My (disgusting) Pump Out Saga

[lonokai]

I sent this to a friend last week, when this occurred. Please bear in mind that I am a newbie and this is my first boat.




FEB 17, 2016
Early this morning, I hopped on the boat and started up the engine for a trip to your friendly pump out station. This time, I planned ahead as to what I was going to do. The head was totally full and I was with limited time today, so I just wanted to get over to the PO Station, dock, pump and return to the slip. I could not start any deep cleaning treatment.


I made a wide turn and slowly drifted up to the PO station. As soon as the boat was within 12" of the dock I hopped off and grabbed the aft line and tied it down..... Wrong, Eric, wrong. The bow drifted into the channel. So, I released the line, hopped onto the boat, started up the engine and made another wide turn back to the dock. Thank goodness there were no other boaters around to mock me!


This time, I took the bow line and tied it off first. Then grabbed the aft line and tied it down. I was proud of myself. I unscrewed the waste cap and went over and grabbed the hose....Alas. 2-feet short!

So, I put it down, released both lines and maneuvered the boat to position, tied it down and repeated the effort to pump out.


I know, I know, I know....now I know...YOU MUST MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU HAVE A GOOD SEAL/CONNECTION!. I Know! Because I was splattered with.....well, YOU KNOW.


When finished, I cleaned the hose, released the lines and took her into the slip.


Now I am ready to really clean the head.


And I know how to make a good seal so I don't get splattered again.


BTW, how do I know when the holding tank is totally empty? Is there a sound....the plastic see through on the pump is so crackled its hard to see...

 

[Christian Williams]

There's a clear-plastic (viewing") section on the head of the pumpout hose. It is kinda hard to judge, which is why I fill/flush with fresh water several times.

That dock looks easy, but I know what you mean about maneuvering a single-screw yacht off a dock when pinned sideways by the wind (bow thrusters, anyone?).

But--

In reverse gear, most boats pull one way--perhaps strongly, and probably to the left. You can use that phenomenon to peel the stern off.

If pointed the other way, shove the bow way WAY out--45 degrees--before boarding and engaging forward gear.

The whole trick to maneuvering an auxiliary sailboat in a crowded environment is to manhandle it so it's already pointing where you want to go.

 

[markvone]

Hi Erik,

For holding tank empty see post #6 of this:

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?13682-E35-II-holding-tank

You have to have the tank top easy to access for this to work. And you have to go inside the cabin, but it's foolproof.

For solo docking my 36'er, my tip is two really LONG bow and stern lines. Both are lead to my exit-the-boat spot which is near the front of the cockpit. I step off onto the dock with BOTH bow and stern lines in hand.

Mark

 

[toddster]

^ Yeah, but if you lay out long docking lines like that on approach, make absolutely sure that they can't blow or fall into the water, where they will get sucked into your prop and make the whole day much more interesting.

 

[lonokai]

Thanks Mark that was helpful

 

[bgary]

solo docking

For solo docking my 36'er, my tip is two really LONG bow and stern lines.

I won't claim to have fully regained my long-ago skillzzz, but... my approach has been to attach a line to the rail a bit aft of midships (on the 32-III, right about even with the middle of the aft-most window seems to be a good spot.) I hang a fender a couple of feet in front of that point, and another a couple of feet aft.

Make the approach slowly, step onto the dock and snub the boat (short) on a handy dock cleat. If the line is positioned correctly, the boat will pretty much stay in place, snug against those fenders, long enough for me to take care of bow-, stern- and spring-lines. All of the basics (approach speed, wind direction, current, whatever) still matter, but... they always do.

May take a little experimentation to find the right spot - too far forward and momentum will tend to rotate the bow toward the dock. Too far aft and the bow may swing out away from the dock.

ymmv...

 

[lonokai]

That sounds like a great idea..... since I will be going to the pump out later today again!

 

[u079721]

My approach to this when singlehanding was to ALWAYS tie the bow and stern lines together with a quick sheet bend. That way when I stepped ashore (with the line BEHIND my back, not in front of me) I could completely control the boat. Can't remember where I read it, but it's one of the best singlehanding tips I've come across.

 

[lonokai]

ooo that sounds interesting...

Like this?

 

[u079721]

Well that's how it would look as you step ashore. I would then go to whichever end was blowing off first and do a quick secure of that end of the line on a cleat or a post, then go to the other and do a thorough job, and go back to the first the redo it more thoroughly. So I'm not securing both ends of the boat with a loop in the center, I'm just keeping both ends together to be sure one end of the boat doesn't get away from me. If there's someone else on the dock the sheet bend comes apart in a second to give them one line as I handle the other.

 

[lonokai]

understood

 

[Rocinante33]

I won't claim to have fully regained my long-ago skillzzz, but... my approach has been to attach a line to the rail a bit aft of midships (on the 32-III, right about even with the middle of the aft-most window seems to be a good spot.) I hang a fender a couple of feet in front of that point, and another a couple of feet aft.

Make the approach slowly, step onto the dock and snub the boat (short) on a handy dock cleat. If the line is positioned correctly, the boat will pretty much stay in place, snug against those fenders, long enough for me to take care of bow-, stern- and spring-lines. All of the basics (approach speed, wind direction, current, whatever) still matter, but... they always do.

May take a little experimentation to find the right spot - too far forward and momentum will tend to rotate the bow toward the dock. Too far aft and the bow may swing out away from the dock.

ymmv...

Steve's techique sounds good, but I think I prefer this one by Bgary. I use a variation of it, gleaned from past readings and a bit of experimentation.

On my t track on the toe rail, I have a moveable cleat and I feed my dock line through the base of it so I can turn the line back to the main winch. The looped end of the dock line is out, toward the dock. The turning point (the cleat) is a bit aft of amidship (perhaps a coupe of feet). The inner end is given 3 wraps around the winch then secured in the self tailer. The outer length of line should be fairly short, but long enough to reach out to the dock. As I lay it along the rail, it is maybe 4' short of the transom.

With this line laid out and fenders deployed, I slowly (but with enough forward momentum to maintain my motion), step off the boat onto the dock and drop the loop over the aft dock cleat. As the line pulls taut, the boat is pulled sideways into the dock simultaneously to the forward motion being stopped. The boat can actually remain in gear (forward at idle speed) and it will be held secure,pressing into the dock while I liesurely tie off the fore and aft doc lines. With the inner end of the line on the winch it is easy to quickly adjust the length.

The keys are
1) to find the right spot at the toe rail to lead the dockline to.
2) to use the correct length of dockline.

Experiment with the boat in the slip. Loosen but don't detach the fore and aft dock lines. Rig the spring line as I have described and put the loop around your aft dock cleat. Start the engine and put it in gear - forward. If the bow swings out move the pivot point forward and try again. If the stern swings out, move it aftward. If it pins the boat to the dock, you've got it. Mark your line and your pivot or turning point at the rail and it should work every time!

I haven't marked my line yet so it is not yet a perfect operation for me, but I intend to do so.

 

[Rick R.]

Steve's techique sounds good, but I think I prefer this one by Bgary. I use a variation of it, gleaned from past readings and a bit of experimentation.

On my t track on the toe rail, I have a moveable cleat and I feed my dock line through the base of it so I can turn the line back to the main winch. The looped end of the dock line is out, toward the dock. The turning point (the cleat) is a bit aft of amidship (perhaps a coupe of feet). The inner end is given 3 wraps around the winch then secured in the self tailer. The outer length of line should be fairly short, but long enough to reach out to the dock. As I lay it along the rail, it is maybe 4' short of the transom.

With this line laid out and fenders deployed, I slowly (but with enough forward momentum to maintain my motion), step off the boat onto the dock and drop the loop over the aft dock cleat. As the line pulls taut, the boat is pulled sideways into the dock simultaneously to the forward motion being stopped. The boat can actually remain in gear (forward at idle speed) and it will be held secure,pressing into the dock while I liesurely tie off the fore and aft doc lines. With the inner end of the line on the winch it is easy to quickly adjust the length.

The keys are
1) to find the right spot at the toe rail to lead the dockline to.
2) to use the correct length of dockline.

Experiment with the boat in the slip. Loosen but don't detach the fore and aft dock lines. Rig the spring line as I have described and put the loop around your aft dock cleat. Start the engine and put it in gear - forward. If the bow swings out move the pivot point forward and try again. If the stern swings out, move it aftward. If it pins the boat to the dock, you've got it. Mark your line and your pivot or turning point at the rail and it should work every time!

I haven't marked my line yet so it is not yet a perfect operation for me, but I intend to do so.

Captain Jack Klang teaches a similar method and it works great! Keeping the boat in gear it's the helm turned away from the dock, pulls you right in place.

 

[lonokai]

My toe rail is actually a part of the boat (raised 1" or so) and not a metal one with holes.....so, if I am to use this technique, I will have to locate a cleat in the correct location to pull this one off.

Thanks...this is very helpful info.

 

[toddster]

My toe rail is actually a part of the boat (raised 1" or so) and not a metal one with holes.....so, if I am to use this technique, I will have to locate a cleat in the correct location to pull this one off.

Thanks...this is very helpful info.

Our boats sadly lack a midship cleat. The easiest way to add a pair is to purchase Genoa-track car cleats. You just slide them onto the track, forward of your turning blocks cars, usually. I first bought an inexpensive pair made from some plastic material, but it turned out that the material was too thick to slide easily on the track. Then I went back and bought the more expensive stainless steel version, which works fine.

Alas, I have a down-wind slip and generally need to back in, so the trick mentioned above doesn't usually work for me.

 

[bgary]

generally need to back in, so the trick mentioned above doesn't usually work for me.

It'll work (I backed Makana into her slip last week - first time!) - you'll just need to find a different spot on the rail, probably a bit farther forward.

The trick seems to be to find that magical spot where the line - when snugged up - "aims" at the point your boat rotates around. if you can make it so neither end of the boat rotates into or away from the dock when that line is snugged up short, the boat will sit there and wait for you to handle the rest of the lines. "pinned against the fenders", as another poster said.

 

[toddster]

Well, no. The A4 only stays in reverse as long as someone sits in the cockpit and actively forces the gearshift lever back to engage the reversing clutch. Leaving nobody to work the lines. And the Genoa-track cleat can't go very far forward. And for my slip there is actually a slight cross-wind which tries to push the bow away and into the neighboring boat. The best I can usually do is slew it around until the cockpit comes even with the end of the finger, then leap across with the lines and walk (or wrestle, depending on the wind) the boat back into the slip.

On the other hand, our fuel/pump-out and guest docks are broadside to the wind. It'll push you right in there. The trick is getting away. The old "reverse into the spring line" trick might come in pretty handy over there. As long as you can pull the line in smartly as you depart, to avoid wrapping it around the prop.

 

[bgary]

Well, no. The A4 only stays in reverse as long as someone sits in the cockpit and actively forces the gearshift lever back to engage the reversing clutch. Leaving nobody to work the lines. And the Genoa-track cleat can't go very far forward. And for my slip there is actually a slight cross-wind which tries to push the bow away and into the neighboring boat.

Ah! (laughing) Yeah, those are problems.

I don't claim any real expertise, I'm just sorting through what seems to work for me.

I generally prefer to ghost into the slip at just enough speed to maintain steerage, with the transmission in neutral, and then step off and find a way to hold her in place against the dock until I can get her properly secured. The "snubbing line" approach has been working for me, so far.

Single-handing, I can't think of a case where I would leave the transmission in gear when I step off, out of fear that she'd "get away from me" and hurt herself.

 

[toddster]

Oh, I'm sure there are cases where it works great. It's just that every boat is a bit different. One needs a bag of tricks for different situations.

 

[u079721]

Powering into the dock with a spring line to hold the boat against the dock is indeed a pretty slick trick. But in practice I've never found it very useful when approaching a strange berth because it's just too stressful trying to find a cleat or piling in just the right spot to fasten the end of the spring line, especially when singlehanding, and especially when the dock is not that long. When done properly it's a thing of beauty, as I saw once on a 90 footer one day in Harbor Springs, MI, with one crew to just fasten the end of the spring line, a second to quickly take up the slack around a winch, as the skipper slowly motored into the side of the dock and they gently came to a stop. But for just me, or me and my wife, on a 38 footer, I felt much more secure just stopping the forward motion within a foot of the dock and stepping ashore with both bow and stern lines in hand - much less to go wrong.