How not to dock by an experienced sailor

[Jackdaw]

Last weekend I loaded up BlueJ and set off on the first Shackleton Cup race of the fall; a run to Maynards Bar on the far side of the lake for a beer and back. On board was Dan (@cb32863 ), his girlfriend Rachel, Dr. Chet and his wife Jeanne. Jodi was at home not feeling 100%. Chet and Rachel sail but are not experienced. Jeanne has been sailing solidly for a year. The wind was blowing 20-25 knots solid out of the north, so we had a blast reach over. The bar sits at the south end of a bay with about 2 miles of fetch hitting its east-west running finger docks.

Normally I end tie at Maynards, but this day the wind and waves would batter the boat. So I planned to go into the first double-wide slip and tie up on the leeward side. That way the wind would hold the boat off the finger and not pin it to it.

As you might guess, this was going to take some crack timing. I secured a line to the aft cleat, and gave one to Dan to secure to the bow. The plan was that Dan would take the bow line to the finger when I stopped the boat next to it. The trick was the aft one; Chet has arthritis and is not a fast mover. Jeanne is built like a gymnast and probably would have been up to it, but I was not going to find out. So I had double duty.

In we went as the wind tried to blow us down. Dan stepped onto the dock. Just as I was about to stop the boat and move, Dan yelled that the line he was holding became detached (doh!) from the cleat. The boat is sliding sideways across the slip to the other side... not good... so I power into reverse and steer the boat to keep us from hitting.

Now Chet is on the bow with a new line. I line up again, but as we get close I see Dan is standing farther forward on the finger than I wanted, really making my timing difficult. I need way to keep the boat from sliding sideways. Chet gets him the line, but now we sliding sideways, still moving slowly forward, and not attached at the stern.

I need to do the stern line and stop the boat, but only have time for one. Not wanting to do this again, I grab the line and jump the 3 feet gap the the finger, planning on wrapping the line around a pole to halt the forward motion.

A second too late, and the bow hits the front of the slip. Not a big crash, but anytime a 5000 pound object runs into anything there is some noise! Easily my worst docking ever. But no damage. And we are all safe and dry. Time for a beer! Getting out was a lot more calm.

 

[JRacer]

This thread is worthless without the GoPro Video!

 

[Parsons]

When I worked in a chemistry lab in college, we had a phrase that we'd all say when someone broke something. "Glass breaks". It's a zen-like acknowledgement that, although sad that you just broke a $100 thingy, it's inevitable when you use fragile things they will eventually break. That's how I think about scratches on my boat, or broken gear, from using it. I'd rather have some scratches on her gel coat, or a destroyed block, than a pristine but unused possession. Sounds like you had a great fall outing with friends. Thanks for sharing the truth that glass breaks.

 

[AlastairLC]

I think we can all relate to that, having experienced similar escapades. The mantra to say is, “Could have been worse”.

 

[Jackdaw]

This thread is worthless without the GoPro Video!

Ha! There would have been video, but I forgot to charge the camera at home, so it was down below charging to capture the ride home. It caught that is all its sportiness.

 

[Jackdaw]

When I worked in a chemistry lab in college, we had a phrase that we'd all say when someone broke something. "Glass breaks". It's a zen-like acknowledgement that, although sad that you just broke a $100 thingy, it's inevitable when you use fragile things they will eventually break. That's how I think about scratches on my boat, or broken gear, from using it. I'd rather have some scratches on her gel coat, or a destroyed block, than a pristine but unused possession. Sounds like you had a great fall outing with friends. Thanks for sharing the truth that glass breaks.

Yes indeed, it adds to the boat's wabi-sabi.

侘寂

 

[Apex]

JD, the main luff always looks loose (not necessarily in a bad way)....a factor of the sail cloth, or the shots you share.

 

[BlowMeAway]

Yes indeed, it adds to the boat's wabi-sabi.

Wabi-Sabi? I had to look that up. It turns out it’s the story of my life and everything I own; nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect...except my children and grandchildren. Yep, that’s me! I should have used that as a boat name for the H30.

 

[BlowMeAway]

My Admiral Cindy pointed out that perhaps you avoided a significant collision with the dock with your instinct and efforts. She’s highlighted your posted image which shows a ghoulish stowaway between your friends. We suspect that is the Witch of November come early?

Cindy is also fascinated by orbs, which I’ve tried to explain are raindrops on the lens...a battle I will never win. Happy Halloween!

 

[capta]

Not to sound like a know it all, but wouldn't a spring line have stopped the boat and held it to the dock by powering forward against it, while you got out the bow and stern lines? Am I missing something?

 

[JimInPB]

...
View attachment 157950

Jack,
What camera do you have, that is able to superimpose the heading & boat speed in the picture?
That is a nice feature.

 

[jssailem]

Your point is well founded @capta.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Not to sound like a know it all, but wouldn't a spring line have stopped the boat and held it to the dock by powering forward against it, while you got out the bow and stern lines? Am I missing something?

That seems like rthe way to do it, but lee docks are hard enough. Add to that, it's a slip with very little leeway. The hard part is getting into the slip far enough to slip on the springline before blowing down into your leeward neighbor or pilings. You need great timing and a well choreographed crew.
Simple, straight forward with unpracticed crew may offer the better chance for success, but... well, you read.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[capta]

That seems like rthe way to do it, but lee docks are hard enough. Add to that, it's a slip with very little leeway. The hard part is getting into the slip far enough to slip on the springline before blowing down into your leeward neighbor or pilings. You need great timing and a well choreographed crew.
Simple, straight forward with unpracticed crew may offer the better chance for success, but... well, you read.

-Will (Dragonfly)

In those circumstances, I'd use the cleat/piling on the end of the dock with a longer spring line to get the boat under control alongside, more or less in the middle of the dock.
Using a spring means one person, no choreography and really no timing, if you can get a loop over a cleat/piling with the other end of the spring secured onboard ahead of time. Once the spring is on, it is just a matter of time and engine power before the boat will come up to the dock against the wind (and/or current).
Even singlehanding this 53 footer, once I've got the spring on a cleat/piling, I can relax. I can then lock the helm, and leisurely get the bow and stern lines out and secure, because the engine is holding the boat in place alongside the dock against the spring. The stronger the wind and/or current, the more throttle it takes, but the spring/helm/throttle combination always does the job, though sometimes very slowly.

 

[Skipper]

 

[Kopite]

Similar theme, but I have a spring line tied with a bowline though my midship cleat ( it can’t come off, and loads the cleat optimally). The other end of this line has a loop to go over the piling, but also a branch from the loop that I attach to the stern cleat. The latter branch is long enough to let me move forward and drop the loop over the piling, but also just short enough to stop the stern reaching my neighbor in the double wide if the blow is particularly strong. Once the line is on the piling, a little engine thrust pulls me to the dock with no stress at all. On departing, put the engine ahead and tiller over to hold the boat, drop all lines except the special one, then go slow astern, using the branch line to lift the line off off the piling as load is reduced. I still use this method with crew on board, it avoids the common issue of over zealous bow line application..

 

[agprice22]

I do not own a museum piece! Boats are made to use. All the good things in life are.

 

[Tally Ho]

I came back from a spirited solo sail this summer in 30kt winds from the north. It was a hell of a ride, but I knew docking was going to be a real challenge.

The wind was going to blow me off my finger pier and up against my dock mates 45 foot power boat.

I had the foresight to throw some fenders out on that side of the boat and I put some extra docklines on the opposite side if anyone was around to grab a line.

I have a spring line set up at the dock for times like this, and if I can grab the loop and get it on my cabin top winch, I am golden...can power right into the slip and the spring keeps me from hitting the dock and brings me up against the finger.

I missed the loop that day, could only stop my forward progress, and then drifted into my neighbors boat. Just kissed it really, with the fenders in between.

I left him a note... no harm done..but not my finest hour.

Greg

 

[weinie]

The only thing that matters....

how many witnesses were there?

 

[Rick D]

Yea, we had to come in to San Diego public guest docks which were 90 degrees to an 18 knot wind. They are double docks. I picked the upwind dock side so as to keep the boat from getting pinned on the leward side. As I came in, they got a bow line on but pulled it tight, thus swinging the stern out. Fortunately, the slip was empty. Had to cast off the bow and let her go over to the other dock. Then we used long lines and the winch to pull her back over. The worst is we had to move the next day due to gale warnings and went through the same exercise all over. BTW, there was no mid cleat on the dock altho I should have had them use the boat's mid to the aft anyway.