Boating when alone

[Jammer]

Here's a diagram.

[Bentwings]

Ok, that’s a great idea! My stern cleat is way back right on the corner of the transom. I could probably just lay the lines on the slip deck and leave one boat hook just inside the canvas. If the line was fixed length I could slip it through the cleat without leaving the boat. I could just leave one motor in forward and nudge the bow up to the pier while I hook the line.

Thanks I really appreciate the idea. I believe it will work great.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Jammer

If the marina will allow it you could put a lightweight post with a hook on it on each finger, so that the rope is right there hanging where you can reach it easily.

Or maybe a mooring whip, either purpose-built or home fabricated...

Yep, should be an easy tie-up with pre-set forward spring lines like that.

-Chris

[Bentwings]

I don’t think there would be an issue with a clamp on post. I could make more out of the way and not be where a bumper would hit it by making a clamp on device on the big guide post to hang the line on. Then just use a longer line with a loop down a few feet for the spring line. I’ve got material at the shop for it too. I’ll have to investigate. More than likely I’ll be working part time by then so I won’t have to make a special trip to the shop. I’ve written it on my to do list.

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by Bentwings

I’ll be often alone with only my dog next summer. One of my car breakfast guys asked how will I tie up without help?

Good question.
My slip is on the down stream side of the pier. The river flows parallel to the slip, perpendicular to the pier. My slip is 40 feet and the boat is 34’ water line and 39’ OAL. The down stream boats usually dock facing up stream.

Most of the time there will be someone who can grab a bow line and at least tie off the bow. However there will be times when I’ll come in late or there just isn’t anyone around. Late last fall I tried leaving the boat in forward gear. Like this it will go forward against the current on just one motor at idle, to the pier with the bow spirit and anchor hanging over the pier. Unfortunately there are other boats on the other side of the pier with equally long noses and I don’t want to crunch one of them.

I’m not comfortable jumping off the boat with it in gear. The stern line is easy to tie off while on board but still I’m away from the controls. Last summer I essentially navigated 40 miles on one motor and passed through two locks. I had a helper but the lock master tossed the lines out short in the locks so I had to just hold position with no guide ropes. (Lines) I did dock once by myself by tieing off the stern line. It would be a real stretch to have a loop line midship and try and snag a cleat from the helm.

I thought about having a line hang between the two bow cleats about a foot off the water. I could maybe snag one of the slip cleats but this would be like making a carrier landing at night in the fog with only one wire.

Any ideas?

You need to learn to use spring lines to arrest fore-and aft movement as you come to the dock, and the Dock Stick device is very useful in looping the bowline knot of a dock line over a dock cleat. Work it out conceptually for your vessel, and then set up the running lines to do it. It's not difficult. For my cat, I've rigged an aft spring line running from the dock cleat to a block on my middle deck cleat, then back to a block on my aft deck cleat, then to a cockpit winch.