Challenge: Bringing a Larger Boat Into a Slip Without An Engine

[redcobra]

Originally Posted by 1969Boat341970

Very slowly.

Seriously. Leave the mother ship to set out the kedge? I don't think so. The MS would pile up on some other dock while trying to row out the kedge.

The simple answer is, if you are alone and it is blowing hard, anchor out and wait.

[itdave5]

I sailed a 55ft C and C into a 70ft gap between 2 other boats upstream with the tide going out and the wind on the starboard beam. The conditions were good and the boat stopped right by a set of steps on the pontoon so the crew didn't even have to step down onto it!
We came into the harbour with a reefed main and roller furling jib, dropped the main about 100 yds off the pontoon and filled and spilled the jib to keep steerage then she just coasted in and there we were.
I think I was the happiest man in the port that day.
Practice makes perfect.
Try to do it under sail with the motor running, if it starts to go wrong you can bail out using the motor and try again. It,s great fun and when you get it right it gives a huge amount of satisfaction and respect from other sailors (even if it's begrudged)!

[S/V Antares]

Its just not that difficult. Slow and easy. Spring lines as required. Use the dink if you can. Find a t-head even if it is not yours. Get on the dock and relax. then fix the problem and go to your slip. If it is a control cable issue have someone in the engine compartment shifting manually. Tow insurance is so cheap it should be a no brainer for most coastwise or local boaters. Then its their issue.

[hellosailor]

Originally Posted by 1969Boat341970

I did not see anyone mention kedging the boat in.

Kedging in implies setting out a kedge anchor.

Why on earth would you set out a kedge anchor or any other anchor in a slip ?

If you need to pull on something, you set out a line to the slip and warp the boat in. No kedge anchor needed. And frankly, given the foul bottom around many slips, why risk fouling and losing one when it is so easy to take a line to the slip and warp it in?

"KISS"

[HaroldRamis4329]

Originally Posted by redcobra

Seriously. Leave the mother ship to set out the kedge? I don't think so. The MS would pile up on some other dock while trying to row out the kedge.

The simple answer is, if you are alone and it is blowing hard, anchor out and wait.

Redcobra, who said anything about leaving the boat? And if I read the question correctly, it makes no mention of doing this in a big blow. There have been many Chesapeake watermen kedge home, not by rowing a storm anchor to kedge with, but throwing a lightweight anchor ahead, and pulling the boat in to it. Then, put your heavy anchor down to hold the boat, while you cast the lightweight anchor ahead another 50 to 75 feet. The question also did not say your engine quits close to the dock...............running a line to the dock if you're 500 yards away just isn't feasible. You don't have to have arms like Popeye, to pull in a 35 foot sailboat in calm conditions.
I agree with you about windy conditions. If the wind is howling, anchor out until better conditions appear.

Another skill that used to be seen on the Chesapeake, but is mostly seen overseas now..........using an oar or yuloh to scull a boat in with. There was an article in Woodenboat Magazine years ago about an older couple. I think I remember the article saying they both were in their 70's, and (I think) their boat was in the 60-70 foot range. The old boy would wait for the tide, then work that big boat in by sculling.


I'm not trying to be confrontational, but it just depends on how much grit you have. Some folks would rather have their teeth pulled, than call someone else for help. (Like the Chesapeake waterman kedging his deadrise several miles, when his engine died.) How things were done in years long gone might be slow, hard work, but those techniques can be used just as effectively today as they were used way back when.

[LifeIsAReach]

Originally Posted by redcobra

Now how would a single hander in a blow kedge into a slip??

Use the harpoon gun on the bow to fire the anchor far ahead so you don't need to repeat the action so many times.

[itdave5]

Originally Posted by LifeIsAReach

Use the harpoon gun on the bow to fire the anchor far ahead so you don't need to repeat the action so many times.

Good idea I might make up a sort of large cross bow device to go on the bows from an old truck leaf spring and try it out!
Aiming it at a nice plastic boat would be best as anchors tend to get stuck fast in grp so it would be relatively good holding!

[Celestialsailor]

Actually with my Ingrid 38, I would simply pin-ball off boats around me with the occasional removal of their taft rails via my bowsprit, eventually ramming the dock with my bob-stay(chain). Viola!!!...berthed!

[memiller279]

We actually had to dock our 42' a couple times using only the sails - engine went out (twice, and then also on a 53') and had to pull in the slip using only sails just got enough speed to have steerage (using the head sail then furled it) and then made sure we had some stout spring lines and a good stern line. (Lucky to have two crew) Popped a fender the first time but after that not a problem.

In fact on calmer days my neighbor does it all the time, just have to know how much speed you have and how heavy your boat is.... and if the current and wind are right it's not too big of a deal.

[zeehag]

i think it would be interesting trying to skull my formosa into a dock slip..LOL
use jib to sail boat into slip --OR anchor out somewhere-- my preference is for anchoring , anyway, so i am good to go....

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by memiller279

We actually had to dock our 42' a couple times using only the sails - engine went out (twice, and then also on a 53') and had to pull in the slip using only sails just got enough speed to have steerage (using the head sail then furled it) and then made sure we had some stout spring lines and a good stern line. (Lucky to have two crew) Popped a fender the first time but after that not a problem.

In fact on calmer days my neighbor does it all the time, just have to know how much speed you have and how heavy your boat is.... and if the current and wind are right it's not too big of a deal.

and if the current and wind are wrong.... it's a big deal for the insurance companies...

[Scott Berg]

my Hughes 38 had no engine for the first year; sailed it everywhere, picked up moorings, thru bridges, even docked in Annapolis (Ego Alley) with the help of a stern anchor... it's just basic seamanship... like others here, not so much boasting as stating what reasonable seamanship should be...

[piloto]

Back before the days of insurance, when I bought my first boat an old Cascade 29, never having sailed (or lied) before, I took her from purchase point Sausalito over to the Berkeley marina where I had secured a slip. She had a crappy gas atomic 4 that didn't run, so engine was not an option.'luckily I had some crossover skill sets, like roping, and as I came I to the breakwater under sail and saw all the high dollar vessels surrounding me, did a u turn in the middle of the causeway, pulled up alongside the dock and tossed a loop over a piling bringing her to a smooth halt. Of course I was nervous at the time, but that subsided after I secured the other end. Later I tried to repeat that in a slip in south San Francisco where I went to do some provisioning and proceeded to sail her right up onto the dock. Both her and he dock survived and even my pride. Later, I took her out the golden gate and turned left on a ten year adventure. Never did get that engine to be with keeping so gave it to the guys at the newly constructed marina in San Carlos. We (me and the boat) kept on going down to the canal and the into the Carribean. I had planned on the South Pacific but couldn't resist turning left instead if right. I mean, after all, one of the (are there only) seven wonders of the world. I think she's still down in the San Blas 'cause I left her with some Indian friends in Kuna Yala for the season and the Panamanian navy tried to seize her. My Kuna friend called me and said if I wanted my boat, I'd have to come down and pay "a really big fine". I gave it to the tribe as a Christmas present. I think they went into the day sailing biz. Never did put an engine back in the boat, but I did have to hang a 6 horse outboard off he back to qualify taking her through the canal. We had just invaded panama and captured Noriega. That week. Seems I have a knack for showing up in places that have just been shot or blown up.


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[charliehows]

this is the job for roller furling headsails - I've used mine a few times to sail onto my mooring by simply rolling the sail up progressively til the boat is barely moving and rounding up onto the mooring at almost full stop. Getting into a slip might be more challenging tho'...