How To Pick Up A Mooring Ball (Sailing Virgins) Ep.08

Sailing Virgins

Picking up a mooring ball and securing it effectively to your boat is a particular technique. If it is not done correctly, your line can chafe through, leaving you adrift when you least expect it. Nobody wants that. So listen up and we will share you our tried and tested method. Our Patreon page is here: https://www.patreon.com/sailingvirgins For the full blog post on this episode, check out: http://info.sailingvirgins.com/blog/how-to-pick-up-a-mooring-ball Here are the steps (02:39): 1. The Set Up (02:42) 2. The Approach (04:13) 3. Stopping the Boat (05:20) 4. The Pick-Up (06:00) 5. Securing (07:08) Bonus Tip - The Lasso (08:52) 6. Checking (10:21) Conclusion Whether you plan to pick up a mooring ball every day of your vacation, or not at all, it helps to know the proper method of securing a boat to a mooring ball. Remember these three key points: 1. Use two lines; 2. Work on one line at a time; 3. Check what the ball is attached to. Sailing Virgins is the world’s leading sailing academy for people in their 20s and 30s. Started by two Australians in the British Virgin Islands, Sailing Virgins takes intrepid souls on a full-on sailing adventure throughout the Caribbean. Fast-track courses are 7-days in duration, with participants, whether rank beginners or advanced sailors, taking the wheel from day one. https://www.sailingvirgins.com/courses/ Number one on TripAdvisor, TrustPilot, Google and Facebook reviews, Sailing Virgins is experiencing 300%-per-year growth. Contact us to learn more: sail@sailingvirgins.com. Thanks to Andy for the jeep ride! Here is the Facebook page of Marias Café: https://www.facebook.com/Marias-cafe-restaurant-Bar-497237727002406/ Thanks to Charles and Cornelia to let us visit their home, here you can find Charles' book on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Moonhole-CHARLES-BREWER/dp/0615860958 Music cred: Sydji - Weedsday https://soundcloud.com/sydji Video cred: Celine Freixe http://www.celinefreixe.com

How To Pick Up A Mooring Ball (Sailing Virgins) Ep.08 934 27

Sailing 6 years ago 52,838 views

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Noel Faulkner - 5 years ago

Bring the buoy around to the stern platform and tie on from there.

Capt Chef Mark SV Alcina - 5 years ago

Ok Guys, I thought he we ago again, something for the beginners . Just put a line in the ring and that’s it. But you came up with some other ideas which was great. I learnt something today. I been sailing all my life and was first officer on a tall ship for 9 years. I will never forget what you have taught me.

J David Kriet, MD - 5 years ago

Hi guys. Just returned from the BVI's on a bareboat trip. Watched a bunch of your videos since it had been over 20 years since I owned my sailboat. Great refreshers and your tip on the lasso throw to secure the mooring ball saved us! Only 2 mooring balls left in Great Harbor on Peter Island-both with the leads missing. Was a windy evening and no way to reach the eye with the boat hook. Lasso move did the trick! Thanks for all the great content!

Frank Byl - 5 years ago

Thanks, I liked the lassoing idea.

Paul Paterson - 5 years ago

JACK!!!! You legend. I saw you on La Vaga, I didn't realise you had your own channel. Liked and subscribed. See ya next time!!

Andrew Hawthorne - 5 years ago

Nice. Love your videos. Any tips on keeping a mooring ball from banging on the hull? Catamaran advice especially appreciated.

Malcolm Bullock - 5 years ago

On a mono we end up hauling the entire buoy (ball) out of the water! I guess on a cat you could use the bridle and maybe a third centre line to do the same?

Tijmen van leeuwen - 5 years ago

Having prepared a line front to the back of the boat, I would approach the buoy stern to. Giving more stability keeping the boat in place against the wind. Also, the mate can work from the swiming platform. After putting the line through the ring the mates walks forward again and secures the line. The boat will turn into the wind and than the second line can be attatched. Last but not least the skipper and mate can communicate easiley while getting the buoy. Just a different way to acchieve the same.

john Orlando - 5 years ago

well done , no such thing as full redundancy in boating haha ... A+ mate!

Mike Michelin - 5 years ago

Love these tutorial videos mates! keep it up!

10. comment for How To Pick Up A Mooring Ball (Sailing Virgins) Ep.08

Captain Boomies - 5 years ago

SO JEALOUS OF THAT JEEP!! Float on!

Gabriel S. - 5 years ago

you're pretty good at picking up balls.

George Hollis - 5 years ago

Fix that fan belt!

John Feeken - 6 years ago

I’m looking to leave my beloved dock to take the next step in sailing, so I was looking up moorings. Thank you so much for helping with my adventure!

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Glad to hear we can help out John!

Chad Carter - 6 years ago

Riley’s cousin?

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Correct!

da ne - 6 years ago

I suggest you get experience in mildy rough conditions on a lake to tune your skills on setting sails and tacking. And warm water to enjoy learning.

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

No sure what happened to the start of this message, but it suggested to start on a lake, then progress to bigger water. Yes we agree it's reasonable to start on easier stuff, then progress to more challenging conditions. Thanks for the comment.

John Silberman - 6 years ago

Great video except you were under power. Please show how to do it if you have to pick one up under sail with lite to med wind. Thanks.

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Thanks John, we'll put that in a future episode.

Patrick Lindsay - 6 years ago

Great video, guys! Best I've seen on picking up a mooring. Can you make a similar video on picking up the mooring singlehanded? Because I sail singlehanded, I've never picked one up... always anchor. But sometimes I'd rather moor if possible.

Toine de Laet - 5 years ago

As solo sailor I prefer going stern to the buoy and the use of a (sluice) hook to pick the buoy. Due to weight it keeps the line to the buoy, sometimes work better than the lasso.

Uninvited Guest - 5 years ago

There was another message on here above, prepare a line from the front to the stern, then back into the mooring ball to be able to easily get it from a sugar scoop or lower area, while still near the helm.

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Patrick Lindsay sure that's a good idea. Stay tuned!

Stanislav Kroshchenko - 6 years ago

Great episode guys! Well done!

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Thanks Stanislav!

Snake Plisken - 6 years ago

Good demo! We have a mooring up a river with tide often against the wind and the ball keeps bumping the boat, so we found that taking a short / tight line through one of the anchor rollers, helps to keep the ball away from the boat. The lasso technique is our favorite since there is no pickup line or eye provided on this ball either.

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Nice one! Sounds like a good method for wind vs. tide situations.

20. comment for How To Pick Up A Mooring Ball (Sailing Virgins) Ep.08

S/V Thirteen Winds - 6 years ago

Excellent series guys! We just found your channel and we will certainly be recommending around to others!! Thumbs up! Keep up the great work!

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Thanks for that Thirteen Winds! Much appreciated.

Stephany Mauer - 6 years ago

Andy introduced us to Charles and Cornelia on our last stop in Bequia, and it was one of the hilights of our visit. We ran out of time, so didn't get to visit Moonhole. But what an amazing story they have! Nice footage! Thanks for sharing that! Steph and Tim on s/v Endless Pleasure

Sailing Virgins - 6 years ago

Thanks Steph and Tim :)

About How To Pick Up A Mooring Ball (Sailing Virgins) Ep.08

The "How To Pick Up A Mooring Ball (Sailing Virgins) Ep.08" video is part of the Sealing, tipps, boating category, which contains similar videos like this one.