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Single handed docking...I expect with the new boat, and the young kiddos (now 2.5 years and 6months) I'll be doing a lot of singlehanding. I expect to be singlehanding when voyaging, even if the family is aboard, as my wife will likely have her hands perpetually full with the kids. In addition, I expect to single hand often with semi-sailing or non-sailing friends or just by myself because I want to get out, and if the family isn't coming, my wife is likely staying home. I backpack, and I solo backpack (without an EPIRB/PLB) so I understand the tenants of thinking things through ahead of time, staying in your comfort zone, and generally being okay without a safety net. What I'd like to feel more comfortable with is docking. Almost all of my single handing on boats in the past was on a <10,000lb boat with <2ft of freeboard. What I have now is a >35,000lb boat and 3+feet of freeboard at the side gate, and 4+ feet of freeboard at the cockpit. I also have MUCH more knowledge and experience (and a bow thruster) BUT I'm not excited about jumping off the boat with a line or two and just man-handling the beast into the slip as I used to do. Ideally I would be able to stay near the helm and get her partially tied up before jumping off. What is recommended? Boat hooks with bowline looped lines attached in some exotic (and patented) way? Jump off with lines in hand? Attach a hip line from the boat somehow and keep her in gear forward? All suggestions are appreciated. For my home slip, where I would be departing and returning to, is one I own and has finger piers on both sides and is 15ft longer than my boat, and only 3ft wider than my boat, so is very forgiving. I can bounce off the (hopefully fendered sides) without consequence. Furthermore, because I own the slip I can add nearly anything I want to it. I can add more cleats, rings to snag, poles with lines ready to grab, fenders permanently affixed to the dock or anything else that would be useful. MedSailor Never jump off the boat! If you have to jump, you are doing it wrong. I got a lot of practice docking my boats single handed; I was on a mooring at my club and needed to bring the boat into a slip or working dock for a lot of reasons frequently and was usually on my own. Some tips - - Get all your lines and fenders ready and out. You can flake the lines on the lifelines so you can grab them easily and pull them off without tangling or snagging. - Take it SLOW. No, slower than that. Really, slower still. - Learn how your prop walks and learn to use it. - Get used to how the wind, tides and currents move your boats, missing those can turn an easy docking into a fiasco. - Never turn down help on the dock With your own dock you can really optimize the setup for your boat, e.g. have the aft spring set up on the dock rather than on the boat so you can grab it with a boat hook on the way in without leaving the boat; that would make the steps below a LOT easier. I'll tell you how I do it coming in to someplace when I don't have anything set up on the dock; I've never had my own slip to set up. The basic technique I use is as follows. Most boats can be held on to a dock indefinitely by attaching a long stern spring to a cleat on the dock, turning the wheel hard away from the dock, and engaging the engine into forward at idle speed. The boat will sidle up to the dock and eventually settle onto the fenders into a good position with just this one line on and stay there until you run out of fuel. We have had a midships cleat on our last few boats, which makes this very easy and you may have to work the spring a little differently if you don't have one. Wind and current can and your boat specifics might affect the need for more throttle, but practice getting your boat held on the dock with just this one line. So...with your fenders out and your lines flaked on the lifelines and ready to go (that is bow line, stern line, and at least an aft spring, preferably a forward spring): 1) Approach the dock slowly, preferably on the side that your prop walks too in reverse. This helps you snuggle closer to the dock as you slow the boat. As you get closer, slow down more. You should be going slowly enough and close enough to the dock that you feel comfortable stepping off the boat onto the dock, not jumping. Practice this approach numerous times if you can't get it. 2) When you are close to the dock and where you want to stop, put the boat in neutral (you should be barely moving forward, if at all, at this point). Grab the aft spring and step off the dock. 3) Secure the spring with your best estimate of about half your boat length, e.g. so the cleat your are tying to is close to your aft cleat. 4) Step back on the boat and get back to the helm. 5) Turn the wheel away from the dock all the way out. 6) Put the boat in forward. 7) Wait while the spring tightens. Don't let the boat go too fast, as you don't want to slam to a stop. If you are going to fast cut to neutral or reverse, you really only need the boat in forward once the spring is tight. 8) Let the prop put pressure on the aft spring with the boat in forward. The boat will sidle over to the dock, and settle into a pretty decent looking even docked position. It will stay in this position until you run out of fuel, kill the engine, or drop out of gear. 9) Step off the boat and attach the rest of the lines. 10) Get back on the boat, disengage forward and shut down. Of course if this is your own slip you can have your lines on your dock, all attached to the cleats and the proper length to make it easy. If it is windy you may want to grab a stern line or second line to give you something else to control the boat with; windy is advanced topics though and you should only try that one when you know you can do it on a calm day. Practice is the only way. I was forced to do this by getting the boat in every Wednesday night for race prep before the crew got here, and later with the cruising boat I ended up having to move to a working dock at least once or twice a week to work on the boat. With your own slip, it would be: - Come in really slow - Pick up the aft spring from the dock and put it on the midships cleat - Turn the wheel and sidle the boat in. - Connect the rest of the lines You just need to make sure you leave the spring where you can reach it, and it stays where you left it! capecodda said: I'd add that the bow thruster can be very helpful. Click to expand... Lots of good advice. I'm a KISS advocate. My own slip is rigged with a sissy line on both sides. They are just taut enough to eliminate any appreciable sag in the lines, and they are high enough so that they normally touch below the gunwale. I also leave a short line attached to the finger pier, on my port side, and I have an old fender attached permanently to the finger pier to protect my boat from rubbing against it. I back into the slip, stop the boat at the finger pier and attach the line from the finger pier to the jib sheet cleat on the gunwale. The old fender protects the hull from rubbing against the finger pier. At this point, about 2' of the bow of the boat will still be sticking out of the forward dock pilings, and the rub rail might come to rest gently against the leeward dock piling. The short breast line keeps the boat from moving forward or aft. The leeward sissy line keeps the boat from drifting to leeward into the boat in the next slip. Also, when the rub rail on the bow comes to rest against the dock piling, it also keeps the boat from drifting down onto my neighbor's boat. At that point, my boat is under control. There's nowhere it can go. I can then shut down the engine and walk to the bow at my leisure and attach the bow lines and spring line, and then to the stern to attach the stern lines. There's no need to step off the boat until I'm ready to attach the stern lines. Don't be afraid of the big boat. IMO, a big boat is easier to dock than a little boat, because the wind doesn't affect it as much as a small boat. The key is to develop a plan, and set up your slip so that you can get the fore and aft movement of the boat under control without having to leave the cockpit. For me, the short breast line does that nicely. After it is under control, you can take your time to attach the rest of the lines. I met Capt Jack at the Annapolis Sailboat show about 6 or so years ago. He was showing everyone how to properly throw a line to grab a cleat or bollard or anything. I bought his vids just to support him and remember watching them at home and thought the methods were great. Here's a link. Get the singlehanded vid. Not the best production quality, but the point is excellent. https://vimeo.com/ondemand/captjackseries Here's another tip, I don't recall from the vid. The spring line concept is universal, it's just a matter of how it will be setup on your dock. If you are leaving lines at your slip, make the spring line you want handed to you first in a different color from all the rest. This way, you can tell any volunteer on the dock to hand you the "red" line. You don't have to point or try to describe which one you want. Invariably, dock help makes up what to do and can make things worse. This method is fool proof. MedSailor said: I expect with the new boat, and the young kiddos (now 2.5 years and 6months) I'll be doing a lot of singlehanding. Click to expand... MedSailor said: What I have now is a >35,000lb boat and 3+feet of freeboard at the side gate, and 4+ feet of freeboard at the cockpit. I also have MUCH more knowledge and experience (and a bow thruster) BUT I'm not excited about jumping off the boat with a line or two and just man-handling the beast into the slip as I used to do. Ideally I would be able to stay near the helm and get her partially tied up before jumping off. Click to expand... Some suggestions: 1. Install 'hangars' on the pilings, so that when arriving the docklines are coiled and easily reachable without getting off the boat. The docklines are 'permanently' attached to the piles; for slips on floating docks the docklines are coiled so that the terminal end remains 'proud' for easy pick up with a boat pole. 1a. Have all docklines 'premarked' (usually to the horn of the cleat youre using) so you dont have to waste time 'thinking'. 2. Install metal rub rails on the boat ... no need to constantly install/remove/install 'fenders'. 3. When in the slip, tie the boat from amidships, first. The amidships lines are the last to be let go when exiting. 4. 'Really' learn how 'back and fill' (aka: pivot turns) to accommodate and USE 'prop walk'. With rub-rails, lay the boat ON a piling and 'gently' use backing & filling to turn the boat using the piling as a 'fulcrum' for turning. Practice backing and filling so that you can do a 360° turn - all within "a boat-length and a quarter" ... and in both directions; practice until you 'can' do this. (With a RH prop) learn how to turn a boat to stb when going forward by backing down in reverse ! 5. Sissy lines. Use snap shackles (or caribiners) on tethers to easily attach the boat to the sissy lines on those blowing-stink days. Method: when entering the slip stern-to and without leaving the cockpit, attach the tether to the sissy line and let the tether steer you in during a cross wind ... any mistakes are taken-up by the shackles/caribiners sliding along the 'taught' sissy lines. IMO- When single handing its always better to enter a slip stern-to ... all the things you will 'hit' will be closer to the cockpit where you are. 6. Alway enter a slip in accordance to the 'preference' of your boats 'prop walk' .... if RH prop, 'start' the entry at a ~45° angle to the CL of the slip and the outer 'turning' piling for the rub rails to port; AVOID entering the slip on the 'weak' side' of prop walk (a boat with a RH prop entering a slip to starboard .... dont do it, always to portside, only). Instead of entering on the 'wrong side'; if you can do a 180 in the fairway do and and enter via the 'strong' side of the prop-walk (usually to portside w/ RH prop). Use the outer pilings to help turn the boat (with prop walk, but do it gently so you dont break the piling off) and USE the rub rails. 7. Keep it KISS, and neat, so you dont waste time 'futzing' around with dropped lines, untying tangles .... and then crashing. If possible permanently tie up the docklines TO the dock/pilings; keep another full set onboard for when 'traveling'. As others have already posted, DO NOT 'trust' anyone on the dock to 'help' you. Set up for ALL landings to be done by yourself . hope this helps I like to tie up first from a midship cleat to the dock .... on a SHORT line to control the boat. Once fully tied up that 'short line' is removed. Of course one sometimes needs to 'snub' or 'spring in' on a bow or stern line from amidships; but, thats not what Im referring to. Holding the boat CLOSE to a dock on a short midship line will control both the bow and the stern (and the tide isnt going to come up THAT fast requiring long spring lines, when docking). Med, It sounds like you have a pretty ideal situation. Just for clarification: are the " finger piers" on either side 15 ft longer than your boat? In other words full docks on both sides? Or do you have a combination of outer poles and short finger piers? I'd agree that the primary solution is the aft spring, picking up a line left for that purpose, which you left behind hanging on a dock hanger. There remains the problem of what you do if, in the crucial 5 seconds, you miss getting the spring. The problem also exists if you're coming into a transient dock and you don't have a chance to jump off the boat, get that line on a cleat, then get back on board and manage power and rudder to utilize it. I've fitted my bow thruster with a remote and find that combination very useful. As the boat comes to a stop I hop off the boat and fit an aft line. With the aft line attached I can casually walk forward and bring the bow toward me as I'm standing on dock. I've done this in 18 knot cross winds with no risk of drifting off to the neighbor boat in a shared slip. It's the only way I've found that works well when there are difficult docking conditions and no opportunity to rig docking lines before leaving the slip. I've been thinking of getting some floating docking lines to help on difficult solo docking situations. If things go wrong during the docking and, in all the commotion, you end up with a dock line in either the thruster or the prop, then you are truly SOL. Never leave a boat moored with floating lines. They are generally weaker and will not stand up to abrasion or sunlight, but they are handing for the docking event. GJ Just a few things to add based on my experience with a 50', 40,000 lb boat: 1. BJ's point about slow, slow, slow is a good one. I generally dock at a forward speed of less than 1 kt. A big boat has a lot more momentum than you may be used to and will continue to plow forward long after smaller boats have stopped. One thing I did when I first got my big boat was to drive around the marina on a calm day at various speeds and cut the throttle to see how far she'd drift before coming to a stop. I was amazed. 2. If dock "help" is available, always have them handle the mid-ship line. There's only so much harm they can do with that one. I always ask them to make it fast right to the aft dock cleat immediately. Once it's fast, you can use it as BJ describes even if the length is wrong. 3. The boat will *always* win. You can't muscle it. You think pushing your car is hard? Your boat weighs 10-15 times more. The only forces you can use are your dock line tension, prop (forward, back, and walk), thruster, and windage/current. The upshot is that the most important thing in docking a big boat is to be within stepping/lassoing distance of the dock. One you've got that mid-ship line fast to the aft cleat, all else follows (arresting forward motion, arresting pivot, etc). 4. Once you've got the basics down, try to save the thruster for blustery days only. It's good to know how to dock without it at least under calm conditions so you won't be up a creek if it fails on you. 4. Swallow your pride and go around (and around and around) if things go pear shaped on you. Better to get a clean approach than to over-commit to one that'll get you in trouble. MedSailor said: Tell me more about the "sissy lines." I'm not sure I follow what they are. Click to expand... All good advice. Especially easy on the home dock, where you can set everything up a you wish. Two notes: I actually find it easier singlehanded by myself than with non participating crew. The others get in the way and prevent me from moving quickly around the boat. Second, when going into a dock other than your own, I do find that the aft spring line is the best one person solution, but I m always concerned that I don't know whether there is a cleat or other doohickey in the right place until very late in the game, and I also have sometimes docked in places where the cleat is poorly attached. You want to be very careful not to put too much force on a poorly attached cleat, or problems may arise. All good reasons to go slow if you can. Wow, good advice. I am in a similar situation, although my kids have since grown up! I'm a proponent of the midship cleat spring line. I used to use a whip holding up the stern line, but then I found that I sometimes snagged it with the anchor on the way (backing) out! That was a mess, so I just stopped using it. When I come into my home dock (like yours, a finger on both sides) I just stop the boat and step onto the dock. It's just that easy. I never jump. The challange is coming into another dock (like the gas dock). At a different dock, I perfer not to leave my boat unless it is tied. Usually one midsheet spring line. I carry a line on the boat that I attach to the midship cleat prior to docking. When I am at the dock if there is someone there, fine, I hand them the line. If I have a crew, fine, they can loop it over the dock's cleat and fasten it up to the boat. If my crew is agile, they can step onto the dock to do this. If I'm by myself, as is often the case, I loop the line onto the dock without leaving the deck of the boat. I can do this quickly even in situations where I'm being blown, or carried, away from the dock. In really crappy conditions I wait for help, or come up with an alternate plan. Crew is instructed to step, like ladies or gentlemen, onto the dock. Never jump. Never! I've seen people get hurt jumping, or the evolution going completely out of control. I'd rather crash the boat than crash a crew. Lately I've been backing into my slip to make it easier for my wife to board. It's different, but as I'm getting more practice, it's getting easier. Try it! So basically, you have to fit a 13ft wide boat in a 16/17 ft. wide hole. With docks on either side. If centered that leaves 1 1/2' to 2' feet on either side. Do you put fenders out on both sides? Do you have rub rails on the docks? Do you leave docklines on both sides? I think I'd just stop the boat in the center of the slip and let the wind or current set me, then secure a short well placed breast line. You should be able to tell which side will be the initial tie up side If you have current pushing you sideways against the dock, I think I'd want to have dock lines on both sides anyway to help keep the boat from being pinned on just the fenders 1/2 the time while in the slip. If you come in with current, favor the upstream side and then drift down on the dock. Anchor-out. Another option when single handing, when approaching an unfamiliar dock with wind and tide you don't think you can't deal with, is NOT to dock. I can think of many marinas around here locate in tidal chutes where docking any time other than dead slack requires your A-game and at least one extra hand to get a line on and handled. Once you dingy to shore, you may be able to look at the situation, ask a few questions, get some help and pull it off, or perhaps simply wait for the wind to let up or the tide to slack. You seldom NEED dock, mostly you just want to. For this reason alone, many single handers like to anchor out. Less stressful. If I can get a spring line on the dock, I've got it made in the sun or shade. Wind on the dock or off, current any direction; none of it matters. Midship cleat (or so) running aft, helm hard over and locked, to the side away from the dock and the engine in forward at whatever speed necessary to bring the boat into the dock and hold her there while you are putting out the other lines. Absolutely foolproof, IF your prop pushes water past your rudder. If you need to reach a line on the dock, put it up on a post/whip with a hook. It can be simple homemade or buy the gizmo. Permanent fenders would be a luxury, but they also look a touch unprofessional. I might consider it anyway, but some marinas don't allow them. They might make the slip less flexible to rent to a transient and you will have to screw in attachment points. You also need to be sure they never touch the water, or they will attract hard growth. I really like the idea of those wheels that go on the corners, but I've never used them. At the least, be sure you have good dock rail. Docking in ideal conditions is quite simple as described above. Just go slow. However when the wind is whipping down the fairway at 25 knots and you are single handing and you have six niches of leeway on each side of your dock space its a little more "interesting". The time interval between having your bow blow off and actually entering your dock is several milliseconds it seems. Capt Jack's suggestion and he demonstrates this technique in absolute dead calm flat water is to actually pin the side of your hull against the pier and rotate the boat into the dock hopefully keeping a fender between your hull and the pier. Yikes!.. Solo?! In fact, every technique he shows is executed in dead calm water when, if truth be told, any slug and dock a boat. Also, he does this at Suttons Bay Michigan which as a fairway of very generous (multiple boat lengths) width. Many of his ideas are VERY good, don't get me wrong, but lets see some truly adverse conditions and techniques to deal with them. So if anyone has some good ideas of how to easily solo dock with 25kts + blowing down a skinny fairway lets hear them.. MC michigancruisers said: So if anyone has some good ideas of how to easily solo dock with 25kts + blowing down a skinny fairway lets hear them.. MC Click to expand... Might I suggest that you stop (pause?) your boat for a few seconds to get the spring line on, and then get back behind the helm and bring her in on the spring. It really doesn't matter if she drifts a few feet any direction, once you have the spring on, she's "under your thumb", as the song goes. I'm not sure of the weight, windage or draft differences between your last boat and this new one, but it really should get easier on a bigger, heavier craft. Rich has a really good point about rub rails. I honestly do not consider a vessel without rub rails to be an excellent cruising boat. I have been frequently asked what it's like to dock a big ship. Funny thing is, the larger a vessel is, the easier to dock it is. What takes mere seconds on a 19 foot boat, maneuvering to or from a dock, takes minutes and more on a vessel of some size. Things happen slower and go on longer. But basically ALL vessels handle by the same rules. They turn from the center, the more water passing over the rudder the better they react and they don't stop all on their own. Top Contributors this MonthBefore a single handed docking in heavy wind…..What do you do , when docking in your slip would be too challenging in a really heavy wind? Do you cross your fingers and hope for the best? Do you call for your dock buddies to help? What if there isn’t enough wiggle room between you and your slip neighbour? The Answer My Friend is “Hanging in the Wind”It was perfectly calm, when Derek left the harbour to go out for a peaceful afternoon cruise all by himself . Relaxing on the water didn’t last long though. As is often the case nowadays, the weather didn’t obey the forecast. Calm became chop, when the wind came up out of nowhere. While heading back to the harbour, the chop tuned to waves with white caps as the wind intensified . By the time he got back to the harbor, the wind was really howling offshore . Being alone, he knew he would never be able to dock his boat single handedly. He feared the worst and was terrified at the possibilities of all that could go wrong. He had stored all his fenders and lines, before heading out and now it was too rough to prepare them for docking. Derek had mastered Dawsons Docking Lessons and was confident that he could dock in the wind. He just had to figure out how to get his fenders and lines on first. Then, Derek remembered a tip in the Docking Lesson, that he could modify to help him in this situation. The fear drained out of his body as he prepared to “Hang Out in the Wind” to give him lots of time to calmly prepare his fenders and lines for docking. When you are stressed and rushed, c hances of things going wrong , are almost always guaranteed. Isn’t that one of Murphy’s Laws? The instructions in the lesson to give you lots of time to calmly prepare your fenders and lines for docking; instead of idling around the harbour in a heavy wind, running around like a madman continually re-aiming the boat trying to keep from hitting something: - As in all bad weather, start by putting on your pfd or life jacket.
- Pick an empty dock or pier , where the wind is blowing off of it.
- Attach one stern line to a stern cleat by putting the eye through the port cleat and over the horns, so you know it will not jump off on you. (preferably the port corner because you can see that corner better from the helm).
- Reverse towards the chosen cleat, post or mooring ball.
- Once close enough for you to reach this dock cleat, shift into neutral .
- While holding on with one hand to a rail or handhold at all times for safety , carefully and quickly, step onto the swim platform .
- Toss the middle of the Stern Flipp Line over the dock cleat or post with your free hand, holding on to the end of the line.
- Tie that bitter end back to your boat’s port stern cleat . (Leaving enough slack that your boat hangs well clear of the dock.)
- Take a deep breath and relax. Just Hang in the Wind.
- Now, you can take your time to secure all your fenders and attach all your dock lines to your boat cleats, because your boat will hang in the wind, like a windsock.
- Hang out in the wind here, as long as you need to, for the wind to drop.
- Before you untie your stern line to head for your dock, check your cockpit sole to verify there is nothing to trip on.
This simple procedure is also a lifesaver, when you need to hang out in a storm. Stern tying into the wind is better than tying the bow because:- Your stern (with the motor(s)) is the control end, allowing the bow to blow like a wind sock.
- When docking alone, like Derek had to do, it’s a much shorter, more secure walk from the helm to the swim platform, than from the helm to the bow, to tie the line to the dock cleat.
- When docking with a First Mate in the wind, they are much safer in the aft corner of the cockpit than out on the bow.
- Your visibility and communications with crew in the aft corner of the cockpit, is much more precise than out on the bow.
- If your crew misses the dock cleat on the first or second toss to the cleat, you can see and hear what is going on and adjust your approach to the dock accordingly.
- For lower floating docks, the cockpit or swim platform is closer height-wise than the bow, for tossing a line with accuracy.
So, if you ever find yourself in this situation, don’t panic. Just “Hang Out in the Wind”! This is only one of the docking situations you could find yourself in one day. Now you have a solution should it ever happen to you. Dawson’s Docking Lessons cover many more challenges and solutions that boaters could be confronted with. Get Your Docking Lesson Today Study It Take It To Your Boat Start Docking Right – Tomorrow Enjoy Boating More! Boat Docking LessonsAbout the author. The Dawsons5 thoughts on “before a single handed docking in heavy wind…..”. Thanks for your comments on “Hanging out” I mostly single handed and this a great idea until the wind decreases As a new boater a few years ago found your docking book invaluable. One comment I would have is that many of your techniques assume the availability of cleats. Those are often not available as marinas and docks go to bull rails. James, You are right. Marinas especially in BC use bull rails instead of cleats in many places. We have sent you a solution that we’ve devised in consultation with several west coast boaters. I am sure you will find it helpful. Doug Dawson I have a formula 40 PC. Because the props are tucked into tunnels in the hull, the boat doesn’t really respond to one in forward and one in reverse spinning. It is very sluggish and in wind or current, forget it. Outside one in reverse will never pull the stern into the dock. What boating lessons do I need to handle this boat Peter, Twin inboards with tunnels like on your Formula, handle differently than other twin inboards. I would recommend that you purchase and study the twin inboard lesson (intro, video and advanced)–not the twin sterndrive lesson. In this lesson, I talk about setting the wheel and the throttles and ignoring thereafter during the docking. In your case, with the propellers tucked into tunnels, I would suggest that once you have got yourself familiarized with all the processes in our docking lesson, you turn the wheel away from the dock, add a short burst of throttle in forward on the motor closest to the dock to help aim the propeller thrust sideways to push the stern towards the dock. Or, in reverse, turn the wheel towards the dock, add a short burst of throttle to the motor furthest from the dock to pull the stern towards the dock. This is a merging of the twin inboard and the twin sterndrive methods to accommodate the tunnels that tend to lock the propellers’ thrusts straight ahead and straight back. Call me when you have studied the lesson and I can answer your questions. Doug Dawson Leave a Comment Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * - Forums New posts Unanswered threads Register Top Posts Email
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Single-handed docking- Thread starter Bill Gregory
- Start date Dec 9, 2000
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Bill GregoryDoes anyone have usable ideas on docking a Catalina 30 single-handed? I have a couple of things that work at my slip, but would like to find out what other folks do - thanks, BILL David FosterSpringline lasso We have a spring line with a big (3 foot) loop on one end, and a splice on the other. I think it's a 25 foot line, but runs from a cleat at the center of the boat to a couple of feet forward of the stern when under tension. Then we have a standard aluminum telescoping boathook with two stiff rubber loops (1/2 inch wide, 1/2 inch inner diameter) that are cut so you can snap the rope into them. They are about 15 inches apart at the end of the boathook.The method requires a post, or cleat at the stern end of the dock. I make the approach at low speed, drop the loop over the cleat (or post) slowing the boat so that it approaches a stop when the line takes the strain. Then it's forward at medium low rpms on the engine. The Lillie stops on the line, and I can move out from the pier/dock be moving the toller away from the dock, and toward it by moving the tiller toward the dock. I get a stern line on the cleat. settle everything down, and then cut the engine, and step ashore with the bowline in hand. Once the bowline is fast, I'm at my liesure to complete the mooring. This is our standard technique with crew, or single handed, and it has worked just fine in 5 or 6 different marinas on Lake Erie. Don AlexanderCroc Catcher Hi Bill,I sail my 376 single handed most of the time.To come alongside a pontoon I have a loop in the end of a warp from which I previously removed 3' of the inner and fed a wire coathanger (straightened out) up inside the rope. The ends of the coathanger emerge from the rope and are then twisted together. The rope is tied into a bowline. Next I took a garden cane about 5' long and pushed the twisted wire into the end of the cane. The finished item looks like a kids fishing net, though Florida folks will recognise it as more like a crocodile catcher!It only takes about an hour to make and uses an old genoa sheet.In use I feed the warp through the base of the middle stanchion then back to a winch and thence to my hand at the steering console.Coming alongside with three fenders out I slip the loop over the middle pontoon cleat and pull the cane off. Nip back to the wheel and pull in all slack. Then, by judicious use of fwd and reverse, depending on wind and current, I pull the rope and she comes alongside. Secure the warp on the winch, leave the engine in gear and step ashore to make fast the shore lines.I can do this single handed with 20 knots blowing the boat off or with two knots of tide from ASTERN. Bad seamanship I know but I prefer to have the boat facing south.Sounds dodgy but it never seems to fail. Try it and see.Christmas tidings to all. Further to my last The croc catcher used to save all manner of domestic strife when 'she who must be obeyed' decided to jump on to the pontoon - or not as the situation evolved. Now your lady can occupy her ideal role and just look pretty without becoming involved in the process of mooring. They seem to prefer this on my boat as it is easier on their eardrums. Justin - O'day Owners' WebSimple Long Bow Line I simply secure a line to the cleat in the center of my foredeck and run it our through the bow chock and aft outside of lifelines etc. I run a stern line from the stern cleat around pulpit etc. I leave both coiled by the lifeline gate. On calm days, I simply run the boat along side the dock, and step off with both lines. I usually time it right so that I get the bow line on a cleat on the dock before I hit the guy in front of me. On windier days, I use my gaf to lay the loop in the bow line over the cleat, then put the boat back in gear with the tiller hard to the dock, and step off and secure the stern. Then I cut the engine and do the rest of the lines up. In the interest of being clean on the dock, the bowline is actually two lines, one splice appropriately to be a spring and one that attaches to that one with a snapshackle, so the extra length isn't messy.Justin - O'day Owners' Web I just step off When docking a Cat 34, I would come into the slip, hit reverse until the boat came to a stop (just a quick bit of reverse thrust), and step off and tie off the aft line. Never had any problems.Of course this was in San Diego bay at a protected marina.Les MurrayC36 Ceilidh This beginner uses a cradle! A good friend (who is moored next to me) suggested making a cradle. I have ropes crossing from rear pilings to the opposite-side front pilings (the front pilings are closer together so the lines cross about 5-7 feet from the dock and a knot is tied where they cross). I just ease in and the cradle correctly guides my bow into the exact position (correct distance from the dock and centered in the slip). I pull the tiller to the dock, step off and tie-up.I can't imagine an easier, more fool-proof method for a novice.Happy Holidays,JimC Robert MorettiBill,This was my first season with a c30, and I, too, had to get used to docking it single handed. The biggest problem for me was that my slip required a turn to starboard to enter it, and the pier itself was also on the starboard side. So, the usual advice that others give ("simply put the engine in reverse until the boat stops") did not work, because of the prop walk that pulls the stern to port when in reverse. Reversing the engine with enough RPM's to stop the boat resulted in the stern of the boat pulling away from the pier, making it impossible for me to get off, and threatening my neighbor's boat on my port side.Here's what worked: Enter the slip VERY slowly, well under 1 knot of speed. Make several changes from forward to neutral to reverse and back again to keep the boat barely moving forward. Have a line rigged to a midship cleat. It should be thin enough to stretch a bit, and of an exact length to stop the boat short of hitting the pier, once the line is looped over the sternmost cleat on the dock. As the boat glides up next to the slip pier, put the engine in neutral, grab the line, move forward to near mid-ship, and get off the boat at the sternmost portion of the slip's pier. Loop the pre-rigged line over the sternmost cleat on the pier. The line will stop the boat without it hitting anything. If you also have your bow and stern lines easily in reach, you can quickly fasten either the bow or the stern (whichever is farthest out from the pier) to its respective cleat. Then fasten the other line. Done! This has worked so well for me that observers are often surprised to see it done.Bob Moretti[email protected] question for Justin Justin,My method is very similar to yours. I have the bow spring line secured to a cleat at the bow, port or starboard, depending on my approach and led outside the lifelines aft to the cockpit. My stern line is secured to the cleat on the appropriate side of the cockpit so as to match the bow spring line, and like you I usually approach, step off the boat onto the dock. I then pull the boat into the slip using both lines and usually wrap the bow spring around a post to stop the forward motion of the boat. My question is "What about bigger boats?" Mine is a 272 and I feel comfortable muscling the boat into place under most conditions. What would you do if yours was a bigger boat, say a 30'-34' boat? As a sidelight to this discussion, I set up my permanent bow, stern, and spring lines at the slip. Once I have the boat temporarily tied off at the slip, I fasten the (properly adjusted) permanent lines to the boat and remove the temporary lines to the locker for the next trip. Brian PicktonSingle handed docking a larger boat Dec.12, 2000Dear Bill,It would be helpful to me in formulating a response to know exactly what your docking situation is now and what technique you are using. I note that Bill in his post is using a variation on setting up a breast line, Bob is effectively using a spring line and Jim recommends a cradle. All of these are good ideas for their situation, but what's yours?To answer Tom's query about docking a bigger boat single handed, I use this technique on The Legend, which is a Beneteau F456, and is 46' 7" LOA and displaces about 14 tonnes in its present cruising configuration.1) Size up the situation, in particular which way are the wind and tide running and which side will I dock on? ( In Point Roberts where we previously kept the boat docking involved a 90° turn to port followed immediately by a 90° turn to starboard, docking with the finger pier to port and another boat to starboard. There was not a lot of room for error.)2) Rig fenders. More is better. Fenders don't do any good sitting in a locker. I always kept one fender loose and handy to use as a rover if things went sideways.3) Rig all dock lines, bringing the forward spring line and aft spring line outside the lifelines to the departure point, ready for immediate use. We always have a breast line rigged from the center cleat of the boat, and it gets belayed first.4) Approach the dock at the slowest possible speed at which directional control can be maintained. Sail boats with their big rudders have a definite advantage over power boats in this department. Where possible I like to approach at a slight angle, using the boats prop wash to port in reverse to complete the lineup. On a starboard approach this means using the tiller to turn the boat at the last moment away from the dock and the prop wash to stop the boat and the turn just as it comes along side. On a port approach less tiller is required. I am frequently in nuetral on the approach and apply reverse to slow the boat further as I come in. I will jockey the transmisssion between forward and reverse at low speed to use the prop wash to help line up. The trick is not to loose all way and get blown off. When wind and tide are adverse judicious use of throttle and transmission are required. In teaching sailing I found that the number one error committed in docking is approaching the dock too fast. Remember the object of the exercise is to bring the boat to a dead stop before you step off the boat, not after. Even with wind and tide causing the boat to move if you bring it to a complete stop before you step off you will have enough time to belay the breast line and the most crucial spring line quickly and then can finish the job at leisure.5) The first line that should be belayed is always the breast line, lead from the center cleat of the boat to the nearest dock cleat. When all way is taken off the boat the breast line keeps the boat next to the dock and you can belay spring lines to stop the bow and stern from swinging out to the same cleat as the breast line initially. Whether it is a bow spring line or a stern spring line that is belayed first depends on which way the wind and tide are running. Obviously use the one that counters the motion first.The usual problem encountered with this technique is that the the dock cleat may not be conveniently placed immediately adjacent to the breast cleat. The breast line winds up acting as a short spring. In that case I still belay it first but take the spring line to the dock cleat that will do the most good immediately. Often that is the same dock cleat as the brest line, but not always. If wind and tide are on the bow that means the stern spring gets tied after the breast line and vice versa if the "push" is from the stern. I must stress that every single hander I have met with a boat over 40 feet long prefers to attach the breast line first. Having said that, I have on occasion when docking completely under sail used a forward spring line to take the final way off the boat by catching two horns on a cleat or taking a single wrap around a piling and using the friction to stop the boat's forward motion. I have seldom found it necessary to do this when under motor however. Once the breast line and the most crucial spring line are attached the rest can usually proceed at leisure. I do not use the engine to move the boat once the first two lines are belayed to the pier because I have found that even She Who Must Be Obeyed can usually muscle The Legend around.If your habitual docking pier does not have a cleat that lines up conveniently with the breast cleat of the boat I would seriously suggest adding one. They are a great convenience, especially when single handed.With all of that said, there is no answer that is entirely correct in every situation without fail, all of the time. Different docking situations may require different technigues. Obviously using a breast line will not work where you are docking bow -to with the stern tied off to posts, for example. Let's not forget that ultimately the correct answer is not a dogmatic one but rather, what works for you is in fact what works for you, and it pays to be flexible. Hope this is of some help.Brian [email protected]Aboard The Legend, Rodney Bay, St. Lucia boat control One of the biggest problems with docking a boat that I have seen and done, is basic boat control.For instance, if the boat is moving forward with right rudder and the boat is turning right. If you want to bring the stern of the boat to the port, put the boat in reverse, wait till all way is off, then turn the rudder. If the boat is still moving forward the bow will move to port. I say this not to experienced sailors but to new found sailors that have moved from power boats (outboards)where the technique is to turn the motor and power into place. It won't work on a sail boat. merry Christmasr.w.landau boat control R.W.Landau wrote an interesting response, butI'm not sure I understand...Could you explain again, what if the rudderwas in the same starting position and I wantedthe stern to go to starboard?I have a lot of turning to port when I reverse,it would be great to be able to counteract thatsome how.. Any tips??-Alf. Great Responses Bill - First off - you have a wealth of responses. If you do nothing else, please, go out with a friend and practice singlehanded docking in different positions. Dock at least 20 times without crew assistance before you consider doing it yourself. Practice is the only way you will master this technique. Also - I didn't hear anyone mention this, but if someone is on the dock - ask for assistance. I have docked my boat singlehanded more times than I can count, but never if one of my neighbors or harbor hands is around. I will always ask for help if it is available - it makes everyone feel better.Brian Pickton's response has the most info in it - he seems to have mastered docking a very large boat, and that's no easy task.I'll give you two simple pointers. First, directional control and speed will be the single most important thing that you have to master. Without firm control of the vessel at low speed, you will (regardless of lines and their positions) hit something. Factors that should be considered when you approach a dock include wind direction and speed, current, tide, dock configuration, and you boat's steerage speed. In my C-27, I like to approach at 2 mph in neutral, and then drop into reverse to slow to a stop. I advocate dropping into reverse in advance, rather than slamming on reverse with a high throttle setting. Slamming into reverse will only aggrivate prop walk. Secondly, the breast line is the way to go. Make it fast on your mid-ship cleat and hold it firmly as you jump onto the dock. Secure it quickly to the cleat furtherst from the bow. Of course, you will need your fenders out for this excercise.That's it bud. I can't advocate practice and speed enough. Boats are like airplanes - when they go too slow, they lose control and crash. The good news is, your boat won't crash as hard as an airplane. Know your steerage speed, stay slightly above it, and steer well. Soon people will be asking you how you learned to dock so well singlehanded. Rob All by Myselffffff I tie one end of a long line to the bow of the boat and the other end to the stern. When I get the boat into the slip and step onto the dock I use the line to control both the bow and the stern from one place instead of running back and forth between bow and stern. Be sure the line isn't so long it can drag in the water and hang up. I use this method reguardless of who, if anyone, is at the helm... Good Luck... Ron Charles DuhonNon-Slip Tips eliminate propwalk! We had Kilian Propellers in San Leandro Ca. put non-silp tips on our propeller and it really reduced the amount of propwalk in reverse!We had terrible propwalk but now the boat stops on a dime (increased pitch 2 inches) and hardly pulls the stern at all.It's great that the boat goes where the rudder tells it to! Only about $150 ! Highly reccommended!!!Charles & Lynn Duhon"Artistry" warren feldsteinHow about single handed docking stern to? Any comments here. I have never tried it. Going in forward is pretty straight forward. I would love to hear peoples comments on this approach. Stern to is easy... At least on my 340. I just back all the way down the dock, turn into the slip, and step off the walk-thru transom onto the dock. Cleat a sternline, shut off the engine, and start looking for a beer ;.) The 340 backs very nicely which makes the whole thing possible. With lots of prop walk it might be a different matter... Thanks to Brian The Oday 272 has no midship cleat. I see the track-mounted types in the catalogs. Before I add this piece of hardware, one question. Would securing the breast line at the base of a stanchion work? (Don't tell me I'm cheap, I know that already) Stanchion Base Stanchions are meant to help keep people on the boat, not hold the boat. In most situations this is probably not an issue, but if you come in hot and have to put undue stress on the stanchion, you may have a problem. If you don't want to buy the cleats, secure a temporaty line around your cabin top winch until you get the rest of the lines secured. single handed- stepping off?? although this is the most commonly described, consider the many dangers that lerk in holding lines and stepping off. I have used, very successfully, a cleat hook (practical Sailer just did a review), which "secures" a line to the dock cleat, through my mid-ship cleat, use a winch if necessary, and pull in the boat to the dock.... no risk to life or limb, and no chance the boat will ever "get away" 9should you accidently slip or fall and let go the line(s). I also put (jamb) an 1.25 I.D. plastic pipe extension -30"on my outboard handle to make it so much easier to coordinate the whole process, after throwing the motor into neutral - This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Accept Learn more…
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Being able to bring a boat in safely single-handed is a crucial skill for any sailor both for ease of docking and in case of an emergency where the Captain or a crew member is somehow unable to ...
In this lengthy Captain's Vlog I tackle Solo Docking. I've solo docked before (not a euphemism for mastribation) but I'm not very good at it, so I'm practici...
Step by step docking while singlehanded. This approach uses a single dock line with a snubber to secure the boat temporarily so you can take your time to tie...
From mastering the art of self-reliance to honing your navigation and sailing skills, the pros have a wealth of knowledge to share. In this article, you'll discover the essential techniques employed by seasoned single-handed sailors and learn how to apply them in various situations you may encounter while exploring the world by sea.
If you're sailing solo or with a limited crew, you may need to dock your boat single-handedly. This can be challenging, but with practice and the right technique, it's possible to dock your sailboat safely on your own.
That said, if that was my slip and I was coming and going single-handed (which I do all the time), I would: 1) Back into the slip rather than go bow in. 2) I would have my spring lines on the opposite side of the boat from the finger of the dock (one less tripping hazard). 3) Since this is your permanent slip.
Bringing a sail or motorboat alongside (docking) by ourselves can be difficult, but good preparation will make it much easier.
Singlehanded Docking and Sail Trim compliments Capt. Jacks highly successful Cruising Tips. In this video, Capt. Jack Klang combines innovative classroom models with real world sailing situations to explain the skills and techniques required for singlehanders to dock with confidence in any wind or current, trim cruising sails for power and speed, and retrieve a mooring alone. In a bonus ...
I do a lot of single-handed sailing and have found this invaluable in docking in all conditions. I'm sure that once this "trick" is learned and mastered it can be used in a wide variety of docking situations with all manner of wind and currents.
In this sailboat docking video, Offshore Sailing School Founder, Steve Colgate, shows you the best way to dock under power. This simple system gives you excellent control whether you are sailing with others or single-handed.
Hello. I will soon buy a sailboat, in the 22-foot range, and will have to single-hand it often. With 20 years' experience on 8 sailboats, I'm not worried so much about the sailing part -- it's the docking. Interested in hearing proven ways of doing this, step by step, line by line. Do you keep...
I have a reliable technique for single handed docking using the mid ship cleat. Drifting a little bit from the original topic, but this is what I need to practice with single-handing. I can manage this maneuver (what I consider using a spring line) coming alongside a dock - for pumpout, water, etc. - well enough with the wheel lock, a bumper ...
In this episode Pete show's us how to safely and effectively bring his boat into the dock.What planning should you do?What must I think about before I dock m...
First Singlehanded Docking and Undocking. Docking / August 30, 2021 by TJ / 1 Comment. On a calm day I did my first solo docking and undocking with S/V Counterpoint, my Bristol 45.5. I was only going as far as the pumpout dock and there were plenty of folks around who would have been willing to help with lines but conditions were great so I ...
Docking single handed... Jump to Latest Follow 12K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by tempest Apr 13, 2013 RobGallagher Discussion starter 2847 posts · Joined 2001 #1 · Apr 7, 2013 As if backing your sailboat into a slip wasn't stressful enough, what to do when your only option is a four point tie up in a transient slip? No dock lines set up. The piling are 15 feet high so you can't ...
Senior Cruiser. Join Date: May 2003. Location: Chesapeake Bay. Boat: Sabre 28-2. Posts: 3,197. Images: 37. Single-handed Docking Procedures. I saw a bit of discussion on this in the single-hander thread, but thought it might be good to break it out as a separate discussion.
We at Sailing Virgins are creating instructional videos on how to sail that aren't lame! Join us as we travel through the Caribbean, Croatia, Tahiti, and mor...
Aug 22, 2021. #1. I was in So Ca last week visiting my old stomping grounds (Shoreline Marina, Shoreline YC and Los Alamitos). I watched a couple of sailboats dock and one in particular caught my attention. He proceeded down the slip way, under power, made the turn into his slip, shifted into reverse and applied full power and then proceeded to ...
Never jump off the boat! If you have to jump, you are doing it wrong. I got a lot of practice docking my boats single handed; I was on a mooring at my club and needed to bring the boat into a slip or working dock for a lot of reasons frequently and was usually on my own. Some tips - - Get all your lines and fenders ready and out.
The instructions in the lesson to give you lots of time to calmly prepare your fenders and lines for docking; instead of idling around the harbour in a heavy wind, running around like a madman continually re-aiming the boat trying to keep from hitting something:
Made my first single handed sail of the season today. No problems until I went to dock for the day. The wind caught me and pushed me away from the dock. Luckily I was the only boat in the slip. Are there any suggestions for docking single handed? I.E. dock line set-up, approach, etc.
Single or light handed with wind blowing you off the dock? Here is a really simple way to spring your sailboat or powerboat onto the dock with a looped line that you tie to the midships cleat.
Does anyone have usable ideas on docking a Catalina 30 single-handed? I have a couple of things that work at my slip, but would like to find out what other folks do - thanks, BILL