Mooring is the moment where a misunderstanding is dangerous for hands and legs. The commands are short and standard, and they are relayed by radio between the bridge, the forward and the after stations. Here are the equipment, all the commands, the reports and — separately — safety.
Mooring lines
- Headline / stern line — the fore-and-aft lines.
- Spring (fore spring / aft spring) — stops the ship moving ahead/astern.
- Breast line — holds the ship in alongside.
- Mooring line / rope / wire — the lines and steel wires.
- Eye / bight — the loop / a loop in the line.
Equipment
- Bollard / bitts — the mooring posts (shore / ship).
- Fairlead / Panama lead / roller — the line guides.
- Winch / warping drum / brake — the mooring machinery.
- Heaving line / monkey fist — the light line and its weighted end.
- Fender / rat guard — hull protection / rodent guard.
- Gangway / accommodation ladder — access.
Bridge to stations (commands)
- Stand by fore and aft — be ready at both ends.
- Send the heaving line ashore — throw the light line to the dock.
- Send one headline / send two springs / send one breast line — pass specific lines.
- Slack away the headline — pay out.
- Heave in / heave away / heave tight — take up / take up firmly.
- Hold on / check the line — stop and hold / ease the strain gradually.
- Make fast / make fast fore and aft — secure the lines.
- Ease the spring — reduce the tension.
- Single up to headline and spring — reduce to one line each before leaving.
- Let go headline / let go everything — release lines.
Reports from stations
- Stand by — in position, ready.
- Ready fore and aft — ready at both ends.
- Headline is fast / all lines are fast — secured.
- All gone / all clear — all released / clear of the propeller.
- Two shackles in the water — (anchor) two shackles veered.
Unberthing
- Single up — reduce to one line each.
- Let go fore spring / let go aft — release specific lines.
- Let go all lines — release everything.
- All gone forward / all gone aft — released at each end.
Safety (important!)
- Snap-back zone — where a parted line whips back. Never stand in it.
- The line is under tension / the line parted — loaded / broke.
- Mind your hands / mind the line / stand clear — the warnings.
- Take a turn / surge the line — put a turn on the bitts / let it slip under control.
Mini-dialogue
Bridge: "Fore station, send one headline and one spring."
Fore: "One headline and one spring, roger." ... "Headline is fast, spring is fast."
Bridge: "Heave tight the spring, make fast."
Fore: "Heave tight and make fast, roger. All fast forward."
An experienced mooring hand is a valued crew member. Deck-rating and bosun vacancies are on seajobs.pro.