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Rafting up seems to be one of the favorites among boaters at Lake Texoma and one can spot many a pods as they pass the islands during peak season. Many years ago a raft up of 5-6 boats was considered large in my book and over the years that number has grown to an average of about 10 on any given weekend during the boating season and has been as high as 30 on special event weekends. Since this seems to be such a popular activity I though it may be a good idea to cover some of the practices and procedures that one should be aware of while rafting up.
In this article we will be referring to the raftee (the stationary boat already anchored) and the raftor (the boat joining the stationary vessel).
The raftee
As the raftee, you should be considering the current depth making sure that it will accommodate the draft of the boats that will be joining you that day, forecasted weather conditions, wind direction, and to the best of your knowledge and experience, finding a spot conducive to calm waters regardless of surrounding boat traffic. After securing both fore and aft anchors your only remaining responsibility is to make sure the area is clear of any debris or swimmers and then prepare to take the line from the raftor when he approaches.
The Raftor
As the raftor your responsibilities are to prepare your boat for coming alongside the raftee. This consists of preparing bow lines and stern lines, both of which should already be attached to the cleats. The raftee should also put out a minimum of three (3) fenders to be placed on the side of the boat that will be joined to the raftor. All of this needs to be done before approaching the raftee. I can not stress this enough. Do not wait until you are within a lines length to start preparing your boat. Rub rails are for keeping the boat off dock poles and not other boats. This is part of raft up etiquette. You should not expect the raftor to have everything ready for you to come alongside unless previously arranged. In case your wondering, “previously” does not include while you are on approach to the raftee.
Engines
The most important asset to your boat is her engines. These assets should also be used to position the boat even while in close proximity to the raftee. They greatly reduce the amount of struggling that your shipmates endure while trying to secure your boat without them. For this reason and those that may not be expected, the engines should never be turned off until the boat is SECURE or at least still. This means that both lines, fore and aft, are cleated or the boat is no longer in motion.