CHAPTER 6
Rafting up Good manners
The first person in a berth has all rights to it. Unless you are specifically ordered to raft up by the harbourmaster, or unless there is an established customary right, you can only lie alongside another boat with her skipper’s agreement. The convention is therefore that before setting foot on another’s deck, you ask.
‘Ahoy Saucy Sue! OK if we lie alongside?’ is the usual hail. This may be met with a friendly affirmative, but don’t take it personally if the response is less enthusiastic. If a crew plan to clear out early the following morning or even overnight they won’t want you alongside; you won’t want to be there either because when you raft up to another boat it is your responsibility not to impede her departure. Usually, this is sorted out by good communication, but if you raft up and the crew of the boat inside you is ashore you should either stay on board just until they return, or at least tuck a note in their companionway saying how you can be contacted. ‘In Kings Head, back at 2300’ would suffice, so long as the pub was close by.
Choose a boat of suitable size to raft up to. Bigger than you or the same length is the ideal.
Lines in a raft
First, secure to the inside boat with breast lines and springs. Now run shore lines to the dock, and take your own weight.
Watch your spreaders
Sailing boats need to make sure their spreaders are not next to one another. If they are, any wash that happens by can lead to a ‘clash of heads’ with expensive results.
Leaving from inside a raft
Ideally, the outside boats should release their lines and stand off while the inside boat leaves. If this isn’t possible, let go the outer shorelines at the downwind or downtide end of the raft, then release the other lines so that the inside boat can slip out in that direction. The boat immediately outside the one leaving will lead her released shore line around the leaving boat so that it can be hove in smartly immediately she has cleared the raft. On no account, release shorelines from the up-tide end of the raft.
MANUAL OF SEAMANSHIP | 71
Boat handling
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