Docking a 100,000 LB boat

[Seevee]

Now, in much of Europe when med mooring, you must use dock hands to assist, but they're extremely well trained and helpful and know exactly what to do while also listening to you.

Great, I'll use them when I get there.

 

[2savage]

So, ten months later and all is well. I was almost afraid of the weight in the beginning but now realize it can be my friend.

I single hand the boat about 50% of the time and have learned that prep is king. With fenders deployed (using more than I may need) and dock lines ready (plus a center spring that I can adjust on board when on a dock cleat) I have had no issues at all. Even squeezing into a fuel dock in Cape May with 6" to spare each side, all is good.

Thanks to all who replied to my original post. You gave me knowledge and confidence. This web site is invaluable

 

[rgano]

Well done. Slow is pro.

 

[darkside]

Seen today in Haarlem a gaff rigged, leeboard of I guess 100t or thereabouts. They were poling it through a series of lifting and swinging bridges. For some they doused the main, then set it again using large cast iron winches. If they had an engine, they weren't using it.
Impressive.

 

[dannc]

Seen today in Haarlem a gaff rigged, leeboard of I guess 100t or thereabouts. They were poling it through a series of lifting and swinging bridges. For some they doused the main, then set it again using large cast iron winches. If they had an engine, they weren't using it.
Impressive.

Were they moving early in the morning? There does not appear to have been much wind.

Impressive. Those canals, heck, even the rivers, can be narrow with boats, house boats, and structures along the bank so the don't have much room to move around, in much less make a mistake. Flip side, if they are just poling along they have fast are they going, even though that is a heavy vessel.

We helped a 60-70ish foot long side board tie up in a small town in Hindeloopen last spring. Gorgeous side keel boat. I wish I had asked more questions about the boat but their dog jumped on shore and we go distracted by the dog.

Later,
Dan

 

[darkside]

About 11am but light winds for sure. You can see the main was helping a bit occasionally. They needed a fair bit of trust in the bridge operators to open in time as she would have taken a bit of stopping.
Plenty of locals were taking pics and videoing so not an everyday thing.

 

[dannc]

About 11am but light winds for sure. You can see the main was helping a bit occasionally. They needed a fair bit of trust in the bridge operators to open in time as she would have taken a bit of stopping.
Plenty of locals were taking pics and videoing so not an everyday thing.

Looking at the boats in the rivers and canals, many of them did not seem to move very often. Moving through so many bridges would be a real pain that is for sure.

The videos with bridge openings in the NL seem to show that the bridge operators are pretty good at balancing the needs of the vessel with bridge traffic. Space is certainly tight for some/many bridges.

Later,
Dan

 

[MYTraveler]

Above a certain size, and 100,000 lbs is a good line to draw, the boat will win any tug-of-war, not you or your crew. In fact, it starts to become dangerous to even attempt to man handle the boat.

Edit: I just realized that this is an old thread that was recently resurrected.


My boat's displacement is 100,000 pounds and even at the dock it is close to impossible for one person to move. And if there is any current, or even a gentle breeze pushing the opposite direction, one person is powerless without a dock line. Conversely, I have a buddy with a 40,000 pound boat, which is much more manageable. I would draw the line at 50,000 (or less, depending on crew).

 

[Mako]

It’s good to occasionally revive an old thread. The OP will usually be long gone, but the discussions are generally still relevant and there are lessons learned to discuss.

 

[mgreen]

Well since this thread is resurrected I will jump in.

Long ago, I did a time share on my first larger for me boat, a 34 CHB with a single screw and no thruster. I was required to take their boat handling course before I was let loose on Puget Sound.

I was taught to come in at a 45 degree angle with decent speed and shift to reverse with authority and a decent amount of throttle to slow down and the stern would walk to starboard. I was forced to practice that over and over until I got pretty good at it.

That worked great for me for a while, but one day coming into the Cap Sante fuel dock, the cable did break, leaving the boat in reverse. So I was now stuck in reverse and no control. I was lucky and there was an empty slip in the general direction of where the boat was choosing to go and was able to land in there with no damage to any boat or person. that landing was more luck than skill.

I decided that method was not for me and started using a much lighter touch.

It was nice

 

[klee wyck]

Seen today in Haarlem a gaff rigged, leeboard of I guess 100t or thereabouts. They were poling it through a series of lifting and swinging bridges. For some they doused the main, then set it again using large cast iron winches. If they had an engine, they weren't using it.
Impressive.View attachment 143045View attachment 143046View attachment 143047

I cannot even imagine the skill and confidence needed to do this with no motor.
Impressive indeed.