SINGLE-HANDED DOCKING
Probably the biggest challenge of single-handed sailing is getting the boat back into the slip, regardless of the wind and weather conditions, which may not be the same as when one left the dock. The techniques I use for leaving and returning to the dock have been developed over many years and while they may not be what some would consider the best way, they work for me. Note that I neither leave nor enter the slip under power. All movements are very slow and gentle with due consideration for wind velocity and direction. Current in my marina is not an issue.
The first day that Sea Shadow arrived in her new slip was spent setting the 4 dock lines and 2 spring lines for single-handed departure and arrival. Several hours were spent alone in getting the 4 dock lines where I wanted them. I insist on being able to merely slip the loop end of the line over the cleat, so the adjustments must account for virtually all tide situations – normal, low, high, and astronomical highs and lows. The lines must be slack enough to account for all tide situations but not so slack that the boat will sail into its neighbor during a strong cross breeze. They also cannot be so tight that the boat hangs from the cleats in a significant low tide or pulls the cleats out of the deck when the tide is too high. The time spent figuring out this configuration will greatly enhance one’s ability to return regardless of the conditions.
I have been on the boat when I almost needed a ladder to get aboard. Other times, I have had to jump down onto the deck. Regardless of tide levels, I have never seen Sea Shadow (or her predecessor) either hanging from her lines or having the lines stretched to the maximum. And the lines are set so as the boat does not ever hit a piling or a neighbor, again regardless of tide or wind. Once during this past winter while working on the boat, the wind was so strong that the boat was actually sailing in the slip. The wind was on the port quarter, pushing the boat out to the ends of the lines at which point the boat would snap back on its lines, only to sail away again. This was a day I had to cut my work down below short due to mild seasickness however at no time was the boat in danger of hitting anything around it!
Note that Sea Shadow – and its predecessor – never slipped a dock line in over 17 years of slipping the loop or noose end of the line over the cleat.
As I come in stern first, the most important line is the spring line, run from the forward piling to a cleat on the rail just forward of the jib fairlead. Obviously, the intent of this line is to prevent the boat from crashing into the dock stern first. When I return, this is the first line that is secured. Once this line is attached, I know that I am “attached” to the slip and, if necessary, can wrestle the boat in hand over hand or with engine assist. Since the prevailing winds are on my starboard beam, this line is starboard and also is used to get the boat started when I pull her out of the slip.
I also use a spring line from an aft piling to a cleat on the opposite rail. This prevents the boat from extending into the fairway but is not really part of my single-handed docking routine.
The first 2 lines to be cast off are the crossed stern lines, well protected with rubber chafe guard changed annually. I throw them onto the dock and use a boat hook to retrieve when returning. If the wind pushes me to port, since the boat is still attached forward, I am pushed against the finger pier where no damage is done due to deployment of large fenders.
Next I take the forward spring line off the amidships cleat and, keeping tension on the line at all times, slowly walk the line forward while gently pulling the boat towards the forward piling. Once the forward dock lines are stretched almost to the maximum, I coil the spring line and place it on a hook on top of the piling. I then take the 2 forward lines off the cleats, hang the leeward line on its piling, and walk the windward line aft of the pilings and continue to gently pull the boat out of the slip. Once the dodger is to the piling, I place the windward forward line on the hook on its pilings. At this point, I am pushing against the piling to keep the boat moving out of the slip and may need to move side to side, piling to piling, to keep the boat centered and moving forward. Once the stern clears the pilings, I move to the wheel, engage forward gear, and continue on my way.
I have found that trying to motor out of the slip in any kind of crosswind invariably leads to damaged gear, such as bimini rails, when the boat rubs too hard against a piling. By pulling the boat out, the movement is too gentle to damage anything should the boat graze a piling. And if I move slow enough and keep in control, I can usually get out without hitting the piling, even in a crosswind.
For example, if the wind is on the starboard beam, it is the starboard forward line that I use to pull the boat out with. If the wind is behind me, I let the wind do the work. If the wind is on my nose, I just pull harder and only occasionally, require an engine assist.
Prior to leaving the dock, I take 2 10-foot pieces of line and, using a bowline, affix them to each loop of the dock lines over the forward cleats. These I use for “control lines” when returning. More on these lines later.
Once the main is down, I start preparing the boat for
docking and do not enter the
Small fenders also are placed amidships, one each side, again laying on the deck, ready to be kicked over as they clear the forward pilings. These are to protect against accidentally hitting my neighbors.
One thing I have not figured out how to prevent is the fenders catching on the forward pilings as I pull the boat out. If I pull them up on the deck before they get to the pilings and accidentally bump my neighbor, this would not be a good thing. So I leave them down and live with the drag against the piling as I pull out.
Next I get the boat hook out and have it fully extended with the butt end down in the main cabin and the hook end just sticking out the main hatch, ready to grab when required for retrieval of the stern lines laying on the dock.
My slip is to port about midway down the fairway. Approaching the slip, I have just enough forward speed to maintain control over the rudder. I alternate between neutral and forward, trying to take virtually all forward motion off before turning out to starboard.
If the wind is going to hit me on the starboard beam as I turn out (and this usually is the prevailing wind direction), I start my turn as the bow crosses the stern-in boat next to mine. As I turn, I put the gear in reverse. When the boat is perpendicular to the dock, I gently start increasing the RPM’s until forward motion is completely stopped and the boat starts to move in reverse, almost directly in the direction of my neighbor’s stern. As the prop throws the boat to port, along with that starboard beam wind assist, what looks like a ploy to ram my neighbor stern to stern actually becomes a gentle and controlled backing into the slip. Every time I nail the pilings perfectly, I want to award myself 3 points for a “Field Goal”! (groan!)
For any other wind conditions (port, nose, stern) I start the turn when the bow reaches the first piling of my slip. If the wind is coming from the port side, which is very rare, I back up a little (which throws the boat to port, the direction I don’t want to go), pull forward (which throws the stern back to starboard which is what I want), then back up again to get the proper alignment for entry into the slip.
As soon as the stern clears the forward pilings, I stop the boat with forward thrust and grab the spring line and affix it to the cleat. I am now attached to the slip. I then grab the forward dock lines and this is the point at which the “control lines” come in use. Once the mast clears the forward pilings, and the fenders have been kicked over the side, I stand amidships at the bow and, using the control lines and shifting my weight side-to-side, am able to control the direction of the stern. Pull on the starboard control/dock line and the stern moves to port; pull on the port control/dock line and the stern moves to starboard. Again, the movements are gentle, slow, and subtle. Guiding the boat with the control lines and weight-shifting while also using the lines to pull the boat into the slip makes for an orderly and trauma-free docking… and no yelling!
Once the boat is centered in the slip and the forward lines are over their respective cleats, I move aft and, using the pre-deployed boat hook retrieve and set the stern dock lines.
Probably the biggest mistake I could make is to not attach the control lines prior to departure. On Sea Shadow, the lines are red and hang on the forward pulpit directly over the forward cleats when not in use. It would take a great deal of effort even for me to miss them!
Occasionally, we spend the night at a distant
The process is basically the same as above except that there are no lines already on the pilings. The technique here is to stop the boat once it clears the forward pilings and get forward lines and a spring line attached. Stern lines are already affixed to the cleat so that once the boat is pulled back to the end of the spring line, I can jump to the dock or finger pier with the stern lines and tie them off. Again, the fenders are out on the finger pier side of the slip. I have done this many times by myself and once in a 45-knot crosswind during a storm. It wasn’t pretty but I did get in.
I would like to think that my success at single-handed docking is a result of thinking ahead each step of the way and having a plan for all conditions. Alas, I know this not to be so. Rather, my docking wisdom is like all my wisdom and life experiences – that which is left over after all the mistakes have been made! Even with crew aboard, I expect and receive no help. While my docking skills increase with each successful docking, the downside is that no one else, including the Best Mate, has any experience in getting the boat into the slip. I can only pray that this does not come back to haunt me someday…