I use springers. Well I think I do, but can some one explain to me how using springers will hold your boat off the pontoon (mentioned in another thread). The only way I can get my boat to stay off the pontoon is to tie a mooring line on the other side of the boat pull it back that way.
I actually use the the springers to hold the boat against the pontoon. The shorter ropes I place at the bow and stern are nearly always slack and just hold the boat parallel to the pontoon.
This raises another issue. I see some boats have their bow and stern lines very short and tight. Usually power boat sterns and Cats. This puts a lot of strain on both the pontoon cleat and boat attachment point. And also leads to damages when you get a bit of swell coming through the marina. Not to mention the continual chaffing and nooring away at paint work, rub rails and gel coat.
The guy on the boat beside me told how he was in a Marina at Bribe Island (nearly all power boat due to the bridge) and a mimi tornado went through. He said how some of the boat were damaged and how the horn cleats were torn out of the pontoons. I don't think springer would do this but rocking boat tied with short line would.
My thoughts and way. 
Crusoe. On the Paddlewheelers we used springs to stop the boat surging fore and aft. As you say the bow and stern lines hold the boat
parallel to the wharf but they do not stop the surging motion. If you want to hold the boat off the pontoon then it's either
fenders or as you are doing tying a line to a point opposite. I have a friend who has a mooring block on the seaward side
and has a float and line he can pick up to do the same thing.
Thanks for that drawing Pekeri. I am going to change my method to so I don't rely on fenders to keep my boat of the finger.
Pekeri has got it nearly as best you can. You need a springer on the lee (finger pontoon) side on pontoon cleat near bow to boat cleat near stern to prevent the boat from moving back in the pen. Need a stern line from stern cleat on boat to centre cleat on pontoon to hold the stern off the finger pontoon. The springer from the mid pontoon cleat to mid cleat or bow cleat generally has to turn on the cleat and then feed back to a winch so that you can pull the bow to windward.
I use a similar technique if pinned to the windward side of a jetty or pontoon And need to get off. I have two sets of mid cleats. Ie an aft cleat, mid cleat aft approx 1/3 forward, mid cleat forward approx 2/3 forward and forward cleat. Have a long 4 boat lengths warp which I fix to windward forward mid cleat, aft around outside of boat to a turning cleat or bollard approx 1 boat length aft of boat on the pontoon, around this turning bollard and back to the aft mid cleat or spin acre guy block and thence to the primary sheet wInch. A couple of fenders are placed aft ie at stern quarter. The engine is started and forward gear engaged whilst helm hard to windward/away from pontoon. Then winch in the springer which will pull the bow out from the pontoon. When angle approx 45 deg. Release the warp from the winch and pull the other end aboard making sure there are no tangles in the released bitter end as you drag it back around the turning bollard. Got to make sure that it is pulled aboard faster than it can sink because the above technique is in strict violation of no lines in the water with the engine on. If the line wraps around the prop you are going to get smashed up against the thing that you are trying to get off. can also use same method but pulling stern off and using reverse.
in the situation of a gale warning putting you on the lee of a dual boat finger pontoon you can always run a bow and a stern line across the berth locking your neighbour in. Don't tie to their boat of course and make sure that you use stretchy mooring lines, not dyneema spin sheets which can snap under shock loading or pull your cleats out.
You are welcome Andy,
The following show a proper setup, correct position and length of line. Images taken in approx 35kts and gusts to 40 from port blowing the boat towards the finger.
Windward lines now taught keeping boat off the stbd finger.
This springer keeps the stern of the boat away from the walkway at the rear. Fenders in place but this is as close as the boat can come to the finger.
The above is a proper setup.
This an example of a very poo setup, also showing the inflated fender popped up and boat surging on to the finger and occasionally touching the horn cleat.
This is boat for sale tied up by the brokers.
Here is a web site which shows how moorings maybe done and it has springers shown. As SamSturdy pointed out, springers are used for holding a boat in position from moving forward or aft. Once this has been done, then a line (which could be classed as a single springer) can be put on the other side to pull it away from the pontoon.
The Web site is good because it has examples of what not to do.http://www.moorcontrol.com.au/Berth%20Set%20Up.php
Sorry Frant, couldn't read your post as there were no paragraphs.
That's a good mooring line setup Pekeri. Obviously custom fitted to your boat. Also an advantage that the pontoon mid cleats are offset into the other side pen helping significantly to pull the bow to windward.
Select to expand quotefrant said..cisco said..Crusoe said..
Sorry Frant, couldn't read your post as there were no paragraphs.
Your input is valued but just un-readable.
16 sentences.
3 paragraphs.
ie there are full stops, commas and paragraph indents.
get a life CiscoCisco
No need to get shirty about it.
I am just saying your text needs a few more gaps pauses or whatever to be readable for me at least.
