What Is Med Mooring? Stern-To Berthing Explained

Med mooring is berthing at right angles to a quay, usually stern-to, with the stern held by two lines ashore and the bow held off by your own anchor or a laid 'lazy line'. It packs many boats into a small harbour and is common across the Mediterranean and increasingly elsewhere. The skill is reversing in a straight line while laying anchor or picking up the lazy line, then tensioning the bow so the stern stays clear of the quay.

How it works

A yacht moored stern-to a quay with two stern lines ashore and a lazy line or anchor holding the bow — Med mooring: stern lines ashore, bow held off by an anchor or lazy line.

Instead of lying alongside, each boat backs in between neighbours. Two stern lines, often crossed, go to rings or bollards on the quay. Forward, either the boat's own anchor, dropped several boat lengths out, or a 'lazy line' attached to a heavy ground chain holds the bow and keeps the stern off the wall. Fenders go on both sides because you will be touching neighbours.

Stern-to with a lazy line

Rig fenders both sides, prepare two stern lines and a boathook, and pick your gap.
Practise reversing in open water first to learn the prop walk direction.
Line up and reverse slowly. Allow for prop walk and crosswind.
Pass or throw the stern lines to a marinero or a crew member stepping ashore.
Pick up the lazy line from the quay with a boathook, walk it forward along the side deck, and haul it tight to a bow cleat.
Tension the stern lines so the boat sits a step's distance off the quay, then rig the passerelle.

Stern-to with your own anchor

Drop the anchor around three to four boat lengths out from the quay, ideally more, on a line straight to your gap, then reverse in, paying out chain steadily. When the stern lines are on, take up the chain to hold the stern off. Know where neighbours' anchors lie, because crossing them is the classic cause of tangles on departure.

Lazy line or own anchor
	Lazy line	Own anchor
Where	Marinas and many town quays	Town quays without lines, remote harbours
Pros	Quick, secure, no crossed anchors	Works anywhere with a quay
Cons	Slimy line, risk to propeller	Crossed anchors, needs good depth and holding

Common mistakes

Letting the lazy line sink near the propeller while going astern.
Dropping the anchor too close to the quay, so it never digs in.
Coming in too fast. Slow is in control.
Leaving the bow line slack, so the stern hits the quay in a gust.

See how to anchor a yacht and the berthing lesson for the skills behind it.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is it called Med mooring?

Because it is the standard way of berthing in Mediterranean harbours, where tides are small and space is tight. With little tidal range, lines to a fixed quay stay at a steady length.

What is a lazy line?

A line attached to a heavy chain or block on the seabed and led to the quay. You pick it up from the quay and haul it to the bow to hold the boat off, instead of using your anchor.

Is Med mooring hard?

It takes practice, mainly reversing straight with prop walk and crosswind. Many charterers practise in open water first and accept marinero help on the first few nights.

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