Captains Handbook | Page 30

BOAT HANDLING Mooring lines On board your boat you will find three mooring lines each about 15 metres long. Take good care of them and they will serve you well, neglect them or misuse them and they can be dangerous. Once used, each rope should be carefully coiled and placed on the deck, ready for to be thrown (see left). This is most important. Tangled ropes can cause accidents. Never leave the lines trailing in the water, even if they float, they can be drawn into the propeller. Remove any knots before they become too tight to untie. Knots can prevent lines running freely at an inconvenient moment. I t t a c W T a o r in A t c Use your mooring lines to help manoeuvre When the wind or current are very strong, it can be wise to put a crew member ashore and use a mooring line to help in a difficult manoeuvre. If e b Running aground If you have gone aground, firstly open one of the floor hatches and check that the boat is not taking in water. Use the boat hook to check around the perimeter of the boat to see what it is that has stopped you. If you are aground on mud or sand, try to free yourself by going in reverse, positioning the heaviest crew member at the bow. If this does not work stop trying and contact the base. If the riverbed is rocky or you detect any other hard obstacles, do not attempt anything; simply contact your departure base. Never ask to be towed by another boat without the advice of one of our staff members. 30 T T b a s b c