Cape Cutter 19 Association Forum

How do you approach mooring on a pontoon single handed?
Are there any modifications which might make this easier?

In light wind (and no current) I just come in slow and jump off holding both warps. I have fitted clear amidships for ease of tying the springs. However, they can be useful for single handed coming alongside. If you make a short warp (say only 1m) with a loop at one end, one can drop the loop over the pontoon clear and then make off the warp amidships. This will hold the boat long enough to arrange the standard warps. Useful if there is a current running or the wind is blowing you off.

Word of warning though: the cleats amidships have an annoying habit of catching the foresail sheet if those lines are not managed carefully.


Cape Cutter #86 Aurora
travellingaurora.wordpress.com

I also fitted midship cleats. To come alongside a pontoon, mooring warps are previously attached to be bow and midships cleats. Coming alongside (slowly), a loop in the midships warp is tossed over a pontoon cleat, and made fast to the stern cleat. With the engine left ticking over in forward gear, this holds the boat against the pontoon, and I can then step off and secure the bow warp. After this, sort out the lines properly to bow, stern and springs.

Difficulty with this is when someone appears on the pontoon to help. They invariably expect bow and stern lines, so I just ask them to loop the midships warp round a pontoon cleat and pass it back to me.

Tony

The answer on "how to moor single hand on a pontoon" is indeed use a midcleat. We installed folding cleats which never catches sheets or other things.
See picture in gallery http://www.capecutter19association.org/ ... play_media

It are cleats like this https://www.powerboat-world.com/news/21 ... in-minutes