Crabbing sideways

[Srah 1953]

Can a cat crab sideways under power for docking? If so, how is it done? I can understand how you can spin it playing one engine off another but going sideways, yes/no? (Mono cruiser curiosity)
Thanks

[billknny]

You can make it happen a bit, although not straight sideways.

Rudder over to port, port engine in forward. If the boat has large rudders, that tends to push stern to starboard. Now reverse as needed with the starboard engine to keep it straight. That pulls the BOW to port, and the boat crabs forward and to port. It's a dynamic arrangement, and takes practice. It works well on some boats and not at all on others. Depends on how effective the rudders are and if they are effectively in the prop wash.

Far more effective than trying to drive the boat sideways is to back stern in to the landing spot, get a line on from the port quarter (if you want to lie port side to) to the dock and then forward with the starboard engine to pivot on the line. You can do that with just a few feet of clearance bow and stern, and have a lot less trouble with wind and current.

[Srah 1953]

Thank you for this

[thinwater]

What billknny said.


As he hinted, if the wind or tide is working with you, you can make it look that way. I've gotten in and out of spaces that were shorter than the the diagonal length of the boat a number of times by using a combination of opposed engines, current, and sometimes a line. It attracts watchers.