Making tight S turn to slip causes too much side slip.

[ALX357]

got a slip at marina for first time, not sure i can keep boat in it, and enter / exit safely. Coming out is tricky, but going back in was almost too difficult. I am on the next to the last slip of my dock, but have just a few feet more than the boat's length behind me, the next dock over, So coming in, I have to make a tight "S" turn first to port to get lined up, then to starboard to enter the slip straight. My dock's finger pier on one side of me, another sailboat on the other, got to go straight in. Problem was that with enough momentum to have the fins effective in steering, the boat slipped too much sideways after the first turn for me to get it going straight for the last 40 feet of the second turn. And that was with NO wind at all, so with any breeze, it would be alot worse. Not deep enough to have the board all the way down, but the line was out about 5 inches. Admittedly i have not had that much practise on tight turns, ----
had the boat on trailer for the last year. Is this just a matter of practise ?
Any mistake in track will result in hitting the other boat, or scratching my hull. FIrst time i tried it, i had to back out before collision, and nearly got stuck lengthwise between the docks.

[Pouw Geuzebroek]

I have some bumpers on my finger pier, that helps, no worries hitting that pier anymore. You may also try to reverse into that slip, sometimes that is easier steering. What also helps in making the turn easier is to swing a line from midship onto the post (I supose there is a post at the entrance of the slip).

[Merrick White]

I know just what you are going through ! I had the same setup you describe. The first few times were hair-raising for me. When the wind was up the stress was too.

Make sure to have your center board down at least half way and both rudders down.

Have enough power on to keep steerage. I would have to use a couple seconds of reverse once the bow was in the mouth of the slip to take the momentum off.

Have your boat hook ready for last second "adjustments".

Big fenders are good.

If your pier has posts a spring line can be deployed from the boat, just make sure it is not long enough to reach the prop if you drop it.

[ALX357]

....'Will almost always be single-handing the manouever. Even if guests or Admiral aboard, not able to count on docking help, and often will be solo.
.... got boathook, huge fenders, lots of lines, and 2 hands, one of which needed for Fwd/Rev throttle, other for wheel.

[Beam's Reach]

This works better when you have crew, but it could work single handed. We screwed a plastic two step stool from Walmart onto the dock to make it easier for our kids to get on and off the boat.

One day pulling into the slip, I was quite impressed with my much improved ability to make the sharp turn and then straighten out so quickly to enter the slip properly. I bragged about my new skills while we tied off and then my wife informed me that she had grabbed the stool with the boat hook to pull the bow around.

My pride was hurt a little, but it's easier to dock now.

[Dan B]

I chartered a Hunter 357 on the Chesapeake two years ago and had similar challenges. I only had about as much water behind me (before the rocks) as the boat's length. No way I would risk doing it under power, especially with any wind. Boat was slipped stern to the dock. No way it was a single-handed operation.

Exiting was pretty simple.
- Pulled boat over by hand to the starboard side piling and un-tied the starboard bow line from it.
- As I pulled out, and as soon as the starboard stern would clear the piling, the mate (standing on the port bow with a rope around the piling) would pull on her line, in effect pulling the bow to port.
- Throw her port bow line back to the dock and motor straight out.

Entering was a bit more challenging. I don't recall the exact process without drawing it out. But, it started by pulling up behind the slip, 90 degrees to the opening. Picking up some lines, backing into the slip with help from the dock pulling the starboard stern side around.

[ALX357]

no way i can depend on the extra hands.... not going to be worth it to me to slip if it's risking boat damage every time (mine or others') coming and going..... looking at MUCH MORE $ to get a straight-in slip on the docks with the big boats , and get away from these razor-armed aluminum pontoon boats.

Either that or it's the redneck marina across the lake, with the nearby flat-top houseboat beer parties 'till all hours of the night, and the noise of unmufled powerboats doing blip revs. $130/month

Or its back onto the trailer and at least i can again visit with the boat more, even if it doesn't see water as often.

Already paying 120/month, but maybe the extra $60/month for the better dock could be saved back by the doing of less mods..... about time to slack off the pace....

[richandlori]

ALX357,
how long have you had the boat? Because I know that for the first 12-25 time I have the boat out, there wouldn't have been a chance for me to get into a tight slip, but now it would be a piece of cake. All Boards down.

It could just need some pratice?

Rich

[playmaker]

Hi, My setup sounds very similar I must make an s turn but I am the last slip and it is very narrow.WIth the bowpulpit of the boat next too me sticking out making it even worse. Can only get out by backing up past all the boats nearly took out everything the first time. Getting in just as bad especially if a wind is blowing at all. I can't put the fins down as its too shallow. A few times I had the CB down just about 1/5 and was struggling only to realize I was scraping bottom(Very soft muddy bottom)I practiced one weekday afternoon with my father on the bow just in case. I had studied this site and decided practice was my only hope. I had people with me recently(power boaters) and they were impressed how I slid it in. I think when I started my s turn they were thinking what in the h are you doing! I use the pylings as my mark when to start my turn. Good luck and like everything else with practice you will become more confident.

[playmaker]

I have slid after my s turn but realized I was going too fast. Slow down a bit that should help momentum sideways.....

[Tom Spohn]

ALX,
You have exactly described my moorage! In addition my marina is in an estuary with both river current and tidal action, and prevailing winds from one direction or the opposite. Here is what I do:
1. When coming down the fairway I look at the other boats to see if they are hard up on their fenders or are pulling away from the dock. Also look for bits of floating debree to get idea of the current. Quick look up at the wind indicators of the docked boats gives me an idea of the wind and direction. In a contest between wind and current with the Mac, the wind wins every time so I pay it more attention to the wind.
2. Don't know why you "S" turn. I come down the left side of the fairway about a boatwidth out from the side, which in my marina has side tied boats all along it. All foils are down. I am making maybe 2 knots.
3. About two boatlengths from my slip on the Starboard I cut the power and drift forward.
4. Since the boat turns from the rear and tends to pivot around the daggerboard, I turn early (ie earlier than if you were driving a car) and aim the nose of the boat into the right-hand side of the opening on the starboard finger pier. When things are just right the tail of the boat swings around and I apply throttle to go straight in. If the current/wind won't let the tail swing a bit, I sometimes have to apply full left rudder and pop the throttle in reverse to get it to swing. Easy does it as it is easy to swing the stern so much the nose of the boat is on the finger pier rather than in the moorage.
5. As the boat drifts into the slot I pop it into reverse with full right rudder for a split second to stop the forward motion and get the beam lined up with the dock. Then I step off holding the line I attached to the mid-point stantion and temporarily secure the boat. Once secure I attach bow, stern, spring lines, turn off the engine and drink several beers!

When the wind is really high, I run a line from the stern to stem and another 15' line from the center stantion. Drift down the fairway on the right till just abeam the end of the finger pier. Then stop, using reverse, and hop off. Then using the stern and bow line I muscle it into the slip. I usually have to do this when towing my dink as when I try to turn or reverse in the fairway it gets in the way every time

It also helps to practise this with the Admiral or some friends on the pier and on the boat till you get it down pat. Good luck!

[craiglaforce]

Swing as wide as possible, nice and smooth, keep a little bit of speed. Steer like it is a car on ice. it will slide about 3-4 feet sideways while turning, so just try to make the turn earlier than seems right (ie sort of try to hit the inside pier, as you slide to the outside of the turn you will be dead center in the slp) always easy to reverse the turn and swing to bow right in. coast in in neutral then bump reverse to stop it where you want it. You can compensate for a lot with that big motor and stop almost on a dime if needed.

The boat pivots about the centerboard, but the centerboard is pretty far aft if in shallow water, so the bow is easily overpowered by the wind. If the wind is fighting the turn too much, back in. That should always be do-able no matter what.

If you have a soft mud bottom, letting the centerboard drag in the mud a little on the way in will make the boat turn way easier but a little risky that it might damage the board over the longer term.

Whatever you do, it will probably take a ful season to start getting comfortable docking. Then you can do it with your eyes closed and wonder what the fuss was about.

[mtc]

ALX - your experiences have been shared by everyone here. The only way to enter a slip the first time is just what you told - scary, heart-pounding, and possibly expensive. If you add the pride factor (don't know why that's such a big thing) it can get downright painful.

Here's what I do at a difficult slip:

If I left the slip, I take note of what it's going to be like getting back in. Where are the poles, finger pier, bolts, nails, lines, hooks, etc. This way, I'm not noticing them just as I'm approaching and getting all stressed out when I should be calm and attentive.

I ask before I leave for any tips on returning: prevailing wind, tide, where the sun will be, what the traffic will be, all that stuff. On top of having such poor control of the boat, you don't want all those little stressors to get in your way.

When approaching the slip, take at least one slow pass at your slip to 'size things up' before you even think of getting close to the pilings. No sense crashing into those puppies; not to mention the rusty bolts sticking out just waiting to Titanic your hull.

Once you have a 'feel' for the environment and you've eliminated as many of the stressors and obsticales, approach the slip from whatever angle will compensate for current and wind drift. These boats have way too much freeboard which act as little sails even under bare poles.

If you go just fast enough to maintain steerage, with some foils down - rudders at the very least - you can control your landing. If you have the Mercury controler that I have, you're doomed because you won't be able to shift out of forward and into reverse and will no doubt probably sever the dock in two, so go real slow and rely on the momentum of your headway to get you in.

I've seen springer lines run to the center of the slip and outwards to the two outside pilings forming a 'V' that will nuzzle your hull and not let you crash into the dock. You simply aim and the lines will guide you and stop you, providing you can get the OB out of forward.

Don't worry that you may look like a novise, or even an idiot, just remember many people actually sit and watch others dock, launch, and recover because people make such a mess out of it.

We've all done it, and the only way to get good is to practice and minimize the damage to your sailboat, others' boats, and your ego.

By the way, somewhere, there's a docking program that you can practice on in one of the threads here. Perhaps someone can remember where it is? I used it and it was, if nothing else, fun and somewhat helpful.

Michael

[ALX357]

WOW, thanks for the supportive responses, and the helpful pointers.... some of them really make sense. "... aim for the inside pier-finger" would have done it, exactly the compensation i needed, but it seems suicidal to aim at something so menacing. Everything needs to be done just right, and with enough momentum to carry it thru, but any mistakes will be unrecoverable. i have the Mercury controls, not too bad, can shift from forward to reverse pretty quick, thru neutral, and the boat responds fast, if i can keep cool and in control - not getting confused etc. You all know that there is a lag in response, and that rudder position does not become obvious until you goose the motor and go scooting off whichever way.
BTW, the dock is on a dead end, with menacing shallows at the shore side, especially in winter pool, and the fairway is the last approaches to the launch ramp at the head of the creek which feeds and forms the cove of the marina. Go up in there, and it's shallow water, tight, and motorboats launching periodically, to contend with. No way to do a drive-by. When I blew the first approach, i barely backed out without ramming pontoon boats. I felt like a balloon in a basket of forks. HOW ABOUT that docking software, to enter MacParameters along with fins, wind, current, horsepower, prop, load, dockside heckling, and hull color. ? Maybe like a car race game, with explosions and screeching ripping sound effects ? I bet blue hulls have a bit more side-slip resistance, and they need it to avoid getting those WHITE scratches. OR black scratches, with white outlines.
That idea of putting crossed lines to catch the boat's bow is pretty good, but the other boat sharing my slip would not get along with it.....
If i had a two-finger slip all to myself, i would just line both sides with enough vinyl bumpers, old mattresses and cotton balls to crash into at enough speed to make the boat really steer fine. The faster the more accurately it can track, if it can do the sudden decelleration into a 24' chute. Maybe i need an arrestor hook and aircraft carrier-type catch line.

You guys have developed nerves of steel, i guess i will get there, but maybe Moe could crunch the numbers which balance the cost of hull repairs ( in terms of my labor-time ) for however long it takes me to learn the pilotage, vs. just docking at the $6/day high-price spread.

[Zavala]

By the way, somewhere, there's a docking program that you can practice on in one of the threads here. Perhaps someone can remember where it is? I used it and it was, if nothing else, fun and somewhat helpful.

I think this is it. Must be a pretty good simulator. Seems I dock just as poorly online as on the water...