Last night, coming in from a daysail, I wanted to pull up to the fuel dock and pump out my holding tank. The deck fitting is on the starboard side, so I really wanted to dock to starboard. The only problem was, the wind and tide were both right on my stern, with the tide moving somewhere around 1-2 kts. There was no one at the dock to take our lines, it was early evening and everyone had gone home. And, I have a strict "no jumping off the boat" rule. The long and short of it is that I couldn't get the boat up alongside the fuel dock so that someone could step off safely. Even swinging my stern in hard with the rudder, I would have to apply so much reverse thrust to counter the tide that the stern would start walking away from the dock at about the moment I got it near stopped. After three tries, I gave up, turned around, and came it upwind/uptide to port, which was a breeze, of course. Does anyone have any ideas about how I could have handled this situation successfully? Thanks, Paul sv Escape Artist h336
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Ben
possible. . .
This is just a hypothetical solution, and might not work with a larger boat. But I was in a similar situation not too long ago, and after successfully applying a lot of power to reverse I was trying to think of an easier way. I was thinking that maybe I could have simply docked heading into the wind, but pulled up a little farther than where I wanted the boat to end up. At that point, tie another stern line to the side of the boat away from the dock, release the bow line, and let the wind/current swing the boat around. Then re-tie the bow from the other side. I personally wouldn't try that with a large boat, but does it sound good for us little guys? I haven't tried it yet, as I don't normally dock anywhere but my home slip.
This is just a hypothetical solution, and might not work with a larger boat. But I was in a similar situation not too long ago, and after successfully applying a lot of power to reverse I was trying to think of an easier way. I was thinking that maybe I could have simply docked heading into the wind, but pulled up a little farther than where I wanted the boat to end up. At that point, tie another stern line to the side of the boat away from the dock, release the bow line, and let the wind/current swing the boat around. Then re-tie the bow from the other side. I personally wouldn't try that with a large boat, but does it sound good for us little guys? I haven't tried it yet, as I don't normally dock anywhere but my home slip.
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Ed Allen
You got it!
The right way is to turn the boat into the current and wind then you can controll it. there is no other way unless you can get the stern line to something to pull you back and in with the current. most boats will only back one way.
The right way is to turn the boat into the current and wind then you can controll it. there is no other way unless you can get the stern line to something to pull you back and in with the current. most boats will only back one way.
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Kent
Might try this
Since you need starboard access, you might just toss a line to a dock cleat from a starboard stern cleat and reel her in as you go by. Set docklines would work too, but if you have too much speed, it could tear your cleat out. I have seen big boats dock this way in unusual conditions. Should work for small boats too. No, jumping is not a good idea. Another idea that might help is a j-hook. You could catch the dock with it.
Since you need starboard access, you might just toss a line to a dock cleat from a starboard stern cleat and reel her in as you go by. Set docklines would work too, but if you have too much speed, it could tear your cleat out. I have seen big boats dock this way in unusual conditions. Should work for small boats too. No, jumping is not a good idea. Another idea that might help is a j-hook. You could catch the dock with it.
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Jose Venegas
Try reversing
Paul, I agree that the only feasible appraoch is to come against the wind and current. The reason why approaching against the current works is that you can motor up at slightly more speed than the current an reach the dock with virtually zero speed relative to the dock while keeping full steerage provided by the prop wash and the speed of the rudder relative to the water. I have done this several times and the faster the current the easier it gets. Now, I know that fine control motoring in reverse if much harder than forward at least until you gain some speed. This is because you have the prop walk pulling you sideways and because there is no prop wash forces on the rudder. So, to have some control you need a bit of speed until the rudder hydrodynamic forces begin to lead the boat in reverse. Given that in your situation you had current and wind against you, and presumably you could have gone downstream enough distance to gain control in reverse, you could have made an appraoch at almost zero relative speed to the dock. I know that my boat likes to align itself with its stern facing the wind and as long as there is enough current, I can do that maneuver in reverse easier against the wind than with it.
Paul, I agree that the only feasible appraoch is to come against the wind and current. The reason why approaching against the current works is that you can motor up at slightly more speed than the current an reach the dock with virtually zero speed relative to the dock while keeping full steerage provided by the prop wash and the speed of the rudder relative to the water. I have done this several times and the faster the current the easier it gets. Now, I know that fine control motoring in reverse if much harder than forward at least until you gain some speed. This is because you have the prop walk pulling you sideways and because there is no prop wash forces on the rudder. So, to have some control you need a bit of speed until the rudder hydrodynamic forces begin to lead the boat in reverse. Given that in your situation you had current and wind against you, and presumably you could have gone downstream enough distance to gain control in reverse, you could have made an appraoch at almost zero relative speed to the dock. I know that my boat likes to align itself with its stern facing the wind and as long as there is enough current, I can do that maneuver in reverse easier against the wind than with it.
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Debra B
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Glenn Greene
Ben's Got It
I agree with Ben. When I first purchased my boat, it was on a river with substantial currents. The previous owner liked it tied to port, so I tried to leave it that way while it was at his place, but there were a couple of times the current was too strong. I did just what Ben suggested. My boat is a Hunter 26.5, the only thing I had to watch for was keeping the stern far enough away from the dock so the outboard wouldn't hit. The same principle works well for leaving the dock with the bow into the current. Rather than just shoving away from the dock and motoring paralell to it, untie the bow dock line and hold on to the one on the stern. When the current takes the bow to about 45 degrees from the dock, release the stern line, step on to your boat and motor off away from the dock.
I agree with Ben. When I first purchased my boat, it was on a river with substantial currents. The previous owner liked it tied to port, so I tried to leave it that way while it was at his place, but there were a couple of times the current was too strong. I did just what Ben suggested. My boat is a Hunter 26.5, the only thing I had to watch for was keeping the stern far enough away from the dock so the outboard wouldn't hit. The same principle works well for leaving the dock with the bow into the current. Rather than just shoving away from the dock and motoring paralell to it, untie the bow dock line and hold on to the one on the stern. When the current takes the bow to about 45 degrees from the dock, release the stern line, step on to your boat and motor off away from the dock.
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Harry G
Try a spring line
Paul, Here's what we do with our 456: 1. Approach at a relatively shallow angle. 2. Loop a spring line around a piling as your bow passes the piling that will be about amidships when you're docked. 3. Idle forward with full left rudder. The spring stops the boat and moves the bow in. The prop/rudder move the stern to starboard. With the boat pressed against the dock, tie off a stern line, then a bow line, then shift to neutral. If the wind and current were really strong, you could also back toward the dock, tie off a stern line, then drift/idle forward to bring the bow in. Harry
Paul, Here's what we do with our 456: 1. Approach at a relatively shallow angle. 2. Loop a spring line around a piling as your bow passes the piling that will be about amidships when you're docked. 3. Idle forward with full left rudder. The spring stops the boat and moves the bow in. The prop/rudder move the stern to starboard. With the boat pressed against the dock, tie off a stern line, then a bow line, then shift to neutral. If the wind and current were really strong, you could also back toward the dock, tie off a stern line, then drift/idle forward to bring the bow in. Harry
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Roger
Ben again!
Through countless trials and errors, I agree that while backing in, and backing out and away can work, it is quite tricky. I just decided one day to let her flip AFTER getting her docked, to allow for an easy escape, and it is a lot easier, especially if you are singlehanding. I do sail a fin/spade Catalina 27, and so she spins more readily than a full keeler. I have tried some of the great spring line tricks for escaping too, but that is very hard with a tiller boat singlehanding in any wind/current conditions. So if there is enough room, just prepare the dock lines/some fenders to where you need them after the flip, and let nature do all the work!
Through countless trials and errors, I agree that while backing in, and backing out and away can work, it is quite tricky. I just decided one day to let her flip AFTER getting her docked, to allow for an easy escape, and it is a lot easier, especially if you are singlehanding. I do sail a fin/spade Catalina 27, and so she spins more readily than a full keeler. I have tried some of the great spring line tricks for escaping too, but that is very hard with a tiller boat singlehanding in any wind/current conditions. So if there is enough room, just prepare the dock lines/some fenders to where you need them after the flip, and let nature do all the work!
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Ben
thanks
Thanks for the vote of confidence in my idea, I guess I'll give it a try the next time I dock in a current. And thanks for reminding me not to let my outboard hit the dock; it's already happened a few times! I was glad to see someone put in a few tips for large boats, too; I really didn't have any ideas for them.
Thanks for the vote of confidence in my idea, I guess I'll give it a try the next time I dock in a current. And thanks for reminding me not to let my outboard hit the dock; it's already happened a few times! I was glad to see someone put in a few tips for large boats, too; I really didn't have any ideas for them.
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