Docking Under Spinnaker (ALAN)

[Don Guillette]

Alan: It is time for you to outline the proceedure you use to dock the boat under spinnaker only. Step by step please, just like the rope coiling.While Alan is composing his thoughs, I'll just ramble on a bit. My slip is an up wind slip, which is the type I always select in the event I ever have to sail into it, which I have a number of times both under emergency and just for the fun of it. A upwind slip is just easier for me. All I have to do is back the main and it serves as a brake. The rule is that you use the sail FARTHEST from the wind to sail into a dock. Sometimes my brother dock neighbors on the downwind side of the dock REALLY provide exciting entertainment for all present when they try to sail into their slip with the main instead of the jib. Ironically, they do it every time. How many times does it take for a mate to bounce off the dock because he is unable to stop the boat before he figures out he is doing something wrong. One guy in particular on our dock is very difficult to talk to - you can't tell him anything. Perhaps you might know people like that on your dock. The first time we saw him bounce off the dock a couple of us tried to explain a better way but he told us to screw off. Later we explained it to his wife at the YC but she told us he is just a thick head. OK ALAN, FIRE AWAY!!

 

[Alan]

At the time...

...we (the crew and myself) had been out practicing and were headed back to the dock. We were broad reaching our way home when one of the guys asked if we should drop sail before we enter the mooring field. The breeze was light, 5 to 8 and we dropped the main first. Then we got the idea to take the spinnaker all the way in to the dock. Fenders and dock lines were made ready and I had to figure when the drop should come and still have enough momentum to carry in but not too late, with too much speed. Ten boat lengths or so and I called the drop. Two guys worked the spinnaker while the other two were ready with the dock lines in hand. I turned and approached the dock at about 20 degrees. At the last moment I swung the bow parallel to the dock with about 1/2kt of boat speed. The two guys with the dock lines stepped on the dock and caught the dock cleats. The boat came to a stop. I would not have attempted this if there was a lot of wind, but as it was it worked great. After there were high 5's all around for a slick maneuver that we pulled off without a hitch.

 

[Bob]

Puttin' on the brakes

Almost thirty years ago the skipper of a boat I was crewing on came steaming in toward the dock with both sails full and drawing and I was sure he was going to slice the boat in half, but when we were about a hundred feet out he had us drop both sails while he did a 360. It slowed the boat down and allowed him to park it at a reasonable speed. Well, almost reasonable... He was still going a little too fast and we shivered a couple of the timbers.

 

[Alan]

Yep!

Coming in under sail is not the issue, knowing when to ditch the sails and calculate the loss of momentum is the key. Too soon and you don't get there, too late and.... well we've all seen the guy coming in to the dock at ramming speed!!

 

[Don Guillette]

Docking Under Spinnaker

My favorite sailing moving is "Cap't Ron". I love the docking sequnce!! Maybe the title of the movie should be change to "Cap't AL!!!!".

 

[Karl]

Why?

I presume you have the main up also. Docking is usually a bit hectic anyway. Why not drop it and store it ahead of time, and come in under the mainsail only? Unless you think it's a kool thing to do...then go for it!

 

[JC on Bainbridge]

Interesting topic, but why?

I don't know of anyone who WANTs to come in under sail, let alone a spinnaker.Why not just stow the sails, and come in under moter power? The only reason I can see anyone wanting to come in under sail is if their engine is dead, or just want to show off at the dock. Most marina's fairway are usually pretty tight, and then you will have to make a 90 degree turn into the slip. And you usually have a neighbor. Bashing your neighbor(s) and pay to fix the boats can be lots of fun, I guess.The only boats the needs to come into the slip under sail are the motorless boats, like lasers. Sorry, maybe the topic of this post is about motorless boats, and not displacement boats. Then go for it.

 

[Alan]

I think.....

.....the whole point about docking under sail is 'just because you can' and don't forget not too many years ago it was the only way.Karl, the reason for doing it under spinnaker is because, yes, it is cool to do and dropping a spinnaker is a rather easy and quick thing to do. Many skippers are afraid to fly one let alone docking with it. Once you have become proficient at sail handling it is a no brainer. It becomes another skill that you've learned and mastered. I am fortunate to have a well trained crew that I can depend on to do the right thing.

 

[Dave D 94 H26]

take a pill

Hey JC, Take a pill man. I'm a newbie and I feel like a big part of the sailing experience is building skills. And what the hell, lets have fun too. I would love to have Alan skippering if I had to get back to the dock and the engine was dead. What would be your chances of docking inder those situations?

 

[Herb Parsons]

What's the point of sails at all?

What's the point of raising the sails at all, if you have an engine. I mean, the motor will get you anywhere, even directly up wind, and do it faster. Alan hit it right on the mark, because you can. I sail in about 60% of the time (although never under spinnaker, don't even have one yet). I started doing it just to see if I could about 6 months after I got my boat. About a year after that, my wife and I took a trip down the Texas ICW to Port Isabel. About 30 miles away, the motor went out. We had to sail into a strange marina, in the dark, under sail alone. Want to know if I was glad we had "practiced" a lot recently?

 

[Karl]

Another hot dog!

I'd rather get my boating fun in other ways...than doing stupid things on the water.We have enough hot shots in powerboats, do we really need to sail irresponsibly? I'd love to be there when something or someone screws up, becausesh_t do happen.

 

[JC on Bainbridge]

I had to do it once, but not for the fun of it.

Yeah, my engine overheated right after we went out about a mile from our slip. We killed the engine, put up the sail, turned back towards home. We crawed along, with a very small amount of sail up, just enough to get a headway. We got into the fairway, crawed towards our slip, made a 90 degree turn and we got into our slip on the 1st try, and didn't hit anyone.We did it, and happy that we got back safe and sound, but sure wouldn't want to have to do it again. Was it fun for us to do it? Nope! Were we impressed with our own skills, yes. It was an emergency, and we didn't have any choice. As we were coming in, other boaters were standing by to assist if we ever needed it.If we were doing this for fun every time we came in to our slip, I think most boaters in our marina would file a complaint, or try to kick us out of the marina. I wouldn't blame them, since I would do exactly that if I was in their place.I think we boaters needs to sail safely. But to each their own. I couldn't care less if you wreck your boat and had to pay more for your insurance. But if you bash into our boat while hotdogging it, I will see you in court.Have fun on the water.

 

[Herb Parsons]

Stupid?

That's one of the problems with a public forum like this, there's always someone who thinks they're the final arbitrar of what's "stupid", and what's not. No Karl, I'm not a "hot shot", nor is sailing into my slip "stupid" just because you think it is. Have you SEEN "my slip?" Maybe you can explain to me why it's stupid. C'mon master Karl, look into your omniscient mind and diven the truth for us all...

 

[Karl]

You're still a hot dog.

No, I don't have to see your slip and yes, the docking procedure is stupid...just a matter of time.

 

[Don Guillette]

Stupid?

Herb Parsons: Your absolutely right and it is one of the reasons it is so difficult to get mates to contribute material that would be of use to beginner to intermediate sailors. KARL, I undersatnad where you stand on sailing into a slip but I was wondering if there is some aspect of sail trim seamanship you would care to contribute to the group? It could be any tricks you've learned from experience that would make it easier for the beginning sailor to progress up the line to becoming more comfortable with his boat.

 

[Karl]

What would Jimmy Buffett do?

Herb, why expound on stupidity? That's all this particular forum subject is. Sure, we've all sailed up to the dock or slip at some time or another and if experiance teaches us anything, we should be reflecting on safe and proven techniques that have a track record of sucess.What do you think would be taught at a sailing school either beginner or advanced?

 

[Alan]

Karl

I must jump in here.First, I'm not advocating everyone learn to dock their boat under spinnaker, I thought it through and decided that yes, we could. If you're not comfortable doing it, by all means don't try it!As to track record, I don't know that there is a large one, but mine is 100%. Given similar circumstances I would do it again, because I know I can.Sailing school, unfortunately I don't have a high opinion of sailing schools. I've had many a crew member come aboard telling me he'd been to sailing school, only to realize that what is taught is minimal at best, and many times inadiquate.I've seen more than a few skippers take the "traditional" method of docking(under power) only to smack the dock or throw a dock line to the dock and not reach it because they were too far away and couldn't properly maneuver their boat. My boat is 35' and I know I can dock it in a 40' spot between 2 boats step off and tie up single handed. These are simply skills that need practice to master.

 

[Don Guillette]

Docking under sail

I agree with Alan, not because I consider him a friend who has been contributing for a number of years to these forums but I know his skills as a boat handler. It is all about boat handling confidence and skillful seamanship. Either you have it or you don't. A sailor has to know his limitation. That is the first step in acquiring seamanship knowledge. If you don't think you can do it then don't try it but for Gods sake learn every possable technique you can.I've sailed and raced with a lot of guys that I never think twice about what they are doing or what wind conditions we are going through. Others, scare the crap out of me. In one particular case, I came a breath away from taking the helm and the boat from the skipper because he was going to injure us all. One gal was so scared she threw up in the cockpit and it was from fear not sea sickness. I'd have had to kick his ass to take over the boat but that was fine with me - I wonder if that would be called a mutiny!! Finally, he told me he did not know what to do next with the sails and steering and would I PLEASE help him.I don't know what the big bruhaha about sailing into a slip is all about. I see guys in my marina do it all the time and no one thinks twice about. I do it all the time. A 15 gal tank of gas lasts me about 3 years!! Actually, many of my dock neighbors wish they had the skill to do it also but they don't - yet. In another life, other than sailing, I'm an RV enthusist. I'm also a certified RV driving instructor. People buy travel trailors, 5th wheels and large motor homes and like sail boats they have little idea how to operate them. Anyone can drive them down the 4 lane but getting them in and out of tight spaces is a skill, which is learnable. Same with sail boats. There is nothing about any aspect of sailing or boat handling that is not learnable. When you have the confidence to handle anything thrown at you - you've arrived. Guys like Alan, Stu, Rich H, Joe from San Diego and a bunch more like them have arrive.Let's not be STUPID here. You can learn from these guys. Listen to what they are saying and put it into practice and sooner than you think you will be at their level of seamanship. They wern't born with the knowledge - they learned it!!

 

[Herb Parsons]

Less Stupid

Thanks Don, I feel a whole lot less stupid now, for actually exercising my skills and abilities. Karl, I know of at least one instructor personally (ASA) that does indeed, teach his students how to sail into a slip. As a matter of fact, we were discussing some of the requirements for finishing his class, and I was surprised that he requires that students show the ability to sail the boat backwards, I skill I DEFINITELY haven't acquired.Lin and Larry Pardey don't even have a motor on their boat. Wonder how "stupid" they think it is to do so.Again, I agree with Don, I don't understand what the big deal is. I always plan on sailing in, and as I said, 40% of the time, I don't, because the wind is the wrong direction, too strong, too light, whatever. Just another one of those things that may or may not go as planned on a day on the lake.

 

[Karl]

Huh.

I can turn my Cessna 172 by opening the doors one at a time, however, i don't because that would be stupid. There are other controls for that purpose.So you can sail to your dock under spinaker...just because you stupidly can. Big deal.No applause, here.