Mediterranean mooring
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- Position the bow the full length of your anchor chain away, or otherwise as far as possible, ready to drop anchor. In a cross wind go upwind since by the time the anchor touches seabed you will have drifted out of position.
- Drop anchor in front of the spot on the quay you are aiming for. Note, that anchoring NOT at right angles to the quay (as people often do in a side wind), could mean crossing the anchor lines of your neighbours. Also, the wind could be blowing from the opposite direction later.
- As soon as the anchor is dropped, put the engine in reverse. Maintaining speed helps you to manoeuvre, but backing up also prevents fouling the anchor by your own chain. Moreover, if there is room, I would advice a gentle one knot speed in reverse, before dropping the anchor. 1) less chance the anchor will not foul 2) less drifting out of position in case of side wind 3) will set earlier = greater distance from quay.
- With the engine in reverse, the wheel effect will steer the yacht to the left when looking at the intended spot on the quay. Yet, this is only the case when the engine is in reverse and not if it is in neutral. First make speed and counteract the wheeleffect as much as possible by putting the rudder at 45 degrees (more will only brake), then put the engine in neutral and the yacht will listen to the rudder normally.
- The crew on the foredeck should put a mild tension on the anchor line, while reversing, to help the anchor dig deeper. Not too much, then you would lose speed and the anchor wouldn't set.
- Near the quay there is a bigger change on lose lines, fishing nets and other rubble. Good practise not to use the prop the last few metres. Feeding the anchor less line works better also of the setting of the anchor.
- With one line on shore (windward one if cross wind), it is time to put pressure on the anchor: take anchor chain in till the caternary curve becomes more of a straight line. If after a while (sometimes immediately) the caternary curve reappears, your anchor has not set... by the time you have winched one third of the anchor line back on board, start considering a second attempt.
So, during this whole mediterranean mooring manoeuvre, not so much the helmsman but the foredeck is in control. Although it is a first a bit scary to steer backwards into a tight slot between two expensive yachts.
tip: be early (typically before 1500) at the port of destination so that there is ample space to manouvre and lots of different places at the quay to choose from.
The less sidewind the better.
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