How to Dock a Boat Correctly

[BruceK]

It's a little tricky getting her out of the slip, getting her back in to the slip is inversely proportional to the difficulty of getting her out. So here's an idea. Okay so I loathe outboards. I want to put a small electric trolling motor on my dinghy. How about if I improvised a removable bow thruster with such an electric motor to get the bow headed up the fairway? Anyone seen a setup like this?

Brian, you like a challenge! The removable bow thruster exists, I saw it advertised and reviewed when I was researching. Too long ago to remember where, you`ll have to research it yourself, but it exists. On a vertical shaft slid down fixed brackets, it has a horizontal motor with exposed props either end. I`d chase a better slip without a wall, but admire your"courageous"(if not "character forming")fortitude.

 

[BrianG]

Brian, you like a challenge! The removable bow thruster exists, I saw it advertised and reviewed when I was researching. Too long ago to remember where, you`ll have to research it yourself, but it exists. On a vertical shaft slid down fixed brackets, it has a horizontal motor with exposed props either end. I`d chase a better slip without a wall, but admire your"courageous"(if not "character forming")fortitude.

Yes, I found them. way too pricey. Thanks!

 

[BrianG]

As has been stated, slow is good - but as slow as necessary. Sometimes with a crosswind slow doesn’t cut it. Use fenders and lines! I was given some advice that should have been intuitive - when arriving or leaving a side tie (sort of the situation in the OPs post), have a crew member “mobile” on the foredeck with an extra fender that he or she can move as needed to prevent damage. Why? Because sometimes the only way to get off a dock is to drive/twist into the dock and swing your stern out. Actually, same advice if a strong wind is blowing you off the dock and you have to get the bow in tight to lasso a cleat. (Again, side tie).

YES. That's already my SOP. I have two loose fenders with about 5' of line. Ideally I have one forward helper and one on the stern. Generally I've found the more time I explain the gameplan and contingencies to helpers the better it goes.

 

[Peter B]

it'd be very expensive. it's not an expensive boat and I wouldn't want to cut into the hull. I was planning to get an electric motor anyway so I will give it a try. Boat only weighs 11,000 lbs. Might be a fun project and i want an ectric anyway for the dinghy.

Sounds reasonable, especially as you want an electric outboard for your dink anyway. However, if it proves disappointing, or only powerful enough in very light winds, do revisit the suggestions I made in post 42 and previously, as those ideas have worked for me in similar situations. Best of luck - keep us informed.

 

[ranger58sb]

Here's a boat handling/docking question for the hive. I can get into my slip blindfolded. At slip #6 I go hard over to starboard and I go in perfectly. Getting out of my slip is tricky. First of all, based on #6, consider how poor my turning radius is. Then consider wind direction. So, how would you get out of this slip? I will explain how the previous owner suggested after hearing a few... suggestions

It might be possible to pivot against a forward spring attached to the dock where your current starboard-side dockline attaches.

If so, it would likely have to be a doubled line, and would have to positively run nicely around the dock cleat or pile or whatever... so you could recover it after pivoting.

And then the attachment point on the boat might have to be slightly further aft...

Just guessing; it'd take some experimentation to prove or disprove...

-Chris

 

[Seevee]

How about using the "H" maneuver for twin screw boats? That's a game saver for me when single handing.

So, what's an H maneuver. Single engine inquiring minds want to know....

 

[Seevee]

Why wouldn't this work: Fender ball on the bow, line from bow around cleat back to boat and hold, and just forward gear to swing the stern to starboard.


And just back out into wind, then it's easy to control. I do this all the time with my Mainship, single engine, and single handed and it works excellent.


I believe Paul suggested this.

 

[Seevee]

I'm surprised how many folks rely on the help from dock hands. At most, why not just have them put your loop over a piling, but you hold the bitter end and control things... how tight you want the line, and how you use it to spring in.



Once they have the line, who knows what they'll do. I've had some pull so hard that they almost turned me sideways, and others wrap the line too loose without a hitch, so it comes undone. This gets exciting with wind.



And, there's been a few comments on adjusting this or that, releasing the line, pushing off, AND THEN JUMP ON THE BOAT???? There's no reason you can't do the entire undocking process while you and all you passengers are ON THE BOAT. Until lines fixed to the dock, as you have other lines that loop back to the boat to hold it. Use quick disconnect knots as needed.



I'm still learning, but one thing.... no one boards or disembarks unless the boat is securely tied to the dock, no exceptions.

 

[ScottC]

Dad (navy guy) always instructed me to NEVER shut off the engines until the boat was tied up (at least bow and stern lines). Made sense to me... and it is a rule I have always followed. I can't imagine why anyone would do differently, but I'm consistently amazed by the people I've seen shutting off engine(s) before the first line is even out. In the worst case, I witnessed somebody in a 26'-ish cuddy cabin cruiser shutting off his engine while coasting into the dock, at speed(!), leaving it for his passengers and dock hands to sort out the rest and try to keep the boat from colliding with the dock. Fortunately, a collision was averted - but what ridiculousness!

 

[Seevee]

Dad (navy guy) always instructed me to NEVER shut off the engines until the boat was tied up (at least bow and stern lines). Made sense to me... and it is a rule I have always followed. I can't imagine why anyone would do differently, but I'm consistently amazed by the people I've seen shutting off engine(s) before the first line is even out. In the worst case, I witnessed somebody in a 26'-ish cuddy cabin cruiser shutting off his engine while coasting into the dock, at speed(!), leaving it for his passengers and dock hands to sort out the rest and try to keep the boat from colliding with the dock. Fortunately, a collision was averted - but what ridiculousness!

Good point! Both arriving and leaving.


Now, I make one exception, and that's with the dinghy. I untie prior to start. Just easier to control, start, shift and go. Once, started, I like to deal with the engine and it's control.... not untying, and handling lines. (now this is with recent use, not after sitting for a few days). Sitting for a few days, I'll start and let warm up for awhile occasionally before I just get in. Now, arriving, I may or may not shut down early.

 

[rslifkin]

Dad (navy guy) always instructed me to NEVER shut off the engines until the boat was tied up (at least bow and stern lines). Made sense to me... and it is a rule I have always followed. I can't imagine why anyone would do differently, but I'm consistently amazed by the people I've seen shutting off engine(s) before the first line is even out. In the worst case, I witnessed somebody in a 26'-ish cuddy cabin cruiser shutting off his engine while coasting into the dock, at speed(!), leaving it for his passengers and dock hands to sort out the rest and try to keep the boat from colliding with the dock. Fortunately, a collision was averted - but what ridiculousness!

Agreed, I see way too much stupidity there. Same with casting off lines before starting engines, or starting up right before releasing the last line. I always start before untying anything, and I don't shut down until I have at least bow, stern, and a spring on. And even then I have to be 100% sure I won't need the engines again.

 

[BrianG]

Why wouldn't this work: Fender ball on the bow, line from bow around cleat back to boat and hold, and just forward gear to swing the stern to starboard.


And just back out into wind, then it's easy to control. I do this all the time with my Mainship, single engine, and single handed and it works excellent.


I believe Paul suggested this.

And motor up the fairway in reverse?

 

[psneeld]

And motor up the fairway in reverse?

Yep....pointed that out many posts ago.....post #43....

I leave many a slip that way.....

A correction that didn't make that post was it should have read "starboard" side when referring to the after bow spring.

 

[Seevee]

And motor up the fairway in reverse?

Brian,


Yes, motor up backward just far enough to get the room to turn around. Backing into the wind is MUCH easier to control when going slow because the wind will affect your bow more and will unlikely swing "into" the wind (until you turn around at which time you may have to be a bit aggressive on the back/fill.


And, yes, you can back up all the way out of your fairway, but when the wind gets to your side it will be almost impossible.


I use the above technique with my single 40ft Mainship all the time, and leaving my home dock, in shallow tide I have about a boat and a half to turn around. So, my bow if often right over the neighbors dock as I back and fill.



The only time I get really aggressive is when the wind is at my side, and I'll favor up wind as I'll loose a bit downwind with a side wind. Can't move the boat sideways against a wind.


However, I get the chance to practice this everytime I go out so eventually I'll become an expert. I've only got about 600 times doing this under my belt.


Now, if the side wind gets over 30 knots, I'll probably just stay home and watch the other idiots go out. And even with 30 knots right up/down the canal, it gets dicey on the turn around.

 

[Barabus]

Unless I know the captain, I am reluctant to help with lines. Seems like an easy way to get hurt while trying to help out an inexperience captain.

 

[ScottC]

Unless I know the captain, I am reluctant to help with lines. Seems like an easy way to get hurt while trying to help out an inexperience captain.

I was trying to help from the dock once -- and with the inexperienced captain and high winds, I managed to find myself flying into the Baltic Sea one chilly March day. Ugh!

I now judge the situation a little more carefully before extending a helping hand.

 

[Seevee]

While not hard to just tell an inexperience dock hand you don't need his help, it's much harder not to try to help and inexperienced captain get in.



And, yes, can be challenging, especially when there's a ton of other folks all yelling at him with different instructions. In that case, I generally back off, unless I know the captain.


I've also had some rather experience captains helping me dock in a tight spot, all with different directions to the point I told them all the shut up. Later apologized, and they realized their mistake. It was at their dock, so I had to somewhat pay attention to them. However, just talked with my co captain on the headsets and got in ok.

 

[MurrayM]

I don't have much experience to draw upon because we rarely dock anywhere besides our own slip...we tend to stay 'out there' rather than stay in marinas.

My inclination, if the prevailing winds are usually from the same direction as shown, would be to get the most difficult part over with when coming back to the slip rather than when departing.

Backing in can be problematic with a single engine/no thruster boat, so why not dock with your starboard side to the dock at the end of the fairway (tending to as far into your slip as possible) then walk your boat backwards into the slip. This would leave you bow out for departure.

When leaving, if the winds were so strong that getting the bow pointed down the fairway is difficult, you could have a line (short enough not to reach your propeller) from your port side midship cleat that passes through a ring on the end of your slip and comes back to the boat. You could use that as a pivot point to get the bow into the wind.

If the line back to the boat is too long, you could have a weighted rope loop at the end of your upwind slip that falls straight down into the water once you pull your line back.

Like I say...thoughts from someone without much experience docking in any other slip but our own.

 

[BrianG]

I don't have much experience to draw upon because we rarely dock anywhere besides our own slip...we tend to stay 'out there' rather than stay in marinas.

My inclination, if the prevailing winds are usually from the same direction as shown, would be to get the most difficult part over with when coming back to the slip rather than when departing.

Backing in can be problematic with a single engine/no thruster boat, so why not dock with your starboard side to the dock at the end of the fairway (tending to as far into your slip as possible) then walk your boat backwards into the slip. This would leave you bow out for departure.

When leaving, if the winds were so strong that getting the bow pointed down the fairway is difficult, you could have a line (short enough not to reach your propeller) from your port side midship cleat that passes through a ring on the end of your slip and comes back to the boat. You could use that as a pivot point to get the bow into the wind.

If the line back to the boat is too long, you could have a weighted rope loop at the end of your upwind slip that falls straight down into the water once you pull your line back.

Like I say...thoughts from someone without much experience docking in any other slip but our own.

I've been thinking about that approach as well-- Dock her on the starboard side and walk her into the slip leaving the bow out. Of course we do love having the cockpit in the fairway.
Also backing 200 yards up the channel isn't great for the same reason backing down Ventura Blvd is a bad idea, Constant kayakers, commercial guys, SUPs and traffic, and the real fun starts once you hit the main channel.

 

[Peter B]

Why wouldn't this work: Fender ball on the bow, line from bow around cleat back to boat and hold, and just forward gear to swing the stern to starboard.


And just back out into wind, then it's easy to control. I do this all the time with my Mainship, single engine, and single handed and it works excellent.


I believe Paul suggested this.

And motor up the fairway in reverse?

Yep....pointed that out many posts ago.....post #43....

I leave many a slip that way.....

A correction that didn't make that post was it should have read "starboard" side when referring to the after bow spring.

This is exactly what I suggested several times above, in post #35 & #42. Some times I wonder if I type in invisible ink..?

 

[Peter B]

.....Also backing 200 yards up the channel isn't great for the same reason backing down Ventura Blvd is a bad idea, Constant kayakers, commercial guys, SUPs and traffic, and the real fun starts once you hit the main channel.

That should not be necessary. Surely if the fairway is as wide as you sketch suggests, even if not to scale, then once you've backed out enough to be in the clear, most boats, in slow forward, rudder hard over, can spin in their own length, then you drive out forwards. No need to back all the way, surely..?

 

[BrianG]

That should not be necessary. Surely if the fairway is as wide as you sketch suggests, even if not to scale, then once you've backed out enough to be in the clear, most boats, in slow forward, rudder hard over, can spin in their own length, then you drive out forwards. No need to back all the way, surely..?

Heh. My sketching is awful. The sketch is...let say, an approximation. A very ROUGH approximation. But yeah, there is probably room to pirouette.

 

[OldDan1943]

Heh. My sketching is awful. The sketch is...let say, an approximation. A very ROUGH approximation. But yeah, there is probably room to pirouette.

In your case, "back and fill" until you can get the pointy end in the outward direction then drive out.

 

[psneeld]

This is exactly what I suggested several times above, in post #35 & #42. Some times I wonder if I type in invisible ink..?

Sorry sir, I try to not repeat suggestions already made...missed this one...

But about turning around.....at least if the wind is strong enough.....maybe ....maybe not.

If prop walk is the wrong way and the wind direction just off....it may not be possible to get the bow around enough and you will just willow leaf back down the fairway. Thats why I almost always just keep backing out.

 

[MurrayM]

Anybody suggest a thistle/schilling rudder modification to add some extra ‘oomph’ in kicking the arse end around?

 

[OldDan1943]

Anybody suggest a thistle/schilling rudder modification to add some extra ‘oomph’ in kicking the arse end around?

I am beginning to think his mind cannot be changed and or he likes to back down the fairway.
Whatever works for him, works.
Practice back and fill and or a spring line.
The object, in my mind, is to get out of your own slip, single handed, if necessary.

 

[Art]

Wow ------ !!!! This boat-handling thread has more "twists and turns" [pun intended] than any other I've seen.

Owning, managing and diligently working businesses makes my time for TF post reads/reviews quite limited. Being that I'm a life-long boat nut [i.e. a marine addict!] I do put in some minutes available for me to keep track on interesting threads.

I've glanced over several and deeply read many posts on this thread [but not all]. Some seem spot-on, some not so much.

Just gotta say: Driving [handling] a car, plane, motorcycle, articulating loader/grader and boats all have their own incidental, often momentary and at times split second needs/requirements.

For boating the facts of single or twin screw, forward and/or rear thrusters, strong or no currents, shoals or not, winds and gusts or none, deep keel displacement hull or basically flat-bottom/hard-chine planing hull, superstructure "sail" windage, center of gravity and placements of transient ballast [including food luggage tools as well as person's aboard suddenly shifting weight distributions] = EVERY BOAT'S handling situation in every instance is unique.

Therefore... although many suggestions can be made as to what to do when, where, how and why a pilot needs to handle a boat under any circumstance... IMO - any pilot of any boat needs to not only be familiar with [having practiced/experienced] "boat handling" in general and understand the basics of boat they are on... but also they should understand the basic physics of what can/will occur to a powered vessel floating in water with greatly altering natural conditions.

In other words... split second piloting decisions may be and often are needed to efficiently, correctly and successfully handle a boat under any circumstance.

This post is specifically placed for newbies or even long term boat owners who are not comfortable with boat handling.

Practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE is the name of the "Boating Game"!!

Happy Boating-Handling Daze! - Art

 

[BrianG]

Wow ------ !!!! This boat-handling thread has more "twists and turns" [pun intended] than any other I've seen.

Owning, managing and diligently working businesses makes my time for TF post reads/reviews quite limited. Being that I'm a life-long boat nut [i.e. a marine addict!] I do put in some minutes available for me to keep track on interesting threads.

I've glanced over several and deeply read many posts on this thread [but not all]. Some seem spot-on, some not so much.

Just gotta say: Driving [handling] a car, plane, motorcycle, articulating loader/grader and boats all have their own incidental, often momentary and at times split second needs/requirements.

For boating the facts of single or twin screw, forward and/or rear thrusters, strong or no currents, shoals or not, winds and gusts or none, deep keel displacement hull or basically flat-bottom/hard-chine planing hull, superstructure "sail" windage, center of gravity and placements of transient ballast [including food luggage tools as well as person's aboard suddenly shifting weight distributions] = EVERY BOAT'S handling situation in every instance is unique.

Therefore... although many suggestions can be made as to what to do when, where, how and why a pilot needs to handle a boat under any circumstance... IMO - any pilot of any boat needs to not only be familiar with [having practiced/experienced] "boat handling" in general and understand the basics of boat they are on... but also they should understand the basic physics of what can/will occur to a powered vessel floating in water with greatly altering natural conditions.

In other words... split second piloting decisions may be and often are needed to efficiently, correctly and successfully handle a boat under any circumstance.

This post is specifically placed for newbies or even long term boat owners who are not comfortable with boat handling.

Practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE is the name of the "Boating Game"!!

Happy Boating-Handling Daze! - Art

Yes. Practice makes perfect. Been laid up a few weeks with broken ribs, so have the time to study and solicit advice. Thanks to all who replied. I got some useful ideas and strategies.

 

[markpierce]

Don't need the bow thruster to turn around when exiting the home berth, but I need to be sure it is still working. and it deserves the exercise.

 

[BruceK]

This is exactly what I suggested several times above, in post #35 & #42. Some times I wonder if I type in invisible ink..?

As they say: "There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip"
I hope the ## ribs were not from a docking gone wrong.