Re: T&T: Single handed, planning ahead
Bob Austin wrote--It just takes a little more planning and skill.
For anyone not already aware of this setup....... In the planning-ahead
vein, if your home slip is aligned in such a way that you often have to
deal with a wind blowing you off it into your slipmate's boat a handy
thing to rig up is a ready-made aft spring line on the dock. A cleat
near the outboard end of the finger along with a bracket or hook on top
of a flexible and easily-broken vertical stanchion-- a piece of 1" PVC
or the like-- is all that's required. A strong mooring line is cut to
length and secured to the cleat and the loop end is hung on the hook at
a bit above handrail height.
On a windy day as the boat enters the slip the skipper (if single
handed) or a crewman can reach out, take the line off the hook, pass it
though the midship hawse and slip the loop over the midship cleat. The
shifter can then be played to ease the boat forward until the line is
taut at which point the shifter is put in forward and the helm turned
all the way away from the finger. The spring line pulls the bow in, the
rudder moves the stern in, and the boat will move over against the wind
to lie against the finger until other mooring lines can be secured.
The same thing can be accomplished by having someone jump to the dock
with an aft spring and secure it, but having the line already secured to
the dock and held at a height easy to reach from the deck makes the
process less risky. We used to leave a spring line on the dock and pick
it up with a boathook but this proved too hit-or-miss, particularly with
little clearance between us and the boat beside us. Obviously the
operator needs to be mindful of things like avoiding putting the line
into a prop before the slack is taken out.
The reason for the easily-broken support for the hook is just that--- if
things get messed up to the point where the bow pulpit or something (or
someone) tangles with it, it will just snap off.
The pre-positioned aft spring works well on the floating docks used by
marinas in this area--- the dock is always at the same height in
relationship to the boat. I don't know how effective or practical
something like this would be if your home moorage is a fixed pier which
I understand is much more common along the east coast.
C. Marin Faure
GB36-403 "La Perouse"
Bellingham, Washington
The same thing can be accomplished by having someone jump to the dock
with an aft spring and secure it, but having the line already secured to
the dock and held at a height easy to reach from the deck makes the
process less risky.
Marin,
I have cruised in the PNW and am aware of your floating docks with no
cleats that often make docking a challenge , however jumping off of a moving
boat is a foolhardy thing to do. Note that I docked out there withOUT
jumping off of the moving boat.) There is an easier and whole lot safer way
to dock than what you describe. I wrote an article for PASSAGEMAKER magazine
on that point. It is on my web site in the Published Articles folder.
There are many novice boaters on these internet lists who may not know that
there is another way to dock without endangering themselves or their loved
ones.
CCC
Charles C. Jr., and Pat Culotta
M/V CCRIDER
Patterson, La.
http://www.geocities.com/charlesculotta
I've got to admit that I'm not sure what Marin is describing, but that won't
prevent my offering another method. It's called a "sissy" line and is strung
from an outer piling to the dock and between the boats. The bigger the
diameter, the better. The line serves two purposes: it helps you back into
the slip without hitting your neighbor (somebody grabs it and pulls you in)
and if it's say 3/4" or larger, it will probably serve as a fender in
addition to a restraint when you are not there.
Ron Rogers
I think keeping an open mind, recognizing that there isn't one right way vs
10 wrong ones, and apdapting to the situation is critical. I had read this
article and while it may work in some situations, it plain doens't work in
others.
i single hand my 53 footer all the time, and i don't believe in getting help
from strangers on the dock. i always politely decline. because i single
hand, it is critical that once i tie a spring line and have the boat secured
enough to get ashore and secure the other lines, i can adjust them from the
dock as needed. I dont' want to guess how much slack i will need ahead of
time.
more importantly, if a sudden gust of wind starts pushing the boat as i tie
it, I do not want to be hanging for life on a loop... i want to be able to
work the line on the cleat. this gives me 3 times more leverage to control
the 50k lbs boat vs standing with an eye, trying to remain on the dock.
also, passing an eye over a cleat can be dangerous if the boat moves, it's
easy to get your finger crushed between the line and the cleat... i don't
want someone on the dock loosing a finger!
as i said, it depends on the conditions. the above is true when docking
alongside a dock, but usually not when backing into a slip where i will
obviousloy use the loop end on the pilings since typically adjustment will
be made on both sides from the boat.
docking alongside, if the dock is too low or the wind blowing off the dock
to strongly making it unsafe to get off until all lines are secured, keeping
the loop on the boat cleats also allows you lasso / loop the line over a
cleat or piling and briging it back to the boat.
as to people jumping off boats, this is a big cause of injuries... i see it
all the time. on week ends i often tie up at parks with a lot of traffic.
it's unbelieveable to see how many guys plays admiral at the wheel and send
their wifes deal with lines. very often they stand at the bow and then climb
over the railing to jump down from the bow. dumb, dumber, and dangerous. I
recently saw a women do that just as the driver (can't call that a captain)
panicked and reversed. she already had her foot extended, flipped over, her
head missing the raw concrete by inches.
but again, there is no single recipe... someting may work in some instances
and not in others. keeping an open adpative ming is the best tactic.
pascal
miami, fl
1970 hatteras 53my
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Culotta" cculotta@cox.net
To: "trawler list" trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 9:35 PM
Subject: T&T: Single handed, planning ahead
The same thing can be accomplished by having someone jump to the dock
with an aft spring and secure it, but having the line already secured to
the dock and held at a height easy to reach from the deck makes the
process less risky.
Marin,
I have cruised in the PNW and am aware of your floating docks with no
cleats that often make docking a challenge , however jumping off of a
moving
boat is a foolhardy thing to do. Note that I docked out there withOUT
jumping off of the moving boat.) There is an easier and whole lot safer
way
to dock than what you describe. I wrote an article for PASSAGEMAKER
magazine
on that point. It is on my web site in the Published Articles folder.
There are many novice boaters on these internet lists who may not know
that
there is another way to dock without endangering themselves or their
loved
ones.
CCC
Charles C. Jr., and Pat Culotta
M/V CCRIDER
Patterson, La.
http://www.geocities.com/charlesculotta
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Charles Culotta wrote:
Marin,
I have cruised in the PNW and am aware of your floating docks with no
cleats that often make docking a challenge , however jumping off of a moving
boat is a foolhardy thing to do. Note that I docked out there withOUT
jumping off of the moving boat.) There is an easier and whole lot safer way
to dock than what you describe. I wrote an article for PASSAGEMAKER magazine
on that point. It is on my web site in the Published Articles folder.
There are many novice boaters on these internet lists who may not know that
there is another way to dock without endangering themselves or their loved
ones.
CCC
Maybe it's a semantic thing around the word "jump", as opposed to
"step", but how does one dock in the PNW without getting off the boat?
Also, having read all the posts here I am not seeing anything that
impllies the boat is still moving at the time (other than due to wind or
current - hence the need for a spring in the first place). The picture
I got was of the boat being placed next to the dock, a crew member
stepping off with a line, the boat blowing off the dock as the line is
being affixed, then the boat powered into position again and held so
that other lines can be attached. If Marin had said "step", would
anyone have any disagreement with the post?
KP
Ken, Pascal , et al,
Note that in my post of this morning I said ""another"" way of docking . I
did NOT say the only way.
Further , in my article , I SPECIFICALLY mentioned that the PNW represents
and exception and it is.
Note that Marin said "jump" and I take the man at his word!!!
Personally, in all my cruising over 20+ yrs I have NEVER found it
necessary to step nor jump fr my boat while moving in a docking maneuver.
Further we do not eschew "help" from the dock but the only time we get into
a bind in docking is due to do incompetent docksiders and I don't mean shoes
:-)
The bottom line is that if anyone prefers to step, jump, hang over the side
or whatever on docking OK. We prefer not to, and it was ONLY my intention to
suggest that there is another, in my opinion, safer method-----with
situational exceptions.
Yes I jump off how else do
you secure the line to the dock when single handling the vessel. I do not
see any other option but some one might shed some light on a different
approach.
Willy,
I do have a suggestion, merely an opinion, but you asked. Try putting a
FOUR FOOT DIAMETER eye in that line. As you come into the slip place it on
the piling or cleat and take up the slack on the boat. (Note the PNW
exception!) No stepping , jumping nor hanging over the side.
Just a thought for an experiment. You certainly have thought out your docking
sequence. A lot more should follow your lead.
Ahhhh the sun is shining and the storm is gone----Lets go play boat.
CCC
Charles C. Jr., and Pat Culotta
M/V CCRIDER
Patterson, La.
http://www.geocities.com/charlesculotta