How would you exit this slip

[cesarid]

More of a long term help - you might consider changing props to one that has less propwalk - there are several out there.

[turbulicity]

Sorry, I was away for the weekend and couldn't answer your comments. Thanks all for great advice.

If I can, I will wait for the slack time. If I have to get out with the strong current, I will test out the suggestions here. So, feedback may be delayed but I will certainly let you know the results.

omatako:
My wife didn't have a chance to maneuver the boat yet. Maybe she will turn out to be natural. All I really need at first for her to get to a level where she can execute what I say promptly. I think we should get out to just practice that.

ccriders:
I don't believe marina would allow a mooring in the fairway. It would be awesome though.

sublime:
I saw the Capt' Jack videos before. But with a 50' boat in a 4 knot cross-current, forces involved are not very easy to manage. Still, I will give it a try next time.

creedence623:
I don't think my wife is strong enough to fend off the boat. It took four guys last time and still we managed to rub against the finger pretty though. Short bursts of forward is a good idea. I am planning to do "exit simulations" so to say. I will not actually get out but only go as far as 1/4 boat length to get a sense of how things are developing.

Yorksailor:
With enough dock hands, we can hold the boat halfway out and go from there without a trouble I agree. And neighbors are always more than happy to help but I feel bad depending on a lot of help. That whole idea of casting off when we feel like it is a little marred.

Tempest & capecodda & HPLou:
I am sure the prop walk is to the starboard. Shaft rotation is CCW. And I am sure my control in reverse is very limited. But I need more exercise to understand just at what conditions I can steer in reverse. Angling to boat in the slip is a good idea and I think it is the best /easiest solution if it works. I didn't think about using the current to gain rudder control. First thing to try.

SVAuspicious:
Prop walk is to starboard, I am sure. At my last exit, I started hard in reverse just as you suggested. Just than I discovered the dock crew didn't untie the midship dock line. Ouch. It all went downhill from there. I feel, if they had done everything according to the plan I suggested, I would have made a successful exit but I learned not to put too much trust on well-meaning dock help. I am trying to explore a method me and my wife can handle at minimal risk.

chris_gee & RhythmDoctor:
If I can get halfway out without contact with the starboard finger, I would be fine as the stern will turn quickly afterwards and bow will be fine since the slip is wide. Boat control is really good in forward so I can quickly escape after that. A common thread here I think is to run the spring lines around the dock, back to the cockpit so I can be in charge. It will adopt that approach after getting some longer, floating lines.

NCC320:
Buddy lines between the pilings could be a good idea but we have a large tidal range here (~10 ft). So it would be a pain to keep them repositioned, tightened. More than that, I haven't seen anybody do that. Probably some marina policy.

imagine2frolic:
I have spent hours looking for docking videos to get ideas. The link is much appreciated.

cesarid:
That's on my mind. I think I am over-propped anyway. Someone in the marina suggested a feathering prop that turns the blades 180 deg in reverse to get better reverse performance. It will all depend on my wallet size at the haul-out time.

[NCC320]

Originally Posted by turbulicity

NCC320:
Buddy lines between the pilings could be a good idea but we have a large tidal range here (~10 ft). So it would be a pain to keep them repositioned, tightened. More than that, I haven't seen anybody do that. Probably some marina policy.

Actually, the buddy lines don't have to be on pilings. The idea was to have points of contact on either side to support a couple of rolling blocks so that you could, by using bow lines to the blocks, keep the bow in the center of the dock as the boat backed out.
End points for those buddy lines could be on the sides of the full length (floating) finger piers shown in your diagram. Also, just because no one else has them is not a good reason not to consider them. And if they don't have them, then maybe they have a better plan that you could copy.

[ToppDogg]

I had a slip somewhat similar to this in Hawaii back in the 80's. I did the exact same thing you spoke about with the line on the aft cleat of the slip when I was single handling and if I had an experienced sailor with me they just stayed on the pier and worked the line for me.

[tomandchris]

That is a lot of boat. What, 30,000 lbs. plus a little? Don't think you will be pushing her around much, and you certainly don't want your wife or anyone else attempting to fend off that much weight.

Based on your drawings and description I think Andre is correct, the only way out of that slip looking pretty is with a spring line. You just need a long line because you have a long boat, and someone that knows how to use it. I would double it back to the boat so you had control. Use it to hold yourself to the dock before you leave and then use it with tension to swing the stern upstream as you leave. Make certain it will release from whatever you have it hooked to on the dock and pick it up quickly so it does not foul your prop. A really heavy poly line will also float.You just need to do the math correctly as when you tighten it that stern is going to swing hard and so is the BOW.

I would also work with your reverse maneuvers away from your dock to see how she really handles without that current. You will be going other places and you need to know what that monster is going to do. I really think that the current is pushing you. It is a rare boat that has starboard prop walk, but a 4 kt. current on your wetted surface is hard to overcome.

If all else fails, hire a experienced captain to teach you. I used to be very nervous coming in single handed until I took a lesson and found the easy way. It happened to be from someone who learned from Capt. Jack Klang, and involved a spring line, but now I prefer to do it alone in almost all situations. A couple of hundred dollars on a captain could be a good expense.

[CaptFoolhardy]

Originally Posted by Tempest

Can you back into the slip?

Originally Posted by turbulicity

Not really. Return is tricky as well but I figured out how to handle it. I have got no control in reverse under power, prop walk just overwhelms rudder. In neutral, little control. So backing into the slip is a tougher problem than backing out.

Have you tried sailing past your slip, turning around and approaching the slip on your starboard side to back in? Your prop walk would be working for you in that case.

[tomandchris]

Turbiolicity, have you found the magic exit strategy as yet? Your boat and your slip is one of the tougher situations so is intriguing.

[Silvio]

Tough situation for sure and you have gotten some really good advice. I hope it is working out for you.

I do not offer this advice in any way to be flippant or cavalier(particularly with your money) but have you looked at other marinas or even an easier slip at your current marina? I may have mentioned before on other posts that I single hand extensively and live aboard so enjoy the freedom of sailing on a moments notice. My last marina made docking very difficult by myself. It has been well worth it for me to pay substantially more for a better situation that gets me out sailing much more often with less stress and I have avoided damaging anybody elses boat. I was always worried that I would do real damage in my last marina. Now, no problem.

You have a lot of boat for you and your wife to handle, it may be worthwhile especially as you gain experience, to remove as much of the compaounding factors as you can even if it costs more initially. You can always move to a different slip later.

just a thought. Best wishes.