Sailing inside the marina

Smithy · Jan 4, 2011

I think it depends on the marina. In San Diego, at the marina down by the Convention Center, you have to motor - it's just too tight to do much else. Up at Mission Bay, though, I've sailed right up to the dock. The smaller rental boats up there don't have motors, so you have to, unless you get a Cat 250, I think.

RichH · Jan 4, 2011

General Aviation pilots PRACTICE 'dead stick' landings and "touch and go's" ALL the time - to be sure that they can 'safely land' when the "s#!T hits the fan".
The same 'should' be true for sailboaters to constantly develop these critical skills.

My big 'ILYA scow' doesnt even have an 'engine' and I keep it in a slip at the very end of a long fairway. With my 'heavy' boat, I often times 'dead stick' into or out of my slip or alongside a dock, ... just for the constant 'practice'.

LuzSD · Jan 4, 2011

In our marina in SD, boats sail inside all the time and it never dawned on me that they shouldn't... we've never seen any problems; seems those who do, can and those who can't, don't!

BTW we had our proudest moment a couple weeks ago when, on our way out into the bay our fresh water pump froze leaving the belt smoking and quite a mess..... we decided to sail back to our slip and though we'd never done that before, we were completely successful and gained a ton of confidence. Of course, no one was at the dock to witness it!

Don S/V ILLusion · Jan 4, 2011

With a small boat, no problem but with anything over 35 ft, this becomes work and not fun.

Am I the only one who marvels at the "entertainment" provided by ostensibly capable sailors trying to motor up to the fuel dock on Sundays? On can only shudder at the thought of these folks sailing into their slip(s); it would be a disaster.

We had to sail up to the fuel dock in Newport for lack of fuel once. Those familiar with the area know this is an easy move, however, with traffic and a full dock, it quickly became something I don't plan on doing for enjoyment, especially with so many other boaters oblivious to the situation.

Regardless of having a sail up, most power boaters and other sailors still seem to think you are under power and some apparently think we have a brake too!

LuzSD · Jan 4, 2011

Don S/V.. very good!
We have had lots of entertainment and stress at both the pump out and Fuel Docks... amazing how people act in those situations. Once we were taking on some fuel at the entrance of Harbor Island where it is quite wide and some boat are still well above the 5 mph! We have been hit by wakes so big we almost hopped the dock. Young kid at the dock said it happens all the time. At the pump out, (unless we are in the middle of it), it is one of the most entertaining sights, watching how people behave there. One time, after waiting almost an hour to get in, we ended up at the end of the dock. We are fast, we don't mess around, and we do what we need to do and get out of there, knowing that people are usually waiting. We were 3/4 finished and a power boat sidled up next to us, within shouting distance, but chose to use his microphone speaker system to ask us to move up so he could get in. I told them that we were almost done and would be out of there right away. He again shouted via his microphone that he wanted me to move up to allow them to get in. I again told him NO, we will be finished in just a minute or two and that we had waited an hour and to hang on please. We finished what we were doing, he continued to move back and forth, a bit strangely really, and here is the good part....... the police dock is part of the pump out, for customs coming into the states from Mexico......... and they heard all of his bantering. A uniformed police walked down and got on his own microphone and told him to wait. As we were pulling out, we watched as the powerboat slid into what now was a completely open dock, but he had lots of trouble getting settled. Finally tied up, we watched what appeared to be a very detailed inquisition and I felt sure that this was customs way of putting this rude fellow though the ringer for his bad behavior. At least I like to remember it that way!

Roger Long · Jan 4, 2011

Maybe it was just the marina I used to keep my boat at, but my impression is that most boater shouldn't be allowed to operate inside the marina under power either.

Stu Jackson · Jan 4, 2011

LuzSD said:
BTW we had our proudest moment a couple weeks ago when, on our way out into the bay our fresh water pump froze leaving the belt smoking and quite a mess..... we decided to sail back to our slip and though we'd never done that before, we were completely successful and gained a ton of confidence. Of course, no one was at the dock to witness it!

I think the approach (pun intended!

) should be one of safety. As noted in this quote, doing it the first time under pressure is simply NOT the kinda thing you want to do.

Of course, much depends on where your slip is located and what the wind that day may be doing. The fallback is to take an empty side tie or another slip until you get your damage issues sorted out.

We have been fortunate in both of our slips over the years. Our C25 slip had a side-wind fairway with a downwind slip. Our C34 had a side-wind large fair way, downwind slip fairway and side-wind slip.

When we first got our C34 we practiced sailing in, jib alone, with the engine ticking over in neutral. It's better to practice first for when you really need it.

I also suggest that using the jib only is easier, because you can fly sheets and kill speed, or furl the jib into a very small size for speed control.

Also, learn how to use a midships spring line and you then can do it safely.

Winkfish · Jan 4, 2011

Ken, what marina are you in?

Pops · Jan 4, 2011

For the first 5 years of my sailing experience (13-18 yrs old) our boats didn't have motors. We sailed from a mooring, to a mooring, to and from docks of various shapes and sizes. Much of this was done single handed as the sailing buddy was bringing out the tender or returning it. We thought nothing of it as this was how it was done on the lakes we sailed (no motors allowed). We learned boat control under sail, in close quarters, early. It was always fun to turn into the wind, under full sail, at just the right moment to coast perfectly to the dock. If you turned too soon you were blown back from the dock and had to come around again (after you got out of irons). If you turned to late you had to explain to Dad the damage to the bow of the boat. Those are great memories and the skills learned contribute to my skills for docking under power. Every time I come in a little too hot I still think that, if I screw up, I'll have to explain the damage to Dad.

zeehag · Jan 4, 2011

i scared the heck out of shelterisland boatyard attendants and pacwest owner when we sailed my ericson 35mII up to the dock 5 or so years ago to repair engine.... we had to sail from marriott dock, coronado , to the work dockinside commercial basin(a.c. harbor) and we did great-- then after tying to dock,PERFECT LANDING, btw..LOL- we were advised it is "not common practice" to SAIL in sd by to a WORK DOCK.lol

Winkfish · Jan 4, 2011

I'm surprised that you can't sail in there. As I recall, there's a fair bit of room.

I belong to Southern Yacht Club, and we had a Santana 20 berthed there before Katrina - no motor. Had to sail in and out. (And it was WAY in there - by the old guard shack at the yacht club.) In fact, I learned to sail on a friend's Cal 36 now at Southshore - piss-yellow hull by the name of "Flying Crowd." We used to sail into the yacht club/municipal harbor all the time. Even now, there are a lot of boats with no motor that sail in and out.

Oh, well. Maybe Southshore's liability insurance caught up with them.

Freedom77 · Jan 4, 2011

At marina Del Rey, Cal there are "lanes" marked by bouys up the middle of the marina channel. Powering out on the starboard side, in on the opposite. One can sail out between the bouys but it makes for a lot of tacking and on windy days can get pretty hairy....Fiar winds and Full Sails

Rich (P303) · Jan 4, 2011

I think that if a marina has a policy... it is probably in place for a good reason, or should I say because of a prior incident. I have a horror story for you. I was in a VERY TIGHT mooring field (Christmas Cove, ME)... catching a few late afternoon zzz's after a days sail... being awakened by halyards and winches. I popped my head up and this dude in a 40' wooden sloop was pinching out of the harbor in a pretty stiff breeze. I thought to myself this guy has a lot of nerve. Well... 1 minute later I heard the same noise... except it was probably a 34' wooden sloop preparing to depart under full sail from his mooring right next to me. To make a long story short as he drifted into me under sail and got his boom caught in my shrouds. I was able to fend off his deck hardware from my fiberglass hull without breaking my legs. After a few choice words on my part, I suggested the he might want to lower his sail and start his engine if he had one. Well... after his main-sail was dropped, that put all the pressure on the head-sail and he passed between my bow and the mooring ball! He motored away without even an “I'm sorry dude”. Luckily I was aboard to fend off the damage, it could have been very bad for my wallet... as this guy wasn't the type to leave a note. In retrospect... I wish I had a nice sharp anchor hanging off my bow roller, to remind him of his brazenness and fend off future attempts in crowded harbors of 250k boats. I don't think he learned a thing.

Ketoj · Jan 4, 2011

I've been barked at by a few crusty folks when sailing through mooring fields. I simply smile and wave as I silently make my way in or out of the field. I see no reason to motor to and from a mooring when conditions are favorable to do so. I have sailed into the slip from time-to-time but again, only when conditions allowed to do it safely. I sense those who grumble simply lack the confidence to do it themselves. As LuzSD said "those who do, can and those who can't, don't!" In my years of sailing I've never heard of a "no sail" policy for harbour or marina. ~~_/) ~~

Winkfish · Jan 4, 2011

Just don't go messin' with any Dock Queens!!

Joe · Jan 4, 2011

I sailed boats without motors for years......When I got my first powered sailboat, I was much more petrified of motoring in and out of my slip than sailing it. I have never heard of a ban on sailing in a marina to get in or out... maybe they mean rec sailing... that would imply that all boats in the marina have motors...

Many of my dock neighbors sail in and out of their slips. For various reasons... but most because they consider it part of the experience. It's a sailboat for gosh sakes!!!!

Even huge sailboats are capable of sailing in tight quarters if you have enough crew and a skipper who knows what he's doing.

Part of sailing is knowing how to control your boat in close quarters. Go practice sailing up to a bouy or manuevering up to an empty dockside until you're comfortable around other boats. It is a huge confidence builder to know that you can manuever your boat without the motor.... And... others will admire your prowess.... especially the dock queens.

caguy · Jan 4, 2011

Freedom77 said:
At marina Del Rey, Cal there are "lanes" marked by buoys up the middle of the marina channel. Powering out on the starboard side, in on the opposite. One can sail out between the buoys but it makes for a lot of tacking and on windy days can get pretty hairy....Fair winds and Full Sails

There are few things prettier than at the end of the day when everyone turns into the harbor at the same time. It is usually a leisurely down wind with sails wing-on-wing.
It sometimes gets a little crowded but when everyone is going in the same directions at pretty much the same speed, things happen slowly.

Sailing inside the marina

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