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Docking

30K views 72 replies 31 participants last post by  Sailorjane 
#1 · (Edited)
Here are links to docking videos that might be interesting to see what to do and what not to do.

Lets watch others do it, in hard and easy conditions. Just to show what one might have to contend with, we'll start with difficult situations, then going into how to do it. Good and bad.







































































Basics...What is my boat doing?, Why?











Docking Seminar



* 1 1/2 hr. seminar

And if you are still with me, then you are really interested in docking. Here's lots more of all types of docking situations and some useful hints/illustrations.

















































And now that you have studied the various docking methods, maybe you can do it this way:



Now that you can do it like Captain Ron, here are some more items so you'll be even better. As you have seen, many are in a language that you probably don't speak or understand. That's not important. Watch what the crew and the boat do. Why did they do it? How did the boat respond? Could they have done better by pre-planning or doing it another way? Think about the wind and current, and waves. You don't want to play bumper cars with your boat because it gets expensive, so practice and study, and practice. Most of the European videos show med mooring, which we don't do very often in the US. But backing between two boats is not all that different from backing into a slip.





































 
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#4 · (Edited)
From time to time, people new to sailing or facing unusual situations, ask for guidance in docking, or relate stories of docking gone wrong. In my opinion, docking/undocking is the most difficult part of sailing. Too many of the videos show it being done with little or no wind or current. But if one sails long enough, a sailor will encounter more difficult conditions. There are many videos posted here on how to dock. The Europeans seem to present more of docking in high wind conditions, and while the principles are similar, the execution will be different in high wind/high current conditions. While newbies could make a YouTube search as well or better than I can, I thought that I would try to help by selecting a list of links to videos illustrating various techniques. The list is long, and there are additional links from the webpages that I referenced. One of the links is to a 1 1/2 hr. seminar in docking and is noted in the original post...be sure to check that one out.

As you watch, imagine you are at the wheel. What did the captain or crew do right, what did they do wrong, and how could their docking be improved? Study these and get actual practice in varying conditions, and when you are faced with the unexpected difficult circumstances, you will be better prepared. Always have an abort plan, and if things start to go wrong, just abort, go out and start all over. Almost never, in my opinion, can you straighten out things when they start to go wrong. And watch sail stories where people claim to be docking in high winds with little or no effort. These videos will illustrate otherwise. Even in the videos, see what the flags are doing, if they are just fluttering, it's not 40 knots. And when there's wave action or current, it's a whole new world.

Old hands and experienced sailors on the forum might find some of the docking videos in difficult conditions interesting.

If you find the original post useful, post a reply/comment to keep the thread alive. Otherwise, it will disappear.

Fair winds and good docking.
 
#9 · (Edited)
gdr, MedSailor, mixon,

I believe mixon has it exactly right. I believe that if one studies carefully the videos where things went wrong or were difficult, one will be better prepared to handle the real life situations that we all encounter from time to time. While an index might be useful, my hope was that the list might be treated as a book....read the whole thing to get the full story. There is lots to learn, especially for those just beginning. And there were other things that I would have liked to covered, but the list was getting so long.

I got interested in the docking videos after reading many threads and hearing lots of stories of people routinely and easily docking/undocking in high wind and high wave situations. Lots of these stories didn't make sense. I usually have a crosswind coming down the fairway and going into the slip. What I experienced and what I saw from boats at 4 nearby marinas didn't match the stories. I even visited several marinas in San Francisco area on several occasions when I was out there to see how "real" sailors did it. The winds would be high out on the bay, but at the marinas, at least when I was there, it was a different story. I think it is important to those new to the sport to be realistic about docking. When the winds, waves, or current are adverse, it is difficult and it's a lot different than lots of the training videos where there is little or no wind. That's why I put all those difficult landings with large crews up front.
 
#10 · (Edited)
FWIW, here are some videos of docking/departing in a strong cross-current. I may redo these this year now that I have a head-mounted camera:

Docking with current pushing me out of the slip (EASY!)



Docking with current pushing me into the slip (a little challenging)



Departing with a current pushing me out of the slip (drift out with the current, then use reverse to keep rudder moving against the current)



EDIT: I had forgotten about the powerboat that got caught in the current as we were departing. Look on the right side of the picture at 1:48, and you'll see two guys desperately pulling on bow lines trying to get the boat straightened out in the slip. The current has pinned the boat sideways. If you scroll back to 1:22, you'll see the side of this boat awkwardly angled in its double slip. They should have attached a spring line amidships and used motor power to straighten out the boat.
 
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#13 ·
I grew up with moorings up East, where you could moor or cast off in most any weather or sea. Not necessarily so in the marinas down south... sometimes I think the screeching wind and spray-driven sea are God's way of telling you to just anchor out and cool it..

Unless, of course you are a fearless Greek ferry captain with an island that needs stuff, watch this... ;-)

 
#15 · (Edited)
On the docking vids: another option would be to bring her in bow first; land perpendicular to the end of the pier; put over a forward spring line (from a boat cleat located between the bow and beam. Then, back down on the spring at idle astern propulsion. Ease the spring to work the boat back into her slip. Gives excellent control.
 
#19 ·
Thank you so much for these videos! Docking and in particular leaving my slip is the one issue I find most daunting about boating, especially since the prevailing winds in my area tend to blow me down onto my neighbor. I'm always looking for more material to understand the various techniques better, and will probably post my own thread asking advice about the best docking approaches for my slip, once I feel more confident about what are the right questions to ask! Not sure if it's in your stuff but the Annapolis school of sailing has a lecture that's over an hour on the topic and goes over a number of different docking scenarios.
 
#20 ·


Suggestions for best method for leaving my slip would be appreciated.

The typical undocking conditions are as in the picture. My boat is the one on the right with the fenders and lines. It's a floating dock with cleats. There are no pilings. There is nothing between our boats but fenders and a little water.

Typical wind conditions blow me off the dock onto my neighbor and are represented by the green arrow. Sometimes it's blowing a little bit into the dock, sometimes a little bit out, but the main vector is usually straight down onto the neighbor. The way this is laid out, prop walk will also tend to pull my stern onto the neighbor when I'm backing out.

The slip empties out into a wide, generous fairway leading out of the harbor. The way out is to the right. There is a fair amount of room to back out to the left although there are some high dollar megayachts at the end in that direction.

My main concern is getting out in a controlled fashion without bumping my neighbor, and having a reliable method that doesn't require perfectly still conditions (if I left before 10AM each time this would be the case).

Most recently I've been having a crew member walk the boat out with bow and stern lines in hand until the end of the dock is about amidships with the boat in neutral. Then I will go in reverse as he maybe gives a last small tug on the bow line to keep my bow in towards starboard as he climbs aboard. This has worked out well but I'm concerned that with a stiffer breeze it might not be safe or workable.

I've also experiemented with using a springline off my stern leading forward, doubled around a cleat and back to me at the helm, to control the stern and keep it from swinging out towards my neighbor. I feed this line out as I back up, being careful not to give too much slack, and once my stern seems clear of the dock then I bring it back aboard. I've had a few really successful departures with this method that felt really controlled, but I've also had a couple of incidents where I screwed up and let the line snarl and form a lump/knot that snagged the dock cleat, causing an immediate crisis. This has made me a bit gunshy about this method although I still kind of feel like it might be a good solution.

Gunning hard in reverse to generate steerageway quickly could work but seems to rely too much on luck and leaves no room for error really.

I feel really stupid to be challenged by this. Any input or suggestions on good methods would be appreciated.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Suggestions for best method for leaving my slip would be appreciated.
I'd suggest going into the slip stern first in those conditions if your vessel backs to port. That certainly solves the leaving bit and backing in gives you much more control of the boat until you can get a spring line on her.
As for non docking considerations, some things must take priority over those and safely entering and leaving the slip would be one of those, IMO. Sorry, hun.
 
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#21 ·
Spring line - but hook it through a small block instead of around the cleat. Flake it out neatly before you back out. It's exactly what I do do get out of my slip. Propwalk pulls me the 'wrong' way. The typical wind blows my bow off the 'wrong' way. I use a simple spring line to counteract that. I _can_ use the gun the hell out of it in reverse then neutral method, but for the 30 seconds it takes me to rig a spring line it's soooo much easier and in control. I use cheaper than cheap polypropylene 3/16 rope from the Home Depot for this.

Why?
#1 - It floats. Less chance of getting caught in the prop
#2 - It's strong enough for it's use, but if it really got hung up it'd likely break. (or it'd be real quick to cut with a knife)
#3 - It's quite cheap.
#4 - It's useful for all kinds of other things on a boat - I currently have a bit of it to hold the liquor bottles onto the shelf.
 
#23 ·
Spring line - but hook it through a small block instead of around the cleat. Flake it out neatly before you back out. It's exactly what I do do get out of my slip. Propwalk pulls me the 'wrong' way. The typical wind blows my bow off the 'wrong' way. I use a simple spring line to counteract that. I _can_ use the gun the hell out of it in reverse then neutral method, but for the 30 seconds it takes me to rig a spring line it's soooo much easier and in control. I use cheaper than cheap polypropylene 3/16 rope from the Home Depot for this.

Why?
#1 - It floats. Less chance of getting caught in the prop
#2 - It's strong enough for it's use, but if it really got hung up it'd likely break. (or it'd be real quick to cut with a knife)
#3 - It's quite cheap.
#4 - It's useful for all kinds of other things on a boat - I currently have a bit of it to hold the liquor bottles onto the shelf.
gptyk, can you explain in detail how you have this line configured? Where on your boat is it attached, where on the dock does it go etc.? Thanks.
 
#24 ·
^Skyeterrier:

You didn't say what kind of boat you have but is it possible to back her in perhaps using the prop walk in your favor? Seems leaving the dock bow out in those conditions might help you.

Good luck!
Hey joy, this would be a good solution but here is where non-docking considerations come in. My wife feels strongly about us keeping her bow in as there's more privacy with the stern facing the harbor fairway, and a much nicer view from where we spend most of our time on deck.

The boat is a 32 foot Beneteau. Thanks for the input!
 
#26 ·
Here are links to docking videos that might be interesting to see what to do and what not to do.

Lets watch others do it, in hard and easy conditions. Just to show what one might have to contend with, we'll start with difficult situations, then going into how to do it. Good and bad.
Might I suggest that instead of watching all these videos, that one might have mastered docking in half the time had one just practiced docking the boat instead? Away from the da*m computer.
 
#27 ·
Another way to think about is to use "The Five Forces"

1) Prop Walk
2) Prop Wash
3) Rudder Angle (not really a force)
4) Wind
5) Current


Get at least 3 of the 5 working in your favor and you can dock the boat anywhere.

Might want to practice to turning the boat in its own boat length by using prop walk and prop wash. You should be able to do it without turning the wheel (rudder).
 
#28 ·
Another way to think about is to use "The Five Forces"

1) Prop Walk
2) Prop Wash
3) Rudder Angle (not really a force)
4) Wind
5) Current
Get at least 3 of the 5 working in your favor and you can dock the boat anywhere.
And if you can't get any of these 'working in your favor' should you just take your ball and go home?
Come on. You've got to learn to handle your boat no matter what the conditions are or you shouldn't ever take it out of the slip.
Any idiot can make a boat go, but it takes a sailor to stop one. Docking is part of stopping.
 
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#31 ·
I think getting an idea of HOW to dock and undock by researching online is fine, but agree that until you get out there on the water it's all "theory." But...simple trial and error, just going out on the water without knowing what procedures you could perform could be a recipe for disaster. Best advice in my opinion is to get a qualified professional instructor to teach you close-quarters maneuvering. That's what I did and made a heck of a difference.
 
#32 ·
Tiller time is important, but helpful hints that can be practiced later can really take a load off.

I think the OP needs to practice with long spring lines under power. Does the wind die down at night? Practice on a weekday night when no one is around.

Sometimes finding that sweet spot amidships can make a lot of difference. I have a small (30ft) boat and the difference between a few inches forward or aft of that sweet spot can mean the boat sitting perfectly alongside a dock or one end wanting to blow off/push in. Just because someone put a cleat someplace does not mean it's actually in the best spot.

I attach spring line through the block on my forward jib track, positioning the block for docking. When I leave the dock I move the block if I need to. Yes, I leave the jib sheet in the block.

For departing a dock single handed;
The eye of a dock line goes through the block and I run the the other end through the eye, attaching it there. The dock line goes around a piling or cleat on the dock and then back to a cleat on the boat.

Going to the dock single handed;
I tie a bowline to the block and step off the boat with that spring line so I have the loop end in my hand. I also take a long bow or stern line with me. The loops are good because you don't have to make a knot right away on a piling or you can even throw it over a cleat and run back to do something else.

I have some home made dock lines with big enough loops that you can just loop them over a piling if you need to. I probably need to make more of these, it's not a permanent way to attach them to a piling but it's can make things easier when seconds count :)
 
#39 ·
I have some home made dock lines with big enough loops that you can just loop them over a piling if you need to. I probably need to make more of these, it's not a permanent way to attach them to a piling but it's can make things easier when seconds count :)
Have you checked out the docking stick? I have two and find them to be simple and effective and useful in certain circumstances.
 
#33 ·
Now, I have a question:

Single handing hints for getting in and out of the dreaded 4 piling slip that requires backing in. No floating dock, nothing to fender up against. Fixed dock above the hight tide mark, perfect for catching stern pulpits, grills, etc.. Boats on either side.

Any suggestions?
 
#35 ·
That's a tough one maybe a long line from each piling to your cockpit winches leave the motor in reverse and let it into the slip with the winches. Still tricky with lifelines and all. I don't back in, its easier for me to back out let the wind carry the bow wherever it wants and I either back down the fairway or forward. Whatever the Boat lets me do basically. In time I might get more comfortable backing in but would have to back all the way down the fairway because there's just no steerage without some speed. My bow just blows wherever it wants to, fin keel flat entry etc.
 
#34 ·
I, too, would like the answer to this rigging question for the spring line. I have exactly the same slip and wind conditions and have yet to figure out any spring line to get out with when the wind is blowing. In the case of only the two of us and heavy wind having my wife fend us off with the boat hook seems to be the safest solution. Roaring away in reverse just makes it worse because of the prop walk.

I backed in as suggested by others the last couple of times last year and it worked fairly well but have not yet tried it in heavy wind.

Looking forward to gptyk's response.

Dan
 
#36 ·
I should add, I have a spring form an aft piling to a midship point on the rub rail motor in forward left rudder if the line side is starboard and she sits right there all day, last line off and first on coming back in and it hangs there while tending the others. I do the stern lines myself so I can pop it out of gear if a line gets wet that's the danger zone.
 
#37 ·
I have a situation really similar to Skyeterrier's diagram (post #21). My boat (Catalina 27) is easily blown downwind with a strong tendency for the bow to be blown downwind ahead of the stern. My situation is different insomuch as the fairway is narrow and lined with boats. So, immediately out of the slip I have to perform a convincing 90 degree turn pretty quick.

I have not done this single-handed, so I just back out with the crew holding the bow close to the dock, and angling with my stern to port as much as I can (with the neighbor close by). I back out with a good amount of throttle to finish my clockwise turn in the middle of the fairway, then forward out of the marina.

This isn't workable in high winds because the boat simply won't turn bow-to-wind at low speed, since the bow blows downwind so much. In such cases, I still have the crew keeping my bow from blowing into the neighbor while I back straight out. When the mast is well out of the slip, I continue to back with a resolute amount of throttle while turning the stern to starboard. The wind helps by blowing the bow to port. Then, I just back down the fairway until I reach a place to turn around.

My difficulty is in docking, and I haven't come up with a way to nail it just yet.

The problem is that there is inadequate room in the fairway to turn a full 90 degrees to point into the slip unless winds are almost calm. The tendency for the bow to blow down is so strong that such a turn is near impossible. So, in higher winds, at a time when I would really like to be pointing sharper into the dock, my bow is being blown down and preventing me from even meeting the dock parallel, much less angled toward it.

My solution to this situation in other places has been to simply motor past the slip a bit, turn around, and come back so I can turn into the slip with my bow pointed more windward. Unfortunately, there is inadequate room in the fairway to turn around - particularly in high winds.

The thing I have not tried, yet, is to run a spring line from my midships cleat to the first cleat on the dock as I enter the slip. Then, simply motor forward and let the tension in the spring line pull me into the dock.

The other thing on my list of things to practice this weekend is a standing turn. The ability to do a 180 degree turn in the narrow fairway would be nice, so I can enter the slip bow-to-wind.
 
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