How to control a large heavy boat with 1 dock line using a Slip Lock Cleat Hitch

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

It would be wise for many motorboat skippers to get their egos out from behind the wheel and their upper body strength on the deck. Their wives can drive.

The loop method requires no strength and is so easy... a chimp can be taught with about one minute of 'splainin' and a banana.

[Deltasailor]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

It would be wise for many motorboat skippers to get their egos out from behind the wheel and their upper body strength on the deck. Their wives can drive.

Couldn't agree more

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by StuM

Now learn the bowline and the zeppelin bend.

--
It's better to know a knot and not need it that to need a knot and not know it!

That zeppelin bend I could do without looking after some practice. Thanks StuM I like that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3cDYhN5vk4

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

All you need is a large loop attacked to a centerline cleat on your boat, as in twenty feet of rope with both ends tied to the same cleat. Wife then drops the loop over the dock cleat from the safety of the boat, then you motor forward steering away from the dock. The other dock lines are then attached at your leisure.

Nobody jumps off the boat with dock lines, nobody's in a hurry, nobody gets hurt, no external assisance required from strangers, no knots to remember. You can even do this easily single handed.

I watched from a distance last month when a woman jumped off her boyfriend's boat to secure a dockline.... she misjudged the distance, broke her shoulder when she hit the dock & fell in. I showed them the loop method a week later when they returned.

I'm gonna use your loop method too ! Thanks Kenomac.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The loop method requires no strength and is so easy... a chimp can be taught with about one minute of 'splainin' and a banana.

Then most men should be able to do it, right? *grin*

[Pelagic]

If you just throw your anchor at the dock....you don't need a cleat

https://youtu.be/TFngZTBKpXY

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

If you just throw your anchor at the dock....you don't need a cleat

https://youtu.be/TFngZTBKpXY

That was exhausting just to watch !

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

If you just throw your anchor at the dock....you don't need a cleat

https://youtu.be/TFngZTBKpXY

That makes my heart ache.

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Three Sisters

That was exhausting just to watch !

Informative as well. [emoji3]

[Bianca111]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

The loop method requires no strength and is so easy... a chimp can be taught with about one minute of 'splainin' and a banana.

Amazing way to tie what is actually the Carrick Bend -or in scandinavian (and maybe german) the Hellinger

Sådan binder du en helling | Spejder.dk

[Bianca111]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Skill level must be higher in these waters.

Nevertheless, if single handed, I prefer to throw a loop over the cleat from the deck, and bring the end of the rope back on board so it can be adjusted from there.


The tip in the original post would not work that well with 1" dock lines like mine, I don't think.

And in any case, I would not normally need to adjust the midship spring. If I'm being blown off the pontoon, then I just power against it to hold the boat on, then get bow and stern lines on. This works even in quite strong winds.

If I do really need to adjust the length of the midship spring -- and the one case I can think of offhand is being blown off the berth but there is no room fore or aft to power against the midship spring to hold the boat on -- then what I do is different -- I use a a lighter line (old 16mm sheet, make it fast to a midship cleat, loop it through the other midship cleat (the one further aft, put it on a big electric primary winch. Then I throw (or a crewman throws) the loop over a cleat or bollard, and I winch it in. Simples. And no one needs to be on the pontoon.

Last time I used this trick, a couple weeks ago, I was being blown off in 20 knots of wind, and I was single handed. It worked fine. A bonus of the lighter line is that it is easier to throw on, than the regular dock lines.

Something like this? https://vimeo.com/ondemand/captjacksinglehanded (well, just a teaser, but the singlehand docking using midship spring shows up)
In Denmark we have the full version available from Danish Sail Union here: Havnemanøvre - Dansk Sejlunion But with danish voiceover, and that is nothing you would want to torment your ears With! So mute it and enjoy the footage