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My situation is a lot easier than many of you, so it isn't that I'm complaining but I could use some suggestions.
I have a good slip and most of the time getting in an out is not an issue. However, when the wind is coming from the North, as it was on Saturday, I have some trouble.
Here is my slip:
For a variety of reasons, we Starboard tie. My LOA is about 42 feet. Note the fairway width. With a North wind, the bow tends to fall off the Port pushing me against the finger on that side. If I come in nice and slow, as I normally do, the wind pushes me too far. If I come in faster, to give the wind less chance to push me, then I have to reverse harder to slow down (which I don't like to to) and with my prop walk that pushes my stern to Port. In either case, it makes stepping off the dock to Starboard difficult.
On Saturday, I drifted too far to Port so my wife couldn't step off so I had to reverse and back out and try again. I didn't touch anything, but not something that I want to do very often!
One thing that came to me as I looked at the image was to step off to Port when the wind is coming from the North. It is a bit harder to judge the distance to the dock on the Port side as my throttle control is on the Starboard rail (a stupid design flaw on the part of Catalina IMO). I could step off to Port, temporarily tie the boat, and the move to the boat to the Starboard side to permanently tie off.
I agree, I never understood why the throttle was on the starboard side on a port prop walk, but it sounds like a good place for you except when the wind is pushing you hard.
I think that I would have a port spring line prepped for those times that the N wind was blowing. Use it to control your momentum and stop the boat on the port pier and then pull her across for your starboard tie. Or rig a starboard spring and use that to let the motor pull you to starboard from your port spring.
It makes it a much easier escape if things go wrong. And the propwalk is mostly in your favor. Be carfull the propwalk and the bow windage does not push the stern too far too port, but if you judge it right it will help turn you into your berth.
Good suggestion. Backing in is an option, but we prefer to be bow in. That gives us a nice view of Mt. Rainier thought the harbor entrance and gives us a bit more privacy. Even backing in though with the wind from the North the bow tends to fall to leeward.
Some thoughts;
1.You need a bannister line. It makes it easier to leave your slip.
2. To return to your slip, come at it from downwind, rather than trying to enter the slip with the wind. In other words, pass your slip, turn around, and nose in with the nose into the wind. Use a boathook to loop a knotted springline loop over a cleat on the upwind finger, and power into your slip pivoting off the springline, then tiem off the aft dockline first.
Not sure how to approach the slip from downwind unless I was to back down into the fairway past my slip with my bow into the wind, then stop and go forward turning to port into the slip. Is that what you had in mind? That would work, but the fairway is pretty darn narrow to make a 135 degree turn to port.
Since you have a float on either side, I'd just put out fenders (or fender the float if that's permitted) so that you land on whichever one is easiest. It's a simple matter to tie the boat from the other side once you're stopped...
And.. have you considered tying the boat from both sides and keeping her 'suspended' between fingers to utterly eliminate fender rub?
I think that is what I'm thinking will work the best. If the wind is from the North, then land on the Port side and retie the boat after wards. I use a Port side bow breast line now that keeps the boat off the fenders on the Starboard side for the most part unless their is a strong South wind. We have a hill and condo to the South that gives good wind protection from that direction for the most part.
Some thoughts;
1.You need a bannister line. It makes it easier to leave your slip.
2. To return to your slip, come at it from downwind, rather than trying to enter the slip with the wind. In other words, pass your slip, turn around, and nose in with the nose into the wind. Use a boathook to loop a knotted springline loop over a cleat on the upwind finger, and power into your slip pivoting off the springline, then tiem off the aft dockline first.
I think this is what I was going to say. Tie or cleat your line midship on the starboard side and have crew walk to the bow. Then as you come down the fairway with the wind and turn into your slip, have the crew loop the line over a cleat at the end of the finger on your starboard side. The tension on the line should "swing" you into the slip up against the windward finger.
Since you have a float on either side, I'd just put out fenders (or fender the float if that's permitted) so that you land on whichever one is easiest. It's a simple matter to tie the boat from the other side once you're stopped...
And.. have you considered tying the boat from both sides and keeping her 'suspended' between fingers to utterly eliminate fender rub?
While I like to back into my slip (both from how the boat fits and since I single hand, this allows me to get a line on the piling from the helm station as I first reach the outer piling), I belive that, if the cross wind/down wind is very great, there is a chance to loose control in your example...i.e. the crosswind spins the boat around, trapping you into position that you can't escape. You have more control in a bow first approach. The trick is to get into the dock and prevent the boat from drifting down onto the leeward finger pier. You have the avantage of a crew to help with the line and disadvantage that you are on the wrong side for good visability. Here is an idea:
Lead a line from/through a midship cleat (outside the lifelines) forward towards the bow. Have the crew get this on the outer upwind piling or cleat when bow first reaches the outer upwind piling or cleat. This is critical. On board the boat, have the line led back to upwind primary winch, three wraps around the winch, winch handle locked in the winch. Continue with the tail to/through a fiddle block with cam cleat, attached to the forward part of the pushpit stanchion, and with tail continuing to helm station. Pre-rig the line and block(s) (actually the block(s) can be permanently on the boat). You take in slack as boat moves in, crew moves to winch and winches in the line to hold boat up wind initiatially. Once boat pulls against the line, slowly slack off the line from the helm or winch so that the line begins to act as a spring, and gradually feed the line out as the boat powers slowly ahead to get fully into the dock.
I use it a bit differently, but I have such an arrangement on my boat. Fiddle blocks with cam cleat are from Gauhauer, but other suppliers are available. Johnson Marine makes a lifeline bracket that slips over the pushpit railing to which you can shackle the fiddle block/cam cleat. I have a block permanently on both sides of my boat.
Lead a line from/through a midship cleat (outside the lifelines) forward towards the bow. Have the crew get this on the outer upwind piling or cleat when bow first reaches the outer upwind piling or cleat. This is critical. On board the boat, have the line led back to upwind primary winch, three wraps around the winch, winch handle locked in the winch. Continue with the tail to/through a fiddle block with cam cleat, attached to the forward part of the pushpit stanchion, and with tail continuing to helm station. Pre-rig the line and block(s) (actually the block(s) can be permanently on the boat). You take in slack as boat moves in, crew moves to winch and winches in the line to hold boat up wind initiatially. Once boat pulls against the line, slowly slack off the line from the helm or winch so that the line begins to act as a spring, and gradually feed the line out as the boat powers slowly ahead to get fully into the dock.
I'll have to think about this and work it through in my mind. Sounds like a good suggestion. Pilings aren't a great option since, depending on tide, the piling can tower over our heads. A cleat would work, but with the height of the gunnell the distance to the cleat on the dock is quite a ways.
Too far for my wife to "jump" from the bow to the dock. Plus, the piling is at the end of the finger making it hard to get to. As it is, I use a Fender Step at the lifeline gates to allow her to step off onto the dock.
A different idea that is simpler. My slip has fixed pilings and pier. On either side of the slip, I have buddy or assist lines tied from the outer pilings, parallel to the slip to the pier cleats/pilings. In situations similar to yours, if I have crew, I instruct the crew to get a bow line over and around the windward buddy line and to cleat it off. Now the bow can't fall off and I can control the stern relative to the slip using the engine and rudder and power slowly ahead to get into the slip. I will be adding the SJ Johnson "Grab and Go" hook to that mix. The grab and go hook is held onto a boat hook using friction and a specal bracket that attaches to the boat hook. The crew simply uses the boat hook to position the hook onto the line, and then pulls back on the boat hook to release the hook from the boat hook. The hook has a two way spring loaded gate that will prevent it from falling off the line if you get slack in the line.
In your case, you have a floating pier so you have to use a different arrangement to simulate the buddy line. I suggest that you try this. Tie a line from the forward most cleat on the windward side of the slip back to the aft most cleat on the windward finger pier. To make the hook up, the line needs to be supported off the deck so crew can engage the hook easily. To to this, fashion a flexible standoff at either end of the line using large diameter vinyl tubing. I'd use a slightly undersized slot in the end of the vinyl tubing so that under load, the line can be pulled free. Attach the dock end of the standoff permanently to the dock. I recommend doing it horizontally into the slip so as not to create a tripping hazard in getting on and off the boat. If the boat should ever come into contact with this arrangement, the standoffs will deflect and should not damage the boat. This arrangement is more or less permanent as it has to be in place before it is needed.
Now, when approaching the slip bow first in the crosswind, helmsman's first job is to get the bow close enough to this buddy line so crew can make the hookup using the Grab and Go device and boat hook. Once hooked up the crew can quickly cleat off the line at a premarked point to the bow cleat. Now, the bow can't fall off and you control the stern with the engine and rudder. As you move forward, the hook simply slides along the line, always holding the boat at the preset distance from the pier.
This device is useful for departures in a similar manner. To disengage it, you simply slack the line and use the boat hook to grab a flexible ring on the hook and pull the hook free. The Grab and Go is somewhat expensive for what it is, but well worth the price in my opinion.
We have a similar docking situation and found a spring line is an ideal solution. We use a boat hook to pick up a pre-rigged spring line secured to the upwind floating dock. The spring line has a spliced loop which is simply placed over a midship cleat. Your motor will bring you up against the upwind finger pier, allowing you to gracefully step off the boat and secure your dock lines.
why is your wife stepping off the boat BEFORE you're tied off?? I've never understood why folks step off, grab dock lines and hand back to boat. IF it's your 'home' slip aren't the lines attached at the dock? Sail in and reach out with a boat hook, grab lines and pull aboard and tie off. THEN step off. No drama.
Most of the time, the boat is stationary when we step off. It is easier to step off, and then place the dock line on the boats cleat than try to grab a line with a boat hook. However, it is worth a try.
I would use the port finger to tie to when a north wind is blowing, easy, uncomplicated. I would be much more worried about backing out of that slip in a north wind with the bow wanting to blow off to port and the prop wanting to swing the stern to port as well. Bowthruster?
I single hand quite often and had to come up with a "easy" docking method. The system works so well I use it even with crew. Makes docking a no drama situation.
We are on floating docks with a pylon between us and our slip mate. We have a full length finger pier as well. I have a line that comes off the pylon which is on the starboard side of the slip. It goes to the main dock port side. I then take another line and go from the main dock starboard side to the end of the finger pier. The 2 lines cross and form an X about 1/3 the way down the slip. I can pull in the slip with enough power to keep me from drifting off with no problem. Even when the wind is dead on my beam I can sit the boat in my "X" and it stays in the middle of the slip. It also helps greatly when leaving the slip singlehanded.
It only takes a few minutes to set up or take down the system. Very simple, very easy.
The 2 lines cross and form an X about 1/3 the way down the slip. I can pull in the slip with enough power to keep me from drifting off with no problem.
If I'm picturing this correctly, you come into your slip bow first and the forestay hits the two lines in the center of the X so that those lines kind of hold the boat still long enough to get your dock lines on?
If I'm picturing this correctly, you come into your slip bow first and the forestay hits the two lines in the center of the X so that those lines kind of hold the boat still long enough to get your dock lines on?
Not exactly... the lines are only dock height except for the one coming off the pylon. At the bow it's probably 2 feet off the water. As the line goes down the starboard side of the boat the height of the line increases as it gets closer to the pylon. This added height helps keep me from getting close to my neighbor if the wind is blowing on my port beam. If its blowing across my starboard beam it'll just push me towards my finger pier. The "X" keeps me away from the dock and my dock box. It actually holds the stern just out of the slip. This will only allow the stern to move between the pylon and the finger pier. It's worked great so far.
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