place.

When the boat is perpendicular to the dock (rudder — straight, throttle lever — in the «Ahead Mid» position) and assumes a stable position, you can calmly raise and secure the mooring lines.

In the diagram (for clarity), the situation is shown with a leeward mooring. If you choose a windward mooring, the turn into the wind will be even more confident.

But let’s get back to mooring. During the maneuver to the parking spot, the bow of the yacht predictably (for you, it’s already predictable!) will turn «into the wind,» compensating for the undesirable wind effect. The boat approaches the dock along the trajectory you planned, without any surprises or associated difficulties.

Well, we have reached the very exception I mentioned at the beginning of the article. It’s time to end the intrigue.

As a result, the boat will actively «slide» towards the leeward side with its bow. If the dock is empty, it will «slide» onto the dock, but if you are docking between boats, it could lean against the neighboring boat or drift towards the mooring line (pos. 4). Overall, not a desirable outcome, especially if the skipper has limited experience in docking.

Someone might argue: on the contrary, the wind will help to easily position the bow correctly, and there will be less need for steering. The key is to start the turn at the right moment.

I won’t argue with that! The key words in this argument are «at the right moment.» And for that, one needs significant experience and a deep understanding of the boat. Undoubtedly, for Captain Ron, it would be right to skip this paragraph, as well as the entire article: he already knows it all! But we will continue. After all, our task is to make our lives easier, not complicate things unnecessarily in the final steps towards checkout.

In this situation, when the wind is blowing along the docking corridor in the direction of your movement, approaching stern-first is only suitable for confident and experienced sailors (everyone knows the joke about the experienced sailors, right?). Approaching bow-first simplifies the task. We will simply try to reduce it to the familiar and stable maneuver of backing against the wind to the parking spot.

To do this, we will smoothly and in advance start reducing the boat’s speed in reverse to stop the boat slightly further away from the docking spot (pos. 2). We don’t need to worry about prop walk in reverse because it is hardly noticeable in «idle reverse.»

The boat will slowly come to a stop and «hang» in place for a while, still having backward propulsion. I mentioned this effect a few paragraphs ago. When the boat was moving along the docking corridor, the wind was blowing on its stern and not «confusing» the bow. Now, when it is about to start moving in reverse from a stable standing position, the wind will not interfere either since it is blowing on the stern.

After the boat has come to a stop, we will smoothly increase the reverse throttle (to medium) and start moving in reverse with a turn towards the docking spot against the wind. As the boat turns, the bow will go into the wind, compensating for the undesirable wind effect on the light and sail-filled bow of the yacht. But you already know all this. And that’s all there is to it.

Now, let’s talk about the most important points.

You have probably noticed some things that help control the boat, and now you know the two main secrets of a successful docking:

First: Approaching and maneuvering stern-first against the wind is always easier, even if the wind is quite strong.

Second: The direction of the turn towards the docking spot should be such that the bow of the yacht faces into the wind.

And there are a couple more things to keep in mind.

To reduce the turning radius, you can and should use the effect of throwing the stern. Of course, only if it helps and directs the stern in the desired direction.

Finally, one more point related to throwing the stern. Throwing the stern in reverse only occurs when engaging the reverse gear in the «Medium Reverse» or «Full Reverse» position. That’s why slowing down in «Idle Reverse» allows you to stop the boat without the stern throwing and excessive movement. Gradually and smoothly increasing the throttle also helps minimize the stern throwing.

Of course, knowing these principles is not a guarantee of a successful docking. But they are the «multiplication table» without which success is impossible. These basic knowledge will help you avoid many unpleasant situations.

So, what’s next? You’ve reached the dock, which is great, but what’s next? Should you go for the mooring line? Or somewhere else?

Wishing you all the best of luck!