Boat Handling

[Alan]

Don

Literally sailing out of a DDW slip is not possible. Having crew to move the boat out to the point where you can make headway under sail or powering out are your only options.Yes, with crew to move the boat slowly back out into the slipway and then roll out a jib to gather speed and gain steering is a doable alternative. I agree that I would not want to do this alone and preferably in light conditions. I would sure want an escape plan if things didn't work out. Fortunately moving slow means fending off would be easier should the need arise. Once the jib is drawing the boat becomes more maneuverable and if space is available should be sufficient to turn and exit.I'd rather be doing this off my mooring, no worries there!....although on your mooring you're always DDW but with escape room on all sides.

 

[TomD23576]

Don- We did it regularly

Years ago we raced a J-27 regularly out of a slip. Because we rarely wanted to put on the outboard to sail out of the basin on race nights, we would sail out of the slip every night and back in after the race. Our slip faced east and the breeze was usually out of the west as a sea breeze. The only practical way to do it was to walk the boat out of the slip, pushing ourselves using the pilings and stern lines, and steer the stern back into the slip again. Then we would raise the main and use the old spring lines to launch ourselves out of the slip. Albeit the J-27 was a much lighter boat and we, of course had a crew of 5-6 guys, but it was relatively simple to do. And if I had no choice to get out, I wouldn't hesitate to do it in my 35.Of course getting back in was easy. Just gauge your speed, drop the main and jib, and use sharp turns with the rudder to slow you down.

 

[TomD23576]

Don- We did it regularly

Years ago we raced a J-27 regularly out of a slip. Because we rarely wanted to put on the outboard to sail out of the basin on race nights, we would sail out of the slip every night and back in after the race. Our slip faced east and the breeze was usually out of the west as a sea breeze. The only practical way to do it was to walk the boat out of the slip, pushing ourselves using the pilings and stern lines, and steer the stern back into the slip again. Then we would raise the main and use the old spring lines to launch ourselves out of the slip. Albeit the J-27 was a much lighter boat and we, of course had a crew of 5-6 guys, but it was relatively simple to do. And if I had no choice to get out, I wouldn't hesitate to do it in my 35.Of course getting back in was easy. Just gauge your speed, drop the main and jib, and use sharp turns with the rudder to slow you down.

 

[TomD23576]

Don- We did it regularly

Years ago we raced a J-27 regularly out of a slip. Because we rarely wanted to put on the outboard to sail out of the basin on race nights, we would sail out of the slip every night and back in after the race. Our slip faced east and the breeze was usually out of the west as a sea breeze. The only practical way to do it was to walk the boat out of the slip, pushing ourselves using the pilings and stern lines, and steer the stern back into the slip again. Then we would raise the main and use the old spring lines to launch ourselves out of the slip. Albeit the J-27 was a much lighter boat and we, of course had a crew of 5-6 guys, but it was relatively simple to do. And if I had no choice to get out, I wouldn't hesitate to do it in my 35.Of course getting back in was easy. Just gauge your speed, drop the main and jib, and use sharp turns with the rudder to slow you down.

 

[TomD23576]

Don- We did it regularly

Years ago we raced a J-27 regularly out of a slip. Because we rarely wanted to put on the outboard to sail out of the basin on race nights, we would sail out of the slip every night and back in after the race. Our slip faced east and the breeze was usually out of the west as a sea breeze. The only practical way to do it was to walk the boat out of the slip, pushing ourselves using the pilings and stern lines, and steer the stern back into the slip again. Then we would raise the main and use the old spring lines to launch ourselves out of the slip. Albeit the J-27 was a much lighter boat and we, of course had a crew of 5-6 guys, but it was relatively simple to do. And if I had no choice to get out, I wouldn't hesitate to do it in my 35.Of course getting back in was easy. Just gauge your speed, drop the main and jib, and use sharp turns with the rudder to slow you down.