Leon explains: Mediterranean Mooring stern-to in Malta

Reginasailing and Prosailing Malta show how to dock stern-to with a modern fin-keeled boat with spade rudder so often found in the Med or when chartering.
In German this manoeuvre is called "Römisch Katholisch anlegen" since it is often found in catholic countries, I guess. It has, however, nothing to do with religion but the existence of mooring lines. In other countries, there are floating pontons on the sides (especially in tidal waters) or other means of mooring, such as buoys or pillars for the stern, so often found in the Baltic.
Since it's literally impossible to keep your stern upwind if you go bow-to until you have picked up the mooring line, coming in stern-to and keeping your boat in place by hanging on the windward stern line while engaging the forward gear, is the only logical solution.
Check out how it is done!

[@mastrake]

Nice!

[@Mikhasatta]

Bravo👍

[@ecolak1984]

Love how concise and to-the-point your video is. Excellent job! Thank you.
If you were by yourself, would you leave the gear in forward until you went up to the bow and tied off the slime line?

[@Three2NineProject]

With the windward side tied up at the stern the boat isn’t going anywhere.