I see that I need to work on right and left... While backing, I have the crew hold onto, or tug, the doubled bow line to pull the bow to
PORT.:hammer
I need to back the vessel to starboard so that I can make a forward turn to port without bumping into the dock. Sorry for any confusion.
Delta-T said:
I would want to be in the Searay's slip. That would help with your approach and launch. And if you need to dock on the Port side then get a slip on the opposite side of the main dock. Put a request into the yard to be relocated, I had to wait four years till I got what I wanted. And I have the same issue you have, my boat is longer then the dock finger making stopping the boat with the dock cleats difficult, needing to tie a dock line off up near the companionway.
I like the guy in the SeaRay, and would like to stay where I am. Whenever a storm comes in, he and I lash our boats together, and reposition them so that they are in the middle of the slip. He watches over my boat, and I watch over his.
Also, prop walk would tend to push me away from the dock if I were in his slip.
tomandschris said:
My dock set up is almost identical to yours. True, you will never be able to predict what the wind will be doing later, but it should be able to be handled. My boat is a C34, so 35' LOA, and I single hand 90% of the time and dock without help almost 100% of the time.
I have one long spring line that is measured and marked for my slip. It runs from the mid ship cleat, or a shroud on other boats I sail, outside the lifelines to the back cleat. That line is dropped over the cleat or post on the end of my pier and I control it as the boat moves forward until it stops 6" from the bow touching the dock. Nobody jumps off and does anything quickly, it is controlled and so far never an accident.
The worst winds for me are a N or NE wind on my stern as it forces me to come in a little hot. However, I have done it in above 30Kts of wind with little problem. A E wind wants to push me off the pier, but the spring controls that and snugs me in.
I use the same spring line when traveling, it is just not pre measured. Once that line is on I am comforable with a port of starboard tie.
This wont work for me for three reasons:
First, I don't have a fixed mid ship cleat, but use (Garhauer) adjustable cleats on the genoa track... thus the length of the spring line can vary with the position of the cleat on the track. Because the cleats can move in relation to the hull, marking the spring line stop point won't help me.
Second, I always take my dock lines with me. I believe that I should be always be prepared to dock anywhere, and hate to leave anything on the dock behind me. When I leave for a daysail, I leave the shore power cord on the dock, but for overnight trips I take this too.
Third, my biggest fear when returning is that the bow will drift over to the SeaRay. Propwalk and a wind from the west, both exacerbate the tendency of my bow to wander toward the SeaRay.
weinie said:
I think the reason you are having problems single handing this is because your slip is too short for your boat! If you were to try to lasso the aftmost cleat on the dock from the cockpit with a line from amidship, your bow would already be hitting the dock in front of you by the time you were next to the cleat.
I would try pulling in stern first, though I would request a slip with the finger on the other side so that you could use prop walk in reverse to snug your aft end to the dock with a line from amidship. You would still lasso the first cleat on the dock but now you have all room in the world to use that line to snug up as you reverse in.
Agreed, the slip is too short, and it would be easier if I were to back in - especially if I were to trade slips with the SeaRay. However I prefer bow in, and the privacy that it affords...
Thanks to those that commented for your suggestions
You can see, however, that this is a difficult situation.