Planning a sailing holiday with friends and want to stay together even outside the marina? Rafting up – mooring two or more boats side by side – lets you share the experience while anchored or tied to a mooring buoy. But how do you do it safely and comfortably while making the most of the experience? Here’s a practical guide to securing boats correctly, what to watch out for, and key safety tips.
Why raft up?
You're heading out on a sailing trip with friends, each with your own boat, and you’d love to spend time together. In a marina, you might find berths next to each other, but what if you prefer to anchor in a bay rather than staying in the marina overnight?
The safest option is to anchor separately, but then your only way to socialise is by swimming between boats or using a dinghy, which can be inconvenient — especially if you don’t have an outboard motor. Moving directly from deck to deck is impossible unless the boats are securely rafted up.
YACHTING.COM TIP: Anchoring correctly is one of the most essential skills for any sailor. If you want to be sure you’re doing it safely, check out our comprehensive mooring guide for expert tips and recommendations.
Rafting up is commonly seen during regattas or in harbours worldwide. It’s a fun and social experience, but there are both technical and etiquette rules to follow. Let’s focus on the practical aspects first.
So how do you safely tie two or more boats together in a bay?
Before tying up boats together, you first need to decide whether to use a mooring buoy or anchor. Each method has its own rules to ensure a secure and stable connection.
Phase 1: Choosing and securing a mooring
A) Using a mooring buoy
If you’re tying up to a mooring buoy, inspect it thoroughly. Check its construction and how the mooring loop connects to the buoy itself. If possible, dive down and inspect it underwater. Choose the strongest, smoothest loop and avoid any that appear rusty or fragile, as they could snap under strain.
Prepare two mooring lines – one primary and one backup. Remember, the buoy will be handling the weight of two or more boats instead of just one, which means greater force and friction.
Important: Mooring buoys are privately owned, and the harbourmaster may not approve of multiple boats tying up due to weight limitations. Be prepared to move if asked.
B) Anchoring
Make sure you have the right conditions for mooring: suitable depth, a calm and sheltered bay with the right substrate (which is rarely rock) and a responsible skipper. If you plan to stay overnight, at least one crew member per boat must remain sober and alert in case conditions change.
Use only one anchor — ideally from the largest boat. Using two anchors can lead to entanglement, making it difficult to retrieve them later.
YACHTING.COM TIP: If you’re anchoring in challenging conditions, such as narrow bays, strong currents, or choppy waters, check out our guide to anchoring in wild waters for expert advice.
