Single Handed Docking Question

[carstenb]

These tips, of course, assume that you are docking against a finger with forward, mid and aft cleats.

There are many other types of docking out there, including, bull rails, no fingers, just a pair of pilings to drop a stern loop over and at pier up front to tie your bow to.

Not to mention Med docking.

Each of these requires a different tactic and some are downright near impossible if the winds and currents are against you

[John_Trusty]

For your home slip, you can setup fenders and lines to protect you from your danger areas. What worries you coming in - hitting the dock ahead, rubbing the finger pier, swapping gelcoat with your neighbor? For example, in docking a monohull against a concrete pier ahead, I was deathly afraid of running the bow up against the unforgiving concrete. I setup a little v-shaped nest of a line run between a central cleat on the dock up and around the front and to a central piling on the other side. I suspended the middle part of the line from a cleat on the pier dock ahead and added an old fender to float in the front. That way I could run up into the V at slow ahead, and it would catch me without my having to touch a line.

[grantmc]

I'm in Chotu's camp, just very gentle spurts of engine power and let momentum be your friend. Practice, practice, practice.

I use a line line attached to the loop of one stern line through a block on the pole at the seaward end of the slip. At the other end of the line is a weight.
The idea is that when the stern line is taken off if is lifted 1.5 mtrs above the water's surface to the pole by the weight sinking deeper. That way I always know where that line is and can grab it easily as I pass the slip from the cockpit (yes bow or stern first first, it doesn't matter). And that line I quickly attach to a side mounted cleat towards the stern. That way if I am going a tad fast, say a tail wind, then it will bring the boat to a stop.

When I leave I push the boat by walking along the pier a few steps and then jump on. That way there's just enough momentum to steer but I haven't incurred the difficulty incurred by prop wash. I also still have a single stern line attached just in case I don't make the jump to the boat ok. Really don't want it going off without me.

When I first bought a boat many years ago now I had a few accidents both leaving and returning. So one evening when there was no breeze I spent a couple of hours just leaving and entering the dock. Must have done it 20 times, But have rarely had issues ever since and I predominantly single hand. Actually when I do have crew I prefer they just stay seated in the cockpit and do nothing as otherwise my operation gets mucked up.

Adding fenders all around, in my view, is just poor boatpersonship.

[rslifkin]

Thinking about it, Grant brings up a good point. I'm no fan of stopping the boat with a spring line. If you miss, there's going to be a crunch. I normally stop the boat, spring line goes on, then engine power is applied to hold the boat while other lines are placed.

[danstanford]

On YouTube somewhere is a video from an Australian firm covering some of these aspects. Though I looked for the video I cannot find it through several hundred results but in it the fellow backs a 40'er or so into a slip and simply puts on the stern line to the cleat beside him and puts her in ahead at idle and orients the rudder to keep here there.
Left out of many of these videos is the need to have flow over the rudder to do this. It is my belief that it would not work on a boat with twin rudders as there is basically no flow over them when the boat is still. Going forward on a mid-ship short line would keep her in place but not on lots of the other spring techniques if the power/rudder arrangement doesn't give you flow to act on the boat.

[JSSailem]

I sail solo on a 35ft Cal all the time. Docking in all kinds of weather up here in the PacificNW.

The key for me is to move into the slip at a slow speed (no faster than I want to hit the dock). Get a line over a cleat while I am still on the boat (No One jumps to the dock from my boat). Snug the boat up to the slip dock. Then I step off and tie up bow and stern lines.

Duncan from "Stress Free Sailing" has a great video called the "SFS Getting on - Stern Bridle" method.It is worth watching and trying. It serves my needs.

[Snore]

Resoundingly generic and some rather risky advice!!!

It starts with bow or stern to? A Jeanneau 349 May have a thruster. Does this boat have one? Those two factors greatly impact prudent and smart guidance.

If bow to, running forward to drop a line on a beam clear is not smart. Having a short “snubbing line” that goes from the dolphin to the primary winch is smarter. It will get the boat under control WITHOUT leaving the cockpit. If there is a thruster get the diagonal bow line.

If stern to it is easier. Put the spring on one STERN cleat, and back her in- catch the diagonal stern line- or stage on spring on the dolphin and stage the other off the 1/2 dock that extends into most slips.

[requiem]

It would help to know a few more details. I'm assuming a double slip on a floating dock with full-length fingers and three cleats that roughly align with your bow, stern, and midship cleats, correct? Single rudder or twin rudders?

As already mentioned, if you have twin rudders you can't use prop wash for the usual spring line tricks. But, with a modern Jeanneau I'd simply reverse into the slip. They drive fairly well astern (almost like a car) and it's almost always easier to stop and transition to forwards compared to arresting forward motion.

You will want to practice reversing first, starting with straight-line backing down the fairway and some basic turns to get the hang of it. Do remember the bow will swing more, so pick something ahead to align the forestay with, and allow extra space to the side when turning.

I agree with the earlier comments by Chotu, etc about trying to stop the boat alongside rather than using a spring line to brake. Engine tricks, bow thrusters, etc. are best viewed as a reserve to counteract winds, currents, or other issues that may arise (but do not hesitate to use them when needed). Again, stopping the boat is much simpler in reverse, and you can then attach the stern line and motor against it if needed. If using a midship cleat docking bow-in, it should probably be made fast to the outermost cleat on the finger, which also gives you better control over how far into the slip the boat can go.

[George_SD]

I always do all docking/departure procedures solo. It's not difficult if you practice it enough. All lines go with the boat. You can leave spares at the dock, but I find using lines that are always attached to the boat becomes a fully automatic job for me regardless of the dock/slip. You always know where they are, how long/thick/strong they are. I have also switched from fixed to folding prop and besides needing to give a tad more throttle in reverse for it to actually open/catch/grab, never had issues. I do back into the slip as, just like you, I have a walk-through transom, which makes getting on and off the boat a lot easier at the dock.

I walk on/off the boat when docking/departing without any stress or issues, unless it's really blowing away from the slip finger, in which case I need to be extra careful.

Needing a line or fender to stop means you are going too fast. I never need either and always come in slow, but in control. Worst case - i make a second approach or give extra throttle, but I try to avoid it due to the prop-walk.


I'm also in San Diego- if you want to meet up and I can show you how I do it.

[c.K.]

Originally Posted by Letterkenny

I’m looking to try some solo sailing when my wife is away. I have a single slip that’s fairly easy for me to dock and have been experimenting leaving the lines at the docks (while carrying spares). I believe my best bet is to hang a spring line on my dock steps so that I can walk up from the helm and get this tied to the mid cleat.

My biggest concern is that the boat seems to always get a bit sideways in the slip whenever we get the first line on at the mid cleat when going bow into the slip and that my stopping power has certainly diminished since switching from a fixed to folding prop. Are there any good liners or types of fenders I can put up there to help protect the boat? Given, it isn’t hitting any of these parts of the slip at any speed but rather be safe than sorry.

This may be a bit un orthodox and can only be done if you don't have any obstacles at the bow on the dock
Very gently make contact and then hardover rudder towards the dock you want to tie up too
you can then disembark and semi permanently tie any line with engine in dead slow forward ofcourse
Idle engine once done and finish securing your vessel

[leecea]

I've watched a few of Patrick Laine's videos and we bought Docking Sticks after he showed how he uses them

YouTube

I haven't used them single-handed but they've been very useful - no need to get off the boat or try to throw a loop of line. Perhaps they can help with your solo docking too.

[George_SD]

By the way - if you would like, I can give a recommendation for a sailing instructor who helped me get comfortable with my boat when I got it. He is experienced, charges reasonable hourly fee, easy to work with, very detailed and is a good instructor. He is one of the instructors at a local sailing school. he can totally help you get much more comfortable and figure out the right techniques when handling YOUR vessel. Can honestly say that it was some of the best money I've spent.

[deblen]

For docking single handed,the "mid ship spring line" cleat should be positioned just forward of the cockpit,where it is quickly & easily reached from the cockpit. Obviously,this will usually be aft of the actual mid point of the hull.
Secondly,large fenders should be pre- positioned slightly fwd and slightly aft of this cleat,so that the hull will lie on these 2 fenders squeezed against the dock,without any other part of the full length of the hull being anywhere near touching the dock-when the midship line is drawn tight.
At this point,the boat cannot move fwd,back,or pivot because of the fenders & tight spring line.
You are now "docked" & you have plenty of time to step ashore & set your permanent lines & position the boat.
It is work saving if you pre-position your stern & bow line "dock ends" near the mid ship cleat area.This saves you from climbing back aboard to retrieve them.
Strange docks will require slightly different application of this technique,but the principle is the same-try to get the boat lying against the 2 closely spaced fenders while straining against a spring. This may even require using the bow or stern lines as a spring in some situations.
This vid shows the spring principle but he is missing the all important 2 fenders.
Cheers/Len

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjUMocc1_4w

In real life:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKu9s2MC-cw&t=47s

[deblen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1JYPcwcYFc

Bull rail douglass hitch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__X7qkwifhQ

[FabioC]

I have a Jeanneau 349, which I regularly dock shorthanded or singlehanded.
The fairway leading to the slip in my marina is fairly narrow, the slip is narrow, and the prevalent condition is wind from abeam (perpendicular to the slip).
These are challenging conditions for the 349, because of the twin rudders and the plumb bow, which moves significantly the moment it catches the wind abeam.
Because of these conditions, it is necessary to come into the slip a little "hot" (i.e., with some speed), since there is no room on the fairway to "line up". Stopping during the turn likely results in loss of control, due to the twin rudders not having flow on them, and the plumb bow swinging significantly to leeward the moment the rudders stall, so you need to keep the boat moving on approach.

+1 for using the mid ship spring. The "trick" shown in the Stress-Free Sailing book really works like a charm, especially if you are single-handed, to make sure that you do not miss the cleat on the dock. (There is also a contraption that you can buy that has the same effect, but the "trick" in the book is better...)

One thing that makes a difference on a boat like the 349, if possible, is to make sure that the pivot center of the boat is aft of the midship cleat. In the 349, this is not the case, as the pivot center is forward of the midship cleat. The solution to this problem is to rig a block a little forward of the midship cleat and run the dockline through that block. The advantage of having the pivot center aft of the block is that, if you happen to come in a little too "hot" and cannot stop the boat before the spring line gets in tension, the bow of the boat will NOT slam (actually, it does not slam, but it can hit) on the dock, as it would with the pivot point forward of the cleat . With the pivot point aft of the block, you can just "drive" on the spring line with the boat staying parallel to the dock, and take your time completing the docking.