A lively discussion is going on in another forum that deals with docking. One person advised to never ever step off the boat until at least one dock line is secured. My reply dealt with the fact that as a solo sailor, if I were to use that standard I could never depart or arrive at a dock. So, what I have developed over the years is a standard that works for me, a solo sailor, that likes to spend much time on the water visiting many locations that offer a vast array of docking conditions and situations.
What I have done is some pretty basic things suitable for our PNW waters:
1. Installed mid ship cleats to our boat. Most important boat improvement.
2. Built a portable boarding step the stays with the boat and is suitable for either side. It clips onto the toe rail. This step is half way between our gunnel and the average dock.
3. Purchased two 40' long dock lines and one short ten foot long dock line.
In every docking situation, what I do is to prepare for the landing:
1. Place two fenders on either side of the mid ship cleat, at dock height.
2. Place one 40' dock line on each cleat, bow and stern. I bring the working end of each dock line back to the life line gate and drape it over the life line on either side of the gate.
3. Open the gate.
4. Clip on the boarding step.
5. Place the shorter dock line on the mid ship cleat and drape the working end over the life line.
6. Always arrive and depart under power, never under sail. Belle-Vie's sails and displacement just too much to deal with.
As I bring the boat into the dock at an angle (conditions will dictate how sharp of an angle) I let the boat slow in neutral until I bring the boat parallel to a dock cleat, or where I want to tie up, do a reverse thrust to stop boat forward motion and quickly step off onto the dock.
The first dock line I grab and secure is the one on the mid ship cleat to stop and let the boat settle in, followed by the bow line, then the stern line. Both of these lines have enough length to use as spring lines if needed. If I use them as spring lines I remove the mid ship line to make room on the cleat.
This procedure works for the vast majority of docking situations where current and/or wind have minimal affect on the boat. Belle-Vie weighs 35, 000 pounds, so I let the equipment (dock lines, cleats, dock boards, etc.) deliver the leverage needed to secure her to the dock.
Depending upon those other few situations that place forces upon an otherwise smooth docking, such as wind, current or some combination of both, this has worked for me over the years.
I will talk about those other situations in following articles, but here I just want to pass along some techniques that have worked for me. If you have ideas that have worked for you, please join in and share your knowledge. Us salts should never be too old to learn new tricks.
What I have done is some pretty basic things suitable for our PNW waters:
1. Installed mid ship cleats to our boat. Most important boat improvement.
2. Built a portable boarding step the stays with the boat and is suitable for either side. It clips onto the toe rail. This step is half way between our gunnel and the average dock.
3. Purchased two 40' long dock lines and one short ten foot long dock line.
In every docking situation, what I do is to prepare for the landing:
1. Place two fenders on either side of the mid ship cleat, at dock height.
2. Place one 40' dock line on each cleat, bow and stern. I bring the working end of each dock line back to the life line gate and drape it over the life line on either side of the gate.
3. Open the gate.
4. Clip on the boarding step.
5. Place the shorter dock line on the mid ship cleat and drape the working end over the life line.
6. Always arrive and depart under power, never under sail. Belle-Vie's sails and displacement just too much to deal with.
As I bring the boat into the dock at an angle (conditions will dictate how sharp of an angle) I let the boat slow in neutral until I bring the boat parallel to a dock cleat, or where I want to tie up, do a reverse thrust to stop boat forward motion and quickly step off onto the dock.
The first dock line I grab and secure is the one on the mid ship cleat to stop and let the boat settle in, followed by the bow line, then the stern line. Both of these lines have enough length to use as spring lines if needed. If I use them as spring lines I remove the mid ship line to make room on the cleat.
This procedure works for the vast majority of docking situations where current and/or wind have minimal affect on the boat. Belle-Vie weighs 35, 000 pounds, so I let the equipment (dock lines, cleats, dock boards, etc.) deliver the leverage needed to secure her to the dock.
Depending upon those other few situations that place forces upon an otherwise smooth docking, such as wind, current or some combination of both, this has worked for me over the years.
I will talk about those other situations in following articles, but here I just want to pass along some techniques that have worked for me. If you have ideas that have worked for you, please join in and share your knowledge. Us salts should never be too old to learn new tricks.
