Close up view of a bow pad eye on a Kadey Krogen 58 trawler.
Grand Alaskan showing the bow pad eye relationship to both the waterline and anchor pulpit. The snubber is not in place during boat yard work.
pulled aboard. Secure the snubber to the anchor pulpit for convenient storage and quick access for your next evening’s anchoring. Mooring from this same high bow trawler can also be interesting. Interesting as in, OMG how am I gonna reach that pennant, then thread my line through it and keep all the gook off the deck? The answer is: It’s easy, and no, a 20-foot-long boat pole is not the solution. First you prepare the boat with two bow lines secured to the bow cleats. Run one down each side of the bow to a midship cleat and secure the ends of the lines temporarily. Then get your normal size boat pole ready (we like the three-section extendable 12-foot pole) and as the helmsman approaches the mooring ball, be prepared to grab the pickup line or mooring pennant on either side of the trawler, depending upon the wind or current or maybe the skill of the helmsman. As the trawler eases up to and past the mooring ball, you can easily walk down to the lower part of the side deck to pick up the pennant and run your dock line through the pennant’s eye. Secure your dock line to the opposite cleat and you are set for the evening. True, all trawlers do not have an anchor pulpit 10 feet off the water, but some are more! The traditional high bow is a feature we appreciate most when in heavy seas, if not when anchoring. Remember, no boat is perfect all of the time, and these anchoring and mooring techniques can help you adapt when the water seems far below the deck. And next time you go cruising, get to the anchorage early so you can enjoy watching the anchor dance. (If you have any ideas for future topics, comments about this article, or comments about trawler coverage in SOUTHWINDS, email them to editor@southwindsmagazine.com.) News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS March 2013
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