Sailing Seamanship Essentials – Knots, Anchoring, Mooring

Anchoring

Anchoring is one of the most fundamental seamanship skills. Choosing the right anchor, deploying it correctly, and knowing how much rode to let out are all essential for a safe night at anchor or a lunch stop.

Common anchor types:

Anchor	Best For	Holding Style
CQR (plough)	Mud, sand, clay	Buries and digs in; good all-round
Bruce (claw)	Sand, mud, rock	Sets quickly; self-rights easily
Danforth (fluke)	Sand, mud	Excellent holding in soft seabed; folds flat
Fisherman	Rock, weed, kelp	Traditional; hooks into rocky bottoms
Delta	Most seabeds	Self-launching from bow roller; one-piece plough

Anchoring technique:

Choose your spot — check the chart for depth, seabed type, shelter from wind and swell.
Approach slowly head to wind (or head to tide in strong tidal flow).
When the boat stops or starts to drift back, lower (do not throw) the anchor.
Pay out rode as the boat drifts back. Do not pile chain on top of the anchor.
Once sufficient scope is out, snub the rode and let the boat set the anchor by pulling back on it.
Take transits (two fixed objects in line) to confirm you are not dragging.

Scope is the ratio of rode length to water depth. A minimum of 4:1 is recommended for chain in calm conditions. In strong winds or exposed anchorages, increase to 6:1 or more. For rope with a short length of chain, use 6:1 minimum.

Match anchor types to their descriptions

Anchor

CQR (plough)

Danforth (fluke)

Bruce (claw)

Fisherman

Delta

Description

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All matched!

Mooring & Coming Alongside

Coming alongside a pontoon or another vessel requires good preparation, clear communication, and practice. Getting it wrong can cause damage to your boat or others.

Preparation:

Rig fenders on the side you will be berthing — at deck edge height, evenly spaced.
Prepare warps (mooring lines): bow line, stern line, and at least one spring.
Brief the crew — who is stepping ashore, who handles which line.
Approach at slow speed, ideally into the wind or tide (whichever is stronger).

The four standard mooring lines:

Line	Direction	Purpose
Bow line	Bow forward to shore	Stops the boat moving backward
Stern line	Stern aft to shore	Stops the boat moving forward
Fore spring	Bow aft to shore	Stops the boat surging forward
Aft spring	Stern forward to shore	Stops the boat surging backward

Springs are the most important lines for holding a boat alongside. They prevent fore-and-aft surging and are essential in tidal waters. A single midships spring can hold a boat temporarily while other lines are secured.

Tap to reveal — Mooring Terms

Fender

Inflatable or foam cushion hung over the side to protect the hull from contact damage

Warp

A mooring rope used to secure a boat to a pontoon, buoy, or quay

Spring line

A diagonal mooring line that prevents the boat from surging forward or backward

Cleat

A T-shaped or horn-shaped fitting on deck or dock used to secure ropes

Breast line

A short line running perpendicular from the boat to the dock, pulling the boat in close

Fairlead

A fitting that guides a rope in the correct direction and prevents chafe

Tap each card to reveal the answer

All revealed!

Man Overboard Recovery

A person falling overboard is one of the most dangerous emergencies at sea. Speed of response is critical — in UK waters, cold water shock and hypothermia can incapacitate a person within minutes.

Immediate actions (the first 10 seconds):

SHOUT — “Man overboard!” Alert the entire crew immediately.
POINT — Assign one person to point at the casualty at all times and never lose sight of them.
THROW — Deploy a lifebuoy, danbuoy, or anything that floats towards the casualty.
PRESS the MOB button on your GPS/chartplotter to mark the position.

Recovery methods:

Method	When to Use	Technique
Crash stop / Quick stop	Under power or sail; immediate response	Tack or turn immediately; motor back to casualty on a reciprocal course
Reach–tack–reach	Sailing; crew practiced in sail handling	Bear away to a beam reach, tack, return on a beam reach to approach from leeward
Figure of eight	Under sail; less experienced crew	Bear away, gybe round, approach on a close reach with sails eased
Williamson turn	Under power; large vessels	Put helm hard over, after 60° deviation reverse helm to come onto reciprocal heading

Always approach the casualty from downwind/down-tide so the boat drifts towards them, not over them. Recover them over the lowest point of the hull (usually the windward side on a dinghy, leeward quarter on a yacht).

Getting them back on board: Use a boarding ladder, parbuckle (sail or sling under the casualty), or the yacht’s own halyard winched to a harness. Once aboard, treat for hypothermia immediately.

Fill in the blanks — MOB Procedure

The first thing to do is ___ “Man overboard!” One crew member must ___ at the casualty at all times. You should approach the casualty from ___ so the boat drifts towards them. Press the ___ on the GPS to mark the position. Once recovered, treat immediately for ___.

point hypothermia shout downwind MOB button upwind seasickness

Complete!

Towing

Towing another vessel is a common task, whether recovering a broken-down dinghy or assisting a yacht with engine failure. Done poorly, towing can cause damage or capsize — so technique matters.

Setting up the tow:

The tow line should be attached to a strong point on both boats — a samson post, mooring cleat, or bridle.
A bridle (Y-shaped line from two points) distributes the load and gives better steering to the towed vessel.
Use a long tow line with some slack — this absorbs shock loading from waves. Nylon is ideal as it stretches.
In waves, adjust length so both boats are “in step” (on the same part of the wave cycle).

Never attach a tow line to a dinghy’s transom alone — the pull can swamp or capsize it. Always tow from the bow or use a bridle through the hull. Keep the rudder centred on the towed vessel or assign crew to steer.

Towing speed: Start very slowly and increase gradually. In rough conditions, maintain minimum steerage way only. A capsized dinghy in tow must be righted first if possible.

Sound signal for towing (Rule 34): The towing vessel sounds one prolonged followed by two short blasts in restricted visibility.

Tap to reveal — Towing Knowledge

Why use a bridle?

Distributes tow load across two points and gives the towed vessel better steering

Best tow rope material?

Nylon — it stretches to absorb shock loads from waves

Why keep the tow line long?

A long line with slack absorbs shock loading and keeps both vessels in step on waves

Tow from which end?

Always tow from the bow of the towed vessel to prevent swamping or capsizing

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All revealed!

Passage Planning

A well-planned passage is a safe passage. The RYA teaches passage planning in four stages, often remembered by the mnemonic APTE: Appraisal, Planning, Execution, Monitoring.

1. Appraisal — Gather all the information you need:

Up-to-date charts (paper and/or electronic) for the entire route.
Weather forecast from a reliable source (Met Office inshore waters, Navtex).
Tide tables and tidal stream atlas for your area.
Almanac for port entry information, VHF channels, hazards.
Crew experience and vessel capability.

2. Planning — Plot the route:

Mark waypoints, headings, and distances on the chart.
Identify hazards (shoals, rocks, traffic separation schemes).
Calculate tidal streams and required course to steer.
Note safe havens and bolt-holes along the route.
Determine departure time based on tidal gates and daylight.

3. Execution — Brief the crew and go:

Share the plan with all crew. Everyone should know the route and safety procedures.
Complete pre-departure checks: fuel, safety equipment, engine, VHF.
Log departure time and initial course.

4. Monitoring — Continuously check progress:

Fix your position regularly (GPS, visual bearings, depth).
Compare actual progress against the plan.
Watch for changes in weather and sea state.
Be prepared to divert to a bolt-hole if conditions deteriorate.

The CG66 form (voluntary safety identification scheme) allows you to log your passage plan with the Coastguard. If you fail to arrive and a concerned contact calls, they can initiate a search using your filed plan.

Match passage planning stages to their descriptions

Stage

Appraisal

Planning

Execution

Monitoring

Description

?

All matched!