Browsing: Docking

Cruising Life
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Ten Tips To Make Docking Easy and Safe

From Boating Safety Magazine safety tips Ten Tips to Make Docking Easy and Safe Follow these simple rules to alleviate the dread of docking By Randy Vance Docking a boat can be a dreaded task for any boater. No matter the size of the boat, the current or the wind, it’s close-quarters maneuvering that takes the most gelcoat from boats. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you follow these simple rules. 1. Never approach a dock any faster than you want to hit it. Some captains like to hot-dog around, showing how efficiently they can shift and…

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How To Leave a Dock Using Spring Lines. See Diagrams and Video

Even in an age of joystick docking, with pods and bow and stern thrusters on many new boats, you still may find yourself needing to use spring lines to get off a dock. First off, your boat may not have all those useful devices, and second, they may not always work. In any event, you’ll be a much more confident skipper if you – and your crew – know how to use springs, particularly if you’re in a tight situation or facing adverse wind or current. Here’s a great story, with diagrams and video, about how to leave a berth…

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Docking Made Easy: Create a Mental “Aim Point”

Here’s some great advice from Skipper Tips about how to dock safely and securely even when the space you’re assigned is just a few feet more than the length of your boat. We’ve all been there. The face or fuel dock is full of large boats, or at least the space you’re aiming for is flanked by two of the largest, most expensive yachts in sight, and you know that a lot of people nearby will be looking to see how you pull this off. Not exactly the time to brush up on your docking skills. Here’s what to do, and…

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Docking Tip: How To Use a Breast Line

Docking. Yikes. Often the only worry a lot of us have when we leave a slip is the reality that we have to come back. And people are looking. You definitely want to look your best when you come in to a dock, and to be prepared for various situations. What should you do if you’re docking singlehanded, or if the wind is coming off the dock, pushing you away. A breast line is a fast solution. Here’s some great advice from Skipper Tips about how to use a breast line, with a very clear diagram. Just remember that a breast…

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How To Dock a 1,187-foot-long Cruise Liner in St. Thomas, a Very Tight Harbor. See the Video

You think you have a hard time docking? Consider the Oasis of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in the world. coming in to a very tight entrance at St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ship is 1,187 feet LOA, so the captain has to thread a needle into the harbor, making a tight turn in a narrow channel with sailboats moored all around. And with a 30-foot draft, there are only six feet to spare under the keel. Power for the ship, which carries 6,000 passengers, comes from three 26,800-hp ABB Azipods, driving 20-foot props.…

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How to Leave a Dock on a Windy Day: Keep Positive Control and Don’t Dawdle!

Leaving a dock on a windy day can be challenging, if not intimidating, particularly if the wind is holding you on the dock. But there are ways to get off cleanly and under control. Docking on my single-screw Grand Banks 36 (without a bow thruster) was not always fun. But I did make good use of some tips from the pros, which you can use whether you have a single or twin-screw boat. If the wind is holding you on the dock, take a spring line aft from the bow and loop it around a dock cleat toward the middle…

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How To Dock a Twin-Shaft Cruising Boat. Great Video

Here’s one of best on-the-water demonstrations of docking and around-the-docks maneuvering I’ve seen for a twin inboard shaft boat with a bow thruster. It seems a bit laid-back at first, but stay tuned.  The video is an excellent introduction if you’re new to boating, or a good reminder if you’re an old salt. Take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yQZSgUy2hQ

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Here’s a Feel-Good Video of Some Very Nice Boat Handling in Marigot Bay

There’s nothing urgent here, nothing mind-bending or surprising. But if you love boats, take a look at this video. It’s all about a pretty boat in pretty water handled by a pretty damn good captain. Meet the Lady J, a 389-ton, 142-feet-long, 1997 Palmer Johnson docking in Marigot Bay, St. Luca. Thrusters help, but here’s a nice look at some pretty professional boat handling: http://www.oceanofnews.com/dock-yacht-caribbean/

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How To Dock in a Cross-Wind: Video and Detailed Story

At some point, we’ve all been there. It’s time to back into a slip, but the wind is blowing and the bow wants to go one way and the stern another. Even if no one is watching (and they usually are) you don’t want to mess this up. Here’s a great video, plus a long story, showing how to accomplish this without an injury either to your boat or to your reputation. See the video first here: https://youtu.be/MmaYOXulaGM For the detailed story, click here: http://www.mby.com/maintenance/windier-berthing-32638

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