Short handed tight undocking

[F51]

We are facing East, starboard side tied to a dock with pilings higher than the bowsprit. I need to depart to the West. I have one boat length forward and pretty good room aft. I need to turn 180 degrees immediately as we depart. The fairway is about one and a half boat lengths wide, so I can't get very far away from the dock, but I must have room for the bowsprit to clear the pilings as we turn

This is what I think will work: I will loop a bow line over a piling forward and back to the boat. Cast off midship spring and stern lines. Place transmission in reverse. The left-hand prop will cause the stern to walk to port. When the boat has swung out about 90 degrees, I will put the wheel hard to port and burst forward enough to slack the bow line and retrieve it. I can then jockey reverse and forward repeatedly to turn the boat in the narrow fairway until I am headed out.

I have never backed against a bow line, but I believe that the stern will walk starboard just like it does when I reverse with no lines attached.

Are my assumptions correct? Any better way to do this? Thanks.

[Kenomac]

That sounds like a good plan. Is there a reason you can't back all the way out and head down the channel in reverse instead of turning around? I usually back out given the same circumstance and avoid turning in a narrow channel.

[capngeo]

I'd kinda do what you say, but would start off with hard starboard rudder at idle speed ahead. Let her roll on the piling until about 30° to 45° off the pier, THEN use reverse

[carstenb]

I'd use the classic maneuver. Tie a large fender on starboard right up at bow. Tie a bow one from forward cleat round piling. Ease engine in forward, turn rudder hard starboard. let boat run hard up against fender/dock, with bowsprit behind piling. When about 60 degrees, undo bow line, put rudder hard port, goose engine.

propwlak should now sling stern to port, juggle engine to get boat moving so bowsprit clears. continue goosing engine until stern has swung sufficiently or turn rudder really hard starboard and give a good goose on the engine, then going to idle. That will make the stern swing to port without imparting forward motion on the boat.

[F51]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Is there a reason you can't back all the way out and head down the channel in reverse instead of turning around? I usually back out given the same circumstance and avoid turning in a narrow channel.

Yeah. :-) She's a big, heavy, full keel pig in reverse. If there is no wind and no current, I can sometimes get her to back in a semblance of a straight line. But because of that, I don't practice it much!

[Viking Sailor]

Use lines and turn her around from the dock so that she is pointing in the right direction. I just did this yesterday and it was very easy. Just don't try this if there is a lot of wind or current. Slack water is best.