Trouble getting in and out of slip

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Careful, the boat gods are always listening!

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

Ain't it the truth!
No whistling please...

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Glad you haven't hit anything expensive yet! Remember, the advice you receive on CF is worth exactly what you paid for it... Cheers, Phil

Best advice here Phil...

northocean...

The advice here is spectacular as well as varied for what works for the skipper, boat, and conditions...

We're elated at your success!

I'll just add what works for me without too much detail in case something clicks for refining your methods...

Backing out, prop walk the wrong way, down current, upwind, against a seawall... (geezo whatta crappy slip I got) = springline OR friendly bow shove... Nobody thinks you're a shi**y skipper asking for a shove...

Coming in... Scare the bajeesus out of your guests as well as your shorts laundering personnel by cutting your windward fairway margin paper thin... I promise.... You will absolutely get used to missing upwind slipped boats by mere inches... It will give you a much bigger radius to turn in...

Speed? Your choice, both work for me... 1/2kt or less... or 3ish... One or the other, not in the middle...

Yes, that's the full keeled-barn door-backs like a blindfolded drunk elephant boat... The (my) other boats? One I can back in using eggs for fenders (48ftr), the other I can pirouette and back in under sail... Yes... I got one red headed stepchild pig of a boat I love like only a mother can...

[markpierce]

Direction of propwalk is dependent upon the propeller. If it is "left-handed" (propeller turns counter-clockwise in forward gear), the propwalk will be to starboard. The opposite is true for a "right-handed" propeller. My left-'handed propeller:

[bensolomon]

I approach the dock only as fast as I want to hit it. I usually am coasting in about three boat lengths and gauge the wind direction and inertia of the boat. I try to determine if the wind will blow me into the starboard finger pier or to port, away from the finger pier. I go bow in.

I know I have a strong port prop walk in reverse and I use that to my advantage backing out. I typically "loop" my dock lines when leaving so that I can retrieve them from on board. I completely remove all slack docklines so that only the burdened ones remain. Then, knowing I have prop walk to port, I snug up my starboard quarter line and remove it last. Then I give a burst of throttle to get steerage in reverse. Depending on where the wind is blowing from, I may drive out of my slip and fairway in reverse.



Sent from my XT1254 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Steadman Uhlich]

At first, every sailor starts out like the Martin Short character.
For many, after much practice, and increasing skill and confidence, they tend to appear more like the Captain Ron character.

http://youtu.be/8alNxLjCBJc

http://youtu.be/8alNxLjCBJc

[northoceanbeach]

I do like captain Ron

[HappyMdRSailor]

Good man!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[northoceanbeach]

Well, having problems backing out again here. I've got the coming in thing going well, but backing out.....not so much. This thing does not want to cooperate!

I guess I have prop walk to starboard. So much for vari prop advertising no prop walk. Anywho. Today was a fiasco!

Ok. Moderately windy. Almost straight astern a little to SB. Maybe 7-8 knots. Incoming tide.

I reverse with the tiller over to starboard and that does nothing. I give it a blast in reverse and the stern kick to SB. A lot. So now I'm pointed the same way I was, forward but the current has carried me closer to the
Next door neighbor. I give it some throttle forward and pull the tiller the other way. This does make the boat turn the way I want it but its
Not enough. I'm going to be too close to the back of neighbors boat. So back
In reverse. SB kick. Facing straight again. The slip in front of me is open so I deside to dock ad reassess the situation.

I'm hoping someone is around but they are not. The best plan, and it's not a good plan, is to be my own bow push guy. I have to leave these people's slip and I'm not going to be able to revere out. So I walk the boat back and get some momentum and when the bow clears the finger pier I shove it facing the right direction, grab the pulpit and jump on and run to the throttle.

Too late I'm blowing into the pier. Run forward and fend off, reverse etc and I'm back to facing straight. Luckily the tide has pushed me past the next boat and to another empty slip.

At this point I go to find someone. He comes and gives me a shove, but it's a really sucky shove and I'm facing the right way, going forward but blowing into the docks. However this time with me and him fending I made it.

What do I do?

[GILow]

What should you do? I reckon a stiff drink and lie down now might help.




Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GILow]

Any chance of a diagram? I can't quite figure it out for the description. Also, are there pylons at the outer end of the fingers and if so how are they positioned in relation to your boat? My reason for asking is that there are tricks you can use with the pylons if they are far enough out.

Matt


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[MarkSF]

You cant do what you're trying to do, which is fight the prop walk while backing and filling. You have to find a way to use it to your advantage. Have you considered turning the other way and reversing down the fairway? Or, ungainly I know, do a 270 degree turn using back and fill but the other way with prop walk on your side.

Now and then, the wind grabs the bow and turns it the wrong way. Dont fight it, I just head the wrong way down the fairway, then do a 180.

[IntoMyHealth]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

At this point I go to find someone. He comes and gives me a shove, but it's a really sucky shove and I'm facing the right way, going forward but blowing into the docks. However this time with me and him fending I made it.

What do I do?

Yeah, I agree a diagram would help. Also, an experienced instructor. But once you were in the fairway and facing correctly, more throttle should have solved wind and current issues. Just get the boat moving. Search youtube for Captain John skipper tips sailing videos. He has some really good diagram lessons to help get off and into a slip using spring lines.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by IntoMyHealth

Yeah, I agree a diagram would help. Also, an experienced instructor. But once you were in the fairway and facing correctly, more throttle should have solved wind and current issues. Just get the boat moving. Search youtube for Captain John skipper tips sailing videos. He has some really good diagram lessons to help get off and into a slip using spring lines.

He was never facing correctly, because in forward he would turn to one side, and then back the other way in reverse. He said so. Your advice to use more throttle as the answer is terrible.

[IntoMyHealth]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Your advice to use more throttle as the answer is terrible.

Oh, well he said he was facing the right way so I thought he was. My bad. I'll let you handle the advice from here on in. Cheers!


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[GILow]

I've done the reverse down the fairway thing a couple of times in the old pen. It works, but it is very stressful. And, to be honest, a little embarrassing.

[northoceanbeach]

I know it's hard to picture the way I'm describing. I don't know how to do a diagram. The best way to describe it is:

Hold your left hand out like you are shaking hands, that's the boat. For me to exit bring your hand back while moving the back of your had to your left so your fingers are pointed right. Then move your hand across your body to the right.

Al I did was reverse and my stern moved backwards towards the exit, then throttle forward trying to correct it. But even with a wide fairway, to go from reverse to forward and turn to the right, enough to clear the boats in front of me, I need to be backed up almost to the boats behind me, and still either facing forwards or have the bow pointed a little toward the exit. With the stern being kicked toward the exit I will have to try the 270.

I thought the practic out in the open water helped and I tried that again tonight, but it's different when you are in the slips, that when the wind and tide and everything really shows you what you can and can't do.

When I bought the boat there was an outboard attached to the back, even though it had a brand new engine. The owner said it was a temporary fix while he repowered. I talked to the place that dos the work installing the new engine and they said his old one worked fine, he just wanted a new one. I'm starting to think he had the outboard on there to get in and out of the slip, because with an outboard it's easy because it pivots.