Maybe my boat is too small...

[Manny]

Well I moved my boat yesterday to the marina next door for winter "wet" storage. This is my first experience with fixed slips. Two people helped me tie up on the slip when I brought it in, but afterwards it dawned on me I'm going to struggle getting in and out when single-handing. Here's the setup: Two pilings at the front which are pretty far from the bow. I have a line from each piling to the bow cleat. I also have two lines from the front pilings going roughly midship acting as spring lines. I then have two stern lines crossed going to pilings at the rear of the slip. Where I am foreseeing difficulty is when untying the bow and spring lines I will need to have time to somehow loop them up and hang them on the front pilings using a boat hook extended all the way. My boat gets blown around pretty easily and I can see my self ending up partially in one of the slips on either side of me before I get two lines stowed The stern lines I can probably toss up onto the grass behind the slip, but knowing me, they'll land in the water and wrap around the prop
I'd appreciate any advice or constructive criticism. I know there are quite a few people that single hand from fixed docks - how do you do it? I could see if I had a bigger boat it would be easier, I could reach the pilings easily and push off of them if necessary.
There are also two pilings towards the stern, I had to put a line around that so I could pull the boat closer to the dock. I almost ended up in the drink about four times yesterday.

The pictures attached should help illustrate the setup. You can't tell but it was snowing while I took them. (One picture is of my drive home - lots of snow!)

Thanks,

Manny

 

[Hermit Scott]

I have single handed the 4 times I took my boat out of the slip. Those are the only 4 times I was on a boat in the last 20 years. It is very windy in Corpus Christi, perfect fpr sailing(so I hear) not so perfect for the inexperienced to put a boat back in a slip singlehanded.
I use the rub rails, and come in at an angle where I anticipate the wind to turn the boat the way it needs to go in the slip. So when I have one dock line on, the boat will drift until it is in a stable position with one dock line on and a rub rail up against a piling. Then I throw ropes and pull it into place.
It sounds simple written but if you were to see it, it's more like a monkey and a football doing....something.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Manny's new slip.

Are you required to dock stern in? Looks like all of the boats in your picture are stern first. My H37C is in an identical slip to yours. I would never come in stern first. Almost no one in my marina does. But especially not without an open stern. I applaud you for even being able to get in and tied up. And I don't think it would be any easier with my 37.

I come in very slowly and with fenders positioned for the finger dock. I have a permanent spring line between the starboard aft piling and the finger dock(which happens to be starboard). That line has a heavy snap shackle tied in the middle. I first hook that to a marked toerail position. The boat stops and I can hand over hand to the finger dock and jump off with both bow lines. I tie those very loosely. Now I can use that same spring line to pull me back to the stern pilings to tie off there. I do not cross lines because they will wear on the gelcoat. Trick is to get the slack properly set for water level changes. There is almost no tide where I am but I have seen a four foot change, mostly due to the direction of the wind.

If you are required to tie up stern first I cannot help.

Update: just noticed in the picture that you cannot see the stern docklines. The pilings next to the cockpit are not the ones that I am tied to. They are further back. I will admit having that middle set does make it easier.

 

[Ross]

Manny over at Owens we run line from the outer pilings to the dock side piles and clip on to those when we come in. If we clip onto the weather side the boat stays pretty much in her slip.

 

[Ray T]

re: Manny's new slip

Manny, I agree you should be pulling in bow first. You should have a spring line going from the right rear piling to the front of your boat, this will keep you off the finger pier. You should have lines separating your slip from your neighbors and they should be as tight as you can get them, they will loosen over time. I also agree in this instance you shouldn't be crossing your stern lines. Once you get your slip rigged don't forget to leave your lines as loose as you can to allow for exceptionally high or low tides,both of which are common in your area in the winter. Good luck. Ray T

 

[kloudie1]

Yes, cheap half inch nylon braid lines from the forward pilings to the rear at about half freeboard height at normal tide. These can guide you back. Stern first is more convenient to load and board.. Release lee side lines.. Work the winward side lines.. Use the rub rails to pivot if necessary. Ya got it! It is not elegant at first but soon, the "Dock Committee" will be grinning.

 

[Mike B]

Manny, the last 8 years I've been a slip very similiar to yours. As Ross recommended I'd run a dock line between the pilings. The lines will keep you in your slip, especially when the wind is honkin. In addition to Ross's other suggestion regarding clipping on, you can also use your spring lines to help you back in. When backing in, pull in just far enough to be able to grap the windward spring line. Tie off the line and then power back. The line between the pilings will hold you steady while the spring will pull you up snug and give you time to tie off the other lines. Which line you grab second will depend on the wind. Another easy to rig helper is a "keeper". Essentially it's a line run through a small block attached to the finger pier. Place a 5lb weight on the end in the water and tie a loop in the end you'll hook around a dock cleat. It's only for use when you're at the boat, but it will keep her snug up to the finger pier making it much easier to board. Just remember to take it off before you leave on the boat or for the weekend.
Mike

 

[Mark Price]

Manny,
I single-hand most of the time and I have to back my H37C in order to get off the boat with out a BIG first step! What works for me is to start to back in about 500 yards from my slip (it is on Mill Creek, MD and only 10 slips so I have a straight run in). Just as I get to the port piling I place a spring line on the piling. (blue line Photo 1) This acts as my break and will stop the boat from drifting all the way back to the dock ( if I dock at a new place I make sure to bring the spring line attachment point closer to the cockpit so I will not drift back as far, then I can sneak up on the dock once I'm tied up). Once my spring line is on the post I momentarily put the boat in forward to slow down/ almost stop and ease my self into the slip. It helps to have lines that run from the pilings back to the dock to keep you in your slip! (Photo 2 and 3 line with knot in it) The attached pictures might help illustrate the point.


When I leave I just undue the stern lines and lay them on the dock then walk forward and undue the bow lines and then pull the spring line to bring the bow of the boat past the piling and then remove the spring line (it stays with the boat) and then walk back to the cockpit and put the boat in forward and off I go. Hope this helps

Mark

 

[Mulf]

Another way to address the problem...

Manny: I had a slip like yours and handled it as follows. Permanently attach a line from the outer piling to the piling on the finger pier, which in your case appears to be on your starboard side. I had a short line that I would attach to the starboard stern cleat that had a spring clip big enough that it could be snapped over the fixed line while you back about half way in. The first half of you boat is now trapped between the two outer pilings and the stern is clipped to and will now stay within a foot or so of the fixed line. Now you have lots of time to get the two bow lines and attach them at the (premarked) correct length, and then back in (or pull in using the fixed line) to where you can reach the starboard stern line which you left stretched out on the finger pier where you can get it before unclipping the temporary line with the clip. I would put the starboard stern line on the port stern cleat. You now have plenty of time to (get off onto the finger pier if necessary to) retrieve the port stern line and attach it to the starboard stern cleat. The key is getting the boat half way into the slip, stopped and temporarily secured to the starboard line. May sound a little confusing but do it once and you'll understand. Good luck!

 

[Roger (Ninette Manitoba)]

and finally here is a picture of what others are talking about

This is a friends boat, and he too insists on docking stern to. As you can see there are lines from the outer posts to the nearer posts that he can come up against when either coming in or going out. Essentially, He pulls one of the line so that boat moves closer to the post, then tosses the line over the post, goes to the other end of the boat and does the same, then to the windward side of the boat, undoing the fore and aft lines. The boat is now free to float up against the fixed lines but if he is fast enough, (seldom) he can put the running motor into gear and avoid the posts. Most often however, he is hauling himself out of the slip, hand over handing one of the fixed lines, then running back to put the motor into gear.

 

[Manny]

Lots to think about

Well, lots of great advice has been posted. I'll probably put together a combination of the techniques mentioned to help me get in and out.
When I asked at the office about bow or stern in, they told me stern in. It's best anyway since I cant release the lifelines at the bow. They also recommended crossing the stern lines but with my stern rails and outboard it seems like something is going to break or chafe.

I wish I had rub rails...

Thanks to all,

Manny

 

[Ross]

Re: Lots to think about

Manny take a ride over to Owens and look at my rub rails in slip 436. They have taken a hit on occassion.

 

[ITMaster]

Sometimes I think I have problems getting in my slip

And then I see setups like some of you have. My biggest problem that I have is a cross current and I usually just attack it with spring lines to get me in the slip. As you can see, my going into the adjacent slip is not a problem for me since I have 8 pilings on each side of my slip and my own private full length finger pier (launch ramp is on my starboard side from this view). I only back in when severe weather is predicted to put the bow into it. I think you have all the good advice you can get for your situation Manny.

The only thing I could add is that I have seen some people rig a line from one of the lines that would be closest to the dock that you would use for your stern lines, and bring that line with you as you leave the slip and leave it hooked on one of your outter piliings. When you return, you can grab that line to use to help you spring your sten in first and help you to walk the stern back into the slip.

Crossing your stern lines usually works best to be able to keep your boat off the pilings during tidal changes. It's a learning process that you will perfect with time, hopefully a short period of it for your and the boats' sake.

Good luck Captn'

 

[Ross]

Re: Sometimes I think I have problems getting in my slip

Some of the smaller boats at Owens use weighted lines on their bows. They run them through a block on the outer piling and just drop a spliced eye over a cleat. It keeps them centered in the slip. Our piers are floating so we set the stern lines rather tight.

 

[Roger (Ninette Manitoba)]

crossed rub rail 'catch' lines

This does not apply to your stern to arrangements, rather a bow to arrangement, but just to add to the discussion, I have seen this arrangement where there is cross current or cross wind that makes docking difficult. The crossed lines in B catch the boat as it is coming in, and centre it so that cross wind and current do not move it into the adjacent slip. This may be a slight improvement over the rub lines arrangement as shown in A.

In this situation the rub lines from the two outer posts run closer to a center point on the dock, but cross about 3 feet from the edge of the dock. Its this crossover that catches the bow when motoring in. From there you have to reach lines that you have previously left attached to each of the posts, to secure your boat. A boat hook can come in handy, but you can also walk your boat by using the catch lines to move it closer to each of the posts to get your lines.

 

[Ross]

Re: crossed rub rail 'catch' lines

Roger, on a lake that would work nicely but with fixed piers and a 3-4 foot tidal range you could sail under or over the lines.

 

[Roger (Ninette Manitoba)]

good point ross

Even a couple of sets of lines set at different heights, may cause a prop wrap issue. My thoughts were indeed related to non-tidal situations however, so your comments are a good caveat for tidal waters.

 

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Try this one for size. I dock stern too. I do not have a straight shot it, rather I have to do two 90 degree turns as I apprroach the slip, one to get into the fairway and then one to turn into the slip. I have found that the slower I go the harder it is so I get a good speed going so I can maneuver the boat and so prop walk, current and wind are not a factor. Once I am almost in the slip I put the engine in neutral to eliminate prop walk. I slide in the slip and at the last moment put it in foward gear to stop the boat hoping I my throttle cable doesn't break at that instant. Depending on which way the wind is blowing I grab that dock line first.

 

[All U Get]

Hi Manny,
Read all your replies and wonder how you managed to tie up without help. Geting into my slip with wind and current sometimes is a real PITA with my single prop. I got some help from an retired Coastie who said they would drag an anchor with little scope sort of jigging the bottom to control their single screw boats. Maybe someone else has tried this maneuver.
All U Get
I just saw your pictures enlarged, how'd they get those other boats up on the second floor.

 

[Manny]

Roger, pretty great idea for going into the slip bow first. I wish I could do something like that but in reverse...
All U Get, I radioed ahead and requested for someone to meet me at the slip. Someone from the marina met me out there and also there was slip holder two boats down that came over to help. Backing into the slip was no problem, i've become used to getting into tight spaces, when I got there everything was so far away...

Thanks again,

Manny