Bow and Stern Mooring

As you enjoy the cruising lifestyle, part of the fun is visiting new destinations. When visiting a new harbor, you should always check the local cruising guides and the harbor’s website for information on their particular procedures. At Avalon Harbor, Catalina Island California they use what is known as a Bow and Stern mooring system. You can find a drawing and information about the harbor in this pdf from their website. This kind of information is invaluable to have reviewed prior to arrival.

A bow and stern mooring keeps the boats pointed in one direction rather than swinging around. The advantage is that you can get more boats in an anchorage, but the wind won’t always be moving through the boat either. Rather than try and draw or explain a bow and stern mooring, here is a great video of someone that is picking up their mooring in Avalon Harbor.