In a very similar situation, I back my 35' boat into the slip (singlehanded), and then pull out bow-first. Backing out of a slip is often difficult, because you can't always get up enough speed in reverse to acquire steerageway by the rudder. Therefore, you only have nominal control, if any, over the boat's direction. By backing in, and pulling out bow-first, you avoid those problems. Because I am a frequent singlehander, I avoid using spring lines when I can find a simpler way to get in or out of a slip.

As a general rule, I don't like to use a stanchion for a dock or spring line. I saw one pulled through the deck when used that way, and don't trust that they are designed to withstand that much stress.

 

In a very similar situation, I back my 35' boat into the slip (singlehanded), and then pull out bow-first.

Right now the Captain is living aboard so he likes the privacy the bow in gives him.
Will try the stern in as soon as he moves back on land. Thanks

 

Google Capt. Jack Klang and get his book. He sells it privatley. He covers just about every docking and wind situation there is.

 

A good landing is when no one gets hurt. A great landing is when you can use the boat again.

 

I agree with Sailormon6 about the stanchion. They are not meant to take the lateral strain that you will be exerting on them.

Is there a midship cleat that you could use instead? I would suggest that you could fix one end of the line to a cleat in/near the cockpit, loop it under the midship cleat (or one horn of the cleat), around the dock cleat, back around the midship cleat, and back toward the cockpit. This would allow you to control the temporary spring line, and control it from the helm, but not risk overtaxing the stanchion, or bedding.

 

I agree with Sailormon6 about the stanchion. They are not meant to take the lateral strain that you will be exerting on them.

Is there a midship cleat that you could use instead? I would suggest that you could fix one end of the line to a cleat in/near the cockpit, loop it under the midship cleat (or one horn of the cleat), around the dock cleat, back around the midship cleat, and back toward the cockpit. This would allow you to control the temporary spring line, and control it from the helm, but not risk overtaxing the stanchion, or bedding.

Sadly the Catalina has no midship cleat. I could use a shroud but if I'm going to rip something off the boat I'd rather it be a stanchion than a shroud.
I tested the force in low throttle and it is only about 50 lbs or less.
But your point about the stanchion risk is well taken.

 

I had a similar situation at the slip I had prior to this year. I found two lines critical to my docking proceedures. 1) a longish bow line that could reach to, or almost to, the cockpit but not long enough to reach the prop/shaft. 2) a short line that I made up with a small loop in one end that goes over the winch drum and a much bigger loop in the other end that goes over the dock piling adjacent to the cockpit.

My docking proceedure (learned from a friend who was single handing well into his 70's) was to come into the slip as normal. As soon as I could reach I would drop the line with the big loop over the piling. This serves to stop the boats forward motion and keep the stern from drifting away from dock. When the loop goes over, I would step off the boat onto the dock, grabbing the bowline as I went. This allows you to control the bow of the boat without having to worry about the rest of the boat. Worked very well.

With all other lines removed except the bowline and the "loop/brake line". Leaving the dock involved leading the bowline around a piling and back to the cockpit. I would shift into reverse, reach over and remove the "loop/brake line", throttle up to increase way and stearage, and flip the bowline off the piling as boat reverses.

Not sure if that explain in enough detail, but it was a system that worked and that I still use if the situation dictates.

 

I have a CS 30 with a similar docking setup. Our finger pier runs from the retaining wall to a single piling. I have a dock line tied around the piling with a 1/4" spring loaded snap on the end. On the toerail I have mounted a Johnson Toerail Folding Cleat. When docking I bring the boat in, stop it next to the piling, reach over grab the dock line and snap, snap it onto the folding cleat put the boat into forward and turn the wheel away from the dock. The boat snugs up nicely to the dock. Depending on the amount of wind is blowing you off the dock will determine the amount of forward thrust you will need. You will need to practise at the dock to find the balance point as to where you would mount the folding cleat on the toerail. When leaving just reverse the procedure. When leaving the dock with a strong wind I always have to back into the wind. My sailboat, as most, is like a weathervane in strong wind until you get her moving.
I learned this technique from my slip neighbour who sails a 32' O'Day single handed regularly.

Good Luck
Paul
Life Is Good - CS30

 

So, I'm thinking about starting to do the same thing on my C30, and expect that I will use a slide attached to my genoa track in lieu of a stanchion...

David

 

Back it in and eliminate the prop walk and wind off the port side issue. he'll be backing into the prevailing wind which is the best way and the wind helps push the stern around into the slip.

Have a long line on the stbd piling for the single handed skipper to pick up as the stern passes it. He can cleat at a known length to the stbd stern - it will stop the boat and pull it away from the pier in the event he's going in too fast. Have his second line be a spring from the middle of the finger pier, again cleating astern next to where he is steering, same reason - prevents going too far and keeps him clear of hitting anything to that side - centers the boat in the slip. Once he has those on he can leave the cockpit and do the bow etc..

 

I recently installed a midship cleat that goes onto the toe rail, that could solve the stanchion issue. Its not so durable that I would use it for all purposes, but certainly better than a stanchion for your purposes. It comes in quite handy.

http://www.defender.com/expanded.jsp?path=-1|118|295771|312070&id=80333

 

Tweitz-

Not a big fan of those, as I've seen them do some pretty bad damage to the toe rail under a load.

I prefer the Schaefer rail-mount cleats that mount to the genoa track. They're sturdier and the Genoa track is heavier, wider, and usually more resistant to being damaged.

 

One of the first things I bought for our boat were 2 of these track cleats for my spring lines, highly recommended.

 

The genoa cleats look nice. Toe rail might work but looks a little light.

 

Those look REALLY good. Gonna get a pair of them, I think.

Thank you.

David

 

Glad to help...they are really useful, since you can slide them along the genny tracks to where they're most needed.

 

Those genoa track cleats do look nice and there is no doubt the genoa track is stronger that the toe rail. The toe rail one is a lot less expensive. Can the genoa track sheets be easily attached, moved and removed? I will keep an eye out for them.

 

the genoa rail cleats are pin stop and can be slid along the rail witout much problem.

 

I'm happy to report that in light wind at least we can both now dock and de-doc using the technique explained at the beginning.
Thanks to everyone who responded with such good ideas.

 

That's great news, and thank you for the follow-up.

Dang, those cleats are expensive

 

Davidpm,

Instead of anchor rode markers, I use flourescent colored cable ties to mark my lines. I use 3-strand dockline and just reave them through and close 'em. I also use them in the ends of the dockline to help the crew differentiate the bowline from spring when grabbing them off the pilings. Cheap and effective.

I'd like to take credit for the brilliant idea, but a captain we hired told me about it.

 

Shaefer sells beautiful (if somewhat pricey) cleats that fit T-tracks. We had a set of these and they were very much handy for springlines.

Oop. Yeah, those. You're a faster typer and looker-upper than me.

 

Oop. Yeah, those. You're a faster typer and looker-upper than me.

He's better looking too!

 

BTW, they make them in two sizes, one fits a 1-1/8" genoa track, and the other fits a 1-1/4" genoa track IIRC. The larger is 8" and handles two 1/2" lines pretty well, the smaller is 6" and handles two 3/8" lines.

 

David,

Your original post, and the way you were doing it, is the simplest. Capt. Jack Klang would agree, as he taught me! You can use the genoa trackj cleat, but the way to go is to add good cleats on both port and starboard with good backer plates on them. When you visit another marina and get a dock on the opposite side at the last minute you won't have to scramble to move the cleat on the track. You can probably get them and install them for about the same $$$$ as one track cleat.....and they are harder to steal.

In the meantime, a shroud will work as long as you don't try to stop her at 7 knots.

 

Point taken but this is a Catalina 30 we seldom do anything at 7 knots.

 

Ah, what the heck. At only 11,000 pounds, tie it to the stancion

 

Your making a joke but that's exactly what I'm doing until we get proper cleats installed. Under no circumstance would I come in any faster than about .25 knots. Don't forget there is a wireless cable electronic box dead ahead of my bow. The yard is just waiting for me to hit it so they can charge me for a new one.
I pushed the bow of the boat against the engine in idle and estimate it pushes about 45 lbs.
If the stanchion can't handle that I have to fix it anyway.
If I or the captain really screw up and come in hot and rip out a stanchion I can fix that. Buggering up the standing rigging bothers me more.
If I come in that hot I'll never have time to loop the line over the dock cleat and tie off to the boat cleat anyway. When properly docked I have about a foot and a half from my bow to the dock electronic box. How long does it take to go 18" at even a modest 4 knots.
When I'm docking at this slip I've got to time it so I stop, I've only got one chance.

Might be a good idea to "test" the standing rigging at the end of every day this way though and I'm being too cautious.

 

For many years I used a bridal made of soft line in the form of a "V" with the center of the v at the bow , one end attached to the piling and the other end attatched to the finger dock.The bow end was attatched to the dock with a shallow "V" to each of the cleats on the dock.
When docking I motored slowly into the slip until the bow was stopped by the bridal then I grabbed the windward stern line made it fast and walked forward to get the windward bow line.The "V" bridal held the boat in position long enough to get the important lines connected,then it was easy to pick up the other two lines.When the boat was tied up I made sure it was pulled back enough so the bridal was not rubbing on the hull.
Phil

 

For many years I used a bridal made of soft line in the form of a "V" with the center of the v at the bow Phil

That sounds like a great idea even easier than what I'm doing. I'll file that way for future use. In our case however we have a finger dock only on one side so no easy way to rig the V.

 

phils, david...
looks kinda like this....