Interesting way to use dock wheel in tricky docking situation

[Mischief Managed]

In our slip, when the tide is going out, we have to deal with current that pushes our boat away from our finger dock and into our slip neighbor's boat. There is nothing but a gap between the two boats, no piling to bounce off. When the tide is coming in, we have the opposite problem and installed dock wheel on the end corner of our dock to prevent damage as the boat gets pushed into the corner while I back it in. I came up with what I think is a slick solution for when the tide is going out, using the dock wheel as a pulley. Thought others might benefit from my idea. It may not be new, but I've never seen it done, so it's new to me. It was also new to all my marina neighbors.



We start with a long line (blue in the terrible sketch below) tied to the starboard bow cleat and run all the way aft, outside the railings. My wife stands in the cockpit and drops the line over the dock wheel (orange in the terrible sketch below) as we start to enter the slip. She then puts a couple of turns on the starboard stern cleat so it is secure, but she can adjust slack as needed. As the boat is backed in, the line rotates the dock wheel at the base and tension on the line keeps the boat close to the dock. As the bow cleat gets even with dock wheel, tension on the line increases and draws the boat up tight to the dock while it halts rearward progress. My wife then secures a short dock line to the starboard stern cleat and the boat is secure enough to shut the engines down and tie it to the dock correctly.

 

[bluebyu]

Neat idea!
Nice drawing, explains the concept well.
How about a few photos?
Thanks

 

[Flybull]

I like it a lot! Sketch is good enuff for govment work...!

This would work well for me with a stiff North wind, as I back into my slip as well. I don't currently have a dock wheel, but could be tempted to add one. Do you have a pic of the dock wheel?

Thanks for sharing.

 

[w8n4sun]

Would that be putting a lot of extra torque on the wheel hub, and if the wheel breaks off would the base be gouging the side of your boat?

 

[Shrew]

I have the exact same setup (i.e. starboard finger pier, perpendicular to the current of a tidal river).

We do almost the exact same thing. I have a lower helm with a side door, and a flush step onto my side deck. I have a midship cleat right there at the door. I can stand half in/half of the side deck while I'm docking, which helps.

We leave a line tied to the end of the dock. I pull up perpendicular to the slip, grab the line and give turn on the midship cleat. Then turn the wheel hard to port. I start to 'bump and fill' (with the help of a bow thruster) springing the boat into the slip.

 

[psneeld]

Go slow and gentle.... not much chance of breaking anything.


Now pulling it out if not well secured could be a problem.


When single handling, I have done the same thing with just a cleat and it has worked well... similar to this idea.

 

[dhays]

Would that be putting a lot of extra torque on the wheel hub, and if the wheel breaks off would the base be gouging the side of your boat?

As someone who has tested a dock wheel to failure, I’m not terribly confident in their strength. More specifically, I’m not confident in the strength of the mounting in a typical wooden dock.

I like the idea however and it seems to be working well for you.

 

[Mischief Managed]

I like it a lot! Sketch is good enuff for govment work...!

This would work well for me with a stiff North wind, as I back into my slip as well. I don't currently have a dock wheel, but could be tempted to add one. Do you have a pic of the dock wheel?

Thanks for sharing.

This is a photo from Taylor Made. The long spring/dock line drops under the wheel and the wheel prevents the line from being lifted up while it also acts like a pulley. The wheel is soft and made of standard fender vinyl so hitting it with the boat is harmless. The base plate/axle that lags to the dock is very robust, so there's no danger of it popping off the dock (assuming it is mounted well). The wheel is locked onto the axle with big washers and 1/2"-13 nylock nut, so the wheel won't lift up.

 

[JohnEasley]

Clever idea!

 

[Seevee]

Question:


I've tried similar backing in to a dock with current pushing me toward the neighboring boat. First I find it tricky to get the boat to pivot (single engine), but it will some what.



Once a bit more than half way in, what do you do to prevent the stern from being pushed away from the dock?


Once close to parallel with the dock I try to get a stern line attached as far back as I can, tighten it, and put wheel away from the dock in forward idle and will bring the stern in.... but awkward and need to work it a bit to back the boat in.


Thoughts?

 

[Mischief Managed]

Would that be putting a lot of extra torque on the wheel hub, and if the wheel breaks off would the base be gouging the side of your boat?

It does put stress on the wheel and hub, but not a huge amount the way I do it. I'm still in control of the boat and only rely on it to keep the bow from swinging to port in the current. I use small amounts of brief thrust to keep the stern close to the dock and to back up. I also assist the line with a little forward thrust to slow the boat to a crawl at the end. Also,
it is not a strong current, but it's enough to make docking a challenge without a bow thruster. One of my dock mates ties up bow in and just spent several boat bucks on a (really cool water jet) stern thruster as a solution for the same current.



While I understand the concern and in theory it is quite reasonable, in practice, everything is happening slowly and methodically and I'd bet the line tension is well under 200 lbs, at worst.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Question:





Once a bit more than half way in, what do you do to prevent the stern from being pushed away from the dock?

The line helps, but I also use just my port engine in reverse to keep the stern close to the dock. The stern is fairly easy to control, it's the bow swinging to port that's the problem for me.

 

[kchace]

Nice trick. I have a friend who uses a piling in a somewhat similar way. In his case he uses a line around the corner piling and then to his midships cleat to help him make the turn OUT into a very narrow fairway.



Ken

 

[Codger2]

. The stern is fairly easy to control, it's the bow swinging to port that's the problem for me.

Neat solution! But what do you do when docking at another heavy current area? I always take my solution with me, where ever I go.

Bow thruster!

 

[Mischief Managed]

Neat solution! But what do you do when docking at another heavy current area? I always take my solution with me, where ever I go.

Bow thruster!

one thing at a time...

 

[HopCar]

I like it!
Why doesn’t the line slip off the wheel and jam between the wheel and dock. Is it because the wheel is soft enough for the line to pull into it?

 

[rsn48]

I just installed an Exturn external bow thruster for this same issue. Current isn't as much of a problem as wind. But add the current and wind together, then there is a problem. And my home marina has very tight slips with very narrow channels so going in and out is a problem sometimes at the best of times.

 

[Flybull]

I like it!
Why doesn’t the line slip off the wheel and jam between the wheel and dock. Is it because the wheel is soft enough for the line to pull into it?

HopC... I think the line is used below the wheel near the axle... apparently it slides through without jamming...

 

[Mischief Managed]

HopC... I think the line is used below the wheel near the axle... apparently it slides through without jamming...

That is correct.

 

[GFC]

Hmmmmm, let's see:


Buy an extra dock line, $20. Oh, wait, we have plenty. Scratch that $20.
vs.
Install a bow thruster, $10,000.


Easy decision on this one, the dock line wins!

 

[HopCar]

HopC... I think the line is used below the wheel near the axle... apparently it slides through without jamming...

Got it. That makes sense.

 

[stubones99]

Too bad Taylor made does not make a model with a sheave under the roller... Perhaps it could be retrofitted.

 

[Mischief Managed]

Too bad Taylor made does not make a model with a sheave under the roller... Perhaps it could be retrofitted.

The wheel has a PVC (plastic pipe) hub that spins on the fixed axle. The line uses the PVC pipe as a sheave. Per Taylor Made instructions, I slathered a large amount of grease on the axle before assembly, so it rolls smoothly and likely has no hub to axle direct contact, thus wear is minimized.

 

[wkearney99]

Mind the age of the vinyl on the wheel. They tend to dry out and get brittle enough to scrape the side of the hull. Not just rolling along, but any up/down due to waves or boat motion. Danged transient slip at Osprey Point had one such wheel and my flag blue Awlgrip was not having it...

 

[Mischief Managed]

Mind the age of the vinyl on the wheel. They tend to dry out and get brittle enough to scrape the side of the hull. Not just rolling along, but any up/down due to waves or boat motion. Danged transient slip at Osprey Point had one such wheel and my flag blue Awlgrip was not having it...

Good to know. My wheel is brand new and supposedly the Taylor Made brand does not have this problem, unlike the less expensive brands. Regardless, I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[One Eyed Jack]

That can be used in other situations. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Estranger]

Very Cool Idea!

 

[rgano]

Always glad to see that the art of seamanship and ship-handling is not dead. I saw this single line from bow to stern concept demonstrated via video by an older single-handing gentleman in a downeast style vessel. He did not have the wheel and just used a cleat near the corner of his slip. Hey, bow thrusters heat up and fail; so KISS.

 

[Juliet 15]

If you can install a bow thruster for $10,000 jump on it. It's more like $20k around my neck of the woods nowadays...

 

[Mrwesson]

If you can install a bow thruster for $10,000 jump on it. It's more like $20k around my neck of the woods nowadays...

DIY stern thruster using trolling motors haha.

https://www.lakestclair.net/index.php?/topic/99214-diy-stern-thruster/%22