Midships line on the genoa track?

[Taylor]

The discussion landing in a slip in wind focused on a midships line - and my probilem is I don;t have a midships cleat. I could add an expensive track mounted cleat, but it becomes yet another toe stubber on deck.

I already have a midships fairlead in the toe rail, a sort of a cross between a scupper and a hawse pipe, but nothing to tie the line off to, other than the fairlead itself. Plus I suspect the fair lead takes fore and aft loads better than side loads.

What about a heavy caribeaner or shackle hooked to a genoa track slide? Any reason not to do that? I already have a coule of spare pin stop cars with loops, I was thinking of a spliced eye on a 'beaner and I could just clip it in where I needed it. If I had an eye on the other end, I could slide the car fore and aft to adjust the length of the line too.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Midships line connection point

As long as it's "tied" to the track it should work. Actually it's a good idea because it avoids the toe stubbing.

 

[Warren Milberg]

If you are backing your boat into your slip, you don't really need a midship cleat to gain assistance by using a spring line. I teach people how to do this by coming up perpendicular to their slip (being careful of boats on either side). Take hold of your forward most dock line on the piling nearest the fairway. Wrap it around your stern cleat. As you back into the slip, have your mate hold and pull on the dock line that is around the cleat, but not fastened to it. The boat will pivot into the slip and as you back up and straighten out, let out and then pull the dock line aboard. Try this on a calm day when no one else is around.... Good luck.

 

[Don12364]

I use this technique for every arrival - but genoa tracks are not installed to resist heavy side forces or jerks. Believe me there are often such forces if the wind is blowing you off (and you get the approach not quite right).
What I do is to have the inboard end of the warp on a winch. Then I put a hangman's noose over the nearest dockside cleat and pull or wind the slack in. Presto we are moored without anyone needing to go on the dock or risk breaking their ankle. We use the motor ahead or astern to maintain best position alongside. Also if it all goes wrong your crew are still with you and no lines trailing over the side. Now there is plenty of time to hop ashore with the mooring lines and finish the job nicely. This way we leave our main heavy all weather mooring lines on the dock

 

[Don12364]

I guess I should have pointed out that, from the winch I pass the warp through a loop in a midships stanchion base and then on to the noose.
In your case the midships fairlead would be even better.

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