docking in a slip

[Syversens]

Hi All, had a ok day here in WA with fine wind but some rain.... I'm not sure if it's like this for everyone: I always fear the docking.... when it comes time to hang out the fenders I get terrible thoughts of scrubbing the barnacles off the pillars at the dock as well as the bottom of the boat running way past my splip. Today came real close. The wind had picked up and came from aft port as I entered the way to the slip. My slip is on starboard and I felt the wind constantly pushing me to starboard all thru the row and when I got to my slip I was much closer to starboard than I normally like to be. I turned the wheel but had slowed down too much in the fear of sliding into boats and there was virtually no steering. we ended up with the bow in the port corner and the stern in the starboard neighbor slip (empty one) and walked it from there. no damage but a bruiced ego (which isnt that much for me anyways)We have a pretty good routine for just about everything but when wind/current picks up it gets hard to even get to the point where the mrs feels she can jump. Anyone have some good routines for getting in and out of a slip on starboard ?

 

[Mike]

Practice, practice, practice

Gaute welcome to the club. It takes practice and making minor adjustments to your routine. Even in spite of that some days mother nature still wins and you end up like you did. Don't let it bruise your ego a bit, it happens to everyone. The longer you own the boat the better it will get. One thing you can try doing is using spring lines in heavier air. Most of the better boating books have sections on this.Good luckMike

 

[Tsehum Pete]

Midships Spring Line

We have all been there. I find a more intelligent, agile crew member standing at one of the two lifeline gates holding a solid spring line (attached to a midships cleat, through my midship fairleads, and run outside the lifelines) jumping on to the dock and immediately taking temporary turn around the nearest dock cleat the best way to quickly secure the boat. After 4 fenders are all in the right place on the dockside of the boat. My marina is fortunately very sheltered from both wind and currents.

 

[Doug_Meyer]

Don't Jump

Not a good Idea to have someone jump from the boat to the dock. Somebody will really get hurt sooner or later. In my home slip I leave a spring line tied to a cleat. That way I can have someone grab it with a boathook on the way in. Its a lot safer.Usually if you are in transit the marinas will have docking help available, and that is also safer.

 

[Dragonfly6689]

Captain Jack from Quantum sails

I heard Captain Jack at Strickly Sail, Chicago. He has a great explaination on using a spring line attached to the midship cleat without leaving the boat.See his web site for information: http://www.quantumsails.com/pdf/maneuvering.pdfGood luck.Mark

 

[larry w]

dock it

Syversens; I have a Bene 40 that I single-hand all the time. The way I bring it back into the slip works for me, but it takes some setting up. One of the best things I ever did was devise/make and install were line stalks on the slip fingers. I used hardware store flag holders, a five-foot piece of PVC pipe and a galvanized hook. When I leave the slip, I hang the eye on the hook. When I come back in, the eyes of all the lines are at a height so no one has to make a leap. I hang two fenders on the starboard side, and the first line attached upon return to the slip is my starboard stern line, since the prevailing wind comes over my port bow. If your wind is different, figure which line will hold the boat stable against the fenders while you leisurely make fast the rest of the lines. Enter your fairway just a little hot, so you have good steerage. Make your turn into your slip (practice will tell you where to start) with a just a little speed so that you, and not the wind or current, have control. Most people enter a slip too slow and lose control. Use reverse to stop the boat. Don't try to stop the boat with a spring line or any other line. Use the horses in the engine. I have a Max-Prop, so it may be a little easier for me, but it will work for others with a little adjustment (again, practice is key). Don't hit reverse too hard or all the way; put it into reverse, and pump the throttle, similar to pumping the brake once you have lined up and are most of the way into the slip. Once the boat stops, pick your chosen line off the stalk and drop it over the cleat. Your sailing partner can assist without having to leap to the dock. Works for me.

 

[Brian]

Single handed - control line

A number of people have suggested stepping off the boat with a single line attached to a mid-ship cleat - I've had great success with a slight modification of this.Try using a single line attached at the bow and stern with just enough slack that it can become the fore and aft spring line - in my case I use a 36' or 38'line on a 32' boat.When you step off the boat - hopefully amidship and probably at the shrouds - you have one line in your hand with the ability to control both the bow and stern - without tripping over a lot of extra lines. Leave bow & stern lines attached to the dock when possible - They should be cut & spliced to the correct lengths and left in places where they can be easily reached.

 

[Syversens]

excellent ideas from everyone

I really appreciate all feedback, specially the PDF and the single handed tips to improve. We wanted to try the spring line last time but never really made it that far, its definately next. I hope my handling of the boat in wind/current will improve and like the PDF said I think I go in too slow and loose control that way.... lesson learned