Do you have a SYSTEM when you go sailing...
- Thread starter jssailem
- Start date
I was like that back when I had my sport fisher. Checked the fluids religiously until I realized they never changed.
So, one day I back out of the slip to go for a spin to troll up a grouper or two for dinner. Not two minutes out of the slip I realized I'd lost one of my trannies and returned to the slip (very difficult backing a twin screw boat on one screw) and went down to check. Tranny oil had all leaked out since the last time I'd gone out.
Not checking that cost me a very pretty penny, not to mention having to horse an 80 odd kilo tranny out and back into position in the bilge w/one hand.
We never start the main engine w/o checking all three, water, engine oil, and tranny fluid.
In parallel with my 6 Ps is the KISS formula... I keep my ignition key suspended above my engine raw water intake valve. With key in hand the valve gets opened. When done, the valve gets closed and the key hung up.. Over the years I've heard too many war stories of....oops I forgot to open the valve and cooked my engine...
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Docking: I have a loose line that runs from the bow cleats to a midship stanchion. I lives on the deck and serves two purposes. I primarily use it as something to grab onto when coming in hot. If I put my outboard into reverse I end up way too far away from the dock due to prop walk so I usually drift in. The second use for this line is a dock line at other docks. My dock lines live on the cleats at my slip
Most people tie their tiller off at the end of the day. I found that my swim ladder can be pulled into the cockpit a little bit. I place the tiller on top of it and it will be locked between a vertical pole on the stern rail and the ladder. Much faster than tying it off
Heading out: For busy marinas with a main aisle I will sometimes back all the way from the slip to the main aisle. I had a close call with a boat in the main aisle that I couldnt see. By reversing all the way I only have 2-3ft in front of me as opposed to 25. Much easier to see around a corner when youre closer to it. I get some interesting looks when I do this
Most people tie their tiller off at the end of the day. I found that my swim ladder can be pulled into the cockpit a little bit. I place the tiller on top of it and it will be locked between a vertical pole on the stern rail and the ladder. Much faster than tying it off
Heading out: For busy marinas with a main aisle I will sometimes back all the way from the slip to the main aisle. I had a close call with a boat in the main aisle that I couldnt see. By reversing all the way I only have 2-3ft in front of me as opposed to 25. Much easier to see around a corner when youre closer to it. I get some interesting looks when I do this
Yes you have to have a plan for anything you do, but you also need a plan "B" and perhaps a plan "C" to accommodate different situations.
The worst train wrecks I have had docking have always been when someone on the dock tried to "help" me. The most common is if someone on the bow tosses a line to a person on the dock and they invariably pull hard on the line which is the last thing I want. That just forces the stern away from the dock and presents the bow to the edge of the dock without the benefit of fenders between.
We now have a standard procedure that no lines from the bow are sent to the dock until someone from the boat is there to receive it. If we must toss a line, it is from the midship cleat.
On docking in my own slip or departing from it, it’s so routine there’s hardly any stress. We have the full slip at a floating dock, fingers on both sides, instead of the double-wide. I had one of those in FL and it was a pain b/c it was oriented N-S and wind was typically east or west. The Bavaria b/c of the saildrive, backs up straight, unlike the Pearson which backed to port-the opposite of where I wanted the stern to go. So it all depends.
In my current slip, the wind is usually astern, or on the port quarter, returning or departing. So it’s favorable. I slow the boat going in by idling in reverse. Lines are on the fingers where I leave ‘em. Nobody gets off the boat until it is nearly stopped by reverse thrust. Since the wind favors the port side she lays gently to the dock on her fenders. The stb stern line goes on first to keep her bow off the dock, and then the rest are attached. If the landing must be aborted, I stop the boat briefly, then back away several meters up the fairway for another approach. At this point in my experience, I never try to “rescue” an approach going bad. That’s also true for picking up moorings. If it does not come off as expected, the mooring lines get dropped and we go around for another approach.
I nearly always decline offers of assistance. I’ve found that few folks see or understand what I need them to do. They appear to work from a “one-size-fits-all” formula, like the case mentioned above. Also, I object to someone on the dock, or from wherever, giving “instructions” to the helm or to anyone on the dock trying to help. It’s hard to do this politely. But, giving instructions is for the skipper of the boat to do. If I actually need help, I’ll call for it w/specific request. Such as, “Please go forward and stop the bow”, or “Please stop off that mid-ship line to that (dock) cleat.” Never throw line to someone on the dock w/o instructing him or her what to do with it, especially if you merely wish them to hold on to it until you are reading for it be secured, etc.
In my current slip, the wind is usually astern, or on the port quarter, returning or departing. So it’s favorable. I slow the boat going in by idling in reverse. Lines are on the fingers where I leave ‘em. Nobody gets off the boat until it is nearly stopped by reverse thrust. Since the wind favors the port side she lays gently to the dock on her fenders. The stb stern line goes on first to keep her bow off the dock, and then the rest are attached. If the landing must be aborted, I stop the boat briefly, then back away several meters up the fairway for another approach. At this point in my experience, I never try to “rescue” an approach going bad. That’s also true for picking up moorings. If it does not come off as expected, the mooring lines get dropped and we go around for another approach.
I nearly always decline offers of assistance. I’ve found that few folks see or understand what I need them to do. They appear to work from a “one-size-fits-all” formula, like the case mentioned above. Also, I object to someone on the dock, or from wherever, giving “instructions” to the helm or to anyone on the dock trying to help. It’s hard to do this politely. But, giving instructions is for the skipper of the boat to do. If I actually need help, I’ll call for it w/specific request. Such as, “Please go forward and stop the bow”, or “Please stop off that mid-ship line to that (dock) cleat.” Never throw line to someone on the dock w/o instructing him or her what to do with it, especially if you merely wish them to hold on to it until you are reading for it be secured, etc.
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Yeah. I’ve experienced the same. We leave our resident dock lines at the dock. If we must or might dock somewhere else, I carry lines aboard for that. So, we rig the boat for docking after we decide how we are going doing to do it. Coming along for a side tie is usually the most challenging, esp. if wind is astern or from off the dock. That’s the last place where you wish some “helper” to attempt to secure your bow ahead of a stern (wind astern) or mid-ship (wind abreast) tie. Yes, the safest (most expeditious) thing to do is rig the mid-ship line and have the person on the dock secure that. Leave the others on the boat until you are stopped and secured to the dock amidships. Then send your crew over. The Bavaria is rigged with mid-ship horn cleats and chocks to send the lines through, so we use them!!
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The last time I was "helped" to crash my boat, I was docking in about 2 knots of current running straight down the dock with a bit of wind toward the dock. I came in with a perfect approach balancing throttle and rudder to slowly move perfectly sideways into a spot that was about 3' longer than the boat. When I was about 5' off the dock, a guy on the dock told one of my guests who had been asked to pass the bow line to my wife once she was on the dock to throw him the line. I see the line go across and yell "don't pull that line!" but is was too late. Mister helpful hauled the bow all the way over to the dock which put me in at 45º to the dock and current which slammed the bow into the dock and immediately started sliding back towards the boat behind me (50' motor yacht of course!) My only "out" was to jamb Papillon into reverse and punch it which almost pulled helpful into the water but unfortunately, he let go in time and escaped with only a rope burn.
I had a talk with all on board the boat about no lines to the dock under any circumstances and made another approach. When I came back around, Helpful was complaining about his rope burn but still planning to help. I held station about 10' off the dock and asked everyone on the dock to step away and not touch anything. This time I came in nice and gradually until the fenders bumped into the dock and I held it there with forward throttle and rudder while my wife stepped off and secured a line from the winch to the bull rail back by the transom and I powered up a bit more which secured me to the dock while we finished tying off the bow, stern and spring lines.
Helpful complained that I had given him a rope burn. To which I said "After you smashed my boat into the dock and almost caused me to me to crash into a million dollar yacht I am not really concerned about your hand. I would have preferred to see you get pulled into the water.
I had a talk with all on board the boat about no lines to the dock under any circumstances and made another approach. When I came back around, Helpful was complaining about his rope burn but still planning to help. I held station about 10' off the dock and asked everyone on the dock to step away and not touch anything. This time I came in nice and gradually until the fenders bumped into the dock and I held it there with forward throttle and rudder while my wife stepped off and secured a line from the winch to the bull rail back by the transom and I powered up a bit more which secured me to the dock while we finished tying off the bow, stern and spring lines.
Helpful complained that I had given him a rope burn. To which I said "After you smashed my boat into the dock and almost caused me to me to crash into a million dollar yacht I am not really concerned about your hand. I would have preferred to see you get pulled into the water.
It must come from watching too much TV, where you see crew on boats approaching docks throw out the dock lines to probably actors on shore to secure them (Take ten!) , perfectly. But in reality, at least with the large boats, those “folks” ashore are professional seaman or dock men, so know what to do. The big boats are always stopped, or nearly so, by the time the dock lines are heaved over. (See below.) They work bow and stern together. One never sees a boat approaching with much way on where only a single bow line is thrown to a dock hand who then hauls the boat in and attempts to secure the line. In your scenario, I would try to get a head of it by shouting “stand-by!” to mister helpful, hoping my guest crew would also get the message.
PS. On the big boats with the 1” to 2” dock lines, the ships’ crews cast over a messenger line headed by a monkey fist and tied to the dock line. The dock crew then hauls the dock lines over which are led through the chock.The eyesplice-end is what goes ashore. So, the crew on the boat handles the tensioning from the deck cleats.
In your scenario, I would try to get a head of it by shouting “stand-by!” to mister helpful, hoping my guest crew would also get the message.PS. On the big boats with the 1” to 2” dock lines, the ships’ crews cast over a messenger line headed by a monkey fist and tied to the dock line. The dock crew then hauls the dock lines over which are led through the chock.The eyesplice-end is what goes ashore. So, the crew on the boat handles the tensioning from the deck cleats.
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The challenge with coming along side is that you cannot send crew, as you could if coming into a slip, to a position in front of the boat (if necessary) to stop it (if still moving slowly forward) and fend off the bow from striking the dock. In that way the long axis of the boat stays parallel to the dock finger, barely touching at the widest point, and on the fender. You can work (quickly) from that. Coming in along side, the boat axis is not going to rest parallel if you secure from either end. It will cause either the bow or stern to pivot out. If you’re really clumsy, you can end up with the boat held at the stern blowing away from the dock by the bow!! (But there are remedies if you move quickly enough. Power forward with helm hard over toward the dock to bring her back.) The boat can pivot on a mid-ship tie in current/wind as well but not so much, especially if the line is short. Much easier to get the other lines secured with the boat held in that way.
!! (But there are remedies if you move quickly enough. Power forward with helm hard over toward the dock to bring her back.) The boat can pivot on a mid-ship tie in current/wind as well but not so much, especially if the line is short. Much easier to get the other lines secured with the boat held in that way.
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- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,390
When coming in solo or with short numbers of crew, I like my mid cleat tie technique. So far it has worked in all conditions. It is my system and relieves the strain for me of docking in strange places. South of the 49th parallel the marinas tend to have cleats. I prefer the starboard side tie but can adapt when needed.
I approach the slip with the plan of throwing the mid section of my dock line, from the cockpit, out and over the outer most cleat on the slip while holding the line tail in the cockpit. The first cleat is the point on the slip that I want my boat stern to stop. I pull the line tight against my stern cleat in the cockpit (or the cleat next to the winch if I the slip is shorter than my boat length) and put the boat in gear idle forward. Where ever I locate the tail of the line that is attached to the mid point on my boat and out around the cleat on the dock, is where my boat will stop. The boat in idle forward, as the line tightens, the boat snugs up to the dock stopping forward motion at the point selected.
I find that the secure line and the power of the engine are greater than the wind and current against the boat. They are way more powerful than someone on the dock pushing and pulling at the boat. The combination of the mid ship line and the engine are safer to use than the feet or hands of dock workers or crew.
Once snug up to the dock, I or my crew can step to the dock and secure the bow and stern lines. Then I step back aboard and shut down the engine.
I find that patience is a virtue in boat handling. Excitement is not good for me or the boat. Having a system I can trust means I can confidently handle my boat when conditions are less than pleasant.
I approach the slip with the plan of throwing the mid section of my dock line, from the cockpit, out and over the outer most cleat on the slip while holding the line tail in the cockpit. The first cleat is the point on the slip that I want my boat stern to stop. I pull the line tight against my stern cleat in the cockpit (or the cleat next to the winch if I the slip is shorter than my boat length) and put the boat in gear idle forward. Where ever I locate the tail of the line that is attached to the mid point on my boat and out around the cleat on the dock, is where my boat will stop. The boat in idle forward, as the line tightens, the boat snugs up to the dock stopping forward motion at the point selected.
I find that the secure line and the power of the engine are greater than the wind and current against the boat. They are way more powerful than someone on the dock pushing and pulling at the boat. The combination of the mid ship line and the engine are safer to use than the feet or hands of dock workers or crew.
Once snug up to the dock, I or my crew can step to the dock and secure the bow and stern lines. Then I step back aboard and shut down the engine.
I find that patience is a virtue in boat handling. Excitement is not good for me or the boat. Having a system I can trust means I can confidently handle my boat when conditions are less than pleasant.
Back when we first owned the boat and before I installed midship cleats, when we still moored in the Port of Everett, the fam did an overnight winter cruise to Blake Island. A bit blustery on the way down under Genoa only. Seas were a bit lumpy by the time we reached Edmonds. Admiral had had enough and said let's pull into Edmonds for awhile. Okay.
A pretty good southerly was making maneuvering inside the marina a bit dicey. My oldest son tossed the port bow line to a fellow that had come over to help out. The stern was swinging away from the dock and the fellow was trying to hold this 35,000 pound beast from getting away. In his haste my son had the loop around only the forward cleat horn and as the stern swung further away, that dock line slipped off the horn and into the cold drink the fellow went.
Finally did get the boat docked and invited the drenched fellow over for some hot cider and a warm blanket. Stuff does happen, but I've learned to make some adjustments in order to make docking safer and more dependable, especially solo.
A pretty good southerly was making maneuvering inside the marina a bit dicey. My oldest son tossed the port bow line to a fellow that had come over to help out. The stern was swinging away from the dock and the fellow was trying to hold this 35,000 pound beast from getting away. In his haste my son had the loop around only the forward cleat horn and as the stern swung further away, that dock line slipped off the horn and into the cold drink the fellow went.
Finally did get the boat docked and invited the drenched fellow over for some hot cider and a warm blanket. Stuff does happen, but I've learned to make some adjustments in order to make docking safer and more dependable, especially solo.
We mounted a Large Vertical Cleat [12"] on our slip's Bollard. I call it the "boarding cleat".
We use it to pull the boat to us when boarding, with a separate Mid-Ship Cleat line, versus the mooring line.
When we have a dock helper, The Admiral passes that line to them , not toss, using this...
WEST MARINE Floating & Telescoping Boat Hooks | West Marine
Great Boat Hook that even floats!
I tell the helper, "Tie us to that Bollard boarding cleat and that is it!"
"I can replace my rub rail, but not your hands!"
Some even try to grab a stanchion to pull our 13 Ton boat toward the pier.
____
If no dock helper, the Admiral can "hook" that boarding line with that Boat Hook. She is very skilled at it.
It takes us about 3 minutes to attach all pre-sized mooring lines to all the boat cleats.
Done!!
_____
That Boarding Line is...
Last off, First on!
The engine does the rest of the work.
Jim...
