For those of you not familiar with them, log booms are chained together felled trees that are hauled off to mills by tugboats. There is usually a perimeter of chained logs with loose ones in the middle that sometimes escape. We're going some places this summer where log booms take over the anchorages, and it is said that many boaters actually tie up to the booms overnight rather than trying to avoid them. Has anybody done that? Any suggestions for do's and don'ts? Did you ever get hauled away by the tug still tied to the boom? Thanks in advance for any recommendations. Gary Wyngarden S/V Shibumi H335
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tying up to log booms
You seem to have answered some of your own questions. Being towed away while still tied to a log boom/raft is a possibility, however tugboat operators usually come around and wake up (often rudely) people asleep on boats tied up to log booms. In quiet anchorages, tying up to a log boom can be a nice experience - there usually are loops on the ends of the parimeter logs that one can tie a line to - we usually drop a couple of fenders on their sides and tie each end to our cleats/lifelines so that the hull doesn't rub against anything rough.
You seem to have answered some of your own questions. Being towed away while still tied to a log boom/raft is a possibility, however tugboat operators usually come around and wake up (often rudely) people asleep on boats tied up to log booms. In quiet anchorages, tying up to a log boom can be a nice experience - there usually are loops on the ends of the parimeter logs that one can tie a line to - we usually drop a couple of fenders on their sides and tie each end to our cleats/lifelines so that the hull doesn't rub against anything rough.
Ohhhhh Yessssss. Brings Back Memories!
An un-named nook off Blind Bay just south of Hardey Island, just below Jervis Inlet which goes into Princess Louisa Inlet. Pulled in there late one evening and the little inlet alread had nearly all the boats it could take. There was probably one more spot and there was a Canadian boat following me in so, since I was by my self I decided to go over to the log boom that I passed comming in. The log boom was mostly cedar logs - mmmmm, nice fragrance. Easy tie up - set my fenders out. Calm water, life is good. Well, about 2AM I had this dream - it was vivid. Lights flashing in the darkness and I could hear voices but couldn't make out what they were saying. And other noises. Somehow it dawned on me it wasn't a dream and I jumped out of the berth and peered outside and it was a tug and they were flashing their lights on me. There were men walking around on the logs. I couldn't tell if I was moving but it looked like I wasn't but it looked like it wouldn't be much longer. Got dressed and went out and cast off. Had a four-cell flashlight, it was pitch dark (except for the tug lights) and tried to find a place to anchor. The only place available was on a little ledge which sloped more than I liked and from there it dropped off to over 70 feet really quickly. Found a spot which was between the rocky shore and where the ledge really started dropping off and re-anchored. Moral of the story: 1. don't tie up to log booms unless you have another option available. If that is the case you might as well take it. 2. Have a good flash light. I now also have a spotlight - which I've used many times since. We've tied to log booms other times too but temporarily, like for lunch or waiting for the tide to turn, such as in Seymore Narrows. Menzies Bay off Seymore Narrows often has log booms. Oh, almost forgot - the next morning when I got up, that log boom was still there!!!!! They must have just been tieing on some chokers.
An un-named nook off Blind Bay just south of Hardey Island, just below Jervis Inlet which goes into Princess Louisa Inlet. Pulled in there late one evening and the little inlet alread had nearly all the boats it could take. There was probably one more spot and there was a Canadian boat following me in so, since I was by my self I decided to go over to the log boom that I passed comming in. The log boom was mostly cedar logs - mmmmm, nice fragrance. Easy tie up - set my fenders out. Calm water, life is good. Well, about 2AM I had this dream - it was vivid. Lights flashing in the darkness and I could hear voices but couldn't make out what they were saying. And other noises. Somehow it dawned on me it wasn't a dream and I jumped out of the berth and peered outside and it was a tug and they were flashing their lights on me. There were men walking around on the logs. I couldn't tell if I was moving but it looked like I wasn't but it looked like it wouldn't be much longer. Got dressed and went out and cast off. Had a four-cell flashlight, it was pitch dark (except for the tug lights) and tried to find a place to anchor. The only place available was on a little ledge which sloped more than I liked and from there it dropped off to over 70 feet really quickly. Found a spot which was between the rocky shore and where the ledge really started dropping off and re-anchored. Moral of the story: 1. don't tie up to log booms unless you have another option available. If that is the case you might as well take it. 2. Have a good flash light. I now also have a spotlight - which I've used many times since. We've tied to log booms other times too but temporarily, like for lunch or waiting for the tide to turn, such as in Seymore Narrows. Menzies Bay off Seymore Narrows often has log booms. Oh, almost forgot - the next morning when I got up, that log boom was still there!!!!! They must have just been tieing on some chokers.
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