Rottnest Hotel Jetty Pens - mooring arrangements
Hey all,
Just wondering if anyone has had experience using the hotel jetty pens at Rotto. We have some accommodation booked in October and if the weather is good are looking at taking a 5.2m ally runabout over, and with kids on board it would be good to have a guaranteed pen near the hotel.
I have looked on the Rottnest website and understand how to book, location of pens etc but they are fairly vague as to mooring arrangements for the pens aside from noting that we would need to bring our own lines.
So, hoping that a fishwrecked member has used these before and has any tips, or even better some pics for over there.
Failing that the beach mooring system seems simple enough but a little bit further away for the guaranteed spots...
Many thanks in advance,
Vincent
![sambos in the swan = ]](http://www.fishwrecked.com/files/images/Image040.thumbnail.jpg "sambos in the swan = ]")
resurgence
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 23/04/14
Jetty pens
I've not used the hotel jetty pens but I have used the fuel jetty pens on numerous occasions.
Yes you will need to bring your own mooring lines. I'd highly recommend getting a set of stainless caribiner style clips to connect to the D rings on the jetty/pylons; the galvanising and rust will cut through lines overnight. No special arrangements other than that. Just pull into your booked pen and tie up.
I will say though that the hotel jetty gets very busy with drop-off and pick-up traffic, so you may have to fight your way through a raft of tenders to get your boat in and out. Also getting on and off the boat, especially a smaller one, is not necessarily easy - you have to climb up and there are no ladders on the pens.
Where are the guaranteed beach pen spots? I though they were all first come first served? Or is it the ones at North Thompson?
scubafish
Posts: 949
Date Joined: 15/08/12
The Rock
Beach is better ,pens can be a pain when the chop gets up on a easterly.Stay away from hotel jetty on weekend ,unless you want your boat taken for joyride or trashed by the young piss tanks . Nth of ferry jetty arn't to bad or near fuel jetty .Depends where you are staying Thompson ,Geordie Bay.
https://rottnestisland.com/boating/rental-facilities/beach-pens-for-hire
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Resurgence/scubafish, thanks
Resurgence/scubafish, thanks for the feedback. Sounds like we might do the kid dropoff on the jetty or beach near hotel, then scoot on to the beach "pens".
Scubafish we are staying at the main hotel area, in a new accommodation - samphire. Hence why I was looking at the hotel jetty as it's in close (almost visual) proximity.
Resurgence - as per the map linked by scubafish, at north part of Thomsons bay there are essentially beach moorings you can actually pay for and reserve. Otherwise there are designated beach anchoring areas which are first come first served.
Any tips as to how you use those beach pens would be great as well guys if you've done it a few times before.
resurgence
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 23/04/14
Beach pens
The beach pens work with stern toward the beach. Anchor off the bow and two stern lines (or you can get away with one) attached to the permanent anchoring rings on the beach. The setup is designed so you share one beach anchor ring with the neighbour either side.
With bow pointing away from beach, drop anchor at the right distance, then slowly back up to the beach. Have someone jump off with a line attached to the stern and secure to a beach ring. If needed then move the boat back out slightly using anchor winch.
Give yourself a decent amount of distance from the beach, tides are not big but the beach has a very gentle slope so easy to get stuck on an outgoing tide. As a guide you'll probably be wading through knee/thigh deep water to get to the boat.
Probably easier to say than do but it's not too difficult.
Also if you end up with a pen on the north side, just beware that it gets very shallow about 20-30m straight out from the beach so you have to pick your way in, normally from close to the small jetty then run parallel to the beach until you hit your pen.
scubafish
Posts: 949
Date Joined: 15/08/12
The Rock
Have you checked if the hotel have any allocated pens if you are staying there ? On the map as : Local Beach Pens (Public Prohibited)
http://img.gg/BQ91Syshttp://img.gg/BQ91Sys
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Beach pens
Thanks resurgence, will keep that in mind on the beach pens mooring arrangement and the need to pick your way in parallel to the beach...
Scubafish - good point, didn't even think about it and will check with the Samphire.
Thanks for the tips guys, much appreciated.
selthy
Posts: 286
Date Joined: 27/05/11
For pretty much the same
For pretty much the same reason as you, I have used a Jetty pen before. I had booked it for the first few nights which were over the weekend. Didn't want to get to rotto in the boat for the first time and not have a pen available or have an argument with the family as I try to use a beach mooring for the first time. Was confident though that I would be able to move the boat early morning, before the day trippers arrive and have more time and space to setup on the beach.
With the family in tow, you may wish to consider booking one of the pens directly next to the landing platforms. It will be easier to get everyone (and luggage) off and on. BUT, make sure you setup your lines correctly to avoid the boat banging against the jetty. Also be aware that the jetty always seems to have some young kids throwing squid jigs around and your shiny boat will be right next to where they will be fishing.
pelagicyachts
Posts: 1301
Date Joined: 23/02/11
if you are beaching you also
if you are beaching you also want to be sure your anchor off the bow is set - there is a lot of weed. Easier in summer but if leaving the boat for a period of time i have swum out and check it is burried in sand and not weed - enjoy the water :-)
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Thanks for the tips
Thanks gents for the tips. Sounds like the jetty pen might be a pass. We are going on a weekday and only the last day is a Saturday so hopefully plenty of beach space available. Will also do the anchor check and ensure it's over sand...
Just out of interest, does anyone have pics they may have taken of the beach or jetty pens? Not important but would be interesting given the good info in this thread so far.
Lavs
Posts: 174
Date Joined: 30/04/12
Heres my 2 cents.... we go
Heres my 2 cents.... we go over quite a lot on 6.55M boat. Used to sleep aboard a lot, but not so much these days.
Beach pens: The first-come-basis beach pens (in front of the restaurant) are good. If going during busy periods though, they go pretty quick and you can find yourself without one fairly easily. Also as mentioned, check your anchor.. The rental beach pens (north thompson/bathurst) are VERY shallow at times. We use them occasionally when staying that way just beacuse its close but have come out in the morning to find the stern sitting out of the water even when tied up right at the bow mooring. Possibly a "time of the year" thing but that whole part of the bay is very shallow.
Jetty pens: These are good, used them a bunch of times. Someone mentioned getting decent stainless caribenas - good idea to make life easy, but we havent had issues without them. I have also never had issues with people going aboard the boat and we have used them a lot in busy periods (even when there is concerts etc). However, pens can be rough on your boat if the wind is up. Get your spring lines right to stop your boat jolting back and forward - I have seen (more than once!) cleats torn clean off boats after a windy night where boats have been left bouncing around in those pens. allow for tide etc so it doesnt smash against the jetty on high tide etc... All common sense but if you're new to it easy to forget.
South thomson - you can just double anchor down there, but beware theres a reef ledge along the beach as you get south of the pub.... watch out for it on a low tide as I have seen boats high and dry on the reef at low tide.
PM me if you wanna give me a buzz.... we've tried it all plenty of times, happy to help :)
duges66
Posts: 138
Date Joined: 07/03/12
Bathurst beach pens 1-10
Bathurst beach pens 1-10 (south end of the 25 available) are deeper than those to north. 5.2m ally with bow tied up close to the forward green buoy (stern to beach) shouldn't be a worry unless perhaps in a spring tides. Tied my 6.5m fiberglass there & never had an issue. Have had issues though in the northern end of the pens on any low tide.
As others have said if your confident in your anchor (I swim and out and ensure it's set) and have ropes to secure to the beach anchoring points to the south of the pub jetty I'd go that way to save the $'s (~$40/night at Bathurst pens). If your early or lucky enough that way your rig is out front of your accommodation.
https://rottnestisland.com/boating/boating-on-rottnest-island/Facilities
As for the pub jetty pens unless your port or stbd side is along side the jetty (pens 1 & 4) they are a pain in the arse.
There's 3 kinds of people in this world, those who can count and those that can't.
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Thanks Lavs and Duges66,
Thanks Lavs and Duges66, great input.
Lavs I'm quite interested in your lines arrangement when using those pens, and will pm you for that call if you don't mind. Based on the configuration on the rotto site it looks like 2x attachment points for stern lines from each stern corner cleat, and 1x bow line. Makes it hard to get on and off I would imagine, except as duges 66 suggested if you can get pub jetty pens 1 & 4... Then you could come alongside the back of the T-part of the pub jetty, deckie hops off and attaches on of the stern and bow lines from the jetty?
Might try to sketch something up and post it here and see if any feedback.
resurgence
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 23/04/14
Downside to beach pens
You have to wade to get on and off the boat, and to attach to beach anchor points...
Lavs
Posts: 174
Date Joined: 30/04/12
You need two people, and know
You need two people, and know your routine. Basically I come into the pen with my wife sitting on the bow, and I hold the bow just off the jetty while she gets a rope through eyelet on the jetty (dont tie it off yet). Once you have a bow rope on, reverse (at idle) to port and get a rope throug the eyelet on the stern post, then reverse to starboard and get a rope onto the other post. The person on the bow controls how far the boat moves with the rope.
Once all ropes are on, set your lengths right so a) you can still get off the boat onto the jetty, but most importantly that if the tide comes up, your ropes won't be slack enough for the bow to bang against the jetty all night.
Depending on your boat setup, most would probably say you are better to use springer lines rather than stern lines. They allow the boat to move with the tide without moving around the pen too much.
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Thanks Lavs, good tips. I
Thanks Lavs, good tips. I guess the key is to get the rope lengths correct...
brown364
Posts: 247
Date Joined: 25/08/15
Thomson bay
we had beach moorings just up from the rotto finish line there . It was tie off to buoy/mooring from the bow and one off each, the port n star at the stern to fixed points provided on the beach. 5.6 glass boat we have so will suit you fine . enjoy!
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
First time trying to upload a photo here
Hope this works. I crudely sketched up the three attachment points in the below pic.
Taking note of the tip on stainless carabiners, will get 3x of those and attach, say, 5m of line on each?
My initial idea is to pull in with port side of boat alongside the pen/jetty, decky will jump off with the port stern carabiner and attach to the jetty, pull the bow line in so the boat is alongside while we unload kids/gear. Then the decky can drag the bow line across to attach to the bow ring attachment on the front of the pen?
How long should I leave the lines so that I can get off and on after tie up, probably from bow to jetty? (while not having the boat bang against the jetty or pylons?)
fishwrecked.com/image/rottnest-hotel-jetty-pens-mooring-arrangements
scubafish
Posts: 949
Date Joined: 15/08/12
link
your link didn't work,photo needs to be on a web site first that stores photos.
Try
http://fishwrecked.com/image/rottnest-hotel-jetty-pens-mooring-arrangements-2
http://img.gg/BQ91Sys
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Picture
Thanks Scubafish!
bleicester
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/09/14
BIAWA Convoy
I know its abit too late as you've already booked accomodation for October but for anyone else interested, the BIAWA run a convoy twice a year to Rotto. The next one is mid November.
I did it about about 4 years ago and found it very useful. They cover how to safely navigate most of the bays around Rotto and also back anchoring on the beach pens.
www.biawa.asn.au/pages/rottnest-safety-convoy-2
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Fish not found
Cheeto
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 14/04/14
ive got a couple of pics i
ive got a couple of pics i can add, but ive got no idea how to add a pic here? soemone care to let me know how
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Imgur
I'm not the best at using this forum either. But it looks like you can use a site like Imgur and then copy the link into your responses here?
Cheeto
Posts: 79
Date Joined: 14/04/14
try this
Hi Mtchye, hopefully this works
i.imgur.com/XkWA5Mk.jpg
i.imgur.com/SYjmbQh.jpg
i.imgur.com/XTch1rl.jpg
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
Yup that worked
Yup that worked
mtchye
Posts: 32
Date Joined: 05/03/08
A good pic
fishwrecked.com/image/rottnest-hotel-jetty-pens-mooring-arrangements