Getting off dock against the wind in a Camano

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
jhance

jhance

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
236
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Audrey Grace
Vessel Make
2003 Camano 31
To all Camano owners: what is your preferred method to getting off a dock with the wind blowing you against the dock? Seems the bow thruster is only good up to maybe 10 knots of wind or so. When wind is blowing more than this the only way I can get off the dock in linear moorage is pivoting with a spring line off the bow to the dock so the stern kicks into the wind, then back out.
 
Yup, that is how to do it. Or get a bigger thruster.
 
With the proper use of spring lines, you will look like a professional.
You can get off the dock, on and off the dock between 2 other boats. Just takes time and practice.
 
If it is blowing 20 knots up against the dock, God is telling you to stay put for the day. (I understand this doesn't go over well if you are at a fuel dock).
 
Gdavid said:
If it is blowing 20 knots up against the dock, God is telling you to stay put for the day. (I understand this doesn't go over well if you are at a fuel dock).
Click to expand...

God and my wife saying stay put! :)
 
A 24-volt thruster with a fender at the stern quarter could help.
 
I didn’t have a thruster so I did what you did. Spring line from the bow, engine in forward, turn toward the dock and the stern swings out.
 
Just don't take out your pulpit, caprail and railings. :facepalm:
 
OldDan1943 said:
With the proper use of spring lines, you will look like a professional.
You can get off the dock, on and off the dock between 2 other boats. Just takes time and practice.
Click to expand...

I agree with OldDan, you'll look like a real seaman rather than a just another pleasure boater. Plus it's a good skill to learn.
 
Good seamanship - nicely done. Same applies to waiting out the wind if it's really nasty.
 
This is not unique to Camano.
Has anyone tried a spring line off the aft cleat?
Recently watched & heard the sailboat instructor tell a student how to leave the dock in windy conditions, Practiced in no wind to see effect.
Stern line to dock and cleated on boat for later retrieval. applying enough reverse the bow swung away, put into forward and away they went.
I will try next time needed as there is no need to get the pointy end pointed where you want to go with a wind trying to get you back to the dock.
 
Soo-Valley said:
This is not unique to Camano.
Has anyone tried a spring line off the aft cleat?
Recently watched & heard the sailboat instructor tell a student how to leave the dock in windy conditions, Practiced in no wind to see effect.
Stern line to dock and cleated on boat for later retrieval. applying enough reverse the bow swung away, put into forward and away they went.
I will try next time needed as there is no need to get the pointy end pointed where you want to go with a wind trying to get you back to the dock.
Click to expand...

This technique tends to work better on sailboats than powerboats for a couple of reasons. Most sailboats (to a lesser extend on some really modern designs) are significantly wider amid ship than the stern so the bow is pointing away from the dock even when the midship and stern are close to the dock. The second reason is that most sailboats have greater lateral resistance and relatively less windage than power boats, so even a low speed, they are will track straighter in a cross wind. The technique will still work on a trawler but generally, not as well.
 
Gdavid said:
This technique tends to work better on sailboats than powerboats for a couple of reasons. Most sailboats (to a lesser extend on some really modern designs) are significantly wider amid ship than the stern so the bow is pointing away from the dock even when the midship and stern are close to the dock. The second reason is that most sailboats have greater lateral resistance and relatively less windage than power boats, so even a low speed, they are will track straighter in a cross wind. The technique will still work on a trawler but generally, not as well.
Click to expand...


Exactly. I used to do that all the times with my sailboats. Won’t work with the square stern of my power boat.
 
Soo-Valley said:
This is not unique to Camano.
Has anyone tried a spring line off the aft cleat?
Recently watched & heard the sailboat instructor tell a student how to leave the dock in windy conditions, Practiced in no wind to see effect.
Stern line to dock and cleated on boat for later retrieval. applying enough reverse the bow swung away, put into forward and away they went.
I will try next time needed as there is no need to get the pointy end pointed where you want to go with a wind trying to get you back to the dock.
Click to expand...



If it’s windy, I don’t like this technique. Because the stern is often square, you typically only get the bow out far enough to look as though you will clear, but nothing close to 90 degrees, or you wind up pivoting on your swimstep and not able to put as much power on it as needed. Plus, if the wind is blowing at all parallel to the dock for every foot you go out from the dock when power is applied, you might go three foot sideways. The skipper gets nervous and turns the rudder and quickly gets into trouble, either from the stern turning too quickly or the bow falling off.

If you go stern out, you can use a spring to hold it in place until fully pivoted out, or just use the engines to correct as you go.

If it’s not windy, yeah I’ve used this many times.
 
My boat came with a danforth anchor which protruded from the bow on a roller, there is no anchor platform (yet) that it hid under. It had been a concern of mine that I might inadvertently hook the stock of the anchor on a piling when pivoting off a dock before backing away, it never happened but I've replaced the anchor with a stockless design that solves this. A cheaper solution would have been to stow the anchor when not in use but I guess I had anchor inadequacy syndrome.
 
If the pinning wind is forward of the beam...it can be a toss up.


Many boats are different, many docks are different, the environmentals can be different..... only trying and going slow the first couple attempts will tell you...and yes...when not working...back of and try something else.
 
I use a larger orange buoy between the boat and dock a few feet ahead of the stern. You can pivot off it in a bunch of wind in reverse and then drive out.
 
Maybe one day I will try the reverse pivot, but in a Camano I'm not sure it's really possible, especially if you have a dinghy on the swim step and the square nature of the stern on power boats as noted by others. I foresee either the swim step or the dinghy hitting the dock (yes you can fender, but awkward) before you get enough of the bow out to be ready to depart.
 
Yes, I agree. With a trawler style hull shape, a large fender between the bow and the dock, and a line from close to the helm position to a cleat on the dock, about level with or a bit aft of that, is the way to go.

You need to be able to pull that line back through the dock cleat and quickly retrieve, once the slow forward power, with the rudder hard to the dock side, has swung the stern out enough to then engage reverse, retrieve that line and back away. It is certainly the most anxiety-free way to get off the dock in any tricky situation. :thumb: :)
 
I have only tried the to spring off a dock using a bow spring with a deckhand. Does it work if you spring off using your admidships cleat (line goes from amidships cleat and then aft to a cleat on the dock)?
 
I personally have never tried it as it doesn't seem as effective as an after bow spring.

Doesn't seem you would get the leverage you are looking for.
 
Last edited:
psneeld said:
2 and 4 probably shouldn't use a spring and complicate things. Complicating things can increase the chance of injury or damage.

Wind blowing you off the dock in my experience is about the easiest leave of all.

Of course it may depend on the boat and other influences...
Click to expand...

Agreed. And at least with my boat, if the wind is moderate, I probably wouldn't use a spring for 1 either, I'd just pivot my way out with the engines. And I've been known on days with gusty winds to get down to my bare minimum set of lines, wait for a gust, then drop and go as soon as the gust dies.
 
My boat is on a side-tie with the next slip forward being at right angles and the stern of my neighbor overhangs my slip. Consequently, I use a bow-in, stern-out maneuver with every departure.

I no longer use a spring line... having a single engine, I turn my helm full rudder to bring my bow in to the dock prior to putting the engine in gear. With that, I get very little forward motion, my stern swings out nicely and I move the transmission to reverse.

Works well for me. Just be certain your bow pulpit is free from engaging any piling prior to engaging your transmission.
 
seighlor said:
My boat is on a side-tie with the next slip forward being at right angles and the stern of my neighbor overhangs my slip. Consequently, I use a bow-in, stern-out maneuver with every departure.

I no longer use a spring line... having a single engine, I turn my helm full rudder to bring my bow in to the dock prior to putting the engine in gear. With that, I get very little forward motion, my stern swings out nicely and I move the transmission to reverse.

Works well for me. Just be certain your bow pulpit is free from engaging any piling prior to engaging your transmission.
Click to expand...

So are you fendering the bow really well, and letting the fendered bow contact the dock soas to get your stern swung out, and then you reverse? With no spring line, seems like you would get too much forward motion?
 
jhance said:
So are you fendering the bow really well, and letting the fendered bow contact the dock soas to get your stern swung out, and then you reverse? With no spring line, seems like you would get too much forward motion?
Click to expand...

No fenders. No spring line. My rub rail is in contact with a piling. My bow pulpit is between pilings and swings over the dock a little but the only contact is between the rub rail and a piling.

The important thing is to turn your wheel all the way to port or starboard, in my case to starboard, in that I'm secured to the dock with a starboard tie. Do this prior to engaging your transmission in forward gear. DO NOT engage your transmission prior to putting your helm hard over.

The forward motion is minimal. Try it.

I almost always go by myself so handling fenders and spring lines would be too much hassle.
 
It is almost always easy-peasy having a berth pointing into the wind. When wind works against me, the bow thruster and judicious use of throttle and rudder and strategically placed fenders work. (And having an "ocean liner" profile rather than a "cruise ship" profile helps.) Here is easy departure:
 

Attachments

  • leaving berth.jpg
    leaving berth.jpg
    128.5 KB · Views: 24
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jhance
Thruster Upgrades on a Camano Troll - Convince me not to do it
2
Replies
45
Views
3K
Lollygag1
L
R
Thrusters Not needed??
2 3
Replies
67
Views
5K
Hippocampus
H
C
Upgrade electronics package for 2008 Helmsman 38
Replies
7
Views
409
Iggy
I
Hydraulicjump
Helmsman Trawlers in the Wild
2 3 4
Replies
111
Views
14K
FWT
F
jhance
Anchoring Technique - Three Questions
6 7 8
Replies
222
Views
17K
Mambo42
Mambo42

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom