Mooring posts and locks for beginners
3 h€ 0-150 Calm
Mooring at a post and passing through a lock: two basics that every beginner skipper will get the hang of faster by practising calmly.
Mooring posts and locks can feel intimidating when you are just starting out on the water, but they follow fixed patterns. A mooring post is a thin pole in the water that you loop a line around: handy at a visitor's berth or a waterside venue. With a low speed, a rope at the ready, and a second person on the foredeck, it almost always works on the first try.
A lock is a kind of lift for boats. You announce yourself via VHF radio or bell, wait for the green light, motor in slowly, tie off to a bollard or rope, and keep the vessel steady while the water drops or rises. Lock keepers are happy to help if you ask nicely. Anyone who practises these two manoeuvres calmly on a quiet day will feel a lot more at ease on the water after just half an afternoon. Start small, repeat often, and filter out the feedback from experienced skippers that actually proves useful.
Checklist
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Twee landvasten klaarleggen
Stootwillen op juiste hoogte
Bootshaak bij de hand
Marifoon of belplek genoteerd
Bedieningstijden gecheckt
Reddingsvest aan
Telefoon volledig opgeladen
Take a thin line of 4 to 6 metres and practise the cleat hitch or round turn in advance on a post ashore.
Motor in low gear towards a free mooring post, turn the bow slightly into the wind or current, and calmly loop the line around the post.
Pause for a moment at a lock before announcing yourself. Check which side is open and which signals are active.
Call the lock keeper via VHF radio or bell, wait for the green light, and motor slowly into the lock chamber.
Loop a line around a bollard, hold the rope loosely without tying it off, and adjust your position as the water drops or rises.
After the outing, jot down briefly what went well and what felt awkward. Next time, you tackle that part first.
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For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Choose a weekday for empty locks and no waiting time.
- Wear sturdy shoes with grip, not flip-flops, when working in a lock.
- Check the waterway information or operating hours of the lock in advance.
- Practise first without passengers, so you can work at your own pace.
- Keep a spare line within easy reach on both the bow and stern.
Variations
- - Doe hetzelfde op een grotere sluis met meerdere boten naast elkaar.
- - Voeg een nachtelijke schut toe als oefening met verlichting.
- - Wissel rollen: laat een ander sturen terwijl jij aanlegt.
by PlayTryBe team