By John N. Jamieson

 

If you are anything like me, nothing beats the camaraderie of being with other cruising folks, sharing good sea stories, food, and drink. And not many things are more fun than nesting--or tying up alongside each other at anchor. But you need to know how to do this special boat anchoring technique for sailings safety. Follow these easy steps.

 

Sailboats may travel together in a rally or meet up at an anchorage spot at an agreed-upon time. When they arrive, instead of anchoring alone, they may decide to come tie up alongside one another at anchor, in a technique called "nesting."

 

Pick an anchorage area that gives good protection from swells or boat wakes. These can cause boats to pitch and roll, and result in damaged gear, lines, and rigging.

 

Mother-Vessel Preparation

 

The largest vessel--sail or power--anchors in the middle of the nest. This mother-vessel should use one or two of its largest anchors, set onto a scope of at least 7:1 (seven feet of anchor rode for each foot of water). If you use two anchors, set them 60 degrees apart--called a "modified Bahamian moor" to minimize the anchor swing circle. Back the engine or backwind your mainsail hard to set the anchors deep into the seabed.

 

Allow the boat to rest and settle onto the anchor. Check your drift and make sure you are holding. Pick two objects off the beam that line up. These don't need to be charted. This could be a piling and the edge of a pier, the corner of a house roof and a prominent tree, or a flagpole and the peak of a building roof. Watch for any separation in the two objects, which indicates dragging anchor. If necessary, ease out more anchor scope, reset the anchor, and check again. Your anchor or anchors must be holding firm before any other boat comes alongside.

 

Line both sides of the hull with 4 to 5 fenders. Attach extra lines to both bow cleats and both stern cleats. Although each boat should have its own lines ready, these extra lines will serve as a backup if needed. Again, check that each of these vital preparatory steps have been completed before you signal a boat to come alongside. Keep your engine in neutral at idle speed throughout the evolution in case you need it!

 

Other Vessel Preparation and Approach Tactics

 

Prepare your boat to tie up alongside the mother-vessel with these steps. Attach four lines to the nesting side. Use short six to eight foot lines at the bow and stern as breast lines. Breast lines run at a perpendicular (90 degree) angles to the boat centerline. Use the breast lines to hold your boat snug against the hull of the other boat. Use long ten to fifteen foot lines for spring lines. Spring lines run in an "X" shape between each boat, and are used to prevent forward or aft movement.

 

Line the side with fenders. Keep one fender unattached. Assign a crew member to this "roving" fender to walk or "rove" along the side of the boat and cushion any contact points.

 

Wait to make your approach until signaled by the mother-vessel (by hand or radio). Boats will approach one at a time. After one boat has competed tying up, the mother-vessel will signal another vessel to come alongside.

 

Tell the mother-vessel ahead of time if you will need to leave earlier than other boats nesting alongside. That way, she will schedule you to tie up last so that you have a position on the outside of the nest. This will enable you to leave the nest without disturbing others.

 

Approach from downwind at a narrow angle into the wind. Keep your approach at the bare minimum speed at which you still maintain steerage. Approach one boat at a time. Wait until that boat has secured alongside the mother-vessel, and you are signaled by hand or radio to make your approach. This way, the Mother-vessel crew can help you tie up alongside.

 

Pass the Lines Like a Pro

 

Put over both breast lines first. These will hold the vessels together. Adjust your position alongside so that your mast staggers the mast of the mother-vessel. This will prevent shrouds or spreaders from damage. Each vessel that follows should follow this technique with another vessel to prevent rigging entanglement.

 

Pass the after bow spring line next to keep your position and prevent forward motion. Set the forward quarter spring line last to keep your boat from moving aft. Adjust your fenders up or down to protect rub rails or toe rails. Go back and remove as much slack as possible from each breast and spring line.

 

Keep a Watchful Eye on Your Drag Bearings

 

As the booze flows and the party goes, it can be easy to forget to check those all important drag bearings. Remember that all skippers are responsible for this-not just the skipper of the mother-vessel!

 

Set your GPS proximity waypoint feature (check your manual) to sound an alarm if you drift outside of a pre-determined radius. But you must also check your visual object alignment at least once an hour. Go out onto deck, locate the two objects you selected for drag bearings, and make sure they are still lined up. Set your cell-phone alarm or another alarm for this purpose.

 

In any event, do not assume that you are holding with thousands of tons of extra weight alongside. Let the phrase "trust but verify" be your safety guide for vigilance on the hook.

 

Depart from the Nest in Reverse Order

 

Ready to leave? Cast off your lines in the opposite order you used when you tied up. Spring lines come aboard first and breast lines last. Depart one boat at a time. Make sure you clear the spreaders and rigging of another boat close alongside as you back away. More than one boat has snagged a shroud of another boat when leaving a nest. Take your time and you'll be just fine!

 

Use these easy boat anchoring techniques to enjoy the company of other sailors. Place sailing safety first to make sailboat cruising adventures like these fun-filled memories--wherever in the world you choose to cruise.

 

Captain John teaches sailing skippers the skills they need to learn to sail like a pro! Get his popular free report "Ten Top Boat Safety Checks for Cruising Boat Skippers" at Learn to Sail at Skippertips.com.

 

John offers a free weekly sailing tips newsletter. Join his site to learn hundreds of little-known sailing tips and techniques with articles, videos, and live sailing forums at Learn to Sail at Skippertips.com.

 

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