NCC,
The HARDER wind days are when it comes out of the north, then it is pretty direct at the boat equal to open water. When I have 30+ out of the south, I am sheltered to the south and east a slip by the covered area. Either way, much easier with another person or two.
By myself, yes twice at least it was blowing 30+ out of the north. Yes, the bow goes towards the boat to the SE of me and I have to run and release the rear line and hit the throttle forward and turn to the right/west to not hit the boat next to me. I also have one of the wider 30-32' slips in my marina at 15' or 30' total between the two piers. There are some that are 12.5' total 25. those slips would be way harder!
With this in mind, and what I learned if you will the two times I have done this............ NEXT TIME. I will use my "lock lines" basically 50' 3/8 lines with an 18" loop required to go thru the locks south of me into Lake washington from Puget sound. ANY long line would do! I would attach to the bow, pt a single wrap if that around a dock cleat, run it and hopefully me only walk per say to the back, release the rear line, and hold this line such that the bow will not go away from the dock into the boat next to me, as I go forward under power, I would then hopefully flip this line out of the way of the cleat, pull on to the boat away from the prop, turn west at the end of the pier and out to the main waterway north to the main entry, ie 180 from my slip, and into the main bay. The main goal for this line, is to operate I want to say as a reverse spring line. Not sure if this is the correct terminology.........best I can say and or type at this time.
Both days I only need fuel the 2nd time, a bit less than the first, about 35-30, when I did a better figure out how to do this. the first was 30-45 at times for a haul out over presidents day weekend locally. I'm in the water 24/7/365 for the most part, with haul outs every 2-3 yrs for paint etc.
Hopefully this strategy will work the next time I need to do this. The idea seems reasonably sound from others doing something similar in lighter winds. The south winds blow me into the finger pier, so not a big deal, in higher winds. North is the issue be it single handed or with my kids/race crew etc. as I get blown into the boat next to me. The dock, it will not be damaged, just my boat.......boat next to me we damage it and me, hence why the More NW to N winds are the worst.
Sorry about the couple of day later on the reply.
marty