How to Dock a Boat Correctly

[MurrayM]

Quick tip: a good burst in reverse can suck floating line and floats down into the propeller.

 

[mvweebles]

Peter you certainly win the graphics award.
I can imagine your proposal working with no wind or current present.

so far backing out fairway or driving out after having arrived starboard tie,
The OP drawing scale makes it look like the fairway is 2 boat lengths wide leaving plenty of room to crab in or out against the wind.

Thanks for the props - I worked through University as a draftsman, and diagrams come pretty naturally.

The OP put a picture in one of his early posts (re-attached here) that shows a fair amount of room astern of his boat.

I think it was PSNeeld who said that not every docking conundrum is solvable - I totally agree. Some are due to limitations of the boat; others are due to limitations of the slip. This thread has surfaced a lot of tools and techniques - one of them is bound to be the best possible solution - might be the original owner's 'push-like-hell' technique, but at least your know.

BTW - one additional solution for the OP: Get an upwind slip. Sounds like he's in Santa Barbara which used to have a long wait list, but he may be able to ask the harbormaster to swap, especially given his Monterey boat is likely well known and admired in those waters.

Peter

 

[Hippocampus]

Many non flybridge trawlers have terrible visibility looking aft. Rudders have little effect until water is flowing past them. Leaving you can usually find folks to help with line handling and telling you distances. Coming in there’s much more variability if anyone is going to be around. So given any close quarters evolution where you don’t hit anything is a good one have taken to going in bow or stern first depending on which is easier. Know it’s more elegant to be stern first but so what.

 

[psneeld]

The problem with the push like hell theory...a lot of suggestions to never use your hands popped up.

I didn't want to start an argument over that topic (certainly it one of those it depends discusdions).... yet it is exactly all you need on some boats (whether hands are used) to accomplish the task much of the time if it fits the plan.

Going in stern first may show one as a follower rather than someone who knows what they are doing. Its how you arrive, not the direction. Do what is best, easiest, safest....thats what impresses.

 

[SteveK]

Swap is out as he bought the slip. That photo must be a rare calm day.

OP, there is no wind evident in picture, is there a problem getting away under that condition?

 

[mvweebles]

The problem with the push like hell theory...a lot of suggestions to never use your hands popped up.

I didn't want to start an argument over that topic (certainly it one of those it depends discusdions).... yet it is exactly all you need on some boats (whether hands are used) to accomplish the task much of the time if it fits the plan.

Going in stern first may show one as a follower rather than someone who knows what they are doing. Its how you arrive, not the direction.

"Push-like-hell" woudn't work on my 32,000 lb boat. But for the OP's Monterey, if it gets him out on the water, go for it. I'd probably still use some sort of spring line on the stern to the dock just in case he falls in while pushing.

I didn't catch that the OP purchased the slip. And I don't recall the reason for dismissing a bow-thruster. If it was cost, well, between boat and slip, it may be reasonable especially as it would vastly improve usage of the boat. But the Monterey "Clipper" was originally wood, very fine entry, and of course a clipper bow - all of which may complicate install of a thruster. But it would be the best solution.

Santa Barbara is shielded from much of the wind - what wind they get is in the afternoon. OP is fortunate that he can return easily, it's departure that confounds him. Usually it's the opposite - and afternoon diurnal winds add significant complexity to the issue.

Peter

 

[rslifkin]

The push method works, but has to be done carefully. Always place yourself to minimize risk of falling in the water, and never let a body part get between 2 solid objects. Plan that if your pushing force gets overcome, you won't get anything squished, you'll just fail to push.

 

[BrianG]

Swap is out as he bought the slip. That photo must be a rare calm day.

OP, there is no wind evident in picture, is there a problem getting away under that condition?

None. Just push the bow off the dock with your foot. Boat only weighs about 11,000 lbs. It'll drift to 90 degrees. Easy. When the wind picks up, and it does every day, different story.

 

[MurrayM]

Are there some cleats at the end of the fairway, between your slip and the slip opposite to yours? If so...

Walk your boat backwards so your stern is next to the cleat aligned close to the middle of the fairway. Tie a line from one stern cleat, loop it around the dock cleat, then back to your other stern cleat and tie it off with a quick release knot.

Give enough line so that when you put your boat into idle forward, your stern will be a safe distance from the dock. When the boat straightens out with its bow into the wind, you can release and collect the line quickly.

With rudder and the occasional 'goose' on the throttle, you should be able to have your bow overcome pretty brisk winds.

Have never tried this, but seems plausible?

 

[Peter B]

Murray, I, (and seveal others I think), have already suggested a quick release line to a dock cleat, once backed out far enough to effectively swing the stern out, by 'leaning' the (well-fendered) bow into the dock with full left rudder under forward power, then releasing and reversing out until he can swing round to go forwards. However, I have tried to imagine how what you just described could work in allowing an (often against the wind) outward swing of the bow, and could not. Care to do a diagram of it..?

 

[MurrayM]

Murray, I, (and seveal others I think), have already suggested a quick release line to a dock cleat, once backed out far enough to effectively swing the stern out, by 'leaning' the (well-fendered) bow into the dock with full left rudder under forward power, then releasing and reversing out until he can swing round to go forwards. However, I have tried to imagine how what you just described could work in allowing an (often against the wind) outward swing of the bow, and could not. Care to do a diagram of it..?

Clear as mud?

 

[BrianG]

Quick story and dumb plan that might be necessary in the short term.
Story: Yesterday I watched a beautiful trawler do an effortless 180 in my fairway to drop off two passengers. I was extremely envious. Life felt totally unfair in that moment. As the trawler motored off the two passengers walked past me I said "I think I need a bow thruster". He chuckled and said "They're great!" Second passenger then muttered "It's cheating..."

Dumb plan: It may be months before my still healing ribs let me "push like hell" to get the bow pointed toward the channel. Simple short term solution if I cannot manage the backing, walk the boat along the dock, attach line from starboad bow to dock finger as shown, yank on the line to pull the bow to 90 degrees.

 

[SteveK]

Quick story and dumb plan that might be necessary in the short term.
Story: Yesterday I watched a beautiful trawler do an effortless 180 in my fairway to drop off two passengers. I was extremely envious. Life felt totally unfair in that moment. As the trawler motored off the two passengers walked past me I said "I think I need a bow thruster". He chuckled and said "They're great!" Second passenger then muttered "It's cheating..."

Dumb plan: It may be months before my still healing ribs let me "push like hell" to get the bow pointed toward the channel. Simple short term solution if I cannot manage the backing, walk the boat along the dock, attach line from starboad bow to dock finger as shown, yank on the line to pull the bow to 90 degrees.

Err, NO.
Back out or back in so you can drive out.

 

[John R M]

Clear as mud?

There are youtube videos showing how to use spring lines to get either bow or stern away from the dock.

 

[ranger58sb]

Dumb plan: It may be months before my still healing ribs let me "push like hell" to get the bow pointed toward the channel. Simple short term solution if I cannot manage the backing, walk the boat along the dock, attach line from starboad bow to dock finger as shown, yank on the line to pull the bow to 90 degrees.

Doesn't look easy to walk a line from your starboard bow to that dock finger.

Using a line from your starboard bow to the dock near your port quarter, then springing away from the dock (don't push; use the motor) on that line -- as described earlier -- would seem easier. Drive out in forward.

Or the other one I mentioned earlier, use the starboard bow line as a sort of spring, pivot on that as you back out of the slip, drive out in reverse.

Another way might be to back out of your slip only enough to be out of the slip. Then use a line from your starboard bow to the face dock on near your port bow. Use the engine to back out against that, drive out in reverse. Maybe augment with a buoy fender up near your port bow.

(Can't remember if you've eliminated leaving the fairway in reverse -- for whatever reason -- or not.)

Anyway, no pushing involved.

-Chris

 

[MurrayM]

There are youtube videos showing how to use spring lines to get either bow or stern away from the dock.

Thanks...some good stuff in there.

In the video he had a line from the starboard stern to the dock and used that with forward power to swing the bow out. In his case he used it when the wind was also pushing the bow off the dock...do people use that technique when the wind is pushing the boat into the dock? With some short, powerful bursts of the throttle with the rudder hard over you should be able to force the bow straight into a pretty brisk wind, yes?

In a book I read about rock climbing, the author spent an afternoon hanging out near the first belay station on a popular multi-pitch route. He photographed a bunch of different solutions people cobbled together with whatever gear they had left over after placing gear for protection during the first pitch. They were all quite different, depending on the size and type of gear they had left, but his point was that they were all safe.

Me-thinks getting into and out of tight spaces with our boats is much the same, in that there is so much variation between boats, and the way they handle in both currents and wind, that each situation is going to be unique in its own way anyways.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

John good video. Thanks for sharing.

For me I wouldn't be able to spring off the stern as I have a dingy hanging off the back. Or could I spring but use enough slack in the line to swing?

 

[rslifkin]

John good video. Thanks for sharing.

For me I wouldn't be able to spring off the stern as I have a dingy hanging off the back. Or could I spring but use enough slack in the line to swing?

On wide transom boats with twins, it's easier to just pivot the stern out and back out in my experience. Trying to get the bow out without smacking the swim platform or anything else is much more challenging.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

On wide transom boats with twins, it's easier to just pivot the stern out and back out in my experience. Trying to get the bow out without smacking the swim platform or anything else is much more challenging.

This has been my experience...

 

[ranger58sb]

John good video. Thanks for sharing.

For me I wouldn't be able to spring off the stern as I have a dingy hanging off the back. Or could I spring but use enough slack in the line to swing?

On wide transom boats with twins, it's easier to just pivot the stern out and back out in my experience. Trying to get the bow out without smacking the swim platform or anything else is much more challenging.

This has been my experience...

We've had better luck kicking the stern out first, too, partly because of the dinghy but also because of the swim platform itself.

OTOH, in some circumstances, the RIB makes an OK fender... unless it explodes.

-Chris

 

[ranger58sb]

Back on topic, sorta kinda...

There are several charters in our fairway up near the head of the dock like in Brian's pic.

At least two of those routinely back down the fairway to their slip. There's some occasional backing (forwarding?) and filling, but in general they just do it so often it's no big deal.

That wouldn't address the preference to keep this boat bow-to in the slip, but my point is that maybe just a whole boatload of practice backing out of that fairway would go a bit of the way toward solution...

-Chris

 

[rslifkin]

One word of warning about backing off a face dock in a tight-ish space: Anyone watching you do this who hasn't done it themselves will look very nervous and concerned, as they probably think you're about to smash the bow on the dock. Especially if you back off and do a 180 where you're basically holding the bow a couple feet off the dock for a significant period of time. So expect freaked out looks and maybe a concerned comment or 2. As long as you know you're good, just ignore them.

Another option if you've got the wind right on the nose is to push the bow out by hand just enough for the wind to catch it, then go. The wind will pull the bow off the dock making for an easy departure.

With the wind pinning the bow, it can be a challenge, however. I've backed off in that situation, but it's a bit tough and has to be done quickly (and with a decent bit of space behind you, as you won't be able to pivot the boat as much as normal without the bow getting blown into the dock).

 

[ranger58sb]

One word of warning about backing off a face dock in a tight-ish space: Anyone watching you do this who hasn't done it themselves will look very nervous and concerned, as they probably think you're about to smash the bow on the dock. Especially if you back off and do a 180 where you're basically holding the bow a couple feet off the dock for a significant period of time. So expect freaked out looks and maybe a concerned comment or 2. As long as you know you're good, just ignore them.

Indeed. Sometimes we had to juggle to keep the pulpit from taking out a power pedestal or bouncing off some other obstruction on the dock, too.

And floating docks don't give you much to pivot off. Technique there was for wifey on the bow to position a big buoy fender between hull and dock, reposition as necessary, etc... while I maneuvered the pulpit to keep from wiping the dock clear with that.

Don't know that we could have always done that -- in every weather/tide/current situation -- without help from the dock.

-Chris

 

[rslifkin]

When I do it, I usually give the boat a shove off and then back off with the dock side engine first. So I don't pivot against the dock, instead keeping the bow a couple feet away from it as I rotate the stern around the bow. Low docks are easier (assuming nothing sticking up), as the hull flare gives extra clearance and the pulpit can overhang if needed).

 

[Art]

When I do it, I usually give the boat a shove off and then back off with the dock side engine first. So I don't pivot against the dock, instead keeping the bow a couple feet away from it as I rotate the stern around the bow. Low docks are easier (assuming nothing sticking up), as the hull flare gives extra clearance and the pulpit can overhang if needed).

I agree with most you post; regarding items about pleasure boats.

And, if I may add... in relation to pleasure boats with twins [such as you and I happily own]... another reason to have twins and not a single engine is due to the ease of boat position handling in tight quarters. Designers of your Chris and our Tolly knew well that pleasure boaters are often "in and out" of their slips as well as other tight-space locations. Thus - Twin Screw Handling!!

 

[BrianG]

With the wind pinning the bow, it can be a challenge, however. I've backed off in that situation, but it's a bit tough and has to be done quickly (and with a decent bit of space behind you, as you won't be able to pivot the boat as much as normal without the bow getting blown into the dock).

Today Harbor Patrol was on my facedock. Twin OB's. 28'ish. He was situated with the preferable bow upwind, he was cool as cucumber, but it took him longer than I would've guessed considering his skill level/twin props to jigger his way out so he could leave bow first into the fairway. And that was with a cooperative wind.

 

[Peter B]

Clear as mud?

Sorry Murray. Your idea just could not work. At best the boat under power would just pull back parallel to the dock and be pressed there, even with rudder hard to strbd. There is no way the stern could clear the dock to swing the bow out. The stern would smack the dock, then the boat would just swing against the dock, sorry. Can't see any way your idea could work.

Brian is going to just have to learn to swing her stern out, this being quite easy if he walks it back, (once ribs have healed), and then uses the forward line from a for'd cleat, looped round a dock cleat opposite it, and protecting fenders for the bow to 'lean' on, with slow for'd, hard left rudder trick, which does work, and then reverse out until he has enough room to pivot. He should not need a thruster to do that. My boat could turn virtually in its own length in slow ahead, rudder hard over, with no thruster.

 

[psneeld]

Today Harbor Patrol was on my facedock. Twin OB's. 28'ish. He was situated with the preferable bow upwind, he was cool as cucumber, but it took him longer than I would've guessed considering his skill level/twin props to jigger his way out so he could leave bow first into the fairway. And that was with a cooperative wind.

Just so you know, twin outboards aren't necessarily all that great for twin engine maneuvering. Small props close together and all.

I have to say it again....in you situation with the wind from that direction.... my guess is that 90 percent of the time, twin engine even, I would just wind up backing all the way down the fairway.

Only if I had a strong thruster that would turn my bow quickly through the wind would I attempt bow out.

I have seen a lot of accomplished skippers crash because they were "sure" they could do it....I prefer the "maybe unconventional" but more successful approach.

Sure really calm conditions allow you to do almost anything anytime, but as that current or wind picks up...good luck salvaging what physics dominates over boathandling skills.

 

[ranger58sb]

Speaking of backing out a fairway...

Bow thrusters can be pretty expensive, but I think stern thrusters aren't as much. No tunnel, easier install, etc. A stern thruster while backing out of a long fairway offer be a decent alternative...

-Chris

 

[tozz]

As the trawler motored off the two passengers walked past me I said "I think I need a bow thruster". He chuckled and said "They're great!" Second passenger then muttered "It's cheating..."

Whenever someone makes a comment like this about thrusters to a friend of mine he always asks if they take their clothes down to the river to wash them. Point being if there is technology that makes your life easier...use it!