Ep 33 Refining My Solo Docking Technique Spring Line and Pivot Point
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2018
- In the previous Episode I used the Docking Stick for the first time. It worked very well, but the spring line pulled the bow into the dock abruptly. In this video, I adjust the position of the spring line and it pulls the boat in nicely 'parallel'.
Patrick you are hard working son of gun.
These videos are comfortable, look over the shoulder, ooops on this, yeah on that, and at the end we all gain from it no matter our experience level. With so much trash on You Tube your videos are certain to remain a fine staple, a reserve of information, on best practices. I always check in, sooner or later, to see how you are proceeding and what curious discovery might have brought some assistance. Sharing and learning. Thank you for your many hours of editorial work. There should be a TH-cam docent award for your efforts.
Far too kind Bill, but many thanks for the gracious compliment.
You Sir are one who brings not only the joy of sailing to us but a love of nature and life. There is an inexplicable comportment to life you have that instills hope for mankind through your great generosity of spirit. Thank you for you kindness towards all of us. I learn much as I sail across the pond from you! I have watched several times and enjoy immensely!
That is very kind of you bclukay. Thank you very much for the generous feedback. Much appreciated.
Thank you Patrick for sharing your sailing experiences, worts and all. it’s so refreshing to see that no one is really perfect when it comes to life on the ocean and you could have so easily left out the footage of your errors - so thank you for sharing them and keep up these informative and educational clips.
Gordon
Very kind of you i2itv. I flew airplanes for 25+ years and never did a 'perfect' flight. I just tried to do a little better each time, and would get angry with myself if I kept repeating the same error. Thanks for watching.
Great video Patrick, the weather looked really nice. Thanx.
Thanks, bookmarked it at Amazon. Looks like a gem. I'll keep watching you use it and probably buy one. I'm 67 with bad knees, this looks like it will help. They should pay you for the endorsement, lol
Perfect ! That put a smile on the face. Well done Patrick.
Thanks Dave.
Wonderful series of videos. Instructional and entertaining. Very enjoyable. My wife and I are sailors and look forward to more. Thank you Patrick.
Many thanks Leonard and Mrs. Much appreciated.
A good video is worth 10,000 words! Thanks again Patrick.
Much appreciated Mike. Thanks.
Patrick, thanks for your video. One other refinement is to use a bridle rather than a single mooring line. So a line running out through your midships fairlead back to the stern though the fairlead onto a winch. You can adjust the size of the bight using the winch. You then use your docking stick as before to drop the bight over the cleat but, because you are already attached fore and aft, the boat will come in parallel under engine or you can winch it in. I use this method a lot without the docking stick although you do have to lean out from the cockpit to capture the cleat in this instance.
Very nice technique Shaun. I always worry about how I am going to get the line over the shore cleat, but clearly, a bridle solution is better than a single line solution. I have now changed boats, so have to relearn a technique I will be comfortable with. ;-)
I love how you are putting yourself out there to show those of us who may not be skilled in these areas new skills. Great channel Patrick!
Many thanks Brent. I hope these videos will encourage a few more people to take their boats out of its berth. A few minutes with a professional to review maneuvers builds confidence greatly.
Thanks Patrick. This information will help enormously. You teach clearly and effectively. Many thanks once again.
Very kind of you Mark. Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Patrick, I've watched all of your videos and must say you have got more professional with each one. From entering a marina with dialogue to showing how you have plotted your route. I've been thinking of doing the sailing retirement thing and out of all videos I've watched yours have been the best. Keep it up and remember there are a lot of total novices are watching so even the simple things are helpful to us dreamers.
Very kind of you Nick. Thanks for the encouragement.
Brilliantly done! These docking videos are so useful
Very kind of you Terribly British. Thanks for the feedback.
Nicely done and informative as usual. Thanks.
Many thanks Kleman.
Advance planning pays off!
Thank you for this informative and entertaining video! I look forward to putting these tips to good use as soon as the ice goes away in Helsinki :) Fair winds to you, good sir!
Thanks for the kind feedback. Covid is acting like an ice-pack in France. ;-) Hopefully we will both be back at sea soon.
Thanks for another fantastic video Patrick. I spent all day yesterday practicing docking (with crew) in 25 kts. I appreciate your knowledge, as always!!
Great. Docking in 25 kts ---- if you can handle that, you can handle anything :-) You should have filmed some of those exercises. Thanks for the great feedback.
Sir, you are brilliant!!! Just got my CS 30 into the water two weeks ago. Taking my daughter through the Lennox passage up to the canal to St Peter’s tmw… your videos are very helpful and much appreciated…again …you’re an inspiration…much appreciated!!!
Thanks for the great feedback Pat. Fair winds on your CS 30!
Hey Pat, how did it go?
Hello Patrick. Great videos. Thoroughly enjoyed your trip to the north. Many years ago I travelled these West Highland waters almost daily, always under motor though. Never under sail regrettably. I just want to throw something into the mix here. Sometimes a stern spring is the better option and will "lock you in" as well as if not better than a forward spring.
Keep them coming
John
Thanks John, and you bring up a good point. There is no single 'right' answer to this. Multiple options exist, and it is for each skipper to do the calculus of 'my boat', the weather, the pontoon, the dangers around, prop walk, current, etc., to decide what is the most appropriate method for the existing conditions. This very approach that I filmed (parallel to the pontoon), I often do by reversing in at 45° and dropping a line off the stern over the cleat.
I think that one of the reasons your videos are so helpful to me is that there is not a lot of difference between Isabelle and our boat (Salty Lass) as both are Bavaria. This video certainly saved me a lot of time cruising up and down the marina trying out different positions for the mooring line. One of the downsides of the Bavaria is the solid toe rail - on many other boats I would have holes in the toerail to put a block in to achieve the ideal pivot point. I *was* considering drilling a hole in the toerail but I will try the mid cleat first.
Thanks again for an informative video Patrick.
I have that same solid toe rail S&D. My Bavaria is a 40' Cruiser. As you saw in the video, the midship cleat is very, very close to the pivot point. I'd be a bit more comfortable if it were 30-50 cm further aft, but I don't mind bumping against the pontoon a bit --- as long as I have a line securely around the pontoon cleat. I've had a couple fo scary incidents where I missed the lasso on the cleat in high winds, and had to pull a rabbit out of the hat to avoid disaster when the wind took control of the boat and I had no way on. Ooof. I think I'm going to have a good relationship with my Docking Sticks. :-)
I know what you mean about scary incidents and the wind taking control :-)
I have now tried both docking techniques that you have demonstrated, this one, and the one using your bow fender to dock at a finger dock, and they work great! Thanks!
Good for you Cyam. Keep experimenting and you'll develop a refinement that works even better for you!
Some things from flying translate perfectly to sailing; A Bad Start = A Bad Pass. If you don't like how it looks change it immediately or go around. Some of us flew single-seat for a reason and we sail single-hand for the same reason. Thanks for a great video series.
It is true that I enjoy sailing solo as much as I did flying single seat aircraft. There is a special challenge in that, but also a unique sense of accomplishment after a successful landing/docking. :-)
Tes vidéos sont toujours aussi intéressantes et instructives ! Beau travail !
Merci Fred. Venant d'un grand sportif comme toi, je suis très honoré. A très bientôt.
Merci Patrick à bientôt.
Great video Patrick!
Hello Patrick,
I just finished watching all your videos...they’re all fantastic...great experiential and learning videos...please, keep the excellent job you’re doing!
Luis
S/V Limelight
Very kind of you Luis. I'm sailing to Spain in a couple of weeks, and may film some episodes along the way if the opportunity/inspiration arises. Thanks for commenting.
Whooie-tie-yie-yo Patrick. Better than the lasso!
Welcome back Silky. Yep, I think the Docking Stick and I are going to have a very nice relationship. :-) I'm throwing away my cowboy hat.
Great video and great progress!
Thanks for taking the time to comment Cassioiks. Much appreciated.
Hi Patrick, great video again... it's common practice on smaller commercial shipping to either use the forward spring to spring the stern off when leaving the wall or to get the forward spring out when coming alongside, especially when the wind is off the wall!
Sometimes if it's an older ship and she hasn't got any bow thrusters they use this the other way, they run the engines astern on the after spring which has the affect of pulling the bow off the wall.
Really good boat handling skills...
Great information Pill Sharks. I marvel at how well those pros handle medium and large size ships (seemingly effortless) in high winds, and current. You can tell they have really mastered the multiple uses of spring lines. Thanks for commenting.
Patrick Laine l
You found a Bercy good docking technik for Isabelle. Efficient the docking stick. Amazone is so helpfull :p have a good day.
Hi Patrick, great trail of the docking stick....... I guess it takes the anxiety out of coming alongside an unfamiliar Lee dock and fear of being blown in to dangers. Also I think you demonstrate well in previous videos not to commit to a dock side when you know it’s not going to go well from the start. For me it’s all about speed of approach enough to keep momentum and steerage but slow enough to go astern to stop. And the mega expensive yacht in close quarters 😀Thanks Patrick
I have some very, very expensive neighbors Jason. I used to leave the helm (on autopilot) while leaving the marina to pull in the fenders. I no longer do that. I wait until I'm well clear of all of those expensive Cats (and Amels). :-)
I find your videos very helpful. I am a beginner and docking is the scariest thing about sailing.
I think a great number of sailboat crews would agree with you. Docking can be nerve-wrecking, and no two experiences are ever the same due to changing winds, currents, etc. The only way to build confidence that you can safely bring the boat in is by practice, practice and more practice. The objective is not to make pretty landings, but rather safe landings. :-) Thanks for watching.
Big improvement Patrick I do more or less this technique on my boat but run the spring line between the two uprights of the mid-ships cleat instead of around it (cleat becomes its own fairlead). I have a figure 8 knot in the end so the end does not disappear.
My cleat is around midships on the widest part of the boat, when motoring ahead on the spring line with wheel away from berth she comes in parallel but if I use too much power the bow creeps in as the rudder overpowered by the weight on spring line. Its a good technique on ones own and the docking stick invaluable for getting that first rope ashore let us know if / when you discover more tips for single handed controlled collisions :)
We are completely aligned Ian. (I actually did run the line through the two uprights of the cleat.) :-) Thanks.
Docking expert. Thank you.
I wouldn't go that far Jse, but my confidence in getting safely in and out of marinas has increased over the last year. Thanks for watching. :-)
Please you are very good at docking and most important for me is that you show in a very instructive way. Please for this time don´t be too humble and accept my compliment.
Great demo Patrick, really shows that practice makes perfect, and the docking stick seems to have taken a lot of the stress out of getting your lines tied,excellent job👍👍
Yeah Phil. I look forward to giving this a thorough testing over the coming months. It does seem very promising. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks Patrick, its a great techique. I would tie off the midships cleat and run the line via an aft fair lead to the winch. In my experience the aft of the boat goes to the pontoon rather than midships. Great jobs though. The other thing to consider is reversing to the pontoon. In that way the bow will not be affected so much as you loop the pontoon cleat.
Excellent job
Many thanks to the crew of Compromise. Cheers.
Thank you for sharing!
Many thanks Julini. Fair winds to you.
While I don't have sailboat experience, I do have a lot of boating experience on lakes and the ocean waters inland. What I always do when docking solo is to take a stern docking line and connect it first, then to put the boat in very slow forward motion and turn the wheel or helm all the way towards the dock. This works extremely well for pulling the boat into the dock. In America when we tie up boats for fueling or temporary docking, we have a stern line moving away from the boat to the aft and a bow line moving away from the boat to the front or forward. In docks which are fixed on pilons where tide plays a factor we will cross tie the dock lines on one or both sides of the boat to allow for tide change. Cross tying will allow for tide change if you plan on staying that long. You can always dock using the short term method then change to cross tie, if needed. I also noticed you always pull into your slip bow first or forward. Here a lot of people prefer to stern in, or back into the boat slip (aka pontoon), this way you have stern access closer to the main finger of the dock. Also people here drink a lot and tend to run their boats into the dock and chip the gelcoat on the bow. Just curious if you had a reason for pulling in forward?
Yeah, agree with all. The challenge with many sailboats is how to get the stern line over a cleat on-shore. Many sailboats are 1 meter or more narrower at the stern than amidships, which puts a fair amount of distance between the single-handed sailor and the cleat. Moreover, there is often a lot of hardware on sailboats that complicates throwing that line from a stern position --- davits, solar panel arches, bimini frame, GPS , life-ring..... One trick that helped on my boat was reversing in to the pontoon at an angle that puts me closer to the shore cleat, and then (if successful with the lasso), motoring forward. All of that said, the Docking Stick concept allows great flexibility and reach to get to that cleat (even if your approach is a bit short, or a bit long -- you just walk forward or aft with the boat hook and drop the line over the cleat).
Thank you so much for your good idea
You are very welcome Abdulla. I have used this several times since I made the video, and I really like it so far. Fair winds to you.
Greatings Patrick! thanks for your videos. Have you ever thought of sailing to western Sweden? Come by! You get a mooring place and some good hints about places to visit! Cheers!
Very kind of you Marco. I had planned to visit Norway and Sweden this Summer, but the wind blew me West to the Faroe Islands. I'm already beginning to think about my next major passage. It will in all likelihood be North again, but I'm not sure if it will be Northeast or Northwest. I'll be sure to send you a note if I pass by Sweden. :-) Many thanks for watching.
Another great video Patrick. Thanks for sharing. I've attached some velcro to my gaff to hold a bowline in place which releases with a sharp tug.
Also I read on the AAC website that John Harries recommends using a cleat fitted at a sweet spot about 1/3 from astern. What he calls the pivot point.
If driving forward against a spring from this sweet spot then turning to port the bow moved to port, and stbd she moves to stbd.
As you are aware when using the midships fairlead as the pivot point the bow gets pulled in quite severely, that's why you need full lock away from the pontoon.
I fitted a turning block at this sweet spot and it has helped me. (Found the spot by trial and error). It might be worth trying that to see if it suits/benefits you. Well done again.
Thanks Garry. Yes, I can feel the pivot point is still slightly aft of the cleat I used in this video (though the boat pulled in nicely parallel with a touch of opposite rudder). I do have some deck fixtures a bit further aft (used for the spinnaker) that I could attach a block to. That would certainly put the spring line aft of the pivot point. I may give it a try, but between us, I was quite happy with the boat response I had in video 33. Very easy to implement, as well as undo after docking. I'm not sure I will like having to dig out two blocks each time I come into a port in addition to rigging the docking stick line, but I'll give it a try as you suggest. I may be surprised and find the handling characteristics of the boat so much better that it is worth the extra rigging effort. Thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks for sharing these demos Patrick. I know these vids have focused on getting the line ashore secured but actually you are demonstrating the need for 1st class boat handling skills as the requitement to make anything else possible. Docking difficulties usually result from poor boat handling or poor decision making. People should practice both far more from some of the horrors I have witnessed regularly.
You make a very good point Nick. I recently saw some horrible statistics on how often sailboats leave their berths in my home port of La Rochelle (a few times per year). No one can maintain proficiency with that lack of practice. Thanks for commenting.
Nice demonstration with the docking stick.
Much appreciated Sealight Adventures. Fair winds.
Patrick - thanks for posting these videos. I pretty much limit my sailing videos to your work and Kevin on "How to Sail Oceans". There are probably other good sailing oriented videos out there but they are getting hard to find so I just stick with you two.
That's very kind of you Drew. I do agree though, that there is a lot of 'fluff' out there with primary focus on bikinis. Others that I respect often become travelogues more than sailing sites. It's hard to stick to sailing --- and even more difficult to get the balance right. Many thanks for watching.
Hi Patrick, very much enjoy your videos, real life experiences. I am inspired by you, the size of your boat with hindsight would you have a slightly smaller or bigger boat. They say the first boat you buy is never the boat you end up with. Many thanks Graham. Hoping for my adventure, good luck and fair winds
Great question Graham. For me, more important than boat length, is how easy it is to maneuver, add a reef, shake it out, etc.. I can do all of those from the cockpit (no going to the mast). That is the most important thing. A close second is how easy is it to execute docking maneuvers when solo. I think 40' is about the maximum --- and I keep saying to myself, "Wouldn't this be much easier in a 34' or 35'?" Those sentiments are countered when I am at sea in a bit of a blow, and I say to myself, "Geez, I'm glad I've got 40' underneath me." I know, useless. :-)
There is a technique where you approch the dock at 90 degrees (bow pointed straight in) and at the last moment turn the boat hard and then reverse. Suitable when there are boats tied up on either side. One of those techniques that baffles everyone as the boat comes to a dead stop when it appears to all watching that a very expensove diaster is happening.
I learned that from the fellow who wrote about the fastnet race back in 77.
I also use to keep the bow line and a aft line run to the cock pit. Jump off and quickly secure the bow line, then the aftline, although i do like your bow touch technique with the motor idling.
I see fishermen use this technique quite frequently. It's very impressive, but would probably not win you many friends in the yachting community. I'm already on a black list! ;-)
@@patricklaine6958 I am very impressed with the ease you've handled a 40ft sailboat solo. Quite remarkable. You also have a real talent in front of the camera, one of the better youtube channels on sailing.
I feel like I have been schooled by the master, thanks skipper. BTW I retired from the USN in 1990, will be moving onto the boat full time in 11 months.
Well, we certainly served at the same time Senior Chief. I rotated with various airwings among carriers in the Med, Indian Ocean, and Pacific. Great memories. Best wishes for your transition back to sea duty. Don't paint your boat grey! :-) Best regards.
Patrick Laine I served as catapult chief Cv59 and Enterprise. Worked directly for AirBoss on CVN65 Norm W. Previously an A7 CO. Oh well, back to sailing
Big 'E' 1978. :-) Fair winds.
Great video as always Patrick. Could you have your loop with 2 ends. One end going to your original set up via the fairlead and the other end fixed to the rear cleat. That way when you pull in on the fairlead end the stern of the boat is being held in.
Great question R --- and the short answer is, Yes. BUT, ;-) That would probably mean I would have to capture the pontoon cleat from the aft, helm position and then pull in the slack and tie it off on the aft boat cleat, and I am nervous about that for two reasons: 1) I have a lot of potential obstructions from that position : bimini, aft pulpit railing, GPS, and dinghy davits..... and 2) I think I really want to take the pontoon cleat from the cockpit area (as I did in the video) because if the cleats are about 10 meters apart, I can easily take a step or two forward and reach forward for the next one, or a step aft and reach back for the aft one. If I am standing in the confined space behind the helm, my reach for the pontoon much more restricted forward and aft, and I may find myself obligated to restart the movement of the boat to get to the next cleat. (This answer is a bit complicated, but in short, I think I have more options if I don't take it from the aft helm position ---- but it certainly could be done, and it may be easy to do from your boat.)
Nice work
Thanks (again) Colin.
Thanks for doing our thinking for us Patrick, with your public ideas airing and honest trialling. We're not being told "this is how to do it" by a superior being with great sailing experience. But "this is what I've come up with" now discuss.
I wonder if that was what you had in mind when you started vlogging your exploits?
Yeah Ratus, I found that the vast majority of sailing books and vlogs tell 'how to do it' on a boat with multiple crew members --- or were advanced books retelling epic solo adventures to the poles, etc. I just wanted to show other low to medium-experience level sailors how I (a perfect example of a low to medium experience sailor) have managed to do it, and invite 'better ideas' and feedback. I have found the experience to be wonderful overall. I've learned a lot about sailing, about boats and about myself. I hope others thinking about giving solo sailing a try will now see that you don't have to be a Volvo Ocean Racer to go out there and safely do this, and have a great deal of fun along the way.
Way I see it is....we're learning, by your mistakes.
Smooth! 👍🏽
Thanks (again) MiQ.
I usually approach the dock in revers and then have all the time in the world to bring over the stern line. The rest is the similar to what you did.
Great video. I would suggest that, if you’re using the amidships clear as your pivot point, you save yourself the trouble of winching and just run a fixed length spring line from the cleat to the helm.
Yeah -- the winch serves no practical purpose ---- just a convenient way to keep the line from getting tangled/in the way. A fixed length directly to the helm would work just as well. Thanks for watching.
You have a real nice channel here. Very informative and relaxing. If you are willing to go on sharing and teaching it could grow very very rapidly modulo few minor improvements (sound, image stabilization, more effective titling of way points, marinas, technical maneuvers, etc...). That's a lot of added work for sure, but there are a lot of people out there (beginning with me) that are looking forward to this kind of channel. Way more interesting than "sailing young couple discovering the world" channels. Also, a "bonus" video with a little bio of you generally and sailing wise would be very much appreciated for sure. As a former fighter pilot your "previous" life must have been very interesting as well. (And how it gave you effective techniques you can use in your sailing life). As a computer scientist I can give you a few pointers as to improve the general presentation of your content (MP if you want). Also, I tought about a DIY way of creating a docking stick which could be way cheaper for sailors out there and without leaving the plastic tube on the bout (which will break at some point in time). Keep up the good work, I'm looking forward the next episode. Subed.
Many thanks for the kind thoughts and constructive suggestions Glubok. I'll give some serious consideration to the ideas you put forward. Thanks again for watching. Much appreciated.
very nice!
Thanks AW
Thx. for sharing.
With the pivot point you can also slow sliding in and out - to and off the potoon. Give it a try.
Thanks Frank. Yes -- I use a spring line very frequently on departures. I can't really use one on arrival at my home slip because the finger is about 2 meters too short and the helm/throttle is as far aft as you can be without swimming. :-) Thanks for watching.
Holy Crap I sure hope I can park like that real soon but yet again I wasn't landing fighters jets @150 knotts Thanks for the lessons
Many thanks for the kind words Jim. I'm hoping that this Docking Stick will take some of the 'entertainment' out of my parallel dockings. :-)
Looks like you have it nailed down now!
Yes -- moving the spring line aft really helps pull the whole boat in, not just the bow. Thanks for commenting Tod.
Were are you??? In a need of one of your very instructive videos!
Very kind Tiago. I just sailed across the Bay of Biscay. Let me look at the film and see if it is worth posting. Fair winds.
Unrelated to this video but to one where you had to leaved the cockpit in a blow to take a 3rd reef: An alternative. Attach a cheek block to the side of the boom where the 3rd reef should attach. Run the reefing line from around the boom with a buntline through the 3rd reef cringle back down through the cheek block and then to a single block at the goose neck attached with dyneama line then down to another block at the mast base and then back to the cockpit. Now set up you reefing so that if you have to go to the mast, you do it for the 1st reef when the conditions or more benign, not for the 3rd reef when all hell is breaking loose. I works for me. Try it. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks Ron. I had intended to do exactly what you suggest about 18 months ago. I read a magazine article that explained in detail the process. However, in the last 3 years, I have wanted to put in a third reef a total of 2 times. Thus, I wouldn't want to give up the first reef (which I use on almost 80% of outings) for the third reef. That said, your process can be done without giving up the first reef on my boom (with a bit of creativity). The only inconvenience is a lot of line sitting on the salon roof much of the time. I am beginning to think about my major passage for next year --- and if I do what first comes to mind, I will definitely want to have the third reef capability, so will install it then. Thanks for the great comment.
All the reefing on my beloved Wauguiez Pretorien 35, unfortunately lost in Hurricane Irma, was at the mast. But going out there when it was blowing 35+ was a bit thrilling. On my next boat I'll have 3 reefs, but I'll set it up so that the first reef is taken at the mast and the remaining two from the cockpit, thereby not having a cockpit full of lines and not having to leave the cockpit in a big blow.
Sorry to hear about the Irma loss. Hope you are able to replace it soon. I'm still a bit concerned about having to leave the cockpit to put the first reef in. I use that reef very, very, often --- so wouldn't want the psychological factor (extra work/risk to go to the mast) to deter my frequent use of that reef. But, if it works for you, that's all that matters. :-)
Hi Patrick. Another informative video. A book I have found helpful is Harbour Manoeuvres Step-By-Step by Lars Bolle & Klaus Andrews. Covers everything under power and under sail and has great photos and diagrams. You may already have it. Cheers
Thanks Greg. I do not have that book (yet). I'll pick up a copy. I'm always looking for ways to improve my technique. (The 'problem' with those kind of books and videos is that they are quite often written for boats with a crew --- and the technique for a solo sailor is very different.) I'll check it out though. Thanks for the suggestion.
The book arrived today. Very good photos/diagrams of the various scenarios. A great book for a husband/wife team. Not so useful for a solo sailor, as every maneuver uses that wonderful second person to drop the line over a cleat, or step ashore with a spring line. Again, a very good book --- but if you understand the theory of the use of the rudder and spring lines, and sail solo, you won't get much from this. I caught one (minor) error too. On page 54 going into a slip, they attach a forward spring line to the aft-most cleat on the finger. I can't see the bow doing anything other than veering very hard into the finger if you do that (unless in dead calm conditions, and the boat is completely stopped). Much better to use a mid-ship spring. Anyway, thanks for the tip. I think most short-handed crew will find it useful.
Excellent... :-)
Much appreciated Metroman.
Sweet! I like the speedy entry to your home berth--a little speed, momentum, gives steering, I know. They say William F Buckley would make approach under full sail, as if on collision course, pull tiller over within 10 yds of catastrophe, release mainsail, wash up to dock and cleat up, hop over rail for a Cape Cod at the bar, as if a dance routine....
Never liked his politics, but apparenty a great salt in his youth. Merci, Patrick!
I recall reading (30 years ago) one of Buckley's books about a transatlantic passage he made with his son and one or two friends. That guy was so smart.......I loved it. I do believe in 'affirmatively' keeping way on, as I have scared myself more by going too slow, than too fast. That said, I do think the fish-eye lens of the Go Pro does make it appear that I am going slightly faster than I am in reality. But, given a choice, I'll always choose 1 knot too fast over 1 knot too slow. :-)
Hi Patrick, I just stumbled across your videos. I love them. I have one simple recommendation to improve. I have observed that you do not stop the vessel carefully before coping with the lines. That steals some seconds to do the job. In general I think it is better to make some room astern and use a stern line.
I wish I had 1€ for every time someone has made that recommendation to me Dirk. :-) For info, there is about 1.5 kts current along that pontoon due to our 4 meter tide. If you try to tinker with the engine to get perfectly stopped, the boat will gradually move out of alignment due to the prop walk, and then the instant after you power to a stop, you are moving at 1.5 kts again. I have learned to live with a bit of forward motion on arrivals. It keeps me in control. Thanks for watching.
Ha! you addressed the question I had but didn't ask. :-)
Thanks Airgead.
Stumbled across this Emily Dickinson poem, as if she was on board:
"Exultation is the going
of an inland soul to sea.
Past the houses....past the headlands
into deep Eternity.
As we, bred in the mountains,
can the sailor understand
the divine intoxication of
the first league out from land?"
c 1859
Have always liked Dickinson.One of my favorite sailing poems is by Masefield:….And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;….And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying;…Great stuff. :-)
Hi Patrick, just checking in, hope all is well with you and yours.
Hello again Nixon. All is well. My daughter got married this Summer, so have been a 'day sailor captain' for family members in August. Great fun. Am off for some solo blue water sailing across the Bay of Biscay in September. Fair winds.
Great video - always worth a number of viewings to get the full benefit. Two important observations for me; the first being your use of port helm which is counter-intuitive, but brings the bow in parallel to the pontoon - how much port helm, and does this vary with wind-strength? Second, you had one turn around your winch, and I am guessing you were hand-holding the line which showed some slippage when it came under load. Acknowledging you had just 7 knots of wind off the pontoon, how do you anticipate having to adapt your technique when you are being blown off by something rather stronger?
I'm learning a lot here at your expense - thanks :)
Thanks Greg. Turning the helm away from the finger/pontoon is a key concept in docking that I use almost every time I leave or enter my slip. It drives the stern against, and locks the boat against the finger/pontoon. You do not need to have 'full helm' in the other direction --- with light winds just a few degrees will suffice -- with higher winds --- put in the opposite helm sooner and with a bit more motor. I don't consider the winch a key element of the system. If you want, just take the line back to a cleat and tie it off. The winch is a convenient way to get rid of excess slack line. Yeah, you can put another turn on the winch to stop any slippage, but any slippage is insignificant to the big picture, but yes, you can always put in another turn or lock it off in the self-tailing mechanism if you want your hands free for the throttle or other lines. Great comment/question.
Patrick,
As always, a great instructional video. I am approaching retirement and having no other ties am thinking long and hard about chasing an unfulfilled dream of solo distance sailing (I began sailing as a preteen). Would you be willing to correspond with me about the trials and tribulations of doing so?
David Green
It sounds like you should be giving tips to me David, rather than the other way around. :-) But sure, pcjlaine@gmail.com One note of caution: I am not an instructor, or even highly skilled sailor. My intention with these videos is just to show others who are interested in solo sailing, my technique --- which may not efficient, or the best way to do things. A professional instructor should always be the first port of call. Best wishes as you start your own adventure.
Good afternoon from Lancashire England Patrick
Just watching your docking technique, it helps me improve mine as I am fairly new to yachting.
I have a question regarding your boat.
What year was she built if you don't mind me asking.
Thank you in advance.
George
Patrick, really enjoy your videos, binge watched your Azores and round UK, when is your next adventure?
Thanks Will. I'm already thinking about another long trip next Spring (probably North). In September I will cross the Bay of Biscay to Spain again. I'll bring my GoPro along and film if the occasion arises. Thanks again for watching.
Hi Patrick, I love your videos and find them a great inspiration to me. Could I please ask about the diameter, length and type of the lines that you use with the docking stick. I currently have 14mm dock lines on my 36ft sailboat and I wonder if it would be better to use a smaller diameter line with this technique. Also the length I guess is also important so as not to have too much excess line getting in the way when deploying the dock stick. Any thoughts on this?
Yes Adrian, you can (and should) use much smaller diameter lines --- even old sheets or halyards. This is not meant to be for secure mooring ---- it only needs to be strong enough to hold the boat the time needed to dock. As to length --- in the worst case, the line needs to run from the stern to midships and back ---- and add 2 meters or so for ease of use. Thanks for watching.
Hi Patrick, great channel. As you seem to have masterly control with the engine is it the wind and tide keeping the boat moving as you try to hook a cleat or have you got off the gas a tad early? Regarding being a cowboy, if you make an eye in the end of your mooring line that matches the size you would coil it, you can hold the open eye with a couple of coils and throw them as one over a cleat (as in quoits - hoop over a stick). It's much easier to aim the weight of the coil and the eye stays open. Just pull in the slack and the eye will be around the cleat...
Great comment EB. In response to your question --- both --- current affect and getting off the power a bit early. My home port has 5 meters of tide, so there is almost always 1-2 knots of current in certain areas of the marina. This is true in all of the Atlantic and Channel ports I visit. More importantly, I have not found that there isn't any particular advantage to staying at the helm the extra 2-5 seconds to ensure the boat is brought to a COMPLETE stop. This just gives more time for the wind to blow the bow off, or prop walk to throw in its twist --- and the instant after you fully stop, you are moving at 1-3 knots depending on the current. I have found it more advantageous to accept a bit of forward movement. The real key is getting the line around the cleat -- not stopping a small residual forward movement. Your technique (large eye in the line) may well work for many boats (especially those where you can drop the eye over the cleat from the cockpit without going forward), but for larger boats -- where you may be 2-4 meters away from cleat, it still requires being successful at 'distance' lassoing. I'm sure many people can do that, but after having tried multiple techniques over the last few years with reasonable, but unsatisfactory success (75-80%), I'm going to try the Docking Stick for the next few months. :-) I'll continue to film and show you the results. Thanks for watching.
👍
Great video as ever.
I've looked for the book you mention , by Buckley . Is it Atlantic High ?
I'm always looking for sailing/boating books.
Many thanks Christine. If I had to bet money, I would have said that it was 'Airborne' by Buckley, but it well may have been 'Atlantic High'. The details fade in my memory, but the pleasure of having read the words of such a brilliant man remain. He truly was gifted. I'm sure either of those books would be delightful. Fair winds to you.
Now that was good. What to do with the stick though when moving to the winch?
Many thanks Waihi. Sorry, I don't understand the question. Thanks for watching.
Oh man, I have never been shown this technique or similar. My single handed moorings were very stressful so far. Because I usually had a docking line on the stern and the bow, both prepared, and then slowly come in, throw the stern line first (to also stop forward momentum) jump of with the bow docking line and run up to a cleat, pull myself in and tie up. Very stressful if youre in confined space (like a small lock or a finger berth.). But this is less stressful to me than it sounds, because of my experience in doing so.
On other occassions I had inexperienced crew with me whom I had to show the basics of what theyre supposed to do minutes before the first execution. Man. I had a bird over and she soooo wanted to take part in the docking process but she stressed me out because I couldnt fully trust her in any task (yet). I do not blame her, but I just simply didnt see a way to have her help without standing in my way when I run along my boat and jump on to pontoons etc. So I had to trust in what shes doing, but its her first time and she only had my explanation once. And you know how it is: People learn something under calm conditions but as soon as it gets a bit stressful and they dont have 5 minutes to figure it out they go blank and lose their heads. If I wouldnt have jumped off multiple times catching the rope for her (cause she didnt manage to jump off in time because shes too slow in preparring herself nevermind me telling her minutes in advance) we wouldve crashed at two occassions. Gave me heartattacks and just stresses everybody out. Not how I want a nice day of sailing to be going down.
Now with a spring line midship I will be able to secure the boat and then have inexperienced guests help me tie her up without giving me a heartattack when they do something wrong. Thank you for the video, I will try it out soon! :)
I always welcome help with a smile, but whatever they say or do, I continue my arrival as if I were solo. ;-)
@@patricklaine6958 I definitely learned that lesson. Oh the stress, the potential heart attacks lol.
I noticed the Docking Stick comes in one size. Is there a standard size for book hook poles?
I wondered that too Pomodoro. All I can say is that it snapped right onto the extendable gaff/boat hook I have. There probably is some industry standard, but I don't know.
Just thinking what you could do with the mooring stick after you have detached it from the line other than dropping it against cockpit gelcoat.
Just for clarity, the Docking Stick is the white plastic/pvc tube that is attached to the mooring line. The extendable boat hook/gaff is a just a standard aluminium pole with plastic ends. I just drop it on the floor of the cockpit (as I would after any usage of the boat hook while I am manipulating the lines). It is so light/insulated that it will not damage anything. It stores (on my boat) underneath the seat. Thanks for watching.
I quite like your method and will practice it once I'm back in the water. I have a question to ask though. You come in quite hot into your finger pontoon (fast) if there's a problem engaging reverse, what would you do? I tend to come in steadily and then dock in stages, probably doesn't look so swish, but if the engine stalled or any other problem engaging reverse, I'd not have quite so much way on and less likely to damage something.
The important thing is to have a technique that works for your boat in all conditions. Sounds like you have got it nailed. Bravo.
Thanks for the swift reply @@patricklaine6958 . I look forward to trying out the springing method with the winch.
The docking stick is here to stay or at least a version of it. I see somewhere there is some sort of automatic pick-up gizmo for picking up mooring bouys/lines, has anyone tried it? Everything that makes the job easier also makes things safer and stress free boating is a very welcome!
I show in one of my videos a hook that grabs mooring balls. I love it.
Rather than buy a docking stick you could make a lasso loop with a slip knot and attache to light paper tape on the boat hook once over the dock cleat a jerk (sudden pull, not a person) sorted
Yeah. You are of course right Will. There are simple ways to do the same thing. Some just use a loop draped over the boat hook --- nothing fancy. It is the concept of the Docking Stick that I'm trying to sell, not the Docking Stick itself -- though I quite like it also: no way for the loop to fall off just as you reach for the cleat, etc. As you state, there are many ways to achieve the same result. Thanks for commenting.
Hi! What is that boat hook / lasso attachment you are using? Thanks
I explain it at 6:40 of this video th-cam.com/video/NUTim_7PVJQ/w-d-xo.html
I can't tell if the pontoon is longer than the length of the boat. If that is the case, then you can't use the stern cleat to dock the boat because you can't use the motor to pull against the line. I do my dock lines differently than you. I feed the dock line through the center hole from outboard to inboard and tie a stopper knot so the line can't pull through the cleat and be lost and the loop in on the outboard side of the cleat. I lay the loop over the rail and flake the line near the cleat so I can pull the line through the cleat as much as I need to tie up. I hook the loop on the boat hook and catch the cleat same as you did. Then set the hook down and reach down a pull the line tight to draw the boat to the dock then put a cleat hitch in the line to the cleat. I go back and put the engine in dead slow forward and the boat is pulled parallel to the dock. Then I can get off and attach the rest of the lines.That works for me but you have to see if it works for you.
My pontoon finger is much shorter than the boat --- thus, I can't use the aft cleat to pull forward against. I understand your method, which seems very similar to mine ---- except you pull the line in at the cleat and then do the half hitch. I would have to walk forward from the cockpit to do that, and then back 6 meters to the helm/throttle to pull forward. That's why I use the winch ---- I can stay in the cockpit to pull and lock the dock-line, and then take one step back to put the boat in forward gear. Again, it sounds like we are doing fundamentally the same thing. Thanks for commenting.
I've seen salty lass use this for docking all the time. We dont have a winch in same position as Bravaria. Our only winches are under our spray hood
Salty Lass did better than me: they built their own! You don't really need a winch. You can just take a turn around an aft cleat, or through a deck eye. You are just looking for something that you can leverage against to pull the boat in temporarily.
Hi Patrick, I'll comment when Argentina have finished with your host's. Or even after Portugal even the continental score.
Argentina just scored its second ---- France needs to move its spring line forward.
Well now you know my level of football prediction expertise!
I put the curse on Argentina. Bad news for Portugal then.
So my take on the stick is this. You will need the thick skin that I feel you do actually have. The stick may be very successful but you will lose initial street cred with your marina audience. They will be unimpressed, accuse you of cheating (underhand techniques...just not cricket etc.) and question your manhood. This is what they will be secretly thinking when they speak to you from the pontoon. You'll be blackballed in the clubhouse.
But in a few weeks...they may all have one.
We were hoping our Brexit negotiations would be improved with the European morale hit due to the French following the Germans. There must be another straw to clutch at.
:-) I lost all pride long ago, so critiques from others are, in their worst case, 'amusing'. :-) I do know that I have been really stressed a couple of times (not filmed unfortunately) when I missed the lasso, and then had to do heroics to avoid a disaster in the marina as the boat was blown across the fairway and I had no way on. Trying to salvage something from that is no fun, I can assure you. If this Docking Stick can avoid just one similar incident, I'll taking any heat the gallery has t offer with pleasure! :-)
I know you said that the boat is 40ft but what year and make is it?
It's a German built Bavaria 40 (foot) 'Cruiser' from 2008. I really love it for solo sailing --- It's fast (enough), without being a racer (so comfortable), and easily controllable from the cockpit. Thanks for watching Jim.
The Docking Stick (and lots of fenders!) may be a potential solution to what I call old-guy-sailing problems, but I can’t see where to buy a pair in the UK. Amazon Canada (where it seems to have been invented) stocks them, but the UK site says it’s out of stock and has no idea when it’ll be back in. Pity. Where in France did you find them?
This is where I got them Mark, but as I indicated in the video, they weren't particularly inexpensive.......www.amazon.com/Docking-Stick-Boat-Adapters-package/dp/B00BK6LE4YThanks for the kind remark.
Hi. I'm new to your channel. What model sailboat are you sailing? I ask this because one comment said you had 2rudders and I wanted to confirm this. Thanks Philip
Thanks for the question Philip. It is a German built Bavaria 40 (foot) Cruiser from 2008. It only has one rudder. It also has a saildrive rather than a traditional shaft and prop, so much less prop walk than the traditional configuration. Fair winds.
Hi Patrick, just a couple of comments at 1.50 you put the boat into reverse but the boat fails to stop and then you put it into neutral, practice touch and goes where you bring the boat to a complete stop before you throw the lines, because your boat is still moving forward when you go to throw the line you seem panicky, this is the worse thing you could be doing shorthanded. In a blow when your trying this i can envisage you tripping on a jack line or even the line you are trying to throw and that would be disastrous. (another thing to practice would be all of these maneuvers again but tied into the boat with your PFD on) You can do this same parallel park with a bow line and by entering in reverse (attach the bow line from the cockpit still). Another good one to practice! Can you do me a favour and try the aft line throw, starboard rudder and engine ahead and see how it works for you. Also please don't take my comments as some sort of personal attack, its not, its constructive critiquing :) if i just replied with 'great job!' you would never improve! - Fair winds!
All good advice Super. No argument here. One thought for consideration though. I once did a weekend course in maneuvering (with a pro and several other 'students'). He made us practice coming right up to a buoy without touching it --- in forward and reverse, etc. I thought it was a good exercise in learning boat control. However, now that I have probably done +/- 400 dockings on my own, I'm not sure that bringing the boat to a complete stop is as important as is generally thought. It requires you to stay an extra 4-10 seconds tinkering with the throttle, during which the bow begins to fall off one way or another. And, if you are in a current (my home port has 4-5 meters of tide), all of your effort in bringing the boat to a perfect stop is lost instantly as the mass of water moves you with it. It doesn't bother me to still be moving (very slowly). I see no need for perfectly stopping --- and indeed, in my home berth, I want to come 98% to a stop a foot away from the bow fender, and then glide and bump very gently into the pontoon fender (and then engage gear and reverse the helm away from the finger). So, yes, I hear you, and accept the wisdom in what you are saying, but my personal experience says that 'perfect' is the enemy of 'good enough'. :-)
Hi Patrick, you could be right, but, when i was learning all this stuff 25 years ago we did it on an old 50 tonne trawler, the importance of bringing that to a dead stop against the pier couldn't be overstated. Also I was one of the only guys in our coxswain class who was able to naturally account for the wind and tide and steer the boat in the correct direction relative to the dock, this is something that takes an eye and touch, i had a look at some of your other vids so i could see your transom and starboard aft quarter and you have a very safe boat to do all docking from behind the wheel. My advice would be to first think, how can i do this approach from behind the wheel in its entirety, only leave the wheel once the boat is set next to the dock (its set with a single line, engine and rudder holding it in position). It was funny because today i was out on my boat solo (very rare, normally i have the better half crew) and i went back to basics, used the technique above in both undocking and docking and immediately thought of you! Its a proven method that wont have you tripping over yourself.
You need to sail to Finland. Laine is a name from Finland. Did u know that?
I only wish that I knew how to play ice hockey. :-)
Sometimes, Patrick, you just can’t win. Here you are, experimenting away, and people chip you for reporting on your experiments before you work out what works out best. Personally, I favour the recruitment of some female shipmate recruitment but the that would draw flack too, I reckon.
With my new boat, I find it difficult getting on and off, over the safety lines, as a Hallberg Rassy seems to have heaps more freeboard than my poor, old knees can cope with. So I have ordered something called a “Fender2step” to break the task to something less daunting. Don’t want to put it here though, lest the viewership calls me a sissy. Interesting device though for over 60s like me.
Continue with the experiments, please, because the comments just end up being fun.
I think I just called Patrick a sissy?!
But he is, somehow, an engaging fellow and for me, a big attraction of his VLOG is the refreshing lack of bikinis.
So Patrick, if you get fed up with my inane commentary, you just need to appear in a bikini and I'll be gone.
I have one of those rubber steps too Ian. I love it. :-) I'm not bothered by critique --- and actually enjoy them if they are done constructively. I've now had thousands of comments (literally), and can count on one hand the number that I thought were unacceptable in tone/content, and on two hands those that, though they had a point, could have been more constructive in making the comment. I've been absolutely delighted by the overwhelming majority of friendly, helpful comments, which is something I did not expect on the internet. Don't worry, I'm not going to change my style any time soon.
I'm still looking for a young thing in a bikini. They take one look at me and run away. I don't understand why. :-)
Well, that depends on commas I suppose....are you in a bikini looking for a young thing or....
I think actually, that I now have a mental image that can't be unseen.
Better!
I've grown comfortable with the Docking Stick now, and systematically rig it when visiting 'away' ports.
Hi Patrick!
Only just discovered your channel and am working my way through many useful videos. Thank you. I’m likely to look into buying an Emory - never heard of them but looks really good in another episode.
On mooring, have you come across a book Stress Free Sailing by Duncan Wells? You can get it on Amazon here:
www.amazon.co.uk/Stress-free-Sailing-Duncan-Wells/dp/1472907434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551723657&sr=8-1&keywords=stress+free+sailing
He advocates a technique called the bridle. Run a line from a fixed point, out through the legs of the centre cleat as you do, then back through the legs of the stern cleat to the sheet winch. Come alongside, stop, and drop it over the stern cleat on the pontoon. Pull in on the winch. Leave a little forward motion on with the engine. The loop of line will act as both a spring, as you’re already doing, but also a stern breast line. So it is more effective at keeping you alongside, and not having the stern drift out etc. Also, the much bigger loop - half the length of the boat - makes it much easier to drop over the shore cleat., or even to throw it a bit. I’ve found it to work quite effectively. If you buy the kindle version of the book it has embedded videos of him showing how to do it on his own boat.
But as others have said, if you have found a technique that works for you, good for you! And thanks for sharing the experimentation - we can all learn from your experience.
Sadly it seems the price of the Docking Stick from Amazon in the UK is highly variable - the link form where you got yours no longer works, and a search found them offered at GBP87 which is excessive! I’ll look for a transatlantic friend to buy some and send them to me. They look worth having, bridle or not.
Thanks Martin. I've got Duncan's book and have watched many of his helpful videos. The problem I have with the bridle method (which is an excellent tactic for many boats) is that I have a lot of hardware (bimini frame, davits, etc.) right where I stand at the helm/throttle. It's not easy tossing the line from there over a cleat on the pontoon, and if my positioning is not directly adjacent to the cleat on the pontoon, I'll miss it. (I love reversing in though because I can steer the aft corner of the boat to be directly opposite that cleat on the pontoon.) Sorry for the bad luck with sourcing the Docking Stick. I love it! If you check out a channel called 'Sailing Yacht Salty Lass', these two ladies show how they constructed essentially the same thing for next to nothing. :-) Fair winds to you.
This is where 'Salty Lass' shows how they made a simple but effective Docking Stick: th-cam.com/video/LhjaspHJjUw/w-d-xo.html at 9:00. Good for them.
Thanks Patrick! As you say, any solution is very particular to the boat.
The diy docking stick is so simple, and much cheaper! Worth a try. Thanks again.
dude !! why are you docking with that speed ??? you got some bolts lose up in your machine room ? you are going way too fast time after time . try docking with slower speed . there is no need at all the way you are docking your boat and pulling everything out of proportion . GO SLOW !! and you'll be fine
That's a great comment Dutchman (and one I often hear). While every technique can always be improved, let me share my personal thoughts on this one. Given the choice of being 0.5 kts too slow, or 0.5 kts too fast, I'll choose too fast every time. In the 2.5 years I've had this boat, I've probably made 200+ dockings. Never ONCE have I thought afterward, "Boy I screwed that up by being too fast." However, on at least 20 occasions I have thought, "Boy I got way out of shape because I was too slow." That is the honest truth. A bit of extra energy provides a lot of control to a solo sailor in a (longish) boat when exposed to current or wind. I can't count the number of times I have seen others get at a 40 degree angle to the catway because they were too slow and the wind/current pushed them all out of shape. Others spend way too much time (in my humble opinion) trying to bring the boat to a perfect stop before going for lines. That extra 5-7 seconds of tinkering with the throttle allows the bow or stern to drift away, or prop walk to take affect. That said, I will agree with you that in a CREWED boat, you can afford to go slightly slower, because that crewman who can step off the boat, or who already has a line in his/her hand can offset any small positioning error caused by being too slow. Fair winds to you. Put up some docking videos. Not enough people do. We all learn from observing the techniques of others!
Nice work
Many thanks BB. Much appreciated.