How small of slip will work

[davidpm]

A neighbor I sail with on occasion has a slip at a local marina. The slip is on a floating dock with finger piers. They space the piers is two boats apart. So if both boats are head in, one would board on the port and one on the starboard side. This particular slip has two pilings right in the center to separate the two boats.
I measured from the piling to the finger pier and there is 11’ 6” clearance. The boat my neighbor is thinking of getting has a 10’ 10” beam (Catalina 30).
That’s only 8” which seems too tight to me. It did occur to me that the pilings are spaced about 1/3 from each end so the widest part of the boat is clear so I think it would technically fit.
So my question is just how tight of a dock is possible, reasonable, practical?

[bfdtpkt]

Coming or going you're still only gonna have 4" on each side so you'll be using the pilings bouncing back and forth as you move out, I wouldn't dock there.....
I like some room to use fenders while docked because I don't like touching pilings, docks or other peoples hulls......
just my personal opinion.

[Faster]

I know of marinas with about the same clearances.... barely enough for a fender.

What is the tide range, if any? If its minimal it might be practical to pad the piling with some thin foam to help protect the boat. But if it's a difficult cross-wind situation and with a new-to-him boat it could be exciting, esp if shorthanded.

[sailingdog]

It'll be pretty dicey every time he tries to leave or enter the slip, given how little margin he has to maneuver in. Is your boat in the slip next to his?? If so, how wide is your boat??

[teshannon]

One would definitely need good rub rails in that situation.

[sailingdog]

Another thing that can help is stringing a line between the two pilings.

[SailorMitch]

My current slip is over-sized for me (a 40 foot slip for a 33 ft boat) and too much room can be just as bad as too little. but I manage nicely. The boat next to me, however, is a Beneteau 393. Its beam barely fits into the slip, which is an increasing problem with older marinas here on the Chesapeake and the newer designs with much more beam than in the past. My neighbors probably have 6 inches on each side, and this is not on floating docks either. They manage but have to put out about a dozen fenders to protect the boat. Even then if there's a hard wind or extra high or low water the fenders can get out of position and the boat rail will rub. I have adjusted the fenders for them many times when I have gone down to the marina and they aren't there.

The good news for them is that when they return to the slip after an outing, they can more or less jam the boat into the slip. With the fingerpier on one side, pilings mid-ship and at the bow, once in they aren't going to blow around much. Fortunately the rubrail on the Bene is just big enough to protect the boat until they can get the fenders into place. They also have put protection of the pilings and the fingerpier, which helps protect the boat as well.

Alas, I am moving to a 35 foot slip on the other side of the marina this coming season so they will have to find a new nieghbor to look out for their boat.

[Faster]

By the sounds of things they should be sorry to lose you, Mitch!

[teshannon]

The other problem I see with such a narrow slip is if it's tidal and not a floating dock you will need to have enough line out to allow for the tide guaranteeing you will be up against the pilings or pier all the time.

[SailorMitch]

Originally Posted by Faster

By the sounds of things they should be sorry to lose you, Mitch!

They will, but chances are they will still track me down. I've written about this couple on here before. To me, they represent the norm for new sailors. The Bene 393 is their first sailboat ever. Boat has tons of goodies on it. Upright refrigerator. In-mast furling. Wind generator. The guy tries hard and does pretty well, but has a lot to learn. I could go on with the stories but won't. Nice people and I have helped them whenever I can.

And it gives me all sorts of joy to pass them under sail out on the bay in my old 33 footer.