Rafting | Corinthians Annual Cruise 2025: Maine

Thoughts on the Art of Rafting

Thoughts on the Art of Rafting
Note: There is some rumor that Dick Woods ran the pen behind these comments.

Rafting is, like anchoring, a highly judgmental art, and only a fool would attempt to treat it with a few cursory remarks. So, here goes....

Be reluctant to raft at night, even in calm weather. If you choose to raft through the night, be prepared to break off quickly at the request of the anchored boat. Prepare yourself to put out an anchor or two, pre-plot the way to clear water and enter waypoints into your GPS Raft only with someone in whom you have confidence, both as to anchoring skill and as to seaman's judgement. Need it even` be mentioned that the larger boat should be the anchored boat, that the gear should be the heaviest available, and that the weather be benign?

Sometimes an anchored boat will put out fenders as an invitation to raft alongside, but the approaching boat has the responsibility to ask permission, determine desired side, rig all necessary lines and fenders before starting the approach. The approach must be made deliberately, timed to the swing of the anchored boat, from a shallow angle off the quarter. The approaching boat must NEVER carry its way across the bow of the anchored boat. As in docking, a bad angle is less of a sin than momentum at the wrong time so do not try to use late power to fix a bad angle.

As a matter of traditional courtesy, avoid walking through the cockpit of a boat rafted alongside another boat unless you are specifically invited. Cross on deck ahead of the mast.

Sailboats rafted together should stagger their masts so rigs won't clash if boats roll. And boats of different sizes and shapes should be careful lest a higher toe rail rolls down and hits a lower stanchion, rail, etc. In breaking a raft, especially in the dark or a breeze, check for lines in the water before going into gear.

Nine Catalina 470s safely rafted together on Onward's Manson Supreme anchor and all chain rode (center vessel) in the Chesapeake under benign weather conditions. Note: after a while anchors on 2 outside vessels set at short rode to slow rotation motion.

Corinthians at Raft, Bristol ME, 25 July 2019

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Updated: 17 February 2025