warping

[rudylong]

looking for information about warping and docking....thanks rudy

[sailingdog]

As a first primer, recommend Quantum Sail's Captain Jack Klang's Docking PDF file, which you can find HERE.

[teshannon]

Sailingdog,
That's a great article which I had not seen before. Thanks for the link.
Tom Shannon

[sailingdog]

Tom-

you're very welcome... glad to help.

[hellosailor]

Rudy, warping is something of a forgotten art. I think folks are just embarrassed to do it. But if you have a pair of extra long docklines, or spare genoa sheets, that's a good start. Basically, if you get throw a rope around any fixture on the dock (and horn cleats and bollards are both designed so you can throw a line around them) you can use that as a pivot point, get another end on the bow/stern of your boat as need be, and just muscle the boat into place, using the lines to control it all.
Of course, having some long spare lines (which can be old cheap and ugly) neatly coiled and ready to throw are the important part of this. You don't have to be a cowboy and lasso anything, just get a line over/past something and around it, and you can capture it.
If you make sure there are no knots in those lines--that way you can also let them run free, to disengage them without having to step off the boat.

[SoOkay]

We tie a warp line before leaving the dock every time. Especially pulling out with the wind aft, its a safe but rarely used technique.

I don't care if no one else at our marina does it, I want to ensure we go sailing, not inspecting the anchor of some fishing boat in dock A.

Here's how we do it:

Prerequisite: Spring line on the side to which you want to turn.

The springline, which comes from the fwd pilon we first tie to a cleat at the dock. So now we have this tight line running at waterline (floating dock) along the boat. We grab a spare line, and run from the aft cleat on board, around the tied springline, and back to the aft winch on that side. When we pull out this "loop" comes with us, and we take most of the slack out using the winch. As we pass the pilon, the line tightens, we add a bit of power, throw the helm, point down the fairway, release the winch and pull in the line from the cleat side.

It really is simple, and has never failed us. In rare occasions when the springline is on the wrong side, we use the lines to pull the boat fwd and loop the pilon itself.

I can't tell you is this is proper warping technique, but it sure ha never failed us.

[sailingdog]

Spring lines are often the key to safer and easier docking...a midships cleat is also really useful, but too many boats lack them. I've added them to my boat.

[SoOkay]

I have thought that tying midship would help her turn easier. I've never tried it because I'm afraid that I'll need too much slach to let the aft clear the pillons before starting the turn. There's 18-22 ft of boat from my midcleat to the transom.

[rewell6]

Warping? I thought you were referring to those powerboaters that go by at warp speed. They can get to the destination hours or even days ahead of you.

[SoOkay]

SD
I almost did inadvertently warp from my mid cleat yesterday. We pulled out and "someone" forgot to undo the spring line.

Funny thing was with the wind coming off the bow at the slip we didn't need to warp in the first place