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In fact, when I was learning, my instructor had me go all over the marina practicing docking in every direction.

chuck wrote:I Wish:

I wish that there were places that had rectangular practice floats moored so that you could practice docking in all wind directions. It would be nice if it had one finger slip.

When I started sailing again after a 27 year break, I got a single slip in Portland, OR so that I did not have to worry about hitting another boat while getting underway or docking. I used that for practice. It still would be nice to have practice slips some where.

Chuck

The good news is docking gets easier with practice. Sheri and I took ASA courses last year up to 106 and we learned a lot from that - particularly use of springlines.

The bad news is that no matter what you know, one day all will conspire against you in a docking situation. This year was a really hard year for docking in a lot of places. Low water levels in our lake did not allow us to dock with the rudders or dagger-board down which makes windage far worse. Days where wind was blowing opposite the break-wall and into our slip were always tense. I sailed in 35 kt winds and had a great time but was terrified to come back into the harbor. Our slips are tight with two boats between each finger so you are hitting the dock or the other boat. The fingers are shorter than the boat so you have to nail it. Sometimes you don't. sh~t happens and dust it off. Anyone in the harbor who claims not to have had a terrible docking experience on occasion is a liar.

This weekend I am taking Sheri out to do some docking practice. Most of the boats are out of the water for the winter so we will have a lot of elbow room. If you are at a seasonal marina or yacht club, ask that you are one of the last boats pulled out at haul out. At our club it is not a problem as we have a lifts that are more than sufficient for such a light boat and staying in despite low water levels is not a big deal with the Mac so I was actually asked to wait so they could get the keel boats out.

Here is a boating safety course I took - its free unless you want the ID card then its $30 it covers everything from docking to passing and safety gear I took it just because it will gave me a little more confidence maybe it can help you to. It explains currents and tides and power docking good basic knowledge and if you have plenty of experience its very easy and is just a basic brush up.
http://www.boat-ed.com/?gclid=COLkw5HVi ... nQodCRoAcw

What is great about the is that with all its freeboard, it sails well in every direction

I found previous courses I took in kinematics and newtonian physics to be very useful. Helps to understand that mother nature does not care a bit on how I planned to get to the dock.

Others have recommended books, courses, and practice (all valuable). Practice is best around those who do not have real expensive boats nearby and have a good sense of humor.

Don't be afraid to back out completely and try again. You've got a big motor that's perfectly capable of stopping a low speed maneuver cold--don't be afraid to use a reverse hole-shot to keep from hitting something.

Backing out and coming back in once you know exactly what the current and wind are doing is a lot less stupid looking than hitting another boat

Also, docks have bumpers for a reason--you needn't fear a low-speed (under 2 knots) dock collision.

If the wind and current are conspiring against you by pushing you strongly away from the dock, pull out and maneuver next to the end of the finger where you will be at 90 degrees to your dock and parallel to the problem current or wind. You can then hop off with a center dockline (from that cleat you've put on the cabin-top tracks for just such a scenario) and walk the boat around into your slip.

My hardest was coming up to a small ramp with a small l-shaped dock next to it as a storm was coming in and at such an angle there was no maneuvering up to the dock. We ended up coming up to the part of the dock that was perpindicular and jumping off with long docklines. We then let the rear line go long and let the boat swing out in line with the ramp and then pulled it in.

Message, you will always run into a new situation, need to understand how to maneuver the boat in close quarters - then use your imagination.

... and get a few LONG docklines - 20-25 feet is good, 35 feet is best so you can run springlines the length of the boat.

BTW, my main approach is to have one of my sons on the bow with a dockline and hook. I concentrate on getting the bow close, he jumps off and puts a few turns around a piling, and then I put the motor in reverse and hard over towards the dock to slowly pull the boat to the dock. I usually pull up so the breeze is pushing me away from the dock so I do not need to rely on fenders to protect the hull (I still keep them deployed).

mastreb wrote:Don't be afraid to back out completely and try again. You've got a big motor that's perfectly capable of stopping a low speed maneuver cold--don't be afraid to use a reverse hole-shot to keep from hitting something.

Backing out and coming back in once you know exactly what the current and wind are doing is a lot less stupid looking than hitting another boat

Also, docks have bumpers for a reason--you needn't fear a low-speed (under 2 knots) dock collision.

If the wind and current are conspiring against you by pushing you strongly away from the dock, pull out and maneuver next to the end of the finger where you will be at 90 degrees to your dock and parallel to the problem current or wind. You can then hop off with a center dockline (from that cleat you've put on the cabin-top tracks for just such a scenario) and walk the boat around into your slip.

Strongly away from the dock is relatively easy. Blowing onto and into the finger is the biggest worry. Alight wind lets you just drift gently in but a big one is the problem.
Fingers at our docks are shorter than most boats. You get blown onto someones transom first. Just over a boat length to back out. When the wind is strong there is one shot to get it right. After that, it gets messy. What I have thought about is dropping the anchor approaching the slip and tied to a midship cleat and using it in place of tying to the end of a finger. I would have to rig this in advance with a trip line to easily retrieve it from the closest finger with a boathook.

Remember, the idea of being on the boat is to have fun!
It is absolutely maniacle to be docking our boats without dock-hands! The Dock-hands job has been arround for centuries!
It is not so crazy to be doing single-handed sailing, but when doing so, it just makes good sense to have a dockhand available.
I also don't support the idea of the bowman or the sternsheet jumping off the running boat onto the dock while coming in. One of my guests already pulled his shoulder muscle and lost his glasses when he jumped off. Not wise as you grow older and heavier.

Here's my advice:-

• * Just watch for the wind and if there is any current inside the marina.
  * Concentrate on the job and don't be distracted by others on your own or other boats.
  * Assess the wind from your Anenometer/Windex and set a course to allow for leeway.
  * Keep your fenders on both sides and use your boathook.
  * Watch for propellors and rudders and bow pulpits and Anchors hanging off them.
  * A little bit of kissing is no problem and even surface scratches are fine - these can be rubbed off when the season is over.
  * You are there to have fun!
  * Come in like an aircraft pilot if you like! You have enough power to put your boat to a dead stop by going Full Astern on the motor.
  * Remember to put the helm to the correct side when reversing. Your motor itself swings and gives you excellent steerage.
  * Going Ahead your stern cants to the side opposite you move your helm and going Astern, your stern cants to the side the helm is given.
  * Since the pivot of the boat is closer astern than ahead of the midships of the boat, you can sometimes be more comfortable coming in Astern all the way, but this is kinda funny, and sometimes not worth it!
  * Always be willing to abandon your manoeuvre if you are sure to make a better approach the next time; don't abandon it for small reasons as the next approach, could be worse, or, you could mess up even befor you line-up!!
  * Use your boat-hook, but don't run forward unless you have killed the motor. Even at low rpm the motor is going to keep moving the boat forward (or back) untill you put the lever in Neutral. Remember the boathook is preferable for shove-off, and only in the very end, for hook-on!!
  * Keep your lines on the cleats before the approach and once stopped alongside, jump onto the dock and tie up the first line, usually the inside head-line, then the sternline. Then the spring and then adjust the headline if needed. Use as many lines as available. Keep these line ON BOARD when approaching as invariably your stern-line will fall overside and will get sucked into your propellor and this is a potential for grief!

Even though I've only had my for about a year, I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents and see what feedback I get:
I sail out of Oahu, Hawaii. I've put my boat in at Wainae, Sand Island, Pearl Harbor, and Kaneohe. Lately, I keep 'ikena Maluhia (Peaceful View) in a dry slip in Kaneohe with mast up. Ramp sucks, though. I've launched and recovered in all places single handed, so that's what I'll talk about. Here's the challenges I've faced:
Waianae Harbor: Huge surge plus prevailing winds blowing along the breakwater, perpendicular to the ramp and pier, and into the small marina. Not much room between ramp and marina, either. Winds usually 15-20 knots. Landing on the upwind side of the pier with the surge seemed like a good way to see just how flexible the hull is, so I always landed on the lee. Had to come in fairly quickly and point at the end of the dock, timing the surge and allowing the wind to push me just past it. Motor in fairly quickly, then hit reverse fairly hard pulling stern into pier. Put in neutral, jump off and tie up stern, then bow. This is where I saw some guy doing something absolutely clever: he tied his bow and stern docklines together! I've been doing it that way ever since. The wind tries to blow the bow off before I can get it tied up, but when I'm holding the stern line, I'm also holding the bow. Allows me to keep the bow in check until I get up there and tie it off. Oh, I'm 48, so I'm not talking about any massive athletic feats, either.
Kaneohe: no surge, but you almost always approach into fairly strong wind. You enter perpendicular to dock, and there's not much room to turn until you get past the ramp. I discovered that approaching with wind to stern almost always results in a fairly hard landing. The marina put this rebar in to mark the end of the ramp, so you can't just lay the boat parallel to the dock and let the wind do the work. So, I make as wide a turn as I can and aim for just windward of the end of the dock. If I do it right, I can get it to slide right in. But even if not, this way allows some adjustment if I'm off a bit.
So:
1. Tie the bow and stern lines together, especially if single-handing a lot.
2. Dagger down about 8" and at least one rudder down, of course.
3. Considering both wind AND current, pick the approach that allows you to push against mother nature as you approach, rather than having her push you into the dock. You have a lot more control this way.

I'm a retired Naval Officer and used to conn warships. Landing my on the dock without scratching it is a LOT harder, but a lot more rewarding, too. Unless there's no wind, you can't get her DIW 6" off and perfectly parallel to the dock like you can with a destroyer.

@pmmcderm

Your vivid detail of your challenges of berthing in open-sea conditions shows your experience. You discussed the approach and the applied principals very well and we can visualize exactly the 'fun' you are having! That destroyer with a 50 linesmen, and dockhands, and the whole world watching, I'm sure you don't miss that!

I was an Oil-Tanker Master and this was easy, but just the thought of paperwork involved in doing the Letter of Protest, or engaging the P&I Surveyor, made us do a cleaner job than what I care with my own . No paperwork, no Telexes/email to office, no phone rings!! Muuuhhhhhhaaaaaahhhhhhaaaaahhhhhhaaaaaaa !!! Priceless!!

I've had only one summer with the boat, but this stuff is just different!!

prishi wrote: I also don't support the idea of the bowman or the sternsheet jumping off the running boat onto the dock while coming in. One of my guests already pulled his shoulder muscle and lost his glasses when he jumped off. Not wise as you grow older and heavier.

Not a big deal when the deck hands are teenage boys/monkeys who are going to do it anyway. I have also practiced enough I can pretty much hold the bow at the dock so it is as easy to step off there as amidships. Reality is that someone is going to have to step over a gunnel or pulpit to get off the boat at dockside - possibility of tripping either place. I mainly use this method when the direction of the wind makes it too difficult to settle the boat in parallel to the dock.

In most cases I use a simple docking method of tying a line to a cleat mid ship (I have a track mounted cleat on my jib track). When I am close enough to the dock to step off (not jump), I or my spouse gets off and puts the dock end of the line around a cleat that will be near the stern of the boat. I keep a slow forward throttle and the wheel tuned away from the dock. The resistance of the line pulls the boat to the dock while the wheel turned away from the dock ensures that the stern stays at the dock. The two combined balance to keep the entire boat at the dock. The person who is securing the line on the dock cleat can gently release the line to allow the boat to move forward as needed. When the boat is where you want it, the cleat is secured with a cleat-hitch. At this point you have everything under control with one line! The stern and bow are still hugging the dock and you can calmly and casually tie off all the other breast and spring lines at will with the engine still running in forward.

The key of course is to get close enough to the dock to step off safely. This is the only point that can go wrong. I have done this procedure in strong winds blowing to, away or along the dock. It all goes well as long as you can get that first cleat. It does help to have someone come and meet you to take the line in a strong blow or if it is not a direction favorable to the placement of the dock/other boats. It will be important to explain to the helper on the dock to ONLY round turn the cleat and not secure it. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES should anyone grab the boat. This will throw the balance off. If a good sumaritain grabs the bow, the stern flies out and vs-versa.

Try this method out. You will be amazed. It seems like you have a bow thruster. I often do it single handed as I have a wheel brake (a bungee will do).

I forgot to add: Whenever possible, do it without enlisting the help of someone (even a bosun). Most of the time the well intentioned helper will blow the whole maneuver.