How to use ropes, mooring lines and moor a boat

Now you know how to approach the river and canal banks to prepare your mooring, let us have a look at the different techniques used to safely moor the boat.

Mooring tips and advice

Know your keel depth and draught
Is this a good and safe place to stop? (Do not hinder the navigation)
The stability of the water level in the area where you are mooring (ask the lock keeper)
The strength of the current
Examine the condition of the river or canal bank (stones, rocks, mud...)
Local navigation traffic (big cargo barges, powerboats)

Do not moor in the following places

Close to a lock
Close to a bridge
In a tight bend
With mooring lines across the tow-path
Moored onto trees
Near dams and weirs
Near cargo boats that are loading
In the middle of the navigation channel

Once you have decided that your mooring is safe, you'll have to fix your mooring lines.

Standard mooring

The bow is towards a weak to moderate current.

Morring a barge

In the above situation, you have stopped the barge on line 1 or 2. The main current will help the stern in staying close to the bank. Line 1 prevents the stern from drifting out. Lines 2 and 3 prevent the bow from drifting out, as the eddies which form near the bow, will tend to push the barge into the current. The only line which stops the boat from moving downstream is line 3. This is an ideal mooring when the bank is fairly steep and the barge is not going aground.

Standard mooring with a shallow bank

The bow points towards a weak to moderate current.

Morring a barge with a shallow bank

In the above situation, you have stopped the barge on line 1. The main current keeps the stern close to the riverbank.
Line 1 prevents the stern from drifting out. Line 2 prevents the bow from drifting out and also from moving downstream with the current. This is an ideal mooring when the bank is shallow, as the two lines will act like a spring and allow the barge to drift in and out as the level of water changes. Remember, the more the mooring line is placed towards the middle of the barge, the more the barge can "spring". The more the line is put towards the bow or stern, the more the barge is held in position, as shown in the following situation.

Mooring with a strong current

The bow is towards a strong current.

Morring a barge with a strong current

In the above situation, you have stopped the barge on line 3. Using a slow ahead to keep the barge in place, you can place line 4, which will prevent the bow from being pulled out into the current. You can then place line 2 to keep the stern to the bank. As you have placed line 4 in a manner which will pull the bow towards the bank, the stern will tend to drift out, so you place line 1 to counter this force.

Morring a barge with espars

If the bank is shallow the barge will be pushed towards the bank and go aground. You can prevent this by using "espars" which will keep the boat at large, these are shown as "a" and "b". The espars are placed and attached on a bollard or between two bollards, once in place it is placed at an angle as in the diagram below. The word "éspar" is an old French word coming from "épars" meaning "long piece of wood" used to replace a mast.

fixing an espar

Another important fact that you should not forget concerns the current.

On the canals, there is minimal current; however, when a canal lock is operated (filled or emptied), there is a sudden movement of water, almost like a wave. This will cause some instability in the water level. There will be what appears to be a current which moves to and fro; eventually, this movement will ease as the water levels out. This effect can sometimes be very strong, especially when you are close to a lock or where locks are close together.

A similar phenomenon happens when a barge with a deep keel is cruising on the canal and narrow rivers. As the barge advances, it pushes water in front. However, the propeller is pushing water to the stern. This creates instability and water movement, which appears as a current.

Your mooring lines will be strained and become very tight, pulling on the bollards ashore. It's not unusual to have badly fixed moorings ripped out by another passing boat.