How Easy Is it to Back Out of this Slip ?

[imagine2frolic]

Sailing Lessons, Sailboat Docking and Anchoring

Sometimes a visual a lot......i2f

[S&S]

For a finkeeler this:

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Why not come in turn to port and back into your slip? then your set to leave bow first...Your prop walk is going to be working for you in that scenario holding you into your dock...no?

If you had a full keel boat, warps along the pier to pull you out, flip the warp to the aft quarter away from the pier and pivot into the channel in forward.

(you can guess why I know this)

[Ex-Calif]

All the ideas are great so far. My only concern is a wind fom right to left.

As you came in and turned to starboard (bow in) you could get blown onto the guy next door.

Maneagble with crew by going bow in, springing to the pier with a port side mid cleat and or bow cleat and winching, hauling and/or backing parralel to the pier. Then walk it forward.

[Dick Pluta]

I had s slip exactly like this one for 15 years. My boat was a fin keel, spade rudder 30 foot Pearson. My exit strategy was to slowly back out going to starboard as much as possible. This usually got me one slip out on the opposite side with the bow pointing toward my slip. When almost all the way across, hard starboad helm and a short burst of power turned the boat almost in place. Sometimes a second repetition was necessary.

Coming in looked spectacular but was rarely a problem. Head for the slip and when the bow was about 5 feet from the bulkhead hard to starboard and slip right in. Done slowly the boat just slid right in and stopped smack in the middle of the slip. Scared the hell out of people on the dock but, if you close your eyes to the fact there was a bulkhead and not more water, it was a piece of cake. Just like pulling into any slip.

Of course, that was with a boat that turned on it's keel in almost it's own length. My present 41 foot full keeler would be a whole different story.

Dick Pluta
AEGEA

[SkiprJohn]

Believe me! When you've done it a few times as has been suggested here it'll become second nature. If you have a fin keeler it'll be simpler but either way you'll get accustomed to it. Just keep it slow and easy.
regards,

[turkish6]

Thank You for all the replies. We figured one of us could walk her back on shore and then give her a little nudge and then hop on board.


Our prop walk is towards port so coming in won't be a problem. We normally choose to dock to port side because of this so we are used it. However we have never tried to make a 90 degree turn with 60ft of water.

[SkiprJohn]

If you experiment at a mooring buoy in calm water with a little forward, a little reverse, a little forward, a little reverse you can start making 360s in your own boat length after a bit. Your rudder angle matters only when your prop wash is pushing against the rudder itself. So, figure out which way port or starboard is best to leave your rudder while maneuvering.
regards,

[NACRADUDE]

OK I'll bite. Why don't you just back it in? It seems easy in that slip as you just have toi pivot the one piling.

[Chardonnay]

Would agree with Stillraining. Leaving the slip in fwd is much easier. We have a 38 Bene Oceanis and our home slip is narrow with a tight inlet. She walks to port when first going into reverse but backs up very well once steerage is established. If you back down the lane very slowly you can use prop walk to bring the stern around then coast into the slip; a short burst of forward throttle will bring you to a dead stop. A stiff breeze from the port side might bring the bow over so have a crew member on the bow with a boat hook or pick up a spring line as you come in.

[NACRADUDE]

Actually, this was a serious question. I know you folks have twice my boat but very shortly we may be having a beer at a marina or anchorage. I Plan to be in my boat in three years. So seriously.....

[Stillraining]

Backing in is an option...but usually you have to carry quite a bit of way to maintain rudder control over the prop walk...so doing it for the first time or two will be equally if not more nerve wracking.

The Dashew's prefer this method..but they had a 64' boat too.

if you have a tiller it now becomes intuitive...if you have a wheel stand behind it and it does as well.

[MarkJ]

You would be the closest boat to the carpark. Thats a plus.
If you screw it up every time you come into the dock everyone would have amply warning to get out their deck chairs.

Randy is spot on about the prevailng wind, and more important the prevailing storm wind. You could be boxed right in trying to get home.

I would perfer a bether with water in all directions

[Seahunter]

I agree with Sara, piece of cake bow or stern in. If the wind was right your boat could probably do it by itself.

[rebel heart]

A lost art, but warping done right can do some amazing things.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warping_(sailing)

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by turkish6

hello,
I was wondering what you guys thought about backing out of this slip. In the picture our possible slip would be the the one in the red circle. We dock bow first and we do not have a bow truster. Our overall length including everything is about 41ft. In between the two docks is about 60ft. This will be my 4th summer of boating. I am by no means an expert at docking but I do feel very comfy backing out and pulling into a normal slip. The reason I am asking this questions is because we want to rent this space for the summer but we are worried we may have problems backing out.

36' cc beneteu oceanis
no bow truster


Thanks

Now this is where I am different... when bringing the boat in I'd swing the bow to port and reverse into the slip.... your fenders should already be over both sides, so come in, get her turning then hit reverse and the 'prop walk' should kick your stern across.. if needed one person steps onto the long pontoon and 'fends off' as you reverse in...
But then I'm one of those wierdos who likes berthing stern to... love the way people come up and say.."Wow.. how'd you manage that"...
LOL...just a big show off....
Easy and fast departure...