Jumping to dock ????

Every boat and every situation is different. On our boat at our home slip I dock stern in, starboard side to the dock. We have floating docks and the boat has a very large molded in swim platform and the rear upright support for the overhead is at each stern corner of the boat to be used as a hand hold. I back the boat about half way in to the slip and then put the starboard side of the platform hard up to the dock with the port bow up against the piling. I stop the boat and then my wife steps onto the dock right from the platform. They are at the same level so no jumping. I can watch this from where I sit. She then drapes both the forward and aft spring lines onto the cleat. This is the only time someone leaves the boat before we are tied up. If I'm at another marina and I can tie up the same way I use the same process. If it is a port side tie up, I cannot see the port corner from where I sit so no one leaves. We try to lasso a cleat or piling from the boat.
About 20 years ago on a friends boat she jumped to the dock and missed; went in the water and the guy driving did not see her go in and kept backing up. You only have to live through this once to see how dangerous it can be.
John
MS390

Very Calm, Sunny, Summer Day - no breeze / no current... what more could a pilot ask for!!??

Effortlessly I gently place our Tolly at a stand-still and alongside a floating fuel dock; squarely just inches from the dock's rubber edge.... 61 yr old friend of mine, not used to tall decked boats, suddenly jumps over stern railing onto dock with line in hand... about a 4' drop! My and my Admiral's hearts jumped into our throats - because, he has a bad-leg condition from childhood Polio affliction. I instructed him to not ever jump off my boat again - PLEASE!!!

Heard he was stiff as heck for the next week plus.

IMHO - unless really needed - no reason to jump from boat to dock. Tiz the Captain's responsibility to bring any boat safely alongside docks so that NO gymnastics are required!

Happy Boat Docking Daze! - Art

I try to never have any person jump off my boat. Thought he knew better

I try to limit the jumping off the boat to only when we are anchored and having fun swimming.

My guidelines for docking are simple. If at first you don't succeed, try try again. Of course I have a preference for certain things certain ways, but there's often too many variables to say what line goes where and when IMO. Do it safely and don't get anybody hurt or worse.

Guests want to be of help. They also tend to panic a little if they think the boat will crash into something. That's why I tell them that at no time are they to place any part of their bodies between the boat and dock, piling, or another boat. They are not to jump, get on the platform, or leave the boat until I give the signal. Hitting a head or getting sliced up by barnacles are not acceptable.

Since out for a day of fun, guests sometimes forget the dangers they are exposed to.

boatpoker said:

...... docklines are handed, never, ever thrown.

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Circumstances may prevent "handing" a dock line. I can't hand anyone a dock line from the flybridge, but I can toss it to someone standing on the dock if I'm close.

I do jump, or step off the boat, depending on the dock we are coming into. If there are dockhands, I hand off a bow line, and step off the boat with my spring in hand and have the stern line looped on a midship cleat within easy reach. Once the dock hands leave us, I re-tie all of the lines while Tom gets the power hooked up.

Earlier in our boating lives as with all couples, docking could be a stressful exercise. We learned early that clear communication is key. When I land on the dock I yell "on the dock". When the bow line is secure and a spring line attached, I yell "all stop" or "Neutral". When leaving a dock, I announce when each line is removed from the dock and is placed on the boat. Lastly I announce "the boat is free", I step on the boat and announce that "I am on the boat".

Of course, I'm mid-40's, run everyday and do yoga a lot. If my physical abilities were to change, jumping would no longer be an option. I'm hoping our next boat will have a cockpit access for easier docking and aging gracefully!

As far as getting a line over a piling or cleat from on the boat, the way I go about is to ensure a long enough line, coil the line, separate/split the coil between both hands, adjust the bitter ends so I can hold them between my pinky, ring finger and palm, the rest of the twin sized coils are held with the thumb and remaining fingers. So I end up with a coil in my left hand, a coil in my right hand, and the middle of the line loose between hands (it works out to be one coil in length). Holding both near my chest, I aim at a point about two feet above and two feet beyond my target. Simultaneously toss both coils while retaining the grip of the ends. It should arch out over the target. With a little practice it is way easier than typing this is for me. Then the loop splice is put on one horn of the hawsehole/cleat, (If you've ever seen a Pilgrim you know how nicely they are outfitted.) then make the other end to the cleat after using a single underwrap of the free horn to control/adjust the boats position. As it is a spring line, I usually turn the helm away from the dock and engage forward to bring her up next to the dock. The stern is usually easy to tie at this point by the same doubled back toss. Make secure and engage neutral.

With experienced crew it's even better.

WesK said:

Circumstances may prevent "handing" a dock line. I can't hand anyone a dock line from the flybridge, but I can toss it to someone standing on the dock if I'm close.

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I feel the same way, there will be times where you'll have to toss or throw a line, that's how we would handle it.

I have seen bullrails, but never where they were the only available location to use.

Is that typical on the west coast?

Anyone here make or use a heavie? aka heaving line, or monkeys fist?

Mine's on my boat, so no picture. Never had to use it, but it sure was fun to make. I was the heavie king on my boat (boat meaning submarine). I should've been a cowboy.

Northern Spy said:

Anyone here make or use a heavie? aka heaving line, or monkeys fist?

Mine's on my boat, so no picture. Never had to use it, but it sure was fun to make. I was the heavie king on my boat (boat meaning submarine). I should've been a cowboy.

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No but have always wanted to. What diameter and type of line did you use?

CPseudonym said:

No but have always wanted to. What diameter and type of line did you use?

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here's mine....

wonder if Mark's cannon can be retro-fitted...

psneeld said:

here's mine....

wonder if Mark's cannon can be retro-fitted...

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NICE!!!

Wonder if it can be aimed accurately at a passing tsunami inducing 70 foot Azimut's? I have a certain one in mind...

We proud but po' boys used a sack of rocks.

Are you kidding me, it takes how much line to make one of those?

I do admire the skill and patience involved. Something I look forward to having the time to do.

psneeld said:

here's mine....

wonder if Mark's cannon can be retro-fitted...

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Hey - That's freeken neat! Haven't seen one of those in years.

Sure would save me from playing cowboy while tossing out a really lightweight (15 lb) aluminum danforth style anchor about 30 feet into tules w/ only line attached when we nose into Delta's islands' shores! But, I might have hard time to get the anchor back in if it goes too far into the trees and such!

With just my wife and I on the boat, which is the usual situation, we will stop or nearly stop the boat a safe distance from a new docking situation. We will discuss our options and come to a conclusion how we will dock before we actually pull up to the dock. With a single engine and no thruster there can be a problem if we miss our dock. Actually, I try to have a docking plan when there is wind or current or both which allows me an "out" if something goes wrong. Very selfdom do I need to execute the out, but I try to have one built into my docking plan. Not an elaborate plan, but enough of a plan.

SaltyDog said:

I have seen bullrails, but never where they were the only available location to use.

Is that typical on the west coast?

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Bullrails are especially popular in British Columbia. Definitely more bullrails than cleats. We usually use a clove hitch with an extra knot.

In the Puget Sound, I would say that cleats are more popular.

Imagine the dock as a woman. You must be gentle and delicate. Move in slowly. Once you have earned her confidence, tie her up, and jump on.

Ben said:

Imagine the dock as a woman. You must be gentle and delicate. Move in slowly. Once you have earned her confidence, tie her up, and jump on.

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Ben not sure I'd use this method!! But for all others, Mr Ben here has mastered absolute patience in docking. I often tell Tom to put his "Ben Matthews" on.

Ben said:

Imagine the dock as a woman. You must be gentle and delicate. Move in slowly. Once you have earned her confidence, tie her up, and jump on.

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Ben you devil - you!

My Admiral just smiled!!

Besslb said:

Ben not sure I'd use this method!! But for all others, Mr Ben here has mastered absolute patience in docking. I often tell Tom to put his "Ben Matthews" on.

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Ya' know... cudda gone a few more years without that being public knowledge.

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

CPseudonym said:

No but have always wanted to. What diameter and type of line did you use?

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1/4" cotton braided cord

Like this?

Discount on Sale! Ninja Grappling Hook - $16.95

windmist said:

Bullrails are especially popular in British Columbia. Definitely more bullrails than cleats. We usually use a clove hitch with an extra knot.

In the Puget Sound, I would say that cleats are more popular.

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I grew up using clove hitches, but have learned that two wraps and two half hitches work as well and never get one in trouble as they can always be untied while under tension. Trying to untie a clove hitch that is under tension usually coincides with the time one wants to be untied in a hurry.

My Admiral doesn't jump to docks. Period. She knows better and will wait until I position the boat so that she can step off. From the helm I can't see her as she's getting ready to get off, so we have a pretty solid understanding about this rule.

When I'm getting close to the slip she yells up to me to let me know she's in the cockpit. When I have the boat in position she again yells up to me to let me know she is on the dock.

Northern Spy said:

As far as the lassoing of cleats goes; ever see a bullrail?

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Yes, around here where bullrails prevail about the only way you're going to have a line tied before you get off is to have someone waiting at the dock.

SaltyDog said:

I grew up using clove hitches, but have learned that two wraps and two half hitches work as well and never get one in trouble as they can always be untied while under tension. Trying to untie a clove hitch that is under tension usually coincides with the time one wants to be untied in a hurry.

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I have been leaning more to the wraps and half hitches myself...especially with smaller diameter lines...

windmist said:

Bullrails are especially popular in British Columbia. Definitely more bullrails than cleats. We usually use a clove hitch with an extra knot.

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And in SE Alaska. Single-handing much of the time, I get a lot of practice stepping up onto the gunwale, down onto the bull rail or float, and then getting the line around that bull rail.

I try to be a good person and not jump too often, particularly when the float's walking surface is wood rather than concrete, and sometimes pretty slippery. Gotta make it quick though, if wind or current is trying to run off with the boat. So far so good - no sitzmarks on the float as yet.