6.3 Mooring, anchoring and towing
When you are mooring, anchoring or towing the boat, use only the mooring points shown in the picture. Ensure that the lines, ropes and chains, as well as the anchors, are suitable for their intended use.
Risk of injury
Never try to stop the boat by hand or place your hand or foot between the boat and the pier, shore or another boat.
Practise mooring in fair weather. Use engine power sparingly but resolutely.
Your boat has either a hardened bow eye for locking and trailering, or a bow eye for trailering and a separate hardened locking eye on the deck.
Use the bow eye for winching the boat onto a trailer or sliding dock, and use the hardened locking eye for locking the boat.
If your boat has a single hardened bow eye, you can use it for both winching and locking.
Risk of material damage.
The bow and locking eyes are only intended for trailering and locking the boat.
Do not use the eyes for any other purpose, such as mooring or towing, or other use that could cause lateral stress.
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Use mooring lines, ropes and chains with a breaking strength that do not exceed 80 percent of the rated strength of the mooring points. See Technical specifications.
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Use mooring ropes equipped with shock-absorbing springs.
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Avoid mooring with the stern against the wind as high waves may crash over the stern.
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Take into account potential changes in the wind direction, changes in water level, waves and wake wash from other boats.
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Use sufficiently large fenders to prevent abrasion.
Do not use the mooring points for lifting the boat.
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Make sure the depth is sufficient when anchoring at a natural harbour and anchor sufficiently far from the shore.
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For the anchor to get a good hold ensure that the length of anchoring line equals 4 to 5 times the depth. To increase the hold further, release more rope.
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You can increase the hold of the anchor significantly by using weighted rope or chain on the first 3 to 5 meters of the anchoring line.
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Use a sufficiently strong, floating towing line when towing another boat.
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Start towing gently and avoid shocks.
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Do not overload the engine.
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When towing a small dinghy, adjust the line length so that the dinghy rides on the downhill slope of your wake.
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In narrow straits and high waves, bring the dinghy closer to the transom to stabilise its movement.
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Fasten all equipment in the dinghy in place securely in case the dinghy capsizes.
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When on the open sea, cover the dinghy to prevent flooding due to spray and splashing from waves.
If the towing line snaps, the loose end could cause death or serious injury.
Always use a sufficiently strong towing line and avoid being directly in front of the towing line.