By luck, I wandered onto this nice owner video of practicing docking and securing his boat by himself.
He is using a technique I have read about, and it's useful to see it further illustrated and explained.
Video: docking idea: E-32-2
- Thread starter Loren Beach
- Start date
I guess I use a variant of that. I bought a Schaefer cleat that fits on the 1-1/4" outboard genoa track.
www.fisheriessupply.com
When I come into the dock, I loop a line from that cleat around the aft-most cleat on the dock and then back to the primary winch. After a bit of experimentation I found a spot for the cleat that put the line at an angle where the boat just sits quietly against the dock long enough for me to jump off and put on the real docklines.
I'm fortunate in that my slip faces into the prevailing wind, and is sheltered from a southerly, so I almost never (knock on wood) have much of a cross-wind to deal with.
For undocking in normal circumstances, I just put the motor in neutral, pre-set the helm a little to port, untie the boat and manually walk it out of the slip. the stern drifts a little to port as the boat moves aft, and by the time I've climbed on the boat is most of the way lined up with the aisle... opposite helm, a little forward thrust and I'm on my way.
I have had to undock a number of times in significant cross-wind, most recently in Port Ludlow. If the wind is pushing me onto the dock, that's OK, my normal approach (walk the boat out and let the stern carry some angle) works OK. If the wind is pushing me OFF the dock, that's harder... I don't want to let my bow blow down onto the boat next door.
What I've played with is a knot (I have no idea what its called, I can't find it in Ashley's) where the entire bight of a line is run around the base of a cleat, and then a slip-knot is tied around the standing portion. A tug on the tail frees the whole thing (no need to "unwrap" the line from around the cleat - tug on the tail and you're completely free).
this isthe general idea: https://www.facebook.com/reel/870889324621945
What that allows me to do is untie the regular docklines, walk the boat halfway out of the slip and secure it with this temporary leash, get onboard, put the boat in reverse and then "pull the rip-cord". So far, so good... the boat - at least the handful times I've tried this - goes from parked to moving astern (and under helm control) quickly enough that the bow doesn't really have an opportunity to get off-track.
$.02
Bruce
Schaefer Marine 70-75 | Fisheries Supply
Save More on Your Schaefer Marine #70-75 Mid-Rail Chock and Cleat, 7-1'2" Cleat - 1-1/4" x 3/16" Track at Fisheries Supply. Excellent Customer Service, Ready to Ship. Marine Supplies Since 1928!
www.fisheriessupply.com
When I come into the dock, I loop a line from that cleat around the aft-most cleat on the dock and then back to the primary winch. After a bit of experimentation I found a spot for the cleat that put the line at an angle where the boat just sits quietly against the dock long enough for me to jump off and put on the real docklines.
I'm fortunate in that my slip faces into the prevailing wind, and is sheltered from a southerly, so I almost never (knock on wood) have much of a cross-wind to deal with.
For undocking in normal circumstances, I just put the motor in neutral, pre-set the helm a little to port, untie the boat and manually walk it out of the slip. the stern drifts a little to port as the boat moves aft, and by the time I've climbed on the boat is most of the way lined up with the aisle... opposite helm, a little forward thrust and I'm on my way.
I have had to undock a number of times in significant cross-wind, most recently in Port Ludlow. If the wind is pushing me onto the dock, that's OK, my normal approach (walk the boat out and let the stern carry some angle) works OK. If the wind is pushing me OFF the dock, that's harder... I don't want to let my bow blow down onto the boat next door.
What I've played with is a knot (I have no idea what its called, I can't find it in Ashley's) where the entire bight of a line is run around the base of a cleat, and then a slip-knot is tied around the standing portion. A tug on the tail frees the whole thing (no need to "unwrap" the line from around the cleat - tug on the tail and you're completely free).
this isthe general idea: https://www.facebook.com/reel/870889324621945
What that allows me to do is untie the regular docklines, walk the boat halfway out of the slip and secure it with this temporary leash, get onboard, put the boat in reverse and then "pull the rip-cord". So far, so good... the boat - at least the handful times I've tried this - goes from parked to moving astern (and under helm control) quickly enough that the bow doesn't really have an opportunity to get off-track.
$.02
Bruce
Not sure exactly what the guy's objective is but it seems he wants the port side of the boat to hover against the slip so he can leisurely get out and secure to the dock? I see he as a double slip and a neighbor to his right but he doesn't mention that to be a part of the problem.
I am in a single slip, So no neighbor to hit. But when I go to other docks, I use a single line attached to the bow and stern. The line is just long enough to cleat off at both ends. When I step off onto the dock. I have control of both bow an stern. If the wind is blowing me into a downwind boat I can quickly cleat off the stern and move forward on the line to maintain control of the bow. If there is nothing to hit down wind, I can leisurely tie off with control of both ends. I was told how to do this by a 75 year old sailor who single-handed a Wilderness 40.
I am in a single slip, So no neighbor to hit. But when I go to other docks, I use a single line attached to the bow and stern. The line is just long enough to cleat off at both ends. When I step off onto the dock. I have control of both bow an stern. If the wind is blowing me into a downwind boat I can quickly cleat off the stern and move forward on the line to maintain control of the bow. If there is nothing to hit down wind, I can leisurely tie off with control of both ends. I was told how to do this by a 75 year old sailor who single-handed a Wilderness 40.
Bolo
Contributing Partner
If there is a situation where the dock runs along the whole length of the boat AND there are cleats attached to it then this maneuver or an easier one that I use in these situations can work. Most of the transient slips that I encounter on the Chesapeake Bay, including my home slip, do not have docks that run the length of the boat or have cleats so obviously this technique can’t be used. However, when I do come along side a dock with cleats I prepare for it by tying off a long line to the mid-cleat and then run it back to the head sail winch (one the side where I’m docking) with lots of slack. It’s also important to run this line outside of the stanchions but drape it over the top of the life line and onto the deck. Then when you come along side, step out of the cockpit a bit, grab the loose dock line in the middle and toss it over the dock cleat and onto the dock surface. Go back to the winch and pull the line in, if needed a winch handle can be used to tighten up on the line pulling the boat closer to the dock. A little forward motion, from zero throttle to a little more thrust, with the wheel turned towards the dock (or tiller turned away) will keep the bow in towards the dock if the cleat ends up even or a little behind the winch with the line winched in. Then get off and reach over to those bow and stern lines that you also prepped in place before you started your docking. I’ve used this technique solo and with one other person who throws the line over the dock cleat. No using a boat hook or having to wrap a line around a winch and hold it in place. It a much easier way, IMO, of course.
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I use a variation of this for docking. Normal situation is port tie with wind from the starboard side and current from the port side. This means the bow gets blown into the slip corner and the stern gets carried (quickly) downriver into my neighbor and off the dock. When single handing I almost always have to get to the dock from midships or forward since the stern goes downriver so quickly.
So I came up with a system using two long dock lines, one secured at the bow with the loop running just aft of midship and another at the stern that runs through the loop of the forward line. I grab the end of the aft line and carry it on to the dock as I come alongside. Pulling on this line puts tension on both cleats and allows me to control both ends of the boat with one line that I can then secure on the mid dock cleat. It’s not perfect but it works better than trying to lasso the end dock cleat with a midship line like in the video.
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You must be nimble enough to jump to the dock with that line in hand, at just the right moment. Difficult maneuver for us older Vikings.
Where do you moor?
I agree that when alone it is important to have both bow and stern line in hand when arriving at a gas dock, say. Better still, for me, is to make sure an attendant sees me coming and can help.
The 38 can be a bear to get off such a dock if pinned by the wind. My substantial prop walk to port helps, so long as I remember to land starboard-side to.
I admit that at our fuel dock on crowded summer days I put off the attempt for some other time. And we don't even have current.
The 38 can be a bear to get off such a dock if pinned by the wind. My substantial prop walk to port helps, so long as I remember to land starboard-side to.
I admit that at our fuel dock on crowded summer days I put off the attempt for some other time. And we don't even have current.