Mooring slip bow out vs stern out

[Timicrinn]

My 4788 is moored in an outside slip...exposed to all the weather, wind waves and current. Some say we are the breakwater for the rest of the marina. Here’s the question...should you tie up bow out or stern out. Harbormaster says bow out into the oncoming elements...” ever see a boat back into a storm?” Others say stern out so the heaviest part of the boat takes the brunt of the elements...also preventing the bow, the lightest part of the boat, from tugging heavily on the finger pier and bouncing up and down. What are your experiences and how would you moor to the finger pier?

 

[GoneFarrell]

I tie bow facing west. Fits better with the neighbors boat, and most storms here have a southwestern vector. I'm on the outside too, end of pier. My boat can take weather on the bow all day/night, and has.

Stern to storm can get real wet. Beats on my dingy too. I don't see boats anchored off the stern around here or in the islands.

Maybe try both this fall, see how the boat takes it.

 

[High Wire]

We tie bow in because of the deeper water further out from shore. Fortunately we have a finger pier which allows easy access. This exposed our square stern to the open bay and north winds in FL. The home dock mooring lines are upsized to 3/4" double braid to take the punishment of the strong north winds blowing straight down the bay for a typical 3 day blow. This arrangement worked for 7 winter seasons.

In NJ we had to dock stern in due to no finger pier so access was over the swim platform. The water was deep enough for the keel.

 

[janice142]

I always (always!!!) secure with bow out. Additionally I tie both ends of my dock lines to Seaweed. This way I control my lines and can leave without assistance.

If I have to leave immediately, I can do so without trying to back out. Plus, I'm not good at reverse.

Still, imagine if there was an emergency and you had to leave right way...That's how in my opinion you should tie her up.

 

[Blissboat]

If other factors such as boarding access allows it, bow to the weather is best practice. The energy of wind and waves is deflected instead of being absorbed and transferred to the cleats, lines and pilings.

Stern to weather has been known to invite waves to back-flood the exhaust outlets.

 

[Northern Spy]

Bow towards the predominant weather. Some in our harbour turn their boats around to face south just for storage in the winter.

Our transient harbour has the somewhat enforced rule (at least in the summer) of being bow out towards the harbour entrance in case of a fire. But they are docks without individual fingers.

 

[rslifkin]

Bow out if there's weather that can come into the slip. Otherwise, it's a combination of preference and whether the boat fits better in a given slip one way or the other (in terms of actual fit, maneuvering, and boarding).

 

[porman]

Bow towards any waves that might come in. I saw a boat go down when the waves broke the transom door and filled the lazarette.

 

[DennisB1]

I tie my 49GB bow out during the winter when there is more wave action. Summer months is generally bow in as it is easier to land and we are in and out more often. The bow and stern lines have rubber snubbers to help absorb the wave loading minimizing high loading on the cleats on the dock and boat. Long spring lines keep the boat in place from moving fore and aft.

 

[Art]

If you tie stern out to waves/wakes... I strongly recommend exhaust flappers on both exhaust pipes. Actually, for many reasons, I recommend flappers to always be affixed.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MIj6WxvMCH8wIVEAiICR3MAgkGEAQYAiABEgIn__D_BwE

There are numerous brands

 

[Moonfish]

Bow to the weather. Ha! That sentence could be taken a couple different ways…

We are also on an end tie on the outside. Best seat in the house, we like to say. But like you, there’s nothing to shield us from the weather. During the winter, our weather predominantly comes from a southerly direction. So we point toward it usually by late September. As most boats are designed to face wind and waves head on, we find that orientation to be the most comfortable.

Come May, the weather typically calms and switches from a more northerly direction. So we turn the boat around, which allows us to have morning coffee on the aft deck overlooking the bay…

 

[O C Diver]

I almost exclusively do stern in as I have a stern docking station that makes it much easier when single handing. My home slips are always protected boat basins, so wave action isn't an issue. Given a choice between a slip facing significant waves or being on a mooring / at anchor, I'll forgo the slip.

Ted

 

[ranger58sb]

My 4788 is moored in an outside slip...exposed to all the weather, wind waves and current. Some say we are the breakwater for the rest of the marina. Here’s the question...should you tie up bow out or stern out. Harbormaster says bow out into the oncoming elements...” ever see a boat back into a storm?” Others say stern out so the heaviest part of the boat takes the brunt of the elements...also preventing the bow, the lightest part of the boat, from tugging heavily on the finger pier and bouncing up and down. What are your experiences and how would you moor to the finger pier?

I'd probably prefer bow toward weather, assuming some other things fall into place.

Master stateroom forward? That'd probably be loud, with bow slap. Aft or amidships? Better.

Finger pier long enough to get on/off the boat?

Which way are views (and/or privacy) better?

Can you easily reach utilities?

Prevailing wind/tide/current directions, for maneuvering around the dock?

Et cetera...

-Chris

 

[BandB]

My 4788 is moored in an outside slip...exposed to all the weather, wind waves and current. Some say we are the breakwater for the rest of the marina. Here’s the question...should you tie up bow out or stern out. Harbormaster says bow out into the oncoming elements...” ever see a boat back into a storm?” Others say stern out so the heaviest part of the boat takes the brunt of the elements...also preventing the bow, the lightest part of the boat, from tugging heavily on the finger pier and bouncing up and down. What are your experiences and how would you moor to the finger pier?

Wifey B: If you were boating 24 hours a day for several days and had a choice of boating with your bow into the wind and waves or the wind and waves to your stern, which would you choose?

Thought so. And there is your answer.

 

[Hippocampus]

Totally agree with bow facing the weather but often you have a choice in a well protected setting during benign periods of time. Then my preference is bow in. Believe this allows greater privacy and eliminates or at least decreases the dock walkers from stopping by and trying to engage you in discussions. Get questions “can I come aboard and see your boat while you’re in the middle of a maintenance project?” Can I work on your boat” “I have this for sale” or the folks who would never knock on the door of a random house but think nothing of interfering with your day or activities with inane questions. We are sociable and enjoy chatting with fellow boaters as they are almost universally respectful and sympathetic. It’s the other ones who are intrusive and demanding in an inappropriate fashion.

 

[BandB]

Totally agree with bow facing the weather but often you have a choice in a well protected setting during benign periods of time. Then my preference is bow in. Believe this allows greater privacy and eliminates or at least decreases the dock walkers from stopping by and trying to engage you in discussions. Get questions “can I come aboard and see your boat while you’re in the middle of a maintenance project?” Can I work on your boat” “I have this for sale” or the folks who would never knock on the door of a random house but think nothing of interfering with your day or activities with inane questions. We are sociable and enjoy chatting with fellow boaters as they are almost universally respectful and sympathetic. It’s the other ones who are intrusive and demanding in an inappropriate fashion.

But the OP wasn't describing well protected and benign.

We just firmly say "no" to those you describe. End of discussion. Only possible remaining discussion is asking them "which part of no did you not understand?"

 

[ScottC]

But the OP wasn't describing well protected and benign.

We just firmly say "no" to those you describe. End of discussion. Only possible remaining discussion is asking them "which part of no did you not understand?"

I find the MOST annoying of all the "question askers" to be the ones who try to engage you in a conversation before you've even managed to fully tie up.

 

[Comodave]

I find the MOST annoying of all the "question askers" to be the ones who try to engage you in a conversation before you've even managed to fully tie up.

I just keep on doing what I am doing and if they keep talking then fine. Usually they loose interest and move on.

 

[Art]

I just keep on doing what I am doing and if they keep talking then fine. Usually they loose interest and move on.

That's pretty much how I handle dock wandering lookie-loos too.

Once, just for the heck of it to see the guys reaction: With a sincere face, while I continued fastening lines, with no other words spoken by me... I looked up and asked a quick question - You got 20 bucks I could have? No answer, bewildered look, immediate departure.

 

[ksanders]

I use Bow out even though it faces our winter winds.

Why??? Because I stay aboard and want my salon to be private while retaining a view.

 

[BandB]

I find the MOST annoying of all the "question askers" to be the ones who try to engage you in a conversation before you've even managed to fully tie up.

I try to dismiss them politely, but much like some sales person coming to your home, ultimately when I say "no", I'm not the one being rude. I'm not the one who tried to invade your space. One problem we have is that we often have very attractive females involved including professional crew and the approach may be voyeuristic in nature. I don't care how beautiful the girl who easily could be a model is, when she's busy with lines, stay out of her way.

I had to laugh one day. Stephanie, who is 6' tall was securing a line and some short guy came up behind her and as she pulls it tight he gets an elbow in the nose. She didn't apologize but said, "Once I get all the line secure, I'll have someone give you some medical care if you need it." Thing is she sounded so sweet saying it but just worded it in a way that let him know she wasn't apologizing and finishing the lines still was priority over his nose.

Socially distance, pandemic or not. Don't invade the space of others. Not only do we have to tie up but then shut everything down right, switch to shore power, check it out. You'd think people would realize what's involved, but they don't act like they do.

 

[SoWhat]

Exposed outside slip? Yes, I would be bow out. Otherwise, stern in makes it a lot easier to board via swim platform. In my marina it's probably 60% stern, 40% bow so it seems personal preference rules.

 

[Hippocampus]

Even on those occasions where we’re in a slip find we use the dinghy a lot. Int the IGY St.Lucia the grocery store was a dinghy ride. In many places a dinghy ride means a shorter walk when carrying supplies or going to the restaurant, beach or sightseeing spot. Most marinas don’t allow space to get the dinghy out if it’s on stern davits stern in. Some places it’s an invitation to steal it if left in the water. Bow in eliminates those concerns.

 

[Art]

Even on those occasions where we’re in a slip find we use the dinghy a lot. Int the IGY St.Lucia the grocery store was a dinghy ride. In many places a dinghy ride means a shorter walk when carrying supplies or going to the restaurant, beach or sightseeing spot. Most marinas don’t allow space to get the dinghy out if it’s on stern davits stern in. Some places it’s an invitation to steal it if left in the water. Bow in eliminates those concerns.

Good points!

 

[ScottC]

Depends on where we are.
At our home port, in Malmö, the marina is extremely protected from winds from all directions. We -- and most others there -- tie up bow-in. This is for privacy and boarding convenience. We have a small bow-sprit (for boarding) that is the same level has the very high pier that we face.


At many Scandinavian "nature locations" - the norm is bow in. Bow tied to a stake driven into a crack in the large granite rocks and stern anchor. Or, bow beached and secured to a tree and a stern anchor.


In the Mediterranean, where we are now, it seems to be "de rigueur" to tie up stern in. This facilitates use of a typically single "laid line" for the bow (a line you pick up from under water that goes to a permanently laid anchor). Or, in some cases you must use your own anchor for the bow. We find that we like stern in here because it's easier for us to offload our bicycles. It's also a bit more social - which can be nice, if there is not too much "traffic" on shore.

 

[BandB]

Depends on where we are.
At our home port, in Malmö, the marina is extremely protected from winds from all directions. We -- and most others there -- tie up bow-in. This is for privacy and boarding convenience. We have a small bow-sprit (for boarding) that is the same level has the very high pier that we face.


At many Scandinavian "nature locations" - the norm is bow in. Bow tied to a stake driven into a crack in the large granite rocks and stern anchor. Or, bow beached and secured to a tree and a stern anchor.


In the Mediterranean, where we are now, it seems to be "de rigueur" to tie up stern in. This facilitates use of a typically single "laid line" for the bow (a line you pick up from under water that goes to a permanently laid anchor). Or, in some cases you must use your own anchor for the bow. We find that we like stern in here because it's easier for us to offload our bicycles. It's also a bit more social - which can be nice, if there is not too much "traffic" on shore.

And true "med mooring" where you moor stern in, use an anchor as Scott describes, but no finger pier. Still don't like it, but gotten use to it.

 

[psneeld]

There is convenience and vessel safety.....best to make the wise choice of direction.

 

[ranger58sb]

In the Mediterranean, where we are now, it seems to be "de rigueur" to tie up stern in. This facilitates use of a typically single "laid line" for the bow (a line you pick up from under water that goes to a permanently laid anchor).

How do you pick up a laid line, Scott?

-Chris

 

[rwidman]

My 4788 is moored in an outside slip...exposed to all the weather, wind waves and current. Some say we are the breakwater for the rest of the marina. Here’s the question...should you tie up bow out or stern out. Harbormaster says bow out into the oncoming elements...” ever see a boat back into a storm?” Others say stern out so the heaviest part of the boat takes the brunt of the elements...also preventing the bow, the lightest part of the boat, from tugging heavily on the finger pier and bouncing up and down. What are your experiences and how would you moor to the finger pier?

The "Harbormaster" knows what he is talking about. Take his advice.

 

[ScottC]

How do you pick up a laid line, Scott?

-Chris

Typically, it's something like in the picture below.
Back up to the dock and use a boat hook to grab the small line hanging down from the dock into the water. Walk all the way forward with the boat hook in your hand and then, once on the bow, start pulling up the line with your hands. The little "laid line" is attached to a much larger line, which you will eventually pull up from the bottom in order to tie the bow. This larger line is often attached to a chain, which is fastened to the marina's permanent "anchor" (I've read that these can be concrete blocks, stones or HUGE chains running along the bottom.) Many marinas have two laid lines per boat - one for each side.


You will want to juggle the bow lines and stern lines such that the stern will not risk hitting the dock in the event of all-too-common surges. We use fenders anyway.


(Click on picture to enlarge)