Most people when taking delivery of a new or second hand boat will receive with it a maximum of just four ropes which will be barely sufficient for securing the boat to its marina berth. When visiting another marina these ropes will have to be taken off on leaving the berth, coiled up and put in a locker ready for use on arrival at the next marina.
More and more people are opting for having permanent mooring ropes that are spliced to the cleats on their pontoon, cut exactly the right length with a splice on the other end to exactly fit over each of the relevant cleats on the boat. This system makes departures from and to your home berth so much easier. When short handed with only one crew and / or when a crew is totally inexperienced. Simple instructions to the crew just prior to berthing will ensure that each rope is placed over its relevant cleat on the boat, as shown in the photograph to the left of Maria putting a stern rope onto a cleat on the starboard quarter of a Sunseeker Portofino 46.
There is absolutely no point in having permanent mooring ropes if the splicing is not done well and the length of each rope exactly the right length. As with all my other work I don’t employ other people to do this for me, I do it myself, I do it well and enjoy it immensely. If necessary I can move cleats on the pontoon so that they are in better positions.
Whilst I believe that all boats should have a minimum of four fenders on each side when berthing, which will on most occasions give us adequate protection if we bump a pontoon, I do believe that ‘bumpers’ on the pontoon are very important as shown in the photograph above, particularly when berthing ‘stern to’ to protect the stern, they are also very useful down the side. There is however a new type of 'bumper' which is a long continuous strip and much thinner than normal ‘bumpers’. It is called ‘The Dock Safe System’ and is shown in the photograph to the left, this idea is excellent because it gives gives continuous protection over the entire length of the berth.
I don't fit pontoon bumpers but there are several companies in the Algarve that will supply and fit both types of bumper, they are as follows:
LAGOS: 'Sopromar' (link below) tel: 282763889 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
ALBUFEIRA: 'Tudo Marine' tel: 289585487 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
VILAMOURA: 'Algarve Marine Services' tel: 289324738 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
FARO, OLHÃO, TAVIRA, VILA REAL ST ANTONIO, AYAMONTE, ISLA CRISTINA AND ISLA CANELA:
'Captain Helder Ferreira' tel: 964373247 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
If you would like to buy and fit bumpers yourself,'Sopromar' at Lagos have both types in stock.
OR: if you are near Vilamoura Marina go to 'Constamarina' where you can also buy both types of bumpers. Tel: 289301120 Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
You will also probably meet Maria who was kindly helping me berth the boat in the picture at the top of this page.
TOW ROPES: It is essential that any boat intending to go to sea have on board a tow rope made up as a 'bridle' and at least 4 times the length of the boat. Without such a rope another vessel giving your boat a tow will have to use one of their ropes which will put the towing vessel in a very good position to claim salvage, which could be as much as 90% of the value of your boat.
I make up tow ropes for clients as can be seen from my article on 'Salvage', which you will find as number 44 on my 'Articles' page or click here.
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