Entering or Leaving Slip . . . Most Embarrassing Moment

[capn_billl]

That is one of the many reasons us old guys don't use fancy maneuvers to get into a slip that rely on perfect mechanical functioning, and split second timing to work

[Tayana42]

Early on I was taught never to approach a dock faster than you want to hit it. Sometimes wind or current makes more speed necessary for control but as slow as possible still is the golden rule.


S/V B'Shert

[MarkSF]

I was docking a club Catalina 27 once. We approached the slip, I selected reverse gear, pulled on the throttle lever, and it came right off in my hand. Fortunately we were going slowly, and my crew (also tutor) stopped the boat with some deft work with a springline.

[SVArgo]

Was coming out of a slip and drifted to the piling, ripping the grill right off the aft rail. Half sunk, half scattered in the cockpit.

Sent from my LG-E980 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Tayana42

Early on I was taught never to approach a dock faster than you want to hit it. Sometimes wind or current makes more speed necessary for control but as slow as possible still is the golden rule.


S/V B'Shert

Yup - thats Rule number 1,
Rule number 2... a stopped ship is a drifting ship,
Rule number 3 ... make speed your friend,
Rule number 4 ...refer to the previous 3.

Getting the balance in those rules is the tricky bit.

Bin there ... done most of the previous examples...

An early experience... I never turn off the diesel at the tank.... however while on the hard someone had ... proceeding from travel lift to fuel dock... oops! no engine on final approach... luckily just glided alongside with a minimum of stopping required using the spring.....

There is 'arse' and there is 'class'... arse beats class every time.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Pblais

... I would love to (successfully) do a Capt. Ron on a bulkhead.

In fact my most serious near-miss was rather like that. I was coming in a little quick because of strong winds, to a side along tie (transient--had not been to this place before) between piers, to a bulkhead, with only about 10 feet fore and aft (16 foot beam). However, the bulkhead was a floating dock with a strong tide flowing under it, toward the dock. As soon as the boat got sideways the tide grabbed the keels and slammed her against the bulkhead. I was nice and parallel and I had gauged the speed and spin perfectly... but I had not noticed a tide that was NOT present in the fairway and ONLY began about 30 feet from the bulkhead, as the current flowed around the clubhouse.

Very glad to have a strong boat and fat rails. No harm. Next time they offered me that slot I was MUCH more circumspect in my approach.

I've heard the "never approach any faster than you are willing to hit it," but int he world of strong tides and wind, that is a garentee that you WILL hit things. In the above example, under the specific conditions, the only correct approach was probably to say "forget it" and either wait for the tide change, go elsewhere, or anchor out.

[s/v Beth]

Ok, if this ever gets out that it happened to me I am going to deny it...
I was learning to solo my Catalina 27, the first keel boat I had ever owned. I would bring it into dock, fenders and lines ready, switch the little outboard to reverse idle to slow it down and then jump off and tie off. (you can already see the problems with this). One fair day, while the marina public is out and watching, I bring my boat in after a wonderful solo day sail. The only problem is, I am really tired. So I glide into the slip, put my outboard on idle-reverse, and step off into the water. Newly awakened, I sputter onto the dock only to note that the boat is no longer there. The reverse has reversed the boat and it is now going off to sea.
I run down the edge of the dock, jump heroically onto the bow, to find that I am too weak to pull myself up. Hmm, still going out to sea. I hand over hand myself around the boat to the stern, where I use the still running outboard to climb up into the cockpit. Turn the outboard to neutral and collapse on deck. Lucky I didn't have a loose shoelace while climbing the jettering ancient outboard!
By now I am generating quite a crowd on shore... I slowly put the outboard on forward.
Someone was at the dock next time I went in, with a towel and some encouragement...