Trouble getting in and out of slip

[Sandero]

This is an interesting discussion. I only go in and out of a slip a few times a year... into winter wet storage and out of it! The problems is that the winds and the current are variable and each can be intense. The current is predictable but the wind can come from any quadrant. There are so many variables it's truly hard to practice.

I will of course pick the conditions to come and go... and that makes getting in and out much more manageable. But you need to know how you boat behaves when you throttle up in forward, reverse and with the helm straight and hard over.... and how to stop slow forward motion with reverse.

I use a mid ship line to a cleat to stop the boat and deal with the bow and stern lines after that. I can pretty much single hand docking... but with the right conditions and the right cleat situation.

[hsi88]

I look at my slip like its a garage. Is it easier to drive forward into a garage or back in ? Same applies to my boat.

[Mithril Bham]

Not sure I agree with the garage analogy. The cockpit is much closer to the stern, in most cases, than the driver's seat is to the rear bumper. I have docked 60ft sailboats with the wind astern and acting as a brake and can bring the stern within inches of the dock with absolute control.
Took me decades before I figured this out. The wind will blow the bow off and position the stern to the wind with a sailboat.

[Terra Nova]

mag--good post.

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

Is it possible because of the max prop I don't have prop walk?

I've got a Max Prop and we definitely have prop walk (to port in reverse). Yours will depend on which direction your prop spins (CW or CCW), how close your prop is to your hull and your rudder, hull-shape, etc.

For my boat I prefer a slip where I turn to starboard (from the fairway) and a port-side tie. This way I can use my prop walk to spin the boat as I make the turn and shift into reverse to slow down. For my own slip I've permanently rigged a spring line that is secured to a cleat at the end of the slip, and hangs from a pole there, which is easy to pick up as I enter the slip. The spring goes on a midship cleat and keeps things under control while I attach the rest of the docklines. (This is a floating dock, so the spring line is always at the right height for pickup.)

Your boat will no doubt maneuver differently than mine, but it sounds like you are figuring it out. Practice, practice, practice! Get some friends to help prevent expensive mistakes while you perfect your technique, but do practice as if you are sailing solo.

[northoceanbeach]

Thanks. I turn to starboard, but also tie to starboard. Maybe I could try tying up to port and seeing if that help. I guess I think at the point my prop walks to port. If I think about what happens when I get into the slip, once I'm heading into it, and hit reverse to slow down, it seems to always throw the stern to port.

I doubt it matters but I looked it up and I have a three bladed feathering variprop not max prop, but I'm sure they are the same.

[Mithril Bham]

That's because prop walk is opposite when in reverse. Crank the wheel to port then give it a shot of forward and immediately a shot of reverse and see what happens. Don't shift too quickly and damage your transmission.

[Splash of Lime]

That's the idea of having a variety of challenges so you can learn how-to in any situation..not just when it is a nice day. The more the challenges the faster you will learn or not? Lots of practice. . . . makes for a good seaman. . . . .

[David_Old_Jersey]

And for any new folks to boats reading this thread.....rest assured that no one does perfect dockings all the time!

Sent from my NEXUS 5 whilst sitting in my armchair tied to the dock.

[danstanford]

OK folks, I think we all agree that the wind will blow the bow far more than the stern and the prop walk complicates it all when trying to slow forward progress or start moving. I tie on the starboard side of the slip with a neighbor to port and the prevailing winds from the starboard. I can get in by angling into the slip which allows reverse to slow the movement of the stern to starboard and this works fine (spring line to mid-ship cleat works well too). My problem is getting out with a stiff breeze. I see the logic of a line down the length of the finger to starboard and running a line from midships (or the forward cleat) doubled so that I can release it once I have some way on. I also see the logic of backing in and will give it a try soon.
My question was about using a spring for exit as described by one of the previous posters. How would it be rigged?

[Terra Nova]

Unsubsctribed.

[Splash of Lime]

Sounds like trouble to me. My belief is that i rely on myself only. The more you try to rely on others I think the more your asking for trouble. Only believing in your abilities to me is best. Do not ask for help, just do it yourself. Now if you are just learning that's great and have fun. But do it yourself. Trust what you know and like the rest practice and eventually you will get the hang of it. The only time I got into trouble once was in Santa Barbara, Ca when I was coming in and two neighbors came to help and grab lines, got me all screwed up and I said thanks but I better take it from here and backed out and and down about 50 yards and came back to do it again with no help, the way I know how for me the only way to do it. I then brought the boat in the way i know how and stepped off and tied her up. I wave people off that want to help. I had a single engine commercial vessel once. I tied and old tire to the main board walk (you could cover it with some sort of canvas to look good and and no tire marks) anyway it hung down just at right height. I could come in and nudge up to the tire turned the wheel to the right (my slip was on the left) with engine in forward (idle of course) of course and just stepped off, while good people wanting to help, no need but thanks. The vessel snugged up and stayed there until I tied it up. Then got back in and turned the motor off and finished tying her up the way i wanted. Simple clean and looks good as well. And always works no matter the weather. The better you get at boat handling under all condition the more fun you have and pride in what you ave learned. Happy sailing. I'm 75 now and I love boating more then just about anything. It seems I have always had a boat of some kind or another most of my adult life. This was not a family thing, my dad was lucky to find the dipstick in his car. What a lot of pleasure boating has brought to my life. What a lot of good people i have met because of boating. I spend more time on my boat whatever it is at the time then on land. Except when I am playing golf which is a lot. . . . Am i still learning, well. . . . . . I think so, it seems things are never exactly the same weather coming or going, but it is all good. Coming and going are the most hazardous times on your boat unless you are out in a storm. So yes it does require that you spend a lot more time practicing docking, in and out it really it pays off eventually. There is nothing like being in complete control of your vessel with confidence. Happy trails.

Captain Chuck

[jeepbluetj]

Originally Posted by danstanford

My question was about using a spring for exit as described by one of the previous posters. How would it be rigged?

I use a long (2x boatlength) spring to exit my slip. I've got some pretty good propwalk to port in reverse, I need to back to starboard, and the prevailing wind tends to blow the bow to starboard. My slip is upwind, and we're not allowed to back in. Floating fingers both sides.

So I rig a very long line (polypropylene, so it floats) from my starboard rear cleat on my boat, around the starboard rear cleat on the dock, and the loose end back into the cockpit.

My getting out procedure once the line is rigged is to:
1. Toss it in reverse.
2. As I back out of the slip, tension on the line will pull the rear of the boat to starboard - I essentially steer straight out using the line. (Counteracts the propwalk and the wind blowing the bow)
3. At the last bit of line I hold it/loop around a cleat on the boat and the boat spins - rear to stbd, bow to port.
4. Pop it in forward and gather in the line.

It's so easy, it's become a bit of a security blanket. I _can_ get out by the typical lotsa reverse, neutral, a few pops in fwd to wash the rudder, etc... method. But the spring line is just easier.

[danstanford]

Jeep, thanks for the reply. I understand what you are doing now.
My problem is different and probably explains why I couldn't envision the rig. My issue is that the wind is from my starboard side and I am on the windward side of the slip. My bow blows down onto the neighbors boat as soon as I untie the bow and nothing I have found will stop it till I get some way which is too late. If I have help it is ok but often I am trying to do it with my help on board (or by myself) and I am looking for some kind of way to hold that bow up into the wind.
Thinking about taking the bow line back around the middle dock cleat and back up to my helper on deck at midship. She could then draw that line in as we move back till the bow gets to the cleat where she could let go or let it out again till we are mostly out and have way.

Any other ideas other than the long line down the dock or backing in (both of which I am going to try)?
Dan

[jeffsoley]

I'm in a similar situation with my Cape Dory 25. I also usually have wind on the stern while backing out of my slip. I typically use a spring line with one turn around the piling at the end of the slip (to port) and the other end with one turn around my winch to pivot against to push the bow out. The line does need to be long enough to allow the boat to come to rest in the middle of the fairway however to ensure the bow is able to clear the starboard finger. And as mentioned above I've realized that more speed than I initially thought is needed to get the bow to come around in the transition to forward (as the wind wants to push the bow back from where it came).