When you register, we will give you a password to our confidential section which includes a more complete, printed version of our operation manual.
Docking, Anchoring and maneuvering
Index for on-line operations manual...
- Knots
- Docking and maneuvering
- Choosing your anchor.
- Teak Care.
- Complete operation manual-available when you register
- Engine
- Propane Stoves
- Heads
- Plumbing
- Refrigeration
- Anchoring & Windlass
- Electronics/Electrical--Basics.
Basics of line handling...
If you haven't visited the knot section yet, and are not familiar with the basic knots described--go to Knot handling now.
At the approach... several minutes before...
When you first take a new boat out, practice backing up straight, left and right and get used to stopping distances. Before the approach, get set up...
- Will other boat traffic interfere with your approach? Will there be an assistant on shore? Tell your on-board assistant what you expect in advance.
- Observe wind direction. It tends to have maximum effect on the mast, blowing the mast in the direction it's blowing. If it's from port, it will tend to blow your bow to starboard.
- Observe whether current will be a factor.
- Hang fenders over the side. (Use a clove hitch) Horizontally if you will be against a piling or other protrusion, vertically if against a wall or another boat.
- Discus with your assistant what his/her duties will be.
- Have bow and stern lines coiled and ready and be ready to pass the loop end to shore...
The Actual Approach
- Come in at a 30 degree or so angle (A). Why? If you come in parallel, and you get caught by wind or current, you're soon pressed against the dock with no way to back out. If you come in at an angle, and anything unexpected happens, you can simply back away and re-approach taking the new situation into account.
- If there is dockside help available. Pass the loop end (Bowline if not a splice loop) to the attendant (B), and ask him to put it on a piling or cleat of your choosing. If there is no assistant, simply bring your bow in close enough that your assistant can drop the line on the piling or cleat (your stopping practice will pay off here!) IMPORTANT NOTE: Always keep the free (long) end of the line on the boat so that you can control the positioning of the boat at the dock from on-board. This will keep control with you, and you will especially appreciate this if you have to get up at night to adjust lines!
- Now your assistant keeps one turn around the cleat and pays out the line as you steer to come in parallel to the dock. At any time, your assistant can stop the line and with your rudders turned steering to port, you can force the boat in parallel up against the pre-placed fenders. Actually, at (C), whether the wind is blowing you on or off, by keeping the boat slow ahead rudders steering to port and your assistants line cleated--you can keep the boat pinned in position while your assistant attaches the other lines.
3. What to do with one long line...
How to tie up...
- Always have plenty of fenders for any chafe point. Make sure you have lines on both ends when you need to go up against a piling. Even better when against a piling, use a fender board or flat fender.
- Always use at least 4 lines. Fore and aft lines need to go out away from the boat as far as possible in order to allow for tidal variations. Spring lines need to go from the ends to the center or opposite end piling. These keep the boat from twisting and the longer they are, the more shock absorbing they are.
- What if you only have a single long line for one end? Put a loop in both ends and put one end on a fore and aft piling/cleat. Bring the center of the line to the boat cleat and cleat first one line, then create a loop of the excess line, and cleat the other line. You're actually treating this as though it were 2 separate lines. This way you can adjust either line independently of the other.
Did you know that the C.G. has
found
that in an incredible 72% of boating accidents, at least one of the
involved boats still has fenders over the side? (This goes up to 98% if
they're Mermaid Fenders!)
Getting away...
Getting away from the dock with a wind pressing you on the dock is, perhaps, the most difficult situation.
- Basically, you do the reverse of what you did coming in. Get the one bow line secured to the bow cleat. (A good idea is to have it loop around the piling, rather than being on it with a bowline so that the line is easy to retrieve.) Be sure that there are several fenders protecting the bow--a flat fender that can literally wrap around the bow is perfect!) Also, leave the other fenders in place.
- Once this line is secure, the helmsman can power slow ahead, rudders steering to port and this will hold the boat in place while all other lines are taken off.
- Once all other lines are off, your assistant simply keeps a turn on the cleat with the two ends of the spring line, while the helmsman continues slow ahead and steers to starboard, forcing the protected bow into the dock and the stern out.
- Once in this position, the helmsman simply puts the boat in reverse and backs out as the assistant takes the free end off of the cleat, and pulls the line in from around the piling.
- Once safely away from the dock, flip the fenders inboard, coil the lines and put all of the lines and fenders back in their storage locker--see tip to the left!
Delta Type Anchor
Anchoring tips...
One of the biggest problems we see, is that people drop their anchor
where they want to end up, not where the anchor is.
Often, what you really need to do is anchor directly next to or behind another boat in a crowded anchorage and then motor back to get the 7 X 1 scope recommended. Also, you need to find a space where you have a pretty wide arc to swing as no two boats swing the same way. So, here's how...
- Come in to the anchorage area and be aware of: The wind, the current the state of the tide, the weather--especially will there be a major wind shift during the night. Know what the lowest tide will be and then motor in a circle in the area you plan to end up in to make sure there is enough depth even if the wind changes.
- Motor directly upwind the proper distance from where you want to end up and where you've checked out the depth.
- Stop completely, and then release the anchor. Remember, even if you're very close to another boat, this isn't where you'll end up. For fun, until your judgment gets better, try using your GPS to gage the distances involved. (Also, you may want to use the alarm system on your GPS or computer program.)
- Back up downwind paying out the rode until you get to your pre-determined spot. (It's better to let the rode out faster than you back up. At this point, you don't want to pull on the anchor until you're back at close to the 7X1 scope area or you'll just end up dragging. Don't put pressure on the anchor until the angle is right.
- Then, test it. Secure the rode, and back up hard to make sure the anchor doesn't drag. How hard? I usually back up with at least 2,000 to 2,500 RPM's on the engine for at least a minute. If you don't do this, you may spend some anxious moments during the night!
- After you're secure, watch the pattern of swinging and make sure you're not dragging. (Keep the engine(s) running until you're sure!)
- Set any alarm aids you have: Depth finder, GPS, Computer?
Retrieving your anchor...
The main thing is to get someone on the bow who points in the direction of the anchor (following the line) while you motor forward, your assistant winds in the rode. Do not pull the boat forward using the windlass. They were not designed for this. If you blow the internal fuse, you won't have the use of the windlass for the rest of your cruise, and you will be charged a substantial damage amount for not following proper procedures.
More about anchoring: http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/boating/7_4.htm
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