Slip docking

[NYSail]

Bow first.... we have no fingers so wife sits on bow... I bring boat in and stop her at the dock, she hops off and holds bow in place, I come forward with windward spring line, and she hands me bow lines and we are secure.

Each slip, boat handling, weather and person requires different approach. But always bow in as you can always choose when you are going to leave...... backing into an open space is much easier than backing into a slip with not good conditions.

Practice.

Good luck!

 

[DayDreamer41]

Do you mean that the boat hits either the pole, dock or adjacent boat after you are in the slip? Or is it you have trouble getting the boat into the slip?

Once the boat is in the slip, it's inside the outside poles and it's more difficult to retrieve the docking lines before the current pushes the bow past the down stream pole. The river can be very busy on the weekends and I have a much higher success percentage going bow in. There is no boat to the downstream side of us. When I put her in bow first I can stop her between the poles retrieve the docking lines land the lines on the stern and midship cleats and then move forward. I can't do the same when coming in stern first

 

[PSR]

Leaving your docklines on the dock invites them to be gone when you return and need them. When they are aboard, they are in your control and possession.

Maybe this is so in other places, but I've found leaving the lines at the dock, all set for docking, is a good choice. It did not occur to me to do this until reading Single Handed Sailing, by Andrew Evans. One of his simplest pieces of advice, since mostly we go out for day sails or weekends, was to leave the dock lines on the dock. Solo dcking has been simpler for me ever since. For several reasons, it's a good idea to have spares on board, so you have replacements at hand if necessary.

 

[shemandr]

I never worry about my docklines being removed when away from the dock. If I had to, I would move to someplace where I could trust my neighbors.

 

[DayDreamer41]

You would need to be in a boat to take (3) of my lines, has never been an issue, the only issue is they do get crusty that is for sure.

 

[OS2Dude]

I single hand my 1985 Catalina 30 all the time. A spring line from the tip of the pier to a midship cleat is a life saver. I leave the line at the dock so it is easily grabbed when I come in, so I can put it over the forward horn of the cleat and motor in while turning away. (If you are visiting a foreign slip, attach the line to the midship cleat and put it over the aft horn of the dock cleat.) The prop wash pushes the stern into the pier and the spring line keeps the boat from going forward. Connect the bow and stern lines then turn off the engine. Never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it. I recommend dock lines on both sides of the bow and stern, as well as fore & aft spring lines on both sides (if possible). Always leave your boat as you would if you expected a storm later in the day. I prefer shockles on the dock lines over snubbers. DockShockle™ Dock Line Snubber for Smaller Boats, Black, 12" (31 cm) - — Davis Instruments

If you can find a piece of floating material (Like a dock float or even a throwable cushion) in the open, practice approaching it and stopping alongside. Try to get a feel for how well your boat turns, how far it will glide with no power and how fast it will stop if put into reverse.

 

[bigLakeSailor]

Spring line first and always first. Once you get the spring line on you can hold the boat to the dock by a slight forward throttle and turn wheel slightly away from the dock. You can sit there all day like the ferrys do in the Abacos. Next is the stern and the bow is last unless you need a forward spring. You can use the dicking stick to get the spring line on and not leave the boat. If you get the stern first you risk drifting away from the dock. Spring is always first.

 

[Tally Ho]

As others have said, your specific situation will dictate what is best for you. That includes the type of boat, keel and windage, the specifics of you slip (prevailing winds, currents, center pilings or not, etc.

For me, I typically go in bow first, and I get spring line (I call it a loop line) over my cabin top winch. I keep the loop line on a Shepard’s hook at the very end of my finger pier. Once I get the loop on the winch, I can power against that line, and it keeps me pulled in tight to the finger pier.

It works the same way when leaving in a cross wind or other winds that blow me around in the slip. The spring line holds me in place along side the finger pier while I cast off all of the other lines. Then, when I am ready, I start backing out of the slip, and hang the loop line on the Shepard’s hook as I back out past it.

I tried to make a video to explain how I do it…

Practice also bolsters your confidence, and that usually means better docking.

Just remember, never approach a dock faster than you are willing to hit it.

Cheers,

Greg

 

[TJeffC]

I made a line holder for our finger pier. It holds an aft spring line loop and a stern line, both fixed to the finger cleats and is made from 1" Schedule 80 PVC pipe (Lowes) and Schedule 40 fittings. The dock plate is galvanized steel (on its third season). The hooks are PVC condensate traps with a little heat bending and capped flush (tricky). When docking my first mate picks up the spring line off the top hook and loops it over the midship cleat. She then turns around and lifts the line looped on the lower hook and hands it to me in the cockpit for a stern tie. I go into gear (idle forward) and lock the wheel away from the finger (to port with finger to starboard) and the boat glues itself to the finger, allowing her to easily step off and tie off the bow lines which I toss to her. Since the boat is already tied up in the photo the lines are "on" and the spring line is seen lying on the finger.

Jeff S/V American Dream - Catalina 425 #58

 

[TimFromLI]

Dont approach the dock any faster than you re willing to hit it.

 

[Terry Cox]

I wanted to get everyones input on docking styles..what docking line to tie off first etc...

Hi Rob. Lots of good input thus far. My two cents worth relates to an article I wrote sometime ago when our new-to-us boat had no midship cleats. Adding these made slip docking solo a breeze, where before it was a monkey drill even with crew. The sequence I use, midship line secured first, followed by the bow line then stern. In our case boat size and layout dictates method, and it matters not whether in our home slip or off visiting some other dock/marina/slip. Hope this helps. Hunter 42 Owner Modifications and Upgrades

 

[dmdiehl64]

Clear and direct communication and always have game plan entering and exiting the slip. Discuss the plan with all involved every time. Can’t stress that enough.

I highly recommend you watch this video by Maryland School of Sailing on docking techniques. My wife and I took their 2 day course and I would recommend it to anyone.

 

[OS2Dude]

If you don't already have some, get a pair of midship cleats. I used the Schaefer 70-74 type that fits our genoa track.
Mid-Rail Chock/Cleat Stainless Steel 70-74 for 1" T-Track - SchaeferMarine

I usually single hand our Catalina 30. I have a short spring line tied to the dock that goes to our midship cleat. (Basically about one/two foot longer than the length from the aft cleat to the midship cleat). I enter the slip slowly with a small boat hook at the ready and jump forward to put the spring line on (Having someone with you will make this easier), then turn away from the dock and give a little power. The spring line keeps the boat from going any father forward and the propwash pushes the stern to the dock. I leave it that way until all the other dock lines are attached then cut the engine. It works in pretty much every wind and sea condition.

Never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it.

 

[OS2Dude]

Lookup docking using spring lines.

I usually sail single-handed. I have a line tied to the dock that reaches my midship cleat when the boat is in the proper position. When I come into my slip, I put the eye of the line on the forward horn of the mid-ship cleat then go back to the wheel and turn away from the pier and give it enough fuel to push her forward. The spring line pulls the boat over and the prop wash pushes the stern over snuggly against the pier. I then use my boat hook to grab the dock lines from the pier and attach them to the proper cleats on the boat. Don't forget lines running fore & aft to limit the space the boat can move in those directions. When all is secure, I turn off the engine and center the wheel.

This method works regardless of wind direction. If I want to leave while the wind is in a unfavorable direction I can start the engine, put it in forward and turn away from the dock. This keeps the boat snug while I remove the rest of the dock lines. Having the spring line on the forward horn gives me the option to back out with it still on the horn. It will simply fall off as I get far enough away. Letting it fall off does make for a wet line when I return, and is a little harder to grab while hanging in the water.

I also never approach anything faster than I'm willing to hit it.

If you don't have mid-ship cleats, GET SOME. They are well worth the money.

 

[Gr8OT]

My boat has a swim/step-on platform at the stern; so, it is preferable to park bow out. That means the boat enters stern first; Thus, I had to first learn to enter the slip in reverse. To master this, I needed to become proficient in motoring/steering in reverse.
This skill is particularly important when there are high winds that want to push your bow in directions you may not want to go. Because sailboat props are designed to propel the boat forward, getting the boat moving in reverse requires starting totally stopped WITH THE STERN INTO THE WIND; The rudder should be straight back. Once the boat begins to move in reverse and gather some speed, you’ll begin to feel steerage. HANG ON TIGHTLY TO THE WHEEL OR TILLER!!! If you let go, you’ll be startled at how quickly the boat will veer out of control. So, I generally start my reverse operation in fairly open water within, or near, the marina (a location where I can put my stern into the wind and, after the boat begins to move in reverse, it will be easy to guide the boat into the channel(s) where my slip is located). I use enough speed to maintain steerage and dodge other boats moving about the marina. Moving with enough speed to maintain steerage is the key. 90-degree turns are easy -- even with wind abeam or abaft-- so long as speed is maintained.
MOMENTUM is a constant preoccupation when operating in forward because it is so hard to stop a forward-moving boat. Putting the propeller into reverse, even at the highest rpm, is almost useless in slowing a forward moving boat down -- hence all the postings suggesting slings and other arrangements to prevent a docking boat from ploughing into the dock. The opposite is true when moving in reverse; if you need to stop, simply shift into forward and apply very GENTLE throttle. The boat will stop on a dime, because the propeller is designed to go forward. The boat has excellent brakes when operating in reverse.
On my final reverse approach to my slip, I slow to idle reverse and then, shortly before beginning the wide turn into the slip, I shift into neutral, coasting in at the slowest speed that still affords me steerage; my biggest preoccupation on entering is not to hit any of the posts on the way in – remember –MOMENTUM!!. I am moving slowly now as I approach the dock at the end of the slip and have lost steerage. No problem. 3 to 2 feet before hitting the dock I shift into forward and apply the necessary throttle to totally stop the boat exactly where I can reach my stern lines with a hook. I shift to neutral and tend to the stern lines. Meanwhile, my crew on the foredeck is using a boathook to snag and secure the bow lines and then moving aft securing the spring lines while I kill the engine.
I’m an octogenarian and often just sail with my wife. It would never occur to me to have her outside the lifelines and hopping off to secure a spring-line on a dock cleat.

 

[shemandr]

I watched the whole thing and found it generally helpful. I'm a little surprised that the narrator didn't cover backing down the fairway with a wind into the bow (While in forward). I have found that to be effective but maybe we're assuming a full keel like what they show. I've backed down a fairway in both docking and leaving in fin keel boats and I have more confidence in that than trying to force the bow into the wind.
You have to be a little creative. Once while trying to back into a slip in a strong cross wind the skipper put the bow near a pole on the opposite side of the fairway and we ran a line around the pole. We then "Surged". the line as the skipper backed in. Easy Peasy.

 

[jssailem]

It would never occur to me to have her outside the lifelines and hopping off to secure a spring-line on a dock cleat.

Your approach to powering in reverse is spot on. There is steerage in reverse. Less prop-walk in reverse as the prop-wash is moving along the keel. One trick when your helm has a wheel, is to stand looking out over the stern as you go in reverse. The boat will want to go to port or starboard in the direction you turn the helm.

I am a believer in the use of a spring line as a “Stern Bridle”.
One of the easiest ways to understand this concept is a video.
Here is a link

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/threads/best-way-to-single-hand-dock-to-starboard-with-wind-blowing-you-off.1249939145/post-1814253

I’ve been using this technique when docking solo going either forward or backwards into the slip. In waters with 20knots and or currents wanting to cause me harm. No one needs to jump off the boat. Learn the technique and apply it. You’ll wonder what is all the fuss about.