Docking by myself

A

Arnold

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Joined
Oct 14, 2003
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12330
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Most of the times I have my wife handling the lines but once in a while I go out by myself. I have no problems in getting in and out of my slip but I would appreciate comments and advise on how to best deal with side docking on a pier between other boats assuming there is no help on the dock and no wind.
I have a 38 footer with twin engines.
Thanks.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arnold

Most of the times I have my wife handling the lines but once in a while I go out by myself. I have no problems in getting in and out of my slip but I would appreciate comments and advise on how to best deal with side docking on a pier between other boats assuming there is no help on the dock and no wind.
I have a 38 footer with twin engines.
Thanks.
Arnold

Click to expand...


Each situation and each boat is different so you really need to provide more information.

You're probably going to have to find a way to get a spring line around a cleat or piling (depending on the dock) and work from there.

BTW: It's unwise to assume that there will be no wind when it comes time to dock the boat.
 
Depends on the boat layout... If you have a lower helm with side doors you are within a few steps of your spring line. Set the lines ahead of time, approach the dock and when close enough step out and secure your spring. You can these the spring to get the boat alongside and secure the stern and bow. Exact sequence for these depends on wind and current. Visualize what they will do to the boat to decide which one to set second after the spring.

I the wind is blowing off the dock, I'd secure the stern before the bow. I you have current coming from the bow, then secure the bow then the stern.

When single handling I always set the line with the eyes on the cleats, all 4. This way you can throw th line on the dock behind the cleat, pull on the bitter end to catch the cleat then secure the line back on the boat cleat. This works with pilings too. You end up with doubles up lines which you can further secure with a figure 8 on the dock cleat. When you re ready to leave you can undo the figure 8s and then release the lines from the boat.

This is how I handle my 53' it s really easy.

I you don't have a lower helm and side doors, then set up longer lines and lead them all to the cockpit. Come along side, leave the helm and from the cockpit you can secure the spring. With a boat that size, If conditions are calm, you can step off the boat from th cockpit holding all three lines and secure them from the dock. Not as safe as plan A if it s blowing or ripping or if you are not sure footed.....over 40', I wouldn't try it though.
 
What Pascal said.

But I would add you can also just pull up to the dock and get your midship cleat lined up with a cleat or piling and tie off real tight to it. At that point your boat can't go anywhere. It can't move forward, aft and the bow nor the stern can drift out. Then you can hop out and tie yourself up the way you want.

This method works very well when you're ready to leave as well. Just tie up tight amidships, remove the rest of your lines, hop on, remove (or have some one remove) that last midship line and away you go.
 
Worth watching some of the professionals on this one eg small ferries, what they often do is have a short line off a midship cleat looped back to the cleat. They throw/put the loop over the cleat on the dock and leave the boat idling in gear, this pulls the boat up tight against the dock and you can then secure any other lines you need.
 
What if you are not good at heaving line?

George
 
quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

What if you are not good at heaving line?

George

Click to expand...


Heaving a line is pretty simple so if you're not good at it, have someone show you how and then practice.

Heaving a line is far simpler than docking a boat.
 
If you grab a coil of line and heave it, it will drop into the water at your feet.

I'm not going to try to explain the finer points of line heaving, they can be found on the Internet, already posted, or you can ask someone who knows to teach you. It's simple, but practicing doing it wrong won't make you any better at it.
 
Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent boats. Pascal and many others use a spring line. Many smaller boats can use a stern line (back in, get a stern line on, then idle ahead against the line). I do about the same thing with a bow line. SOME twins you can simply "walk" 'em in and tie up.

You have to evaluate your deck layout and determine what looks best for you. Then practice, practice, practice.

I'm not that great as a waterfront cowboy, so I use a boathook to put a line on a cleat or piling.
 
Rule #1
Do everything slowly with very carfull attention to not putting yourself in a position where a stumble could result in your falling off the boat.

Prepare lines well before approaching the dock making sure they cant fall in and wrap a prop.
 
quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

What if you are not good at heaving line?

George

Click to expand...


Then you are a complete ***** and need to go to the gym.
 
There are indeed many ways to do this and it can come down to personal preference. The key is to realize that what may work on a small boat will turn dangerous once you are dealing with something a little bit bigger, with more windage.

A short breast line as Bill described can come very handy sometimes although as boat size increase, so does the leverage wind has and I find that in breeze conditions a short breast will not really keep the boat lined up. Other issue with a short breast is that it h to be tight and again getting it short and tight isn't necessarily easy on a windy day. On the other hand a spring can be set loose and you can use the engines to pick up the slack. Maybe I m just lazy :)

When leaving though it is indeed a good option as it will keep the boat fairly close to the dock while you cast off the other lines.
 
quote:
Originally posted by In the know

quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

What if you are not good at heaving line?

George

Click to expand...


Then you are a complete ***** and need to go to the gym.

Click to expand...


How would that help?

Now give me a 16# bowling ball and ask me to hit the pocket and that is another proposition.

It is not strength that is need to loop a line around a cleat.

George
 
Well, the weather yesterday was not good but with no wind and not many boats around so I decided to try to dock the boat by myself following some suggestions I got from this board. I prepared a line from the midship cleat to the swim platform. Unfortunately, when I got to the dock with my stern close to the dock and ready to step off with the line in my hand, I had second thoughts and I visioned my boat walking away and me standing on the dock looking like a fool.
I am going to try again tomorrow but this time holding the spring line and the stern line at the same time hoping to be able to hold the boat and tie both lines quickly.
Sometimes I wish I had a smaller boat.
 
quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

What if you are not good at heaving line?

George

Click to expand...


In many cases you can pull the boat right up to the dock and just reach over and get one line on with out much, if any, heaving involved.

Or pass it over to some one on the dock.
 
IMO getting off the boat before you have a line on the dock is a recipe for problems.
 
quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

quote:
Originally posted by In the know

quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

What if you are not good at heaving line?

George

Click to expand...


Then you are a complete ***** and need to go to the gym.

Click to expand...


How would that help?

Now give me a 16# bowling ball and ask me to hit the pocket and that is another proposition.

It is not strength that is need to loop a line around a cleat.

George

Click to expand...

I don't think he was trying to help.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Arnold

Well, the weather yesterday was not good but with no wind and not many boats around so I decided to try to dock the boat by myself following some suggestions I got from this board. I prepared a line from the midship cleat to the swim platform. Unfortunately, when I got to the dock with my stern close to the dock and ready to step off with the line in my hand, I had second thoughts and I visioned my boat walking away and me standing on the dock looking like a fool.
I am going to try again tomorrow but this time holding the spring line and the stern line at the same time hoping to be able to hold the boat and tie both lines quickly.
Sometimes I wish I had a smaller boat.

Click to expand...


It would help to know what kind of boat you have.. Express, flybridge, trawler?

Indeed as I mentioned earlier, stepping off the stern holding the lines work with a fairly small boat, minimal windage, no current or else you re asking for trouble.

I am spoiled with my lower helm and doors on both sides with no steps up or down but on a boat where access to lines is thru the cockpit, then you have little choice but walking up on the side deck and set the spring, or a breast, from the boat. The key is to be close enough to the dock, how close depends on your line throwing skills :).

Mete that the boat doesn't have to be perfectly along side I usually come at a slight angle which will put the spring cleat location closest to the dock. If the wind is blowing you off the dock, then you may have to move fast to get to the spring before the boat has fallen back to far. But in that case the last thing you want to do is step off an unsecured boat.

One last note, if you run a long spring line to the cockpit you could pass that behind the dock cleat from the cockpit and then walk the bitter end on the side deck back to its cleat. Then go back to the helm and spring in.

Oe reason I don't like using a short stern line to force the bow in is that on many boats it is ver difficult to protect the transom as the rub rail either stop short, or the hull side is vertical or you have a swim platform to worry about. Or all of the above. It works on some boats but can be risky
 
Yeah the short breast line has to be very tight/short to work correctly. But I have used it with no issues on boats as large as 100'.
 
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