Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come in?

[centerline]

At my own dock or a dock I'm very familiar with, I don't ask nor do I want help. At those docks I'm used to the winds, currents,tides etc and helping hands whether experienced or not mess me up. At a strange dock with tight quarters a helping hand is always appreciated

exactly....

at our slip, we have current in one direction and wind in the exact opposite. when pulling into our slip, we are heading into the current with the wind pushing us.. the wind has very slightly more effect than the current, with the exception of the shear of the current on the keel...

as this is my first "keel" boat, and being used to large power boats, I am use to being able to use the boats momentum to drift sideways a bit.... with the sailboat this is impossible.
it took a bit of learning to figure out how to get it right.

as for help, most people just want to help you even if you dont need or want it, especially when arriving at a dock where there is a gathering of other boaters, whether power or sail..

its nice to be greeted and made over when you arrive, even though you arent part of their group, but even then, its amazing how many boaters still have not learned to keep their hands off the stanchions/railings when catching/fending a boat...

Rochelle is the one working the deck, and she knows its a standing order on our boat that no one gets to touch the stanchions and the mid-ship line is the first one to be handed to anyone on the docks.... and temporarily snubbed down. (or she steps off and does it).. if anyone attempts to grab the boat anywhere except the hull, she tells them "Here, just take this line and snub it down"...
after thats done, I can power forward into it or reverse and get either end I want in to the dock so she can toss someone else a line from there, no matter what the current or wind is doing.

sometimes we may not have a choice but to accept help unless we want to come off leaving the impression that we are a butt.... or worse! so I think its better to have a protocol to direct the "helpers" in the right direction so that you still maintain some control over HOW they help...

telling someone that offers to be friendly and help you, that you dont need or want their help will give them an impression of you, that you cant reverse

we NEVER ask, but neither do we refuse their offer to help, but just direct them to do what we need to have done...

 

[gettinthere]

Cruise full time. Stop at a lot of fuel docks and marinas. When I bark, people listen! Cant be mean about it or they walk away. But I am firm in my instruction and usually get what I want.
The most common correction is to the hand that wants to pull the bow in. I firmly but politely tell them to slack off or stop pulling. If you are the 'voice of authority' most people do as you tell them.

No different then training a dog. You dont ask, you tell. Firm, without scolding or yelling. Tone of voice.

Of course, if my instructions are wrong...well, I'll be moving along shortly!!

 

[31seahorse]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

It has been a long time since I felt honor-bound to do everything by myself. I usually accept help that is offered and have usually been glad I did accept. Several of the power boat owners on the dock we use have marveled at how sailboaters can dock at all with only one small engine and no bow thruster. I equally marvel at how they can move such large boats in nearly any direction. I ofter repay (or pay forward) that help by offering to take a line or hand a line to others when I am able.

Funny Story (at least I think it is).....Our marina has one of the few launch ramps on the upper eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The ramp and the dock leading away from it can get pretty congested on Weekends. I often went to the ramp when we were not sailing and offered to take a line or fend off as boats came to the dock. One day I was dressed in dark blue shorts, a blue "golf style" shirt and a blue hat. I was surprised at the responses to my offer of help! Many boaters said, "Yes, thank you, Sir." Others said, "Yes, Sir." And finally, several times I heard, "No thank you, we can handle it." I was impressed by the respectful tone in the voices of those who accepted help as well as those who did not. Later, I realized that my hat, a recent, bright , crisp, thrift store purchase, sported a large emblem reading Maryland Department of Corrections!

 

[woodster]

It has been a long time since I felt honor-bound to do everything by myself. I usually accept help that is offered and have usually been glad I did accept. Several of the power boat owners on the dock we use have marveled at how sailboaters can dock at all with only one small engine and no bow thruster. I equally marvel at how they can move such large boats in nearly any direction. I ofter repay (or pay forward) that help by offering to take a line or hand a line to others when I am able.

Funny Story (at least I think it is).....Our marina has one of the few launch ramps on the upper eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The ramp and the dock leading away from it can get pretty congested on Weekends. I often went to the ramp when we were not sailing and offered to take a line or fend off as boats came to the dock. One day I was dressed in dark blue shorts, a blue "golf style" shirt and a blue hat. I was surprised at the responses to my offer of help! Many boaters said, "Yes, thank you, Sir." Others said, "Yes, Sir." And finally, several times I heard, "No thank you, we can handle it." I was impressed by the respectful tone in the voices of those who accepted help as well as those who did not. Later, I realized that my hat, a recent, bright , crisp, thrift store purchase, sported a large emblem reading Maryland Department of Corrections!

did it have scrambled eggs on the bill

 

[Benny17441]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

They say you learn by experiences and I have instructed my mate not to release a dock line to an attendant until I give the word to do so. One time I met the King of a Municipal marina which requested the bow line from the wife and proceeded to pull on the line and steer the boat. I had to throw the transmission in reverse and gun it to avoid side sweeping the dock. I gave the guy a piece of my mind but it did not phase him. After that on a couple of occasions I have seen the look of disbelief as attendants request the line and the wife just turns and looks at me leaving them with hands stretched. I have apologized to them but asserting that it is me in command of the vessel and I decide when the lines go overboard. They all seem to have understood.

 

[ramblinrod]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

Depends on who, when, and where.

When docking at Confederation basin in Kingston ON, usually 20 knots on the beam coming into the slip, we accept help from the very well trained dock hands.

In most cases, when an unknown bystander offers to assist, I politely say, "can you please stand forward of the bow on the main pier to steady it."


This makes them feel as is they are helping and it is appreciated, when in fact, we handle the mid ship line, fend off the bow coming into the finger and secure the stern line. With the boat stopped, and square in the slip, we then attach the bow lines and thank them for keeping the boat steady.

This after many fouled docking attempts from good Samaritans getting in the way, or doing something totally wrong.

Learned this lesson again last year coming into a fuel dock single handing. Two onlookers asked if the could help.

I said, "Sure, "I will step off and cleat the mid ship line; can you fend off the bow?" "Sure, was the answer." One helper walked forward to the bow, while the other stood on the dock between me and the bow, and both watched the bow come in and hit the dock after I slipped the mid ship line on the dock cleat and tried to get by the second guy to fend off the bow myself.

I know I could stop the bow from coming in by moving the mid ship line aft a little bit, but then it gets in the way of the gangway and other elements.

The end result, we know our boat like no other, so we should be doing the docking.

 

[pfaffk]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

The only time I ask for help is when I am a Transient and do not know what I will find. At my home marina, I do fine docking by myself, and only mess up if the wind kicks up and blows me away from the dock.

 

[Jackdaw]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

Rushing to 'help'... Its usually newbies that think just because it's their first rodeo, it must be yours too.

They don't get we have a process that allows the two of us to dock perfectly in almost all conditions.

But experienced sailors will recognize the rare percent where conditions might warrant assistance, and stand at the ready. Mostly they will not say or do anything unless given direct instructions.

Totally different in the Med or other places where you med-moor. There help is almost required.

 

[jepomer]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

I work alone most of the time in most everything I do. When sailing, I typically do all of the docking myself.

I do appreciate the good intentions but rather have people hold off and wait for my direction - if any is given.

When someone tries to be helpful WITHOUT asking me and waiting for my acceptance, I can be surprised when the boat moves differently than I expect. I "feel" the boat motion even if I am not looking in that direction.

Be available in case the boat captain asks for help, but don't assist until asked or if there is a true emergency. If I scratch the boat on my own, those are my scratches. If you assist without my explicit request, then maybe the scratches are yours...

 

[Roadking Larry]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

At the marina I'm at we tend to look out for each other. If someone is heading for their slip there will usually be someone walk over to either help or heckle as appropriate. As a rule we leave our dock lines on the dock and most folks just offer to hand a line across. If we see a newbie coming in or the wind is bad for our docks people will show up to help as well as when someone is coming into the docks under sail. About the only issue I have is when well meaning helpers start pulling or pushing on the life line stanchions.

 

[Siamese]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

I avoid help at all cost, and when I need it, I give very explicit directions. I keep it polite, but it's gonna be my way all the way, because no matter who's responsible for the damage, I'm the one who gets to pay for it.

The extent to which helpers can screw things up is mind boggling. Lately, at the gas dock, the help seems to think that the very top of the stanchions is a great place to grab and either push or pull. Hard. On a Catalina, the stanchions go on before the hull and deck are joined, and with little regard for future repair/replacement. So, keep your mitts off the stanchions.

When I come in parallel to the gas dock, I'll have a line ready on the bow. I point to the cleat ahead of the boat that I want them to attach it to. "Take it to that cleat right there...get the slack out of it, and tie it off". Then, all I have to do with a port side tie-up is put it in reverse and she'll stick herself to the dock like glue. Done!

But, they either fail to take the slack out, or take it to a cleat NEXT to the bow, or go to the right cleat but run the line around a piling first, totally screwing up the plan.

That's just a couple examples, and the variations are endless.

 

[Kermit]

I avoid help at all cost, and when I need it, I give very explicit directions. I keep it polite, but it's gonna be my way all the way, ...

...except for when it's not.

 

[Siamese]

...except for when it's not.

You got that right!

 

[caguy]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

I have a 25' dockline in the front and a 12'one aft. This is to make it easier to horse whisper the boat onto the trailer. More than once a well meaning person will figure eight the whole lengths on to the dock cleats.

 

[LaColla]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

I don't care for it when passengers leap up and run to all four corners of the boat when I dock. I find it chaotic and unnecessary. More often than not, even when I request they remained seated while I dock, most people still feel compelled to scramble once we enter the slip. It drives me a little crazy.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I don't care for it when passengers leap up and run to all four corners of the boat when I dock. I find it chaotic and unnecessary. More often than not, even when I request they remained seated while I dock, most people still feel compelled to scramble once we enter the slip. It drives me a little crazy.

I hadn't thought about that angle, thought more about folks on the dock. Interesting observations. Thanks.

 

[BrianH]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

My wife and I have a system and never need help in our own slip. As others have said, in transient slips, we will accept help. I am behind the helm and it's hard for people on the dock to hear me. My wife handles the bow and midship lines. She will hand off the bow line with very specific instructions for them to leave a lot of slack and to wrap it on the cleat. I am not sure exactly what she says, but whatever she says, they get the message. That leaves her free to attend to the midship line. If she misses, she has a boat hook right at hand.


If everything goes well I can get the stern cleat no problem with either the line or extra boat hook.

It is funny sometimes to watch people try to help. They stand there on the dock with the bow line just holding it. I had a 110 lb girl once thinking she was going to control my 26,000 lb boat just hanging onto the line. Yeah, that didn't work out too well for her.

 

[WayneH]

Re: Do you ask for or use help with dock lines when you come

We leave our dock lines tied to the dock. If I get a helper, I always make sure they hand me the spring line first. Once it is on the cleat, nothing the "helpers" can do will mess me up.

At a strange dock, we have two 40 foot lines and we lead them fair from the bow to gate and from the stern to the gate. The first mate steps off the boat and secures the stern line while I finish killing the momentum. Then she walks up to the bow cleat and secures it. We don't use the spring line because it has to feed between stanchions and under the lifelines and I would hate to overshoot a landing and rip a stanchion out accidentally. But it is laying on the deck, waiting to be deployed. But a new midships cleat is on my wishlist if I ever get up the nerve to remove all the cabinetry needed to install the backing plates.

 

[SenecaDaze]

always seems to be a helping hand when the approach is textbook perfect into the slip ...but couple weeks ago in 25 knot winds im blown away from my finger snap my cradle lines and nearly into other boat nearby...no one on dock..bad timing I guess

 

[woodster]

always seems to be a helping hand when the approach is textbook perfect into the slip ...but couple weeks ago in 25 knot winds im blown away from my finger snap my cradle lines and nearly into other boat nearby...no one on dock..bad timing I guess

not many people will walk the docks in a 25 knot wind