[C320-list] Backing into slip
Dennis Harris
dharris02 at embarqmail.com
Fri Nov 2 15:58:24 PDT 2007
Rod, Warren:
In warping around, how does the rub rail hold up against the warping
pressures on the piling? I've seen this done with Pearson's at our
marina, but their rubrail seems more substantial and I've been hesitant
to use this technique.
I also use the carabiner hook on the safety line to manage the stern
all the time. If you tie a loop in the safety line at the correct
position adjacent to stern boat cleat (where boat is in correct position
when docked), the carabiner hook will slide along the line but will be
stopped by the knot, so not only does it take care of keeping the stern
in position, but it also limits travel back into the slip so there's no
chance of hitting the dock from backing too far. If you don't have too
much power on, you can keep engine backing even as you go forward to
deal with bow. Once in position with the stern cleat at the loop in
safety line, shift the carabiner hook to the loop and the boat can
neither go forward or backwards in slip and stern can't slip down on
finger pier (assuming it is on downwind side). This is useful also in
departing the slip, where if you place a temporary line between the
stern boat cleat and the safety line loop, you can now take all the time
you want to properly place normal mooring lines on pilings, dock, or
wherever you keep them (in past, I had problems with crew taking too
long to place dock lines "just so" on pilings when I needed to go due to
crosswindl). For departures, a temporary line from the admidships cleat
to/around the upwind safety line gives extra time to place the forward
lines properly on pilings so loops don't hang out into the slip to hang
on stanchions when leaveing or returning. Once all normal lines are
clear, untie the amidships line (crew or me), untie the line through
loop (me) and we are free and clear to motor out. Also, for docking, a
second carabiner hook lead from/through amidships or bow cleat outside
the stanchions back to pushpit with opposite line end lead back around
the sheet winch and to a camcleat at cockpit allows person steering the
boat to deal also with the bow. After helmsman hooks and secures the
stern carabiner line, hook also the bow carabiner line on the safety
line, then tighten the bow line (from helm position) as necessary during
the docking to keep bow off the downwind forward piling....this latter
technique is useful when single handing.
Rod Boer wrote:
> I do this often when the wind is howling. We call it warping the boat
> into the slip.
>
> Rod
> Odyssey, #688
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Warren Updike" <wupdike at hotmail.com>
> To: <c320-list at catalina320.com>
> Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 10:52 AM
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip
>
>
> No one seems to have mentioned this yet; but, here is a strategy that
> has saved my buns more than once. When the wind or current make a bow
> or stern approach problematic, I bring the boat alongside the pilings
> at the entrance to the slip - hull perpendicular to the slip. Best
> done heading into the wind. Then, using one of the dock lines from
> the pile as a spring to a stern cleat, back the engine and you will
> rotate the stern into the slip. Best done heading into the wind. Once
> the bow is at a reasonable angle to the wind, let go the line and
> continue into the dock. Once the beam is inside the pilings, you have
> it made.
>
> Another trick with a safety line from the dock to the entrance piling
> is to have ready a piece of line with a loop on one end and a hook on
> the other. Immediately after entering the slip, on the windward side,
> hook the line to the safety line and drop the loop over a cleat. Now
> you can forget about that side and concentrate on the rest of the
> process.
>
> With our first sailboat, I was nervous about looking like a lubber in
> our new marina. That is, until I watched the circus around some of
> the "old salts" making their landing. I found that no one criticizes
> a botched docking, and everyone applauds a good one.
>
> Warren & Pattie Updike
> C320, #62, 1994, "Warr De Mar"
> Frog Mortar Creek, Middle River
> Chesapeake Bay
>
>
>
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