Getting to the bow

[ucarrasquilla]

So far for docking our c-32, we release the fenders from the cockpit before we enter the fairway, then the admiral secures the stern line to the dock's horn after stepping out of the boat. I wait for her to come to the helm's window where I pass her the bow line. Which she then proceed to secure on the dock's forward horn.
For a mooring ball, we will practice this summer catching the hook from the cockpit. After reading this thread, I will run the bow lines to the cockpit as done by @tlkenyon (thank you for sharing). I like the idea of a ladder to access the bow from the v-berth (thank you @William Sanborn). I think it is the way to go for anchoring. We have bicycle helmets with intercom for staying connected (from our days in our sailboat before we bought the cutwater).

 

[cliffm]

in the Coast Guard we were taught “Three Points of Contact.” Two feet and one hand, two hands and one foot, two feet and your butt, you get the idea. If you didn’t maintain three points on a check ride, you risked losing your qualification.

I was going to quote the "OSHA" safety rule 3-points, I like yours! on our 2022 R27, the grab rails and toe boards are plenty sufficient to provide stable access.

 

[A&Etug]

Thanks ,it is nice to hear how others do tasks, since we are new owners and are waiting for SPRING!

 

[CaptMhack]

We do not go to the bow for docking. We only go to the bow when retrieving the anchor. For docking, we have lead lines from the bow (blue) and the mid-ship cleat (black) to the cockpit where they are lead to cam cleats and stored on "button line hangers." When docking, the mate passes one or both lines to folks on the dock or steps off the boat with lines in hand. That way the mate stays safely in the cockpit and can handle the stern line (red) also. We did the Loop with this arrangement and never had any issues. The photo shows the port-side line arrangement. Starboard side is similar. This also allows the Captain to easily tell the mate which line to pass by color - not all mates are equally sea-worthy and the color coding mostly eliminates confusion. Note also the screen door, which is probably the best thing we have added to the tug.

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• tlkenyon
• Jan 3, 2026

Wow, good idea!