Getting in and out of my pen with a full keel sailboat.

[Hugo B]

Hi

I know there are a couple of post already about this and I have read them, but they do not answer my questions specifically.

I have a full-keeler, a 27 ft Top Hat, very nice boat, great stability, sails beautifully, even in light winds. So overall I am very happy with the boat but I have to say it is quite a challenge getting in and out of the marina when I am on my own, especially backing out when there are strong cross winds.

I am going to install a hydrovane and I am wondering if this might solve all my problems, seeing it has its own auxilliary rudder which, unlike the rudder attached to the full keel, is free standing. If I simply tie off the existing rudder and use the manual hydrovane tiller steering to back out, would that give me full control? After all, this would be very similar to a fin keel boat with a free-standing rudder.

Another option is a long-shaft outboard engine as a backup to the main engine (I know, many of you would disagree installing something like this, I am expecting some comments!) but would that be another way to gain more control over a full keeler? As long as the outboard has enough power (I am thinking of 8 HP) this might work because you can turn the outboard in any direction so the prop itself would pull the boat where you want to go.

Secondly, in posts about this topic on this forum there is a lot of talk about spring lines. I am experimenting with this as well, using a block a the bow and leading the line back to another block on a cleat at the dock itself midships, so that when I am backing out, I can readjust and pull the bow close to dock on the way out. But the stern of the boat which is by then completely away from the dock still swings out, so control is limited.

A detailed explanation on how to, as a single-hander, use spring lines to control backing out with a full keeler (mine has the dock on the starboard side) would be greatly appreciated. Any other hints or techniques would also be most welcome of course.

Thanks