Some people may have heard about the story that was made famous a little while back concerning the boat built on TV’s Grand Designs. What made it infamous was that it entry slipped it’s coastal mooring (pictured)… it ran adrift and ended up washed ashore? What a catastrophe, let’s hope for them they had good quality boat insurance cover! We thought we’d help you avoid the inconvenience by giving you some boat tying advice.

• Leave slack enough in your ropes do that it allows for water height changes (obviously this varies according to what time of year it is and where the vessel is moored, get advise locally of you need to).
• Know how to tie a knot (those inexperienced should practice a few times to get the hang of it!)
• Knock mooring pins in three quarters and mark with a light coloured plastic bag or cloth
• Seek to tie both your bow and stern ropes at a 45 degree angle from your boat, with them pointing either in wars or less away from the vessel (just not one inward one outward for obvious reasons… It’ll drift away from the mooring)!
• In flowing rivers tie the vessel upstream first, then downstream.
• Fix the middle of the boat also when leaving the mooring for a long period
• Use professionally built moorings, mooring rings/ posts wherever available and feasible
• Don’t moor on tight bends or in places unsighted until at short distance
• Display ‘please pass slowly signs’ if mooring in areas where vessels may be tempted to go past quickly
• Fix fenders, boat rub rails and hull/ keel protectors… particularly at times when navigating locks.