Returning to your slip

[Roy10289]

I have had many problerms controling the boat in cross winds in my crowded marina. One thing that I find helpfull and perhaps it would interest others . My slip is a floating finger both port and starboard. the fingers extend 3/4 of the distance of my hull length when I am in the slip. I have boats on each side also. I rigged a spring line that I leave on the dock. It is tied fast to the aft dock cleat. the other end has a loop splice . This loop I hang on a fiberglass whip pole screwed on the dock . When we come into the slip,the crew takes the loop off the pole and drops over the mid ship cleat. This stops any forward motion of the boat and thenj it's easy to get off the boat and secure with bow and stern lines.
If anyonwe has a refinement or suggestions to improve my system I would love to learn more.

 

[Roger Long]

Re: Returning to you slip

Good system. However, being a former pilot who used to go out and spend a hundred bucks just to practice landings, I'm a believer in not making your home slip special or easy. That's where you get most of your best practice. If you just daysail and always use the same slip, it's one thing. If you want to look smooth and practiced docking away from home, do it at your slip without any special arrangements.

 

[sailingdog]

I second what Roger says... if you have trouble in the marina that you're most familiar with, you'll probably be screwed in any marina that you don't know as well.

Good system. However, being a former pilot who used to go out and spend a hundred bucks just to practice landings, I'm a believer in not making your home slip special or easy. That's where you get most of your best practice. If you just daysail and always use the same slip, it's one thing. If you want to look smooth and practiced docking away from home, do it at your slip without any special arrangements.

 

[NYSail]

Re: Returning to you slip

I think it is smart to have the appropriate lines in the correct place, however I agree it is best to practice getting in and out without assistance to get a "feel" for what the boat will do under all situations. I have a bow thruster (came with the boat), however seldom use it as I do not want to become dependant on it....great in a pinch when all fails, but I feel better about knowing all my boats moves and practice does makes perfect.

 

[Roy10289]

Re: Returning to you slip

I agree with everyone in theory regarding this topic. I hve not had problems in other marinas however. Two other complicating factors at my slip are 1) I have little room behind me as I exit due to another dock full of boats on floating finger slips. I enter the slip bow first and back out and down the entire dock to the fairway wher I can turn around. 2) I can't overshoot my slip by more than perhaps 30' as the water depth is too shallow for my draft.

 

[Rascal18590]

Re: Returning to you slip

Mr.Roy, I do the same thing but I also have left the engine run, in forward gear at the slowest idle speed. This keeps pushing the boat forward, yet holds it tight on that line, and keeps it from wandering around in the dock, in the wind, till you get her tied up. This may help you also ..... Bob Burns=Rascal

 

[Stu Jackson]

Docking can be such sweet sorrow...

Roy, I noticed you participated in the earlier High Winds topic started by Hermit, [ http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=107562 ] and certainly didn't get an answer to your specific question there; glad you started a new one. You have what I've heard as a particularly gnarly situation and it's good to see you have some answers. We have a fellow in a large Nonsuch much further down our fairway who backs out all the time for pretty much the same reason - he's essentially trapped or he hasn't learned to use hsi prop walk, but it IS his boat, his choice. My recommendations for spring lines don't apply in many situations, as I noted when there aren't cleats like rings or the PNW with the raised wooden dock edges. Nautiduck's concept that I linked in that earlier thread seems well applied to your situation, and while I understand the responses above, there certainly is no reason for you not to feel as secure as you possibly can in your own slip - like, practice elsewhere, why not make home sweet home.

The midships spring line technique works physically to move the boat as desired: it's always been the other end of the line that's presented the issues!