Winch + Engine
I use a similar tactic as the previous post by jkleid. I have to dock my 40 Hunter by myself a lot alongside a pier between a boat in front and in back. Coming in alongside using the favored prop wash (back to port), I found turning and stopping to be very accurate. The problem comes when leaving the helm to retrieve the lines. Either the front of the back drifts out, or with winds the whole boat is ten feet away. I also found it impressive how much force is required to push/pull forty feet around (age, according to the wife). My answer targets the spring line that normally runs aft at the dock to the forward cleat. It's forty feet long. When departing it is coiled and placed just aft of normal midships on the dock piling. It is carefully placed for an easy grab by hook, ensuring no tangles or snarls with other lines. Coming alongside speed is dictated by wind conditions, with more way on when severe cross winds occur (typical summer afternoon). When forward way ceases I leave the helm with hook and get that one line. At least one, usually two wraps around the forward cockpit winch. Take up all free slack. At this point I am a couple of feet to as much as ten feet sideways from where I need to be. At idle, engine is engaged in forward. Because the attachment point of the spring is close to the center of the boat, turning the helm slightly either direction in forward causes the boat to pivot around this attachment point. In other words I can point the bow in or out, as much as I want. Because the other end of the spring is fixed to the dock aft of the attachment point of the boat, the forward thrust is translated into sideways movement. I can control the speed of this crab as fast or slow as I want by use of the throttle. If I wound up far away from the dock, I use the winch handle to reduce the distance of forward movement. After a gentle touch to the dock against the fender placed through practice, I can simply secure the spring line, step off the boat with the motor now holding the boat, tend the balance of the lines, and step back aboard to shut down. This has worked so well that even with crew, I still do it. Whatever system you choose, the steps must be accurately followed, and frequently the best intentions of friends grab the wrong line. I will even change this one spring line to white (currently all are blue) so when friends insist on helping I simply instruct to only get the white line. Good luck...
