Mediterranean Mooring

I remember reading about it in school, check out chapmans or Duttons, my best advice is talk to someone who has done it. Books and real life are sometimes quite different. If you have any questions are would like my take on it send me an e-mail and I will respond directly.

You should use one or two anchors that you later exchange for groundtackle. In some ports you don´t use anchors at all. The harbour master will tell you over the VHF or cellphone in advance.

Below I have added a picture of a typical mooring at the Monaco T-Jetée. You need one or two guys at the anchors and two for the aft baloon fenders and throw-lines. Here the captain is on the starboard wing station giving signs to the anchor guy and getting information on distance to quai from the mate on aft deck through VHF or intercom.

The Airbag...

As I said above, in some ports the staff will meet you with a tender to hand over the fixed mooring lines so you don´t have to anchor at all.

In Monaco, after you have anchored, you have to contact the Diver (on VHF) who will attach lines to fixed positions on the seabed. Then he will connect an airbag to your anchor, fill it from his tubes and the anchor will "float" as you winch it in.

When you leave the port, just drop the lines and you have no anchor tangle with your neighbours...

AMG has better graphics, and good advice. Here are few other pointers
1. When you drop your second anchor make sure there is slight tension on your first, somtimes you will drop back a bit and might drop inside your first anchor chain causing a twist.
2. I always drop my downwind anchor first and then my upwind and slide back with the wind helping. As well you can usethe upwind anchor to hold your bow.
3. Choose your side to be on the wing depending on the wind, personal choice here, the windward side will show you when to turn into the berth if you follow #2, but downwind side will give you a better look at your dangerous side (side I prefer).
4. If its blowing out and the port has ground lines you still might want to use one anchor to help control the bow.
5. In busy ports I usually drop in front of the bows of my neighbors to get my spread right and not get to messed up with other anchors, the other boats make a good gauge when to drop.
6. Watch how far out you drop, once again use the other boats as a gauge to how far out to drop, some ports are different than others, Monaco is really deep so you need to use all your chain and cannot drop to far out, whereas Viareggio is quite shallow in comparison and very muddy so you can drop further out.
7.Use lots of fenders, and don't worry, not every does it right everytime, after a couple of goes you will find it quite easy. Think about finding an empty quay in a commercial port and practicing, no shame in it.
8. Never try to leave St. Tropez without using the diver or at least paying him. I watched a boat try to untangle there anchors for 2 hours when they tried to leave without the divers. In the long run divers will save you time and are worth the fee.
9. If someone next to you is leaving and you are over them, make sure to tend you anchor and feed them slack so they can pull your chain up and clear it from there anchor.
10. Last but not least, clearing another chain from your anchor. I use the line on the bollard method, when you have your anchor up and see there are other chain hooked on it-
a. Tie a line around your bollard and send it out the fairlead.
b. Use a boat hook and pass the line under the other anchor chains and lead back up throught the fairlead and make it off to the same bollard.
c. Slowly let your anchor out till the chains are cleared and then bring it back home.
d. slowly let the end of the line loose, be careful because there will be quite a bit of strain on it, and your free.

I hope this helps you.

stearn to moor

Some good advice shown on these posts. One thing I would add is local knowledge is very important. If you do not speak the language of the local port find out from others cruising in the area what the deal is. Everywhere is different, St Tropez, Monaco, Antibes etc, they all have different rules (guidlines). If you do not find out before most of the time you will pay later in time sitting in the middle waiting to get a snagged hook up or getting the locals mad ! Neither is good, so post where you are going and I am sure you will get answers to specific places.

If this is a first time doing the dock try to pick a day when there is little or no wind.This way you will have lots of time to get it right. Try not picking Porto Fino of St Tropez in the middle of summer for your first try.

Good luck
Simon