Docking as a Lone Boater

[joempo]

I know there are those of you who, for a number of reasons, find yourself docking your boat without a deck hand. I'm curious as to technique. There are a few who have a remote control for the side thrusters, which it seems to me makes life a bit easier when docking, but I suspect there are others who have developed their own technique without a remote.
I'm curious as to how it's done. I'm sure everyone on the forum who usually has a deck hand/1st Mate thinks they will always be available, but what if there's an accident or illness which prevents that second person from throwing/catching a line. I know that occurred on one boat a couple years ago on the Desolation Sound Cruise.
Perhaps some of you well-seasoned captains have thought this through and have practiced a technique. Please share with the rest of us.
Thank you in advance,
Joe & Robyn

 

[REO6205]

Usually...usually you can use a short spring line just forward of midships. Pre rig it doubled up so it's handy to grab a dock cleat or a piling or whatever you think will hold and once it's secure you can power against it...gently... to swing the bow or stern in and finish tieing.
I see a lot of guys who single hand salmon trollers do it that way and I've done it myself many times. It isn't elegant but it works. Usually.

 

[RSC]

I occasionally run the Port Canaveral Florida Locks singlehanded. I prep the lines prior to entering the locks with a line on the mid ship cleat, a big fender attached to the rail outside the starboard helm window on the EC21 that I can reach out and drop overboard, a big fender on the starboard stern. I do a slow approach to the wall of the lock and might use a slight bow thrust to bring it to the wall, I walk out and wrap the line to a cleat on the wall. I also have the boat hook ready to assist in pulling the boat in if it drifts prior to roping off.

A similar approach works for my dock. For the lift, I just aim the boat onto the lift then let the guide poles and keel boards help to center it in a very slow approach. I let the guide pole come even with the cabin window and halt forward motion, go outside and tie it off then lift.

The EC21 is so easy to handle alone. I cannot speak for the larger boats but have seen similar proceeders used for them. Practice a few times with another person at the ready and you will build the necessary confidence and skills.
Bob

 

[Stevan47]

Hi Bob: Concur with your thoughts and procedures. I have no real problems single-handedly slipping and berthing my R21, but there is always room for improvement. Somedays, I can make the approach perfectly, other days I have to go around and go again. That's the trick with single screw vessels and inherent the 'paddle wheel' (or, prop walk) effect. The secret of course, is, always do things at dead slow speed. If you are going to make a 'hard' approach, it is better to do it slowly - less damage! I would be keen to see photos of your lines and fenders set up, if you have the time. Kind regards, Stevan.

 

[Olytuggers]

Joe & Robyn, it is a friendly world out there. We found that out big time when Dan had to handle docking alone on our return from Desolation after I was injured. Sometimes he called or radioed the marina as we approached and let them know he might need assistance, other times people on the docks were readily available to lend a hand. Boaters are really great people.

Dan and Lois Cheney
North Star R27

 

[Spinner]

Hi, I single hand my R-31 (ditto with my former R-29). I use thrusters, but not always, and seldom use the remote for thrusters. For me, having lines and fenders set up in advance is key. I don't remove fenders and lines once I am away from the dock. Instead, fenders are pulled up and/ or brought inside but left attached. Lines are left attached and ready to be used. In particular, I use an extra-long bow line, which I set up for use by stringing it along the side and then attaching it at the stern with a quick release knot. By doing this, I can hop out and grab stern and bow lines together.

A midship spring line also works well...

 

[Irish Mist]

Being in Florida this winter I was surprised at how many boaters come in really " Hot" with really big boats... Never dock faster then you want to hit something. . Having said that in a strong wind all rules seem to go to hell, and even with a couple of helpers, things can be rough. I never worry about looking good , just want to get in safe with no damage. Having said that if you are organized you look very professional. Coming in slow gives you time to judge the current, and the winds effect on the boat. Stop before you enter the harbour and make sure everything is in order.Fenders in position ropes ready , thrusters working. If you are alone, or not, make sure if your walking around outside the cabin you have a life jacket on. It doesn't hurt if you have the time toss your swim ladder in while you are getting ropes and fenders ready. Most of us are getting up there , and a set of stairs to climb back aboard come in handy. Practice docking single handed with your helper with you, build up your confidence so you are not nervous when you are alone. Every one should do this, as well get your partner comfortable docking, they may need to get you home someday. If it is windy try to dock where the wind is helping you if possible. I prefer to stern into a slip.. If it is too windy it is much easier to nose in. In the south where you have the posts to tie to, use them to help. Get the boat against one and let the rub rail do its job, and pivot around. But the biggest help I feel is practice. find a nice calm day and dock a few times. It is all common sense, and everyone has there own way to dock. Find what works good for you. Lots of great advice and help here from others.
Mark

 

[downey]

I do it all the time, I always have the fenders ready, 3 lines, one at midship that I usually grab 1st.
The biggest thing for me is dead slow, always using neutral and finally reverse to slow the boat down.
I have the remote thruster but have never needed it.
Like mentioned earlier, practice when you have others aboard.
One final note open your side window so you can look back and check that the stern is by the dock, not sticking out.
Again dead slow.........

 

[South lake]

I agree with Irish Mist and downey. Deb has MS and doesn't have the mobility to help with docking, going through locks, launching the boat, etc. so I've always had to do that stuff by myself.

My experience... Larger boats with twin engines are easier. Seems the weight makes them less prone to move around in wind, etc. and the twin engines help control the movement. But my Ranger tug R25 is by far the easiest boat to dock that I've ever had. The thrusters make it much simpler. Like Irish Mist I prefer to stern in but if wind and current make that too tricky I bow in and haven't had a serious problem yet.

That said, I also have a few stories of where I looked pretty inept. Especially docking a C-Dory in high wind. I did a complete 360 and backed into the slip like I was doing stupid boater tricks.

 

[Boont Boater]

If I have some guests aboard who can't help, for whatever reason, I ask them to stay seated during docking. I want the doors open and a clear path to move from the helm to the cockpit. All prepared as stated in other posts. With the help of the thrusters our boats are pretty easy to maneuver unless there is a lot of wind and current.

I think that those early gel-coat scratches should be viewed like Prussian dueling scars. Nothing to be ashamed about.

Jeff

 

[Cruzerboy]

I read somewhere we should carry two sets of dock lines--long ones for the act of "docking," whether single-handing or throwing to someone on the dock, and shorter ones for actually tying to the dock where the longer lines would be excessive and awkward. The long lines are then used for spring lines. Just a thought.

Tom A

 

[Don Cardinal]

I see a lot of good practices mentioned above on this issue.
All I can add to this is and if you can live with it, keep your bow line length so that it cannot reach your prop or stern thruster. Can't do much about the bow thruster. A shorter stern line if you can live with it may also keep it out of the prop when things go wrong..
I am guilty of too long of a bow line because I also use them as painters for launching and loading the boat at the boat ramp. I need a minimum of 25 ft. for my 1992 R-21 classic. I have a roller trailer due to the full displacement hull. I must keep the excess length in mind when securing the line to the aft most stanchion of the bow rail.
Don.

 

[steven_ickman]

I single hand dock pretty much every time using the thruster remote. Love it. Like others have said I put my fenders out before coming into dock and I have at least a bow & stern line ready to go. I will say that if your docking and there's a strong current pulling your bow or stern away from the dock you're going to be using your thruster a lot and it's difficult to actually tie up the boat when you're constantly having to jack with the thrusters. Another tip... Don't put the remote in your pocket and then bend over. You may find your boat moving AWAY from you very quickly 🙂

 

[pugtug613]

In my own slip it's easy. I have "crash lines" on either side and I come in real slow. In a strange slip, I try to pick one that the outboard poles are not too far out, then again real slow I back in. I have the stern lines ready and hustle back and throw them to someone. Once I'm in between the forward poles, I try not to ever pull out again. On a nice day, it's a good method. When the wind is blowing and there is nobody to help on the dock, it's a little trickier. I have used the mid ship cleat and reached out the window and wrapped the outboard pole as I get in, on the windward side (I hope).

 

[nzfisher]

I go out alone quit a bit. I find that if you have a down wind slip it helps a lot, I don't. If you don't your ability to maneuver is really limited on winds over 10 knots. When I come in with winds above 15, (it is windier than that often) I will pull in to a guest slip that has easier access than mine and come back when the wind has died. Your thrusters will not over come a 12 knot wind so don't bother trying (my opinion). The winds and current are the issue. If no wind then no problem. You really don't need thrusters if there is little wind. On windy days with more than two "deck hands" on board I will dump one at the end of the dock so they can catch the ropes when we come in- helps a lot. All the nicks, scraps, and spiders on the hull are due to wind and bad judgment in working with it on my boat.

 

[Jmangiameli]

This post brings up an interesting question......

If your wife is not with you, and you docked the boat all by yourself and everything went just fine. Did you still come in way to fast??