Hi guys,
I need some advice on my attempts to dock singlehanded, I am struggling a bit.
My dock often has a cross wind, and I have only one way to enter due to a shoreline next to my dock (i'm the end).
My neighbour is a beautiful wooden boat, and I am concerned I may hit him one day attempting to dock singlehanded.
As soon as I lose forward momentum, the bow blows off, quickly.
My motor controls are situated on the port side, so I need to stay at the helm to control the engine.

I have come up with an idea, so I'd appreciate if you guys could critique my solution, I keep thinking I can't be the first to have this issue!

As I'm a bit simple, I need to draw it to explain it.

This is the layout of my dock. Note the helm position, I can't run forward to do bow until I am parked.

I have been told by a few people to only worry about one rope, the stern spring.
However, you are supposed to put the helm hard to starboard and use the prop wash to counterbalance.
My problem is the dual rudders ensures no prop wash!
The result is it kicks my bow in , and the stern can go off and hit my neighbour.

So then I tried the stern line only.
The result was the opposite , my bow can blow off (quickly) , and I can hit my neighbour.

have you tried backing in ?

So I decided to try both the stern line, and the stern spring line.
I mucked around trying to get the lengths right, so I can just drop the one loop over the dock cleat as I pass it.
The idea is I keep the motor in forward, and use the opposing forces to keep the boat to pull forward and pin itself to the dock.

My problem is, I had to muck around making a sliding knot on the stern SPRING (so it doesn't drop off the dock cleat as I go forward, that would be bad!!)
I then used the free end to tie this to the stern line. So the stern spring can slide , the stern line is fixed.
I am worried that I have never seen this before, and I am pretty sure in the hsitory of sailing I am not unique in this requirement.
The question is, I am overcomplicating things?
What does everyone else do?
I appreciate any feedback guys.
There is no such thing as humility when you're breaking in a new boat!

Hi
Can you take the stern spring and the stern line and tie both off at once. Plus a very big fender on the stern starboard side? Are you jumping off or picking up the lines off the dock?

that should work , nice diagrams by the way !!

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SandS said..


have you tried backing in ?

HI Sands,
No mate, not yet.
There is a bloody great ramp on shore right on the entry path, that is quite shallow and my rudders when I back in come really close.
I think I can if this doesn't work, but I am paranoid I am going to hit and tear off a rudder on the ramp.
Going in forward, the rudders are not exposed (different angle of entry)

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papabear said..
Hi
Can you take the stern spring and the stern line and tie both off at once. Plus a very big fender on the stern starboard side? Are you jumping off or picking up the lines off the dock?

Hi Papabear,
I have to stay on the boat till forward momentum is arrested. So, to make it easier, I am trying to combine the two loops to drop over the dock cleat as I go past into one loop. (I'm worried about missing one)
Once this is made, and forward momentum is stopped, I leave it in gear, and jump off to take the bow line and tie off.
Does that make sense?
Edit: Sorry. The lines are on the boat.

Hi again
This doesn't help but my mooring is exactly the same but on the starboard side. It is one of the reasons why I haven't yet gone sailing on my own. How do you manage to steer the boat and get a loop over the dock cleat? When I used to sail in Wa we used to have a permanently rigged line on the dock with a loop that we tied off at the stern cleat on the boat - a spring and a stern line in one perhaps. Would that work? I always worry about fouling the prop with lines on the dock. In WA we would sail in which is fine with 4-5 crew
Scott

Hi Papabear,
I am currently working on exactly that. The first attempt was ( believe it or not..sheepish) cable ties strapped laterally to round out the loop.
Then it was a few inches of clear tube over the rope to form a loop.
You reach out as you come past and drop it on from the helm position, so not much wriggle room if you get it wrong, hard astern!
I am currently looking at getting one of these , I saw them at the local chandlery (Muir's) they look pretty cool.



It's called a Cleat Captor Docking Aid

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Shaggybaxter said..
So then I tried the stern line only.
The result was the opposite , my bow can blow off (quickly) , and I can hit my neighbour.

Shaggy,
did you try this method, and adding power once the stern line is in place? I would have though that would swing the boat onto your side of the pen.

Hi Shaggy

what about some kind of 'pick-up line' between those two middle cleats on the dock that you can pick up with a boat hook and quickly get a wrap around the cleat midships...then either bow or stern line first whichever swings out fastest??

Or even the pick-up line running the entire length of the four cleats?? Just to get a hold of the dock and buy you an instant of time??

Hi LMY,
Yes, but with not a lot of power I must admit. I found with both lines I'm at 1200 rpm to make it work, with just the stern line at 1500rpm she still blows off. This makes sense this should work, im just worried if I miss and have too much power I may centre punch the dock before I can reverse.
When she is in her moored position , there is only 5ft between the stern line cleat ( on the boat) and the most rearward dock cleat, so I need to be quick in reversing if I miss it. Bit stressful at the moment !
Maybe this is the key, and I just need more power?

that stern only line would work ,if your neighbor had a springer from his port stern to half way between your two bows. the line would stop your bow from blowing onto his boat .

and when hes not there you will be able to practice other methods .

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SandS said...

that stern only line would work ,if your neighbor had a springer from his port stern to half way between your two bows. the line would stop your bow from blowing onto his boat .

and when hes not there you will be able to practice other methods .

The port springer idea is pretty cool Sands, I didn't think of that!

Shaggy,

can you get the stern line on, then add the power?

Our boat lived in a pen until recently, and we tended to back in, get the stern line on then use power to swing the bow into the wind. I a breeze I used
lots of power, but only after the stern was secure. No way would I be brave enough to leave the power on and try and catch the boat with a line.

PS, sailiing is always better with a friend. A man with a Pogo should have no problems in that area!

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theselkie said...
Hi Shaggy

what about some kind of 'pick-up line' between those two middle cleats on the dock that you can pick up with a boat hook and quickly get a wrap around the cleat midships...then either bow or stern line first whichever swings out fastest??

Hi Selkie!
Do you mean with a fixed loop in the middle? If it was just a line it would just run, is that right?

your welcome ..... he should have one fitted for his own sake any how , to keep him off the finger in that wind direction .

Yes, a fixed line between, say, the two middle cleats or, run the entire length from the most forward cleat to the aft one on the dock. Loose enough to pick it up with a boat hook and get a wrap on the midships cleat on board your boat.

My pen is exactly the same as yours Shags, nearly always a wind on the for port quarter, and in WA, usually 20kts. We have a dedicated docking spring on the pier at the end of the dock.

My method is I come down the alley in idle, wind behind and swing to port into the pen, I let the aft overshoot a bit and come in at an angle almost like your second picture. I put a bit of reverse to slow, careful of prop walk to starboard and then swing the back in towards the dock. i can then grab the spring line off the pole and put it over the mid cleat. Back to the helm and reverse as needed to stop a jolt on the spring. I can then just reach out and grab the line to put on the rear cleat, engage forward and put all the other lines on. All our lines are fixed to the dock and eye spliced to correct length, just go around with a boat hook and pick them up. The docking spring is hung back on the pole and a fixed one that goes correctly through the fairlead is attached.

We we also have a pen catcher in case you stuff it up, but that requires a pier between the 2 pens at the back, do you have that?

when single handing out of the pen, to stop the bow dropping, I run a line from cockpit to forward mooring line and back. I can the play the line out keeping the nose straight, and haul it in when out of the mooring line eye.

by the look of your pictures and the shape of your hull, you'd probably need something half way between the mid and rear cleats. Can you rig a tweaker type loop to pass the spring through before going to the mid cleat?

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theselkie said..
Yes, a fixed line between, say, the two middle cleats or, run the entire length from the most forward cleat to the aft one on the dock. Loose enough to pick it up with a boat hook and get a wrap on the midships cleat on board your boat.

HI Selkie,
I got you. The only thing i need to think about is how, or more accurately when, I can get forward to the middle of the boat. The last few times it has not been below 17 knots with a slight bias to the stern, hence it accelerates into the berth, so it happens pretty quickly. Mind you, that could be just experience too.

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FreeRadical said..
My pen is exactly the same as yours Shags, nearly always a wind on the for port quarter, and in WA, usually 20kts. We have a dedicated docking spring on the pier at the end of the dock.

My method is I come down the alley in idle, wind behind and swing to port into the pen, I let the aft overshoot a bit and come in at an angle almost like your second picture. I put a bit of reverse to slow, careful of prop walk to starboard and then swing the back in towards the dock. i can then grab the spring line off the pole and put it over the mid cleat. Back to the helm and reverse as needed to stop a jolt on the spring. I can then just reach out and grab the line to put on the rear cleat, engage forward and put all the other lines on. All our lines are fixed to the dock and eye spliced to correct length, just go around with a boat hook and pick them up. The docking spring is hung back on the pole and a fixed one that goes correctly through the fairlead is attached.

We we also have a pen catcher in case you stuff it up, but that requires a pier between the 2 pens at the back, do you have that?

when single handing out of the pen, to stop the bow dropping, I run a line from cockpit to forward mooring line and back. I can the play the line out keeping the nose straight, and haul it in when out of the mooring line eye.

by the look of your pictures and the shape of your hull, you'd probably need something half way between the mid and rear cleats. Can you rig a tweaker type loop to pass the spring through before going to the mid cleat?

Hi FR,
Thanks! Can I ask a couple of dumb questions;
Is it hard/far to get from the helm to the mid cleat on your boat?
Is the rear cleat line suspended, or just lying on the dock (I assume the lines are on the dock?)
No, I don't have a pen catcher (sigh).
You lost me a bit on the fairlead mate, where is this situated?

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theselkie said..
Or even the pick-up line running the entire length of the four cleats?? Just to get a hold of the dock and buy you an instant of time??

Hmmm......I need to draw that out and think about this one. Thanks!
I do get also the centre two cleats line, I just need to think it through, where I need to be on the boat, and when to leave the helm. I think my problem is I need forward momentum for steerage, as soon as she loses way the bow goes off and the helm becomes useless. That's the price of a keel being up and the flat hull shape I suppose, the devil is getting his own back :)

The ultimate for this solution would be to have a fender stop on the pontoon at the bow where you could just drive softly into the pontoon. I have been toying with the idea of a s/s strip with high density rubber fitted to my bow. Perhaps a v shape frame with carport and high density foam padding? Might be of for my old girl not sure about your flash pogo shaggy.
Btw did you see the pogo 12.5 on yacht hub in WA?

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southace said..
The ultimate for this solution would be to have a fender stop on the pontoon at the bow where you could just drive softly into the pontoon. I have been toying with the idea of a s/s strip with high density rubber fitted to my bow. Perhaps a v shape frame with carport and high density foam padding? Might be of for my old girl not sure about your flash pogo shaggy.
Btw did you see the pogo 12.5 on yacht hub in WA?

Hi Southace,
That makes a lot of sense. I didn't notice the WA boat , thanks for that. When Antoine was out here, he told me that the owner had just passed away, it was really sad, I think it was a brain tumour or suchlike. Before I bought mine I spoke with his boat manager, a really nice English chap. They had some horrific problems commissioning her, I think in hindsight there was a fair bit of mods done from the standard. I remember they had massive issues with the lithium batteries and battery management system, it blew up on the way to Bali (one of the reasons I didn't go down that path), they used a pretty exotic sail setup with halyard locks that required them to cut into the boat to fit properly, they upsized the motor and had to cut into it to be able to remove the oil filter? The list seemed to go on. I think he said they had spent over $140K and 18 months sorting things out and there was still ongoing issues. I hope they got there in the end, it sounded like a nightmare.
That price is spectacular, that would have to be the cheapest 12.50 ever. I am very happy with mine, it has been a dream since the first day....if I can nail this berthing thing I think I would marry her....:)

Grab the pick-up line at the aft dock cleat? Reach out with the boat hook from the helm position...or thereabouts.

Hook the pick-up line over the aft cleat on the boat then walk forward with pick-up line in hand to midships cleat?

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theselkie said..
Grab the pick-up line at the aft dock cleat? Reach out with the boat hook from the helm position...or thereabouts.

Hook the pick-up line over the aft cleat on the boat then walk forward with pick-up line in hand to midships cleat?

That's definitely worth a try that, thanks Selkie!
Thanks for all the feedback all, I am feeling a bit more confident!

Hello Shagger, I bring my 40 into the berth all the time by myself. (And also usually done by myself when I have inexperienced crew on board). The bow doesn't blow around like yours (not as quickly anyway) as mine has a cut-away keel and not a fin (I presume) like yours.

I have a line fixed to a bit aft of midship that I just step off the boat with and tie to the first cleat on the pontoon. You may be able to use the second dock cleat. The boat is still moving forward as I do this and I used this line to slow/stop the boat. this mean you have to wrap it around the cleat to get some friction. I make this line real short and have fenders either side (besides the other fenders) so as the boat rocks, it can't touch the paint work. I painted her about 5 years back and have no scratches (touch wood).

You may need a bridal between your mid and aft cleats to get the desired location. The desired location can be easily worked out. If you release all your mooring lines while standing on the pontoon and try and hold it against the pontoon, you will find a location where the bow and stern are balanced between you point of attachment/holding.

This is only a temporary tie off point as I then have a second line that has been run from the bow to mid ship, that I can easily reach once the first line is tied off. I then take this second line further along and secure the bow from visiting the neighbours boat.

Once this is done, I can relax a bit (engine off, open a refreshment) and then move the boat further into the pen by easing/pulling these ropes and setting up the mooring lines as required.

Works for me