Ropework

As the waterways are starting to get busier again there are bound to be the usual suspect’s whinging about boats passing too quickly. It’s a yearly occurrence much like Christmas or Easter.

One look at the whingers ropes is usually enough to spot the problem, inadequate mooring. Whilst two loosely tied ropes at 90 degrees to the boat might be enough to keep you tied up on a shallow narrow canal it isn’t going to offer much protection on larger waterways and rivers frequented by much larger vessels that move large amounts of water around.

Moorings using spring lines will greatly reduce the surging and movement of a moored boat and will make for a more comfortable mooring experience. It will also provide for a more secure mooring in fast flowing waters with the lines working together to keep the boat adjacent the bankside.

Spring lines don’t need to be excessively tight to be effective, in fact on river navigations it is important to allow some slack to allow for fluctuations in water level. The flow of the water will act in conjunction with the lines to sit the boat snugly at the bankside whilst sitting back on two lines. The remaining two lines will reduce surge from passing boats.

I don’t expect the whinging boaters will ever be happy, however slow people pass them and for that reason I also don’t expect they will ever heed any good advice. But if just a few people take notice each time it is a point well made.