LPSC Raft-up Guidelines

 

Most of the events on the LPSC calendar are raft-up cruises.  A raft-up is where two or more boats are tied together usually beam-to-beam.  These events can be themed with games and contests or just an excuse to get together to chat and share food.

The calendar in the front of your membership binder lists all of the scheduled raft-ups.  The calendar is also on our website.  Upcoming raft-ups are announced in the general meeting, the website, the newsletter, and usually an email broadcast to club members.  These announcements will indicate who the cruise skipper is, the planned activities, and if you are expected to bring something such as a food item to share.

The intended raft-up location may be announced in advance.  However, always verify using your marine radio once you are on the water.  Monitor channel 16 for a call to LPSC boats to announce the location and the channel that will be used.  If you don't hear the confirmed location and it is approaching mid to late afternoon, use your radio to either call the skipper or make a general call to "Lake Pleasant Sailing Club".  Someone should respond to give you the designated raft-up location.

As you approach a raft-up, try to contact the cruise skipper on your marine radio.  He/she will tell you which side to raft up on and whether to set a bow or stern anchor.  Make sure your fenders are out and you have bow and stern dock lines ready.  Approach slowly parallel and at a safe distance from the boat you will be rafting up to.  As you become adjacent throw or hand your bow and stern dock lines to the crew on the other boat.  They will pull your boat next to theirs.  As the boats are tied together, make sure the fenders prevent the two boats from contacting each other and make sure the shrouds and spreaders of the two boats will not collide when the boats rock.

If you want to set your anchor on the approach, make sure you drop your anchor a good distance from the raft up to insure enough rode for a good set.  Please try to set you anchor so your rode is parallel to the other boats' rodes to avoid crossing lines.  If you or another party has a dinghy, your anchor can be set (or re-set) with the dinghy after you have rafted up.

Typically, at an overnight raft-up, anchors are set alternately bow, stern, bow, stern for adjacent boats.  It is important that anchors are set well and tested (put engine in reverse to set/test).  Even if all anchors are set properly, there is at MINIMUM twice the normal pulling force on an anchor/rode than with a single anchored boat.  So never assume that you don't have to make sure your anchor is set well because other boats' anchors will hold your boat.  There is also increased risk should anchors let loose in a raft-up.  With several boats tied together, it is much more difficult to recover due to limited maneuverability.

The cruise skipper should be the one to locate a good anchoring position.  Water depth, proximity to exposed rocks and shoreline, protection from wind, waves, and boat traffic are all factors in selecting the location.  Ideally, boats should be pointed into the expected early morning wind - check the wind forecast in advance.  The first anchored boat should try to set both a bow and a stern anchor to establish this orientation.

Make sure you have an adequate anchor and rode for your boat.  Deploy the proper scope (7:1) and confirm that your anchor is securely set.

See paragraph above regarding anchoring.

Secure loose sails so they don't deploy or unfurl in a strong wind.

Secure all deck lines - leave your deck clear for foot traffic.

Children must wear PFDs especially when crossing from boat to boat.

If the weather conditions are not suitable, the raft-up should be cancelled.

Each boat skipper is responsible for their own boat's safety and compliance with all regulations as required by local and state authorities and the Coast Guard.  The cruise skipper is not responsible for any boat other than his/her own.

In a raft-up environment, you are in very close proximity to your neighbors.  So be considerate of their peace and relaxation.

Halyards can be loosened or routed away from masts to prevent clanging in the wind.

Rigid dinghies should be tied so they don't bang into boats - especially other people's boats.

Removing burgees from their lanyards in the evening prevents clanging and flapping during windy nights. 

Fenders squeaking between two boats as they rock in the night can be a nuisance.  You can purchase or make a fender cover or boot; a fabric cover that does not squeak against a boat hull.