Docking the 26M

[Wayne nicol]

1. i like to back in towards the dock- come alongside- parallel to the other boats on the dock, and just reverse park, the way you would do a vehicle on the street side- i have way more control in our windy conditions, and oft times very tight dock space. bow line run aft to the cockpit, a simple step off with both bow and stern lines in hand.
everything happens slower, more accurately and safer.
i might add though- that this is the best system for me, as i only have vision in one eye- so i lack all 3D vision. and am always concerned that i will whack the dock or the next boat with the bow- if i try a forward docking maneuver.

2. one of the first mods i did, was put side bunks on the trailer- and get rid of the daft- flimsy goalposts- these boats have a lot of windage! but i think the straps running forward are still a great idea.i might try them too. oft times the wind can be howling, so approach angles can be a bit tricky- our ramps are pretty steep- so not easy for someone to be in the water near the bow etc.

you will see the bunks also have some skookham goalposts now, and am moving my trailer lights up onto them now- so they stay out of the water.

[Y.B.Normal]

Jack Klang has a great book out called CRUISING WITH QUANTUM through Quantum Sail Design Group that he sells at boat shows. It demonstrates several great docking techniques.

When I dock at the seawall, my wife is on the bow with a line. I put the bow close to the seawall (about 45 degrees to it), she loops the line around a piling or cleat leaving several feet of slack, then wraps it once around the bow cleat. I then back the boat up, bring the stern to the wall and tie up. The dock lines go from the cleats, around the seawall cleats or pilings and back to the boat cleats where they are tied off. This way all control is handled from the boat. No one has to jump off the boat and you're not relying on the experience of anyone on the dock to help you.

Upon leaving the dock, my wife unties the bow line, I slacken the stern line, and back up, which swings the bow out. After the bow is clear, I release the stern line, put in forward and drive away from the dock. It's kind of like parallel parking.

[Wayne nicol]

sorry, i know this thread is not about trailering the mac, but rather about docking- but i saw previous mention of trailering- so thought i would just throw in my .02c worth
i agree whole heartedly- that lines should be run back to the deck cleats.
very few of our docks up here have hardware on them, just a wooden rail dockside- that one ties through.

[stuendan]

Hi all and Oskor 26M,

Just a little confused 'bout techniques described.

1. Wot's a "whipping line". I guess its a loose line from bow to stern - makes a lot of sense!

2. "Applying reverse thrust to pull stern into dock" - I find that with any forward momentum, the rudders (assuming the're down) work in opposition to the side thrust of motor - ie:- turning into the dock to "pull" you on to it results in the opposite effect as the rudders overcome the minimal side thrust available. Do you kill the forward momentum before applying full lock? When I do that, what usually happens is that the boat pivots about the centre board, pulling the stern in, but (with the side wind helping) swings the bow away from the dock! Maybe you could pull the rudders up on approach before applying motor side thrust.

3. Hey Oska - just wonder if you are familiar with "Eco yachts" over there in WA. Their emergency rudder with tiller pilot looks pretty good and I wonder f you have seen it in the flesh!

Regards, Stuart

[yukonbob]

2. "Applying reverse thrust to pull stern into dock" - I find that with any forward momentum, the rudders (assuming the're down) work in opposition to the side thrust of motor - ie:- turning into the dock to "pull" you on to it results in the opposite effect as the rudders overcome the minimal side thrust available. Do you kill the forward momentum before applying full lock? When I do that, what usually happens is that the boat pivots about the centre board, pulling the stern in, but (with the side wind helping) swings the bow away from the dock! Maybe you could pull the rudders up on approach before applying motor side thrust.

Yup works extremely well, have someone warp the bowline around a cleat or dock rail so that the boat won't take any line with it, put in reverse and turn into the dock. Your dockhand may have to let a little line out if they have the bow tight to the dock. Same getting out just in reverse, and your dockhand is now on the bow ready to let the bowline go. Same can be done with spring lines, but requires more space to do so. The same can be done when coming in without the bowline but more space is recommended. Approach the dock bow first at about 45 degrees, a fews feet off the dock while going forward turn away, wait until your parallel to the dock, put in reverse and turn hard into the dock when you've stalled, step off like you own the joint and tie up. (This isn't so easy in a side wind).

[Y.B.Normal]

"Applying reverse thrust to pull stern into dock"

I find it easiest to raise both rudders and just use the OB. The boat has a smaller turning radius
without the rudders. I also only have the daggerboard down about one foot so the boat skids sideways easier.

I'm on a river and somewhat protected from high winds and waves (until I get out to the lake.)
The bottom line is that you will probably use a variety of techniques depending upon the docking
environment.

[Wayne nicol]

for me... i like to use spring lines to assist-
1. i back into the dock- "parallel park"
my deck hand jumps off with the bowline- she gets off from the cockpit.and takes a quick wrap around the rail or some hardware on the dock somewhere between the stern and midships,
2. i power forward slowly, pushing the stern in towards the dock, and the spring line sucks and keeps the bow in,
3. then i get off and tie the boat up properly. lines all lead back to the boat- make for super easy departure- every one on board- and then cut her loose.

just what i do here , for my conditions etc.
cheers

[dxg4848]

What works best for you when you are by yourself docking and wind is blowing you away from dock? A few people mentioned that they would back in a slip and have more control. But wind should still push bow away from dock. Am I thinking about it wrong? Thanks!

[yukonbob]

Run bowline back to cockpit as mentioned, use above steps to get in as tight as possible, use your boat hook to get in closer if possible (depends on how hard the wind is blowing) step off when acceptable to do so (don’t jump) immediately wrap one line (doesn't matter much which) then snug everything up. If you’re doing this on a regular basis and the wind tends to be strong, get some bigger soft fenders (both sides) so you have a bit more cushion to push against the dock. When it’s really blowing you can come in pretty hard sometimes and it’s good to have the extra layer between your boat and the dock.

[Hardcrab]

dxg4848,
Again, one method is to have the bow and stern lines long enough to be tied together before the docking approach, or an additional "grab" line pre-rigged just for this purpose.

Approach the dock in the manner of your choosing, and step off the boat from the cockpit area onto the dock with the bow/stern line in hand.
You will be in control of both ends of the boat and the wind/tide/current will not take control.

I personally use the "tied together" method myself. I step off, quickly untie the lines, and roughly/quickly tie the bow first (while standing on the stern line) then tie the stern with more care, then back to the bow with care to finish the job.
It reads ugly, but it works for me in the downwind docking situations I much prefer.

How you finish your job will be up to your conditions, but at least you will be on the dock with your boat along side it.

[Tomfoolery]

If the dock is full length of the boat, and has a piling at the end (or a cleat), pull up to the piling either facing into the wind, or away from it, depending on which way you want the boat to point in the slip. Put a line to the piling from a mid-cleat, either on the jib track, or possibly to the mast (around the front, then back to a winch or cleat, so you can adjust from the cockpit). The wind will kind of push the boat into the slip a bit, and some reverse or forward (depending on which way the boat is facing) will rotate you around the piling. A stern or bow line (again, depending on which way it's facing) will hold it there and you can walk the boat back from the dock.

There are other ways, involving motoring against the spring, stern or even bow line, but I think that was covered already.

[BOAT]

Or, if your really lousy at motor-boating like me, one sure fire way to guarantee help on the dock is to come in on sail alone - no motor. When people see a sailboat trying to dock with no motor for some reason they instinctively run to the dock and offer help or yell "throw me your line!"

Works for me every time!

[yukonbob]

Or, if your really lousy at motor-boating like me, one sure fire way to guarantee help on the dock is to come in on sail alone - no motor. When people see a sailboat trying to dock with no motor for some reason they instinctively run to the dock and offer help or yell "throw me your line!"

Works for me every time!

Your definition of windy may be different as well. Windy here the boat will pull you in the water and is usually heeling 10-15 degrees bare pole thus my reason for immediately securing a line.

[mastreb]

What works best for you when you are by yourself docking and wind is blowing you away from dock? A few people mentioned that they would back in a slip and have more control. But wind should still push bow away from dock. Am I thinking about it wrong? Thanks!

No, you're thinking correctly. When backing in high winds, the boat could be close to sideways, but at least it's going the direction you want it to go. That's not always possible going forward. I have had situations where the boat was so sideways when backing that I didn't have any steerage left to starboard.

[dxg4848]

What works best for you when you are by yourself docking and wind is blowing you away from dock? A few people mentioned that they would back in a slip and have more control. But wind should still push bow away from dock. Am I thinking about it wrong? Thanks!

No, you're thinking correctly. When backing in high winds, the boat could be close to sideways, but at least it's going the direction you want it to go. That's not always possible going forward. I have had situations where the boat was so sideways when backing that I didn't have any steerage left to starboard.

It makes sense. Backing in then gives you more control to bring stern close to the dock. Then you can step on the dock with bow line ran back (or tied together with stern line) and tie the boat. Good idea!

It probably sounds like overkill but it would be nice to be able to lower an electric trolling motor at the bow perpendicular to the boat when you are getting ready to dock with remote at cockpit to help push bow sideways to the dock.