We were sitting in the cockpit having consumed a delicious dinner prepared by Norma's fair hand, moored at a small riverside marina one mile upriver in the River Arno near Pisa, Italy.  A fine glass of Rioja bought in Mahon, Menorca and a dark red sun setting created an ambience that is just one essence of cruising.  Then lots of voices all speaking at once and five sailing yachts arrive with fenders out. Hm - the marina staff have gone home, what's to happen? Well, they are all in the river which is tidal with up to 3kts current and anchors are dangling, so they need to anchor fore and aft - we were fascinated as they did this by having a raft of three and a raft of two with each boat using their bower anchor as they rafted starboard to starboard to provide fore and aft mooring for the raft.  Always learning eh?

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Philip Heaton - 7/4/2019

We were sitting in the cockpit having consumed a delicious dinner prepared by Norma's fair hand, moored at a small riverside marina one mile upriver in the River Arno near Pisa, Italy.  A fine glass of Rioja bought in Mahon, Menorca and a dark red sun setting created an ambience that is just one essence of cruising.  Then lots of voices all speaking at once and five sailing yachts arrive with fenders out. Hm - the marina staff have gone home, what's to happen? Well, they are all in the river which is tidal with up to 3kts current and anchors are dangling, so they need to anchor fore and aft - we were fascinated as they did this by having a raft of three and a raft of two with each boat using their bower anchor as they rafted starboard to starboard to provide fore and aft mooring for the raft.  Always learning eh?

Hi Philip,
Creative solution but…
Amazing what sailors can get away with. I would worry about a midnight fire drill and the danger of breaking loose and tangling, but if well handled, they might be able to break up the raft without a problem. They would need skill and luck to do so, I suspect.
I still remember with some anxiety the river debris that accumulated and that got hung up on my anchor chain when anchored up the Rio Guadiana. The amount of debris was in danger of pulling my anchor out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy