Pontoon Etiquette
Using The Pontoons
During the height of the season, the Dry Stack holding pontoons can become very busy and when taking or returning your boat to the pontoons it may be necessary to moor up against other boats, or to extract your boat from a “raft” of other boats.
Don’t panic, this is easier than you think and is a very useful skill to have if you intend to use your boat in The Solent area where “rafting” is commonplace.
So, here are a few tips to point you in the right direction.
Extracting Your Boat From A "Raft"
It can often be daunting if you wish to use your boat and find that there are a number of other boats “rafted” on the outside of you (see picture opposite). However, getting your boat out of the “raft” is really not that difficult even if (as in this case) you are on your own!
Firstly decide if it there is more room to get your boat out backwards, or forwards (in this case we’ll use the boat with the light blue cover and go forwards).
Moving Other Boats
Simply take a stern line from the first boat in the “raft” (excluding your boat) and attach it to a convenient cleat (in this case, the mid-cleat of the boat behind the “raft”). Then release the bow line of your boat (see picture opposite) and put it into your boat.
Next release the bow line from the first boat in the “raft” allowing the “raft” to be opened up (see picture opposite). Then release your boat’s stern line ready to manouvre it out of the “raft”.
Removing Your Boat
Having pushed away the bow of the inner most boat, there will now be a gap for you to extract your boat from the “raft” (see picture opposite).
Securing Your Boat
Having extracted your boat from the “raft” you can then secure it to a convenient place (in this case on the outside of another “raft”) so you can go back and retie the other boats.
Securing The "Raft"
Finally, go back and gather the lines from the inner most boat in the “raft” you have just moved and secure it to the pontoon.
Congratulations, you are now ready to return to your boat and carry on with your day out on the water. Please remember, if you require any help with moving your boat, just ask a member of the KB Dry Stack team who will be happy to assist.
