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Old 12-10-2012, 04:44   #1
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Docking In Heavy Wind

I'm putting together a course on how to dock in heavy winds (for this purpose we assume no current). I know how to dock my boat in almost every way, but I lack a sure-fire method for docking between two poles in a heavy cross wind.

1- Heavy cross winds means 30+ knots
2. Two Poles means typical pole landing - they are 5 meters apart.
3. We will assume that there are boats on both sides in their own slips
4. Alternative there are no boats in either slip

The way I would do it is to sail up and lay my boat and lay it across both poles with the bow into the wind. I would then fix a line from the aft windward side of the boat to the windward pole and fix a line from the forward windward side of the boat to the wind ward pole.

Then back the boat slightly until the bow can cross inside the windward pole, turn hard and use the forward line to hold the bow for as long as possible. The helmsman tauts up the aft line as the boat comes in.

The problem here is that while the crewman can hold the bow with the line, he can only do it up to a certain point. AFter that point, the angle to the pole is too wide and the line is too long. The heavy wind will push the bows around, crashing into the other boat or if there is no boat, turning my boat sideways

Solutions????

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Old 12-10-2012, 05:00   #2
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

Carsten:

If this were your home-slip, could you rig "bannister" lines from the pilings to the dock. Another set of thimbled eye lines that can slide along their lengths, that the bow man can hold onto to prevent the bow from falling too far off wind into your neighbor's well?

This was in a Good Ol Boat article a while back. (July 2010)
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:01   #3
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

we used to have to do this in the med a lot stern too without a bow thruster!

found that getting up some speed astern,dropping the anchor up to windward kept the bow from falling off,whilst aiming for the gap and getting a windward sternline on pronto was the way to go,the anchor makes a great brake if you mess it up!

good comms with the person on the windlass helps a lot
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:20   #4
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

No for this course I'm having to assume that it is not my own slip. So you've just managed to come into harbor after hard sailing, the wind is blowing at least 30+ knots as a crosswind and you're faced with two poles.

Atoll, I'll grant you that backing her in with an anchor out is doable, but I believe you've sailed in scandinavia. The room between the rows of slips in most Danish harbors won't leave enough room to drop the hook.

Gotta do it safely and in complete control.
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:26   #5
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

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Originally Posted by carstenb View Post
No for this course I'm having to assume that it is not my own slip. So you've just managed to come into harbor after hard sailing, the wind is blowing at least 30+ knots as a crosswind and you're faced with two poles.

Atoll, I'll grant you that backing her in with an anchor out is doable, but I believe you've sailed in scandinavia. The room between the rows of slips in most Danish harbors won't leave enough room to drop the hook.

Gotta do it safely and in complete control.
i think in that situation i would get a loop over the windward pole as i go past it and be ready with the windward bowline,speed will help keep control of the boat.

then worry about leeward lines later
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:29   #6
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

I agree completely with forgetting about the leeward lines. But jamming in and the crew having to make a jump for it is what I'll be teaching people NOT to do :-)


Gotta be a way to do this and stay in control
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:35   #7
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

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Originally Posted by carstenb View Post
I agree completely with forgetting about the leeward lines. But jamming in and the crew having to make a jump for it is what I'll be teaching people NOT to do :-)


Gotta be a way to do this and stay in control
the only other way is to have a spring from the bow to the wind ward pole and use the engine and rudder to keep the boat up to wind ward once in the slot,like springing off a dock,or onto a dock.
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:37   #8
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

In 30 kt. cross wind (yikes!), I would anchor in shelter some where and hunker down until things got less frisky. I always have books, booze and food aboard to wait out any blow, even in local waters. In fact, I rather relish getting into a situation whereby I foil the contrary forces of nature and now have an excuse for an impromptu party.Of course I don't have to be anywhere Monday morning.Trying some exercise that I can't see my way through and has a high potential to damage my and other nearby craft could end up ruining many sailing days in the future while I make repairs.
The patient sailor (almost) always has fair winds.
In my younger,brasher, days when sailing a beat up steel sailboat ,I would try almost anything , and now I have the enemies to prove it.
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:42   #9
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

Atoll

Can you explain that more clear? Or if you have the time make a drawing? I'm not following you completely.

Tieing the bow to the windward pole makes sense. How are you going to balance the boat off against that using rudder and engine?
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:43   #10
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

carstenb,

are you taking about pole and the stern tied off to a dock , or two free standing poles ( as is also found in the UK from place to place.

And I presume you mean the most difficult situation where the wind is at right angles ( which I mean there isnt a winward or looward pole.)

I find if you cant weather cock to a pole, its gets very difficult ( as you've found).

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Old 12-10-2012, 05:46   #11
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

I was recently in a slip with very heavy current. It was a bear in anything but slack tide. Two of my neighbors have been there quite a while and were very experienced. One was comming back to the marina while the current was running a ton, I thought I need to watch him, I will learn something. As it turned out, He stoped and docked a 1/2 mile up the river on a tee dock,bringing his boat to the slip when the current relented. I guess I did learn something after all
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Old 12-10-2012, 05:57   #12
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

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carstenb,

are you taking about pole and the stern tied off to a dock , or two free standing poles ( as is also found in the UK from place to place.

And I presume you mean the most difficult situation where the wind is at right angles ( which I mean there isnt a winward or looward pole.)

I find if you cant weather cock to a pole, its gets very difficult ( as you've found).

Dave
im assuming a pole on either side of the berth about 10-12 meters from the dock,so in a crosswind you would have a windward and leeward pole on either side of your stern once berthed.
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Old 12-10-2012, 06:03   #13
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

Go boating
Two free standing poles. Wind is a crosswind meaning you have to dock between the poles and the wind will be at right angles to you as you enter between the poles.

This isn't just a theory question. Docking between poles is very common here in DK. I know you'll say "What the hell are you doing trying this in 30+ knots?"

Normally we wouldn't. But we can all get caught out. This past summer I left dock with a weather forecast saying mx 15 knots. By the time I got to my destination, it was 36 knots, gusting over 40. No nice calm bay to anchor in. Had to get the damn boat in there.

AS some of you know, i'm a sailing consultant for the Danish Sailing Association. I'm putting together a series of courses about sailing in heavy weather. One of these is a course in Docking.

I know how to do all the others without losing control, but this one actually stumps me.
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Old 12-10-2012, 06:03   #14
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

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Originally Posted by carstenb View Post
Atoll

Can you explain that more clear? Or if you have the time make a drawing? I'm not following you completely.

Tieing the bow to the windward pole makes sense. How are you going to balance the boat off against that using rudder and engine?
the technique is the same as springing onto a short along side berth,where the wind is blowing the boat off the dock.

for a stb side dock once the spring line is tight,putting the helm over to port and giving some power in fwd will cause the vessel to go sideways towards the dock.
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Old 12-10-2012, 06:03   #15
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Re: Docking In Heavy Wind

Atoll,

You are correct
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