First raft-up for 2015....

We got out to the raft-up in Glorietta Bay, San Diego and put out a stern anchor at the raft-master's request. Launched our 14 year old dinghy off the swim step when catastrophe struck in the form of a seam opening up and rendering the boat useless. Got a lift to the Coronado YC and met a friend havin' breakfast. Told him our tale of woe and he offered us his Avon for the week-end. His kicker was broken but we had our own Honda. Towed out to our boat and put our kicker on it and went back to his boat to thank him and his wife again. When we get there, his boxer Louie jumps into the Avon for a ride, so we took him for a ride around the bay. Here are some photos of the week-end....

Looks like a great time! We may have our first raftup this weekend. Being the only ones with a pilothouse, we've been running our boat for a few weeks. Most of our friends are just starting to get out on the water. Spring temps are finally normalizing. Dafodils should be blooming by the weekend.

Don't make the same mistake we did; check your dinghy before the raft-up. Have fun.

We went through the blown seam last season and rushed to get a new one for our annual 4th of July raft up for the DC fireworks. I'll be plenty upset if we blow the new one up and have a seal let go.

We past the raft up in Glorietta Bay on our way to the public dock. Beautiful weekend (week) in San Diego ... hard to beat that March weather. No humidity, no bugs ... just warmth and sunshine. Beach at Hotel del Coronado was remarkably busy.

Raftmaster? That's a new one to me.

Raftmaster, indeed. How would one get appointed, anointed or elected for such an honor? It would be honor right. But definatly not ON your Honor!

As we all belong to the same yacht club, the raft-master is usually the chairman of the particular raft-up ( we do four raft-ups a year)who makes the decision on whether you put out a bow or stern anchor. The raft-master, and his assistant, ( on a good size dinghy) will deploy the anchors. At the break-up, they will retrieve the stern anchors and assure that all of the boats leave without incident. Of course, the bow anchors are retrieved by the individual boats.

We typically appoint a 'Raft Master', though we call him the "Anchorman". He is usually the largest boat and the first to drop anchor. He typically dictates the order of the boats tie up, mostly based on size. Obviously the largest boats are in the center of the raft. Anchorman also coordinates to bow and stern anchor(s) and scope).


It gets too confusing when there are too many chefs in the kitchen.

Trying to get an understanding. I've never been part of a raft up. Don't even like rafting at marinas when required. So, trying to understand and asking for help....

Can you guys explain why? The special pleasure of rafting up as opposed to anchoring or mooring or marina? I've seen the college kids do it on tv on Lake Havasu. But never seen trawlers do it and just can't appreciate what it's all about. So enlighten me, please.

It gives us a chance to get together on the water to tell sea stories, catch up on what's goin' on in our lives, play games, enjoy good eats and adult libations ashore or aboard. We usually raft up in dinghy distance to another yacht club and enjoy their amenities, i.e., dining, dancing, bocce competition, trivia games, Texas Hold Em, etc. On the last mornin' we have a dinghy raft-up where everyone brings eats for a breakfast potluck before we break up the raft and leave. As we all belong to the same yacht club, fellowship reigns supreme. All club members are welcome with trawlers, sportfishers and sailboats in attendance.

ancora said:

It gives us a chance to get together on the water to tell sea stories, catch up on what's goin' on in our lives, play games, enjoy good eats and adult libations ashore or aboard. We usually raft up in dinghy distance to another yacht club and enjoy their amenities, i.e., dining, dancing, bocce competition, trivia games, Texas Hold Em, etc. On the last mornin' we have a dinghy raft-up where everyone brings eats for a breakfast potluck before we break up the raft and leave. As we all belong to the same yacht club, fellowship reigns supreme. All club members are welcome with trawlers, sportfishers and sailboats in attendance.

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I understand all that. My question is the rafting up part. Why tied side to side as opposed to giving each other a little space? Do you crawl over and cross from boat to boat?

Makes sense to put someone in control of a raft up.
But the raft up concept does not appeal to me, a little space is a good thing, friends are only a short kayak/swim/dinghy away.

We do it both ways in the Bay/Delta. Big group raftups can become a bit more of a party than I'd like. I like smaller raftups and solo anchorages within dink distance.

BruceK said:

Makes sense to put someone in control of a raft up.
But the raft up concept does not appeal to me, a little space is a good thing, friends are only a short kayak/swim/dinghy away.

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That's my question and what I'm trying to understand.

BandB said:

That's my question and what I'm trying to understand.

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Some people crave the company of other people. Others see seclusion. I think that's all it is.

twistedtree said:

Some people crave the company of other people. Others see seclusion. I think that's all it is.

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But can't you have company without boats banging together?

Anyone other than us own a Breathalyzer? I'm guessing not.

The boats are rafted together to make visitin' easier and take up less space in the anchorage. The middle boats are usually sportfishers with large cockpits for the gathering of the raft participants to drink, nosh, and communicate. There are various planned activities but no one is required to participate. Been raftin' for over 25 years and at no time was there "bangin' of the boats together."

ancora said:

The boats are rafted together to make visitin' easier and take up less space in the anchorage. The middle boats are usually sportfishers with large cockpits for the gathering of the raft participants to drink, nosh, and communicate. There are various planned activities but no one is required to participate. Been raftin' for over 25 years and at no time was there "bangin' of the boats together."

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Maybe gentle banging. They do move. Protected by fenders and tied right, so no real risk unless weather changes dramatically for the worst. So am I correct that the outside people then will crawl over how many ever boats necessary to get to the inside where the party is?

May be a little banging here. This group definitely needs a new raft-master!

My only raft-up has been with FlyWright for a short visit during one of his fishing ventures.

There is no "crawling" involved if the boats are lined up correctly; one steps from one swim step to another. When there is a sailboat in the raft, one steps over the rails and crosses the foredeck.

BandB said:

Trying to get an understanding. I've never been part of a raft up. Don't even like rafting at marinas when required. So, trying to understand and asking for help....

Can you guys explain why? The special pleasure of rafting up as opposed to anchoring or mooring or marina? I've seen the college kids do it on tv on Lake Havasu. But never seen trawlers do it and just can't appreciate what it's all about. So enlighten me, please.

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You have to tread lightly on this one. It could become another anchor thead. As in what is the best anchor for a 4 boat raft up. Or ediquet thread on whether to hold it or direct discharge" treated of coarse. Of course we could go off on the physcology of going it alone or gathering in a like minded group.
Or we could just drop it and craw back in our respective caves. Naw l'd rather talk about the many raftups I've seen dragging anchor and the chaous that followed.

thanks for the education

Interesting reading. Never heard the term RAFT UP but sure have seen it many times, especially along the Tennessee River and the lakes off the river.

We prefer more solitude as drinking just isn't my thing. But I certainly understand the need for others to party hardy and am glad everyone has a good time. Would rather see them STAY TIED UP rather than drinking and driving on the water. DUI boaters really piss me off.

Raft ups work well for like minded social folks, we enjoy them and they are great fun. Drinking is not "mandated" in any social activity but if you think it is then rafting up is probably not for you anyway. We enjoy solitude and socializing and are quite capable of having a great time on the water doing either.

There are benefits to raftups and benefits to solo anchoring with friends nearby. Craig raises a good point about "like-minded" in a raftup. If you're an inside boat, you're unable to break away at ease. It makes for a much more harmonious experience.

We always raft up with our transoms aligned to allow easy movement from swimstep to swimstep. Organization and plenty of anchors is the key. We prefer an area free from weeds and current, every boat with a bow anchor and every other boat with a stern anchor.

Here are a couple of our raftups from our Delta trip last summer with TFers Giggitoni, Cpseudonym and Astral Blue.