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elaak · 14-12-2016, 09:47

Hola,

I'm wondering if there is any collective wisdom out there on what the least bad way to do this is? Long story short, I love anchoring at Santa Cruz CA. Hate leaving my dinghy tied up to the pier for any significant amount of time. The tide changes and swells beat the hell out of it on the pier. The tide changes also make pretty much any tie up loose when the tide rises.

Are there any good techniques out there for keeping the dinghy off a pier?

Cheers,
Eric

Paul L · 14-12-2016, 10:50

Drop an anchor off the stern to hold the dink away from the pier. There's enough slack in the rode that you can still pull it toward the pier to get back on.

**a64pilot** · 14-12-2016, 11:00

I have seen a bungie cord used for this, maybe ten feet or so on the stern anchor line.
I believe there is even a product sold for this, but plain ole bungie works and if it parts, no harm, your still tied to the dock.
A kellet or weight tied half way up the rear anchors rode would do the same thing

Tetepare · 14-12-2016, 11:50

Anchor OFF the pier, so the dink probably won't hit. Then run a line between dink and pier so you can pull it over.

**JPA Cate** · 14-12-2016, 12:38

Of the two methods, Paul L's, and Tetepare's, I think Tetepare's is most elegant, with the use of a little block, and a long endless line, you send the dinghy well off, this is needed sometimes with medium tide ranges (probably not valid over 12 ft. tides.) However, we use Paul L's method frequently, and have set the dinghy up with a chain forward, to the pier, with the dinghy's anchor (10 ft. or so of chain, and about 65 ft of polyester double braid back of a sand anchor), deployed from a cleat mounted on the transom of the dinghy. Usually, we work this with me on the tying up end, Jim cleats it off, I pull him in, he clambers out, and the stern line catenary pulls the dinghy back off the pier.

Ann

sapient sue · 14-12-2016, 13:59

Elaak

We use the stern anchor method - same as Jim and Ann. It has worked well for years until last week when some lowlife cut our padlock strop from the bow to the pier. The dink was still anchored of course but Mike had to swim to get the dink - (not great after enjoying a meal out in town) but we did get back in time for the tide so the dink did not end up on the rocks thank goodness.

cheers Sue

Paul L · 14-12-2016, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by sapient sue

Elaak

We use the stern anchor method - same as Jim and Ann. It has worked well for years until last week when some lowlife cut our padlock strop from the bow to the pier. The dink was still anchored of course but Mike had to swim to get the dink - (not great after enjoying a meal out in town) but we did get back in time for the tide so the dink did not end up on the rocks thank goodness.

cheers Sue

That sux. Why was it cut? Was it too short

sapient sue · 14-12-2016, 14:17

Eelak

No - our strop was not too short - we believe it was professional fisherman who use the same docking point and obviously a cruisers dink was in their way (it was not - as we anchored the dink in very shallow water diagonally from the rocks to the pier) - however we are now using another docking point which has a recording camera mounted above the dock so expect no further problems. Have to say after 20 years of using the Dink using this method it has only been the second time we have had to rescue the dink.

regards Sue

svHyLyte · 14-12-2016, 14:59

When visiting Catalina and other places where leaving a dinghy tied to a pier is/was a problem, we used the stern anchor trick as well but with a twist. Our dinghy is fitted with a folding grapnel anchor. Our anchor rode, about 150' long is fed through the loop on the end of the shank and the ends tied together to make a "dual" rode about 75' long. When approaching a pier or beach we want the dinghy to stand of off, we drop the anchor off the transom a good way off and feed the dual road out as we approach the pier, giving it a good haul and setting the anchor as we arrive. We disembark on the pier and tie the dinghy's painter to one side of the anchor rode loop securely and haul in on the other side of the loop which drags the dinghy away from the pier. We then secure the dual rode to a hard point on the pier that will not interfere with other boats and cast it off where, in short order, it sinks to near the bottom. The dinghy is left floating 25-30 feet off the pier, tethered to the anchor rode but easily retrieved when we return. The method, first described to me by Eric Hiscock while visiting Sausalito during his and Susan's world cruise in Wanderer IV a very long time ago was one they used to keep their "tinnie" in hand when they traveled and it served them, and has us, quite well.

FWIW...

Charlie · 14-12-2016, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

When visiting Catalina and other places where leaving a dinghy tied to a pier is/was a problem, we used the stern anchor trick as well but with a twist. Our dinghy is fitted with a folding grapnel anchor. Our anchor rode, about 150' long is fed through the loop on the end of the shank and the ends tied together to make a "dual" rode about 75' long. When approaching a pier or beach we want the dinghy to stand of off, we drop the anchor off the transom a good way off and feed the dual road out as we approach the pier, giving it a good haul and setting the anchor as we arrive. We disembark on the pier and tie the dinghy's painter to one side of the anchor rode loop securely and haul in on the other side of the loop which drags the dinghy away from the pier. We then secure the dual rode to a hard point on the pier that will not interfere with other boats and cast it off where, in short order, it sinks to near the bottom. The dinghy is left floating 25-30 feet off the pier, tethered to the anchor rode but easily retrieved when we return. The method, first described to me by Eric Hiscock while visiting Sausalito during his and Susan's world cruise in Wanderer IV a very long time ago was one they used to keep their "tinnie" in hand when they traveled and it served them, and has us, quite well.

FWIW...

I like that HyLyte. Very nice solution. I'll have to practice that in warm water in case I need to swim for it. LOL

carlheintz · 15-12-2016, 08:41

HyLyte -- wow, what a neat, clever, wonderful way to handle a problem we all have encountered!

Matt Johnson · 15-12-2016, 09:27

I wonder how often someone thinks your dinghy is floating away and they try saving it?

Sent from my LG-V410 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

donradcliffe · 15-12-2016, 09:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Our dinghy is fitted with a folding grapnel anchor.
FWIW...

I learned long ago and the hard way that a folding grapnel anchor is not good enough to anchor a dinghy in other than coral. I bought a small danforth style that worked very well until some lowlife stole it in Papeete. I made do with a French replacement, which worked well and took a bit less room.

French Polynesia Tahiti Bora Bora Woman On A Boat Throws Anchor Stock Photo | Getty Images

mikeod · 15-12-2016, 13:09

You can drop your stern anchor while coming in set it so your bow just touches the dock and get off then walk your bow line down the dock while letting it out and cleat it so the dink sits off the dock at angle.