OK, I'm Impressed...

[Rick D]

I'm at the boat and just watched a mid-30's J-Boat go out of the windward slip, and BACK maybe 100 yards under sail, turn and tack out of the harbor under mainsail. Now, as interesting as that was, he had 25 knots of gusty wind! As impressed as I was, I'm glad he did it in the next finger over. He did it so well, I hate to say it was a stunt, but I'm always a little leery of guys that show off in these conditions having seen a few boats on end-ties whacked. Rick D.

 

[Mike B]

Some can do it

Rick when we first started sailing we were in a small marina in the back bays of New Jersey. There was a young guy there that had been sailing since he was a boy. He'd bring his boat into a tight, narrow finger of water and dock her without ever using the engine. Some of it was due to the fact the motor rarely ran, the rest was he was just so darned good.Mike

 

[Rick9619]

Key word.. impressed

Thing might be that you werent the only one watching. So someone else says.. "hey lets try it". Wham, there goes a swim bridge, dink davits, or a bow roller. Im suprised up there in "ritzy" Long Beach it is legal in the marina by laws. Down here in San Diego, you are not allowed to dock or launch under sail, well at Cabrillo Isle anyways. Gotta admit though wouldnt mind seeing it done. See ya at the start line in April!Cheers

 

[Mac Bentley]

Saw similar at Lake Texoma

I was in the area and decided to check out Grandpappy's Marina, a pretty impressive place for this part of the country. Saw what looked to me like a good-sized J-boat, certainly a lot bigger than my h23. It came tacking up the channel, which first got my attention, then turned to a beam reach between a couple of docks.From my angle, it didn't look like he had a lot of room, and he wasn't slowing down as he approached the wall. He had to be going 4-5 knots. Right before the wall, he dropped the foresail, did a 180 and headed back toward his slip, which was most of the way back up the dock. He soon dropped the main, lost headway and a crew at the mast started rocking the boat until it made the slip.There was nobody watching that I could see, except me from a distance, and it was done with such precision that I'm sure he does it all the time.May not have impressed some old salts, but it sure impressed me.Mac

 

[John24107]

No motor

At the sailing school where I learned to sail, we had Catalina 25s without motors. The instructor would remind us daily that these were: "...sail boats, you don't need no stinkin' motor"!!!We had to learn to maneuver pretty tight 180's because we would catch holy hell if we ever came at the dock downwind!

 

[sailaway78]

Try it some time

Some of these guys are absolutely amazing in what they can do. I live at the end of a canal, and I have to come in, make a 180, and I'm at my dock. I have one time, sailed to the dock, and stopped. Without using the engine, just to see if I could actually do it, if it ever became necessary. But you can bet your last dollar, I had the engine idling in neutral, ready to save my butt, if I screwed up. Not only does it take some skill to pull off these manuvers, it takes a whole lot of confidence. More than I have, and I cam be pretty cocky.

 

[larry w]

I used to bring my Catalina 22 into a slip under sail,

but have never attempted to bring my Beneteau 40 into its slip under sail. I did, however, plan on how I would do it, in case I couldn't get the engine started or something.

 

[Brian D]

I use to be able to that

with a sunfish. Have never tried it with my boat. I would love to though. Maybe I'll try it at the launch dock where there is plenty of room. I think that is an excellent skill to have. Who know when you'd need it. Rather have it and not use it than to not have it at all.That'd be fun to do a 180 under sail. Not meaning a tack. I mean heading into the wind, backing the main to back up and then setting the main to move forward again. Cool.

 

[Gary_H]

Last weekend

I saw about the same thing. I was totally amazed and impressed. The guy tacked across the waterway turned into a beam reach right down between two finger piers with slips on both sides. He was moving at a pretty good pace and i expected him to drop his sails because he was headed for a dead end. at the last minute and with me holding my breath he made hard to starboard and into his slip. How he stopped I don't know because when he turned to starboard the wind would have been behind him. One crewman did jump to the dock to Catch the boat but I'm sure he couldn't have stopped it if it was still powered up. He was two piers over but I could still hear him say "perfect" as he dropped his sails. I still don't know how he was able to depower with the wind behind him. Maybe the angle wasn't as great as it looked from where i was but It was impressive none the less. I was going to go over and ask him about his maneuver but my wife was anxious for seafood and was in a hurry to get on the road.

 

[John24107]

Spring line

He may have dropped a spring line over a cleat at the end of his finger. Pretty good way to avoid replacing bow lights. [:I]

 

[Scott B]

I wasn't

last summer watched a 30 something sailboat come into our marina under sail, navigate several turns and turn into a slip. He had several people jump up and scrambling around the docks to assist this disabled boat coming in without power. After docking... and he needed assistance pulling on lines to stop from hitting the dock, he had a huge chesire cat grin having performed his feat of docking under sail. Although I was several docks away, I was ready to jump up and assist. If I had been closer and helped out I would have pushed him right back out of the slip... arrogant a$%#ole. *butt

 

[sailaway78]

Hey Larry

The reason I did this, was to see if I could do it, should the need arise. I would strongly suggest giving it a try, while you know the engine is working. I did it, with the engine idling in neutral. Now I know that if push comes to shove, I can do it in a pinch. Of course, if I ever have to will probably crash the dock.

 

[Alan]

Not legal??? *yks

That's absolutely ABSURD!!! How can anyone make a law saying you can't SAIL your boat in or out of anywhere? I doubt that it could stand up in court for sure.That many skippers are not capable of doing it is no doubt the case but saying there is a law against it is just plain ridiculous.

 

[RichH]

Dont be impressed, do it yourself.

Start with mooring pennants, etc. and then 'backing down' a narrow channel, etc. ... then move up to practice by using long docks, 'T-head' docks. and end slips, etc. You can back the sails or wiggle hell out of the tiller to 'bleed off speed', etc. Its the momentum that'll get you so you have to 'plan' carefully. Recreational aircraft folks have it all over sailboaters as they practice 'dead stick landings' until they can do such in their sleep. Obviously the lighter weight the boat the less 'momentum' .... but even when all hell breaks loose and you dont have an engine, If you have practiced such skills in advance, you'll usually do quite OK.

 

[Doug Burton]

I can't help but appriciate

Nice n easy's honesty. I can sail to the transient slip but wouldn't try to get to mine.

 

[Benny17441]

There are no laws that prevent anyone from

sailing to or from any place but some marinas have rules that do not allow it. Now there are laws that allow the marinas to dictate such rules and cause the lease on the slip to be terminated for infractions. The sailor also always has the choice to take his business somplace else but in some areas finding a new marina may indeed be a real hardship. ( I'm sure in an emergency, if you have the right attitude and did not hit a thing, the ocurrence may be overlooked) We have a private dock to which I regularly sail in and out as long as the wind is favorable. From South or East for departure and from North and West for arriving. The width and turns of the channel preclude tacking. Having tow insurance is the best solution to unexpected problems.