Yet Another Docking Challenge

[Foswick]

It seems like I have been sailing too long to not be able to figure this out, but my boat has some challenging handling characteristics in the marina. Most notably, she absolutely does not steer in reverse. If I really get moving, I can sort of suggest where she might go, but there are no guarantees she will comply. In reverse, I mostly need to steer with the throttle, which has its limitations. Also, her bow blows hard downwind in even fairly light air. Just a few knots breeze makes it challenging. Much more and it's impossible at safe marina speeds.

In general, I do OK with these limitations. I just plan ahead and give myself a plan B and plan C.

However, there is a spot in our marina that is pretty tricky - the pumpout dock.

The only place to tie up on that dock is in the position shown. I can easily pull in for a portside tie, but our pumpout port is on the starboard side and pulling the hose across the deck is like wrestling an anaconda covered in other people's poop. I would much prefer to somehow get into the position indicated.

Note, our boat is 32' and there is maybe 50' in the space shown. I can easily do a 180 turn in that space, turning to starboard, but not to port, especially if there is any wind. The wind is usually blowing off the dock (from the southwest, as the photo is oriented). To make matters worse, the tidal current can be running the same direction. So, while I "might" be able to make that portside 180, I wouldn't try it on most days. Maybe at slack tide with no wind.

Another option is to go as deep as possible in that nook, do my 180 as close to the doc as possible, and then pull forward. Not ideal, but possible if conditions are friendly to that plan.

Finally, the least desirable plan is to somehow try to back in from the northeast with a good head of steam, then go hard to starboard with throttle to simultaneously avoid crashing into the dock and also turning the boat to be more or less parallel. This is technically possible, and I have done the maneuver in open water, but the timing has to be just right - like Captain Ron or, at best, I need to pull out and start over. The best thing that plan has going for it is that it keeps my pointed out of the recess, in case I need to bail.

I have tried to work out just about every permutation of using spring lines, and I don't like any option I have come up with.

Any clever suggestions? I will add that the surrounding area is wide open - lots of maneuvering space.

The obvious answer is to simply tie up portside and deal with it, unless conditions are just right to make that maneuver. (For the life of me, I don't know why the marina put the pumpout on a one-sided dock in a little nook.)

 

[Foswick]

This is pretty funny. I just pulled this up on Google Maps to see if I could get a better look.

It looks like Google's AI decided that dock is a barge and put a wake behind it. That would add a real twist to the challenge!

But ... it also shows the additional challenge that the northern dock can be occupied (though it usually isn't), making anything but a straight-in portside tie-up pretty much unworkable.

 

[danstanford]

I would try to land her on the end of the finger with some help and walk her around into the space as desired.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Pull to the end of the dock with a stern spring line, the same length as your boat, ready on the starboard side. Also, have a bow slip line ready and catch both lines to the leeward corner of the dock end as you drift in to a stop. As soon as the lines are on, put your boat in reverse. The spring line plus engine reversal, should bring your stern around against the dock in the position you want. Use the bow slip line to keep the bow from drifting out. Pull yourself in as the bow begins to catch the wind while the boat slips backwards against the stern spring.
Steps:
1. Pull along side the end of the finger dock, dock to starboard, bow into the wind.
2. Catch the dock cleat or piling with the eye end of a pre-tied stern spring line.
3. Loop a slip line from bow cleat, over same dock cleat, back through fairlead to cockpit.
4. Reverse engine. (It will, of course, help to cut the helm over to starboard, or the tiller to port, as you back up).
5. While boat is reversing, fend off dock and adjust bow slip line to keep bow from blowing off.
6. Make fast with stern line and bow line once in position.
7. Cut engine.

With other crew, you won't need to use a slip line, your crew can take up slack in the bow line as you back into position.

‐Will

 

[dlochner]

This is pretty funny. I just pulled this up on Google Maps to see if I could get a better look.

View attachment 230089

It looks like Google's AI decided that dock is a barge and put a wake behind it. That would add a real twist to the challenge!

But ... it also shows the additional challenge that the northern dock can be occupied (though it usually isn't), making anything but a straight-in portside tie-up pretty much unworkable.

It's easy turn into the area south of the dock, go around the aft end and pull forward. I don't understand the problem.

Given the choice of wrestling with the hose or getting frustrated trying make a near impossible manuevr, I'd wrestle with the hose. Wear gloves, rinse the cockpit and be done with it.

Why can't you land on the South side of the dock. If there are no cleats on that side, run lines across the dock to the other side and ask the marin

 

[jssailem]

The end dock strategy with spring line sounds like a solid option. Worth a try. Certainly there is greater control than the hope for perfect conditions and a prayer.

Your boats long keel are driving the challenge you experience in control. It takes a lot of patience and practice to learn control of this type of hull shape. The single engine prop and smallish rudder of nor make it any easier. Going forward will always give you the feedback of more control than backing. You also need to identify where your boats pivot point is. Going in the forward direction I would suspect it is closer to the bow. When turning the boats butt is going to swing way more than many other boats.

I’d want to spend a week of practice in a calm bay with a float learning the craft.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Some good advice above. If you go in bow-first and do a port tie you won't need to do very precise maneuvers to back out.
IMHO try to rid yourself of the thought that the hose is covered in poop. It's more likely just grimy from being dragged around the dock but generally it's only the nozzle and first few feet of hose that's contaminated from handling, and if you wear disposable gloves it's not an issue. I use disposable wipes on the hose handle and to clean up any drips on deck, and rinse the nozzle when finished (by dunking it in the sea while it's open and the pump is operating). A dry hose won't leave much residue, if any. After a day or two of UV exposure it's no more of a risk than the bird poop that hits your deck every day.

 

[sesmith]

Another idea. Pull boat in for a port side tie, kind of deep in. Run a spring line from the starboard rear cleat on the boat over to the dock and forward some. Release the other lines and back against the spring. This will rotate the bow out. With a little luck, you might be able to get it past 90 degrees with the dock if the spring is on the starboard rear cleat, and obviously you will need some protection on the rear and rear corners of the boat. Then put the boat in forward with the wheel cranked toward starboard. Do a couple of short throttle bursts to kick the stern sideways against the spring line and foward motion should finish the turn and put the boat against the dock on the starboard side. That's my theory anyway. Good luck. Personally, I'd probably just drag the hose over the boat, but you'd really look like you knew what you were doing if this spring line trick worked and you landed right at the pumpout.

 

[Foswick]

I should have mentioned that the south (the tip of the dock) is obstructed. It is possible to land an athletic person there, but not an ideal plan A.

One of my sailing buddies actually just gave me a good suggestion that I hadn't thought of. She uses it occasionally on her boat with similar handling characteristics, specifically if wind and/or current are pushing off the dock.

The strategy is to secure a long line to the starboard midship cleat. Then drop off crew portside with the bow line and midship line in-hand. The crew secures the bow line at a length that keeps the bow within reach of dock crew while the skipper gently backs with helm hard to starboard (though that doesn't matter much). While the boat is swinging toward perpendicular to the dock, the crew takes up all slack in the midship line. Now, the only goal is to get the bow across the wind and current so those forces complete the turn for you. Crew walks the bow line over to the cleat toward the end of the dock and encourages the bow to follow. Take up slack in the midship line as the bow comes across and Bob's your uncle.

Sounds complicated, but she swears by it. I'm going to try it out, just to have that in my toolbox.

But, she also sensibly pointed out that the marina could easily clear the obstructions on the end of the dock and install a fender or corner wheel to make it easier to spring around that southeast corner.

 

[Foswick]

... try to rid yourself of the thought that the hose is covered in poop ...

It's really less about the sanitation and more about the fact that it is REALLY heavy and hard to maneuver - honestly a two-person job just to manage the hose. Not that we can't do it, we just don't like to. (This is the heaviest and stiffest hose I have ever encountered, by far. Recall the most unwieldy hose you've ever handled, then fill that with wet sand ... it is like that.) And, it is less about this SPECIFIC situation and more about coming up with a bigger toolbox for this boat.

... it's no more of a risk than the bird poop that hits your deck every day.

We don't allow birds to poop on our deck. It is against our Terms & Conditions.

 

[JBP-PA]

Pull in port side to as @sesmith said, but if the wind is off the dock, you don't need to motor, just wrap a long line outside everything. Let the stern (or bow) blow off, haul it in starboard side to. Big Fender or a watchful eye on the bow to make sure it doesn't hit the dock.