A bow and forward spring line should be made fast to a bow cleat and a stern line should be ready in the cockpit. The bow line should be held ready by a crew member at the bow and the spring line should be brought back to the cockpit for the captain or another crew member to handle. Approach the raft slowly and stop forward motion with your motor when alongside. The bow line should be thrown to an awaiting crew member on the raft usually positioned amidships. The spring line should be passed over.
Some people prefer to throw their bow and stern lines first and set up their spring lines last.
In either case, both fore and aft springlines should be set and the boat should be positioned so that the masts do not line up with one another. When possible, boats intending to leave early should raft up on the outside of the raft. If the raft is large an additional anchor from the 2nd boat should be set at 60 degrees from the first anchor. Cross boats by walking quietly forward of the mast. In unsettled conditions or where there is significant boat wake, it might be wiser not to raft up but rather to anchor separately and visit via dinghy.