Mooring Methods: Med, Baltic, Running and Standing Moor

Ship-Handling Basics: Pivot Point, Transverse Thrust, Wind and Current

In short: Read departure, arrival and anchor watch procedures first: every moor on this page is anchor work plus three handling tools — the pivot point, transverse thrust and the effect of wind and current. Know these and each moor makes sense.

The pivot point

• The point about which the ship appears to turn. It moves with the ship’s motion.
• Stopped in the water: close to the middle of the ship.
• Making headway: it moves forward, roughly a quarter to a third of her length from the bow.
• Going astern: it moves aft, roughly a quarter of her length from the stern.
• Anchor down and holding: the pivot point moves to the hawse pipe. The bow is held and the stern swings. That is why an anchor is both a brake and a pivot in the Med and Baltic moors.
• A sideways force (wind, tug, thruster) turns the ship more the further it acts from the pivot point. Going astern the long lever is forward, so wind on the bow swings her: the stern tends to back into the wind.

Transverse thrust (the “paddle-wheel” effect)

• A single right-handed fixed-pitch propeller turns clockwise going ahead, seen from astern.
• Ahead: a small kick, stern to starboard, bow to port.
• Astern: a strong kick, stern to port, bow to starboard. It is strongest when she first goes astern at low speed.
• So a right-handed single-screw ship prefers to berth port side to, and plans any stern-first approach so the kick takes the stern towards the berth.
• Many controllable-pitch propellers turn the other way (left-handed): going astern the stern goes to starboard. Always check the pilot card.
• Twin screws: the two kicks cancel when both engines work together. One ahead and one astern turns the ship almost on the spot.
• In shallow water transverse thrust can change strength or even act the opposite way (MGN 199 (M)) — see squat and interaction.

Wind and current

• Berth heading into the current whenever you can: water flows past the rudder, so you keep steerage way with little speed over the ground.
• Onshore wind: she sets bodily onto the quay and can land heavily. Options: tugs, stop parallel and let her drift in under control, or a Baltic moor.
• Offshore wind: she blows off the quay. Approach at a steeper angle and get the head line and spring ashore quickly.
• Going astern in sight of another vessel, a power-driven vessel signals three short blasts, “I am operating astern propulsion” (COLREG Rule 34(a)) — see manoeuvring signals.

Mediterranean (Med) Moor

In short: The ship lies stern-to (sometimes bow-to) a quay. The outer end is held by anchors (a ship usually uses both) or, in a marina, by an anchor or a pre-laid lazy line. The inner end is held by lines to the quay.

Why use it

• She uses a length of quay about equal to her beam, not her length — many ships or yachts share a short quay.
• Stern access: a passerelle for crew and guests, a stern ramp for ro-ro ships and car carriers.
• It is the normal way to berth in many Mediterranean ports and marinas, so superyacht officers do it all the time.

A ship with two anchors (right-handed single screw)

1. Prepare: both anchors ready, stern lines and heaving lines ready aft, fenders, engine on stand-by, teams forward and aft with radios.
2. Approach parallel to the line of berths with the berth on your port side.
3. About two ship lengths from the berth, let go the starboard anchor.
4. Keep moving ahead with starboard helm, veering cable. The bow swings away from the quay and the stern towards it.
5. Go astern and let go the port anchor. Transverse thrust swings the stern to port, towards the berth.
6. Back in, veering both cables, steering with engine, helm and cables. Send the stern lines ashore from each quarter.
7. Snub the cables to stop the stern short of the quay, then adjust: anchors hold the bow, stern lines hold the stern a passerelle length off.

At the end the two cables lead out well spread on each bow, so together they stop the bow swinging. Lay the stern lines at a wide angle (often crossed) to stop the stern moving sideways.

A yacht stern-to (RYA method)

• Rig first: fenders on both sides and a big one at the stern, a stern line ready on each quarter, chain free to run.
• With your own anchor: let go about four boat lengths out and ease chain as you back in. At about one boat length from the quay stop easing so the anchor bites. Send the windward stern line first, then the leeward. Take the strain on the chain, then ease the stern lines and tighten the chain to keep the stern off the quay.
• With a lazy line: back in, get the windward stern line ashore first, pick up the lazy line, lead it to the bow and make fast, then the second stern line. Keep the engine in neutral while lines are in the water near the propeller.
• Holding position: twin engines — small nudges ahead on the leeward engine; single engine — wheel to windward and short kicks ahead.
• Crosswind: back up towards the wind first and drop the anchor slightly upwind of the gap.
• Bows-to: use it when you are unsure of the depth or there are rocks under the quay — it keeps the rudder and propellers in deeper water. The anchor then goes from the stern.

Limits and dangers

• Crossed anchors: never lay your chain over a neighbour’s. When you leave, you may lift their anchor with yours.
• A crosswind or beam swell pushes you onto the next boat. The anchors must be well dug in and fenders rigged.
• An onshore wind (from ahead when backing in) makes the stern hard to stop. An offshore wind helps: it slows the stern.
• Not practical in deep water or where the tidal range is large.
• If the wind rises from astern, the anchors take the strain: watch for dragging and be ready to leave.

Baltic Moor

In short: The ship goes alongside a quay with her offshore anchor down and a stern wire shackled to that anchor’s cable. Anchor and wire hold her just off the quay, so she lands gently — and they help pull her off when she leaves.

When to use it

• A strong onshore wind and no tugs.
• A weak or poorly fendered quay that cannot take the ship landing or ranging against it in bad weather.
• Most useful for smaller ships with limited power.

Preparation

• Run a 25–30 mm wire from the poop along the offshore side, outside the hull and clear of everything (gangway, pilot ladder).
• Cockbill the offshore anchor: walk it a little out of the hawse pipe.
• A crew member in a bosun’s chair over the side shackles the wire to the anchor cable at about the ganger length (the short length next to the anchor), ideally at a shackle. This is overside work: permit, harness, lifejacket (COSWP).
• Stop the wire to the ship’s rail in bights with light twine. The twine breaks as the cable runs out.
• Lead the inboard end to a winch drum so you can heave in the slack.

Sequence

1. Approach roughly parallel to the berth, anchor ready.
2. When abreast the berth, let go the anchor while she still has slight headway, so it bites. One guide puts this about 70–100 ft (about 20–30 m) off, depending on wind force and ship size (Marine Insight).
3. After about half a ship’s length of cable is out, surge and then snub.
4. The stern wire tightens and checks the stern.
5. Heave in the wire’s slack aft. The onshore wind sets her towards the berth: veer cable and wire together, slowly.
6. Close in, pass head and stern lines and springs, and adjust the anchor scope so she comes gently alongside.

Leaving the berth

• Heave on the cable and the stern wire: the ship is pulled off the quay against the wind, bow and stern together, with no tug.
• Recover the wire as the cable comes in, and unshackle it before the anchor is housed.

Running Moor

In short: A way to moor between two anchors laid in line with the stream. The first anchor (which becomes the lee, downstream anchor) is let go while the ship is running ahead over the ground.

Why moor with two anchors

• In a tidal river or narrow channel with a reversing stream there is no room for a full swinging circle on one anchor.
• Moored between two anchors, she swings in a circle of little more than her own length, about her stem.
• The riding anchor is the upstream one that holds her against the stream; the lee anchor is the downstream one. They swap at each turn of the tide (read tidal streams and tide times to plan it).
• Work out each scope as you would for a single anchor. 1 shackle = 15 fathoms ≈ 27.5 m.

Sequence (example: final scopes 5 shackles riding, 4 shackles lee)

1. Head into the stream (or the wind, whichever is stronger).
2. With headway on, let go the first anchor (here starboard — the future lee anchor) when the ship is about 4 shackles plus half her length short of the final position.
3. Keep going ahead upstream, letting the cable run. Do not let it tighten, or the bow will cant towards that side.
4. Run out the sum of the two scopes: 9 shackles. Bring her up.
5. Let go the second anchor (port — the future riding anchor).
6. Drop back with the stream (or astern): heave in 5 shackles on the first cable and veer 5 shackles on the second.
7. She brings up on the riding cable midway between the anchors: port 5, starboard 4.

Pros and cons

• ✅ The ship has steerage way and full control on the approach.
• ✅ It does not depend on a stream to carry her back.
• ❌ The anchor is let go with headway: heavy loads on windlass, brake and cable, and a risk of damage. Brake work must be careful.

Standing Moor

In short: Same end result as the running moor, but the first anchor is the riding (upstream) one, let go when the ship has stopped. The stream then carries her back to lay the second anchor.

Sequence (same example: 5 shackles riding, 4 shackles lee)

1. Head into the stream (or the wind; head into whichever has the stronger effect).
2. With enough headway, go past the final position by about 5 shackles minus half her length.
3. Stop over the ground and let go the first anchor (here port — the future riding anchor).
4. She drops back with the stream. Veer the cable to 9 shackles (the sum of the two scopes) and bring her up.
5. Let go the second anchor (starboard — the future lee anchor).
6. Heave in 4 shackles on the riding cable (to 5) while veering the lee cable (to 4). She moves up to the final position midway between the anchors. A touch ahead on the engine eases the strain on the windlass.

Pros and cons

• ✅ The anchor goes down when she has stopped: less strain on the gear, no damage from anchoring with headway, more control. Many shiphandlers prefer it.
• ✅ Useful in a tidal river, or when engine use is limited, because the stream does the work.
• ❌ It usually depends on a stream (or wind) to carry her back; without one she must go astern, where steering is poor.
• ❌ It takes longer than a running moor.

Running or Standing? Lying Safely Between Two Anchors

In short: Both moors leave the ship midway between two anchors in line with the stream. The difference is which anchor goes first and whether she is moving when it does. Once moored, the danger is a foul hawse.

Side by side

Advantages of lying between two anchors

• Little swinging room: she turns almost on her own length about the stem.
• Scopes can be set in advance for the expected wind and stream.

Disadvantages

• Only the riding cable holds. If the wind or stream rises from ahead, or she starts to drag, the lee anchor is no help.
• Each time she swings the same way at the turn of the tide, the cables can twist round each other in front of the stem: a foul hawse. Clearing it is slow, heavy deck work.

Precautions at anchor

• Keep a constant watch to prevent a foul hawse.
• Work out the clear arc and the foul arc for the swing.
• At every turn of the tide, use helm (and engine if needed) to give her the right sheer, so she swings through the clear arc.
• Know the times of the tide change and watch the weather.
• Keep the normal anchor watch as well.

On the bridge, moored in a tidal river: “Captain, high water in 20 minutes, the stream will turn. We are riding to port, 5 shackles; starboard 4 shackles is the lee anchor. Last turn she swung to starboard, so I’ll give her a sheer to port with the helm to keep her in the clear arc. Engine on stand-by.”

General safety for windlasses, winches and lines: MGN 592 (M+F) Amendment 2 and the COSWP chapter on anchoring, mooring and towing operations.