Docking and Dock Lines

[Captain Smollett]

For what ever reason, we have the biggest communication "issues" while docking compared to any other evolution on the water.  I have yet to find a way to get my wife to understand what *I* am doing and what I need *her* to do.

We tend to do a pretty good keystone cops routine when coming alongside.  Not always, but often enough.

It's one reason I prefer to anchor!!   ;D

This is not limited to sailing, either.  A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of driving my FiL's 16 ft stinkpot (so he could, for a change, get to concentrate on his fishing - something he LOVES but since retirement, only rarely gets to do...   :-[  ).  We had a 25 kt cross wind coming to the dock, and made a botch of it the first try.

But I have found a technique that has greatly improved the process.  I have tried it on the second attempt of docking the stinkpot, and on my little sailboat.  (Not sure yet how this would work on the Alberg yet).

Instead of separate bow, midship and stern lines, I have been using a SINGLE line led from the bow to stern that has "just enough" slack in it.  As we approach, I tell Becky to just flip the line over a cleat - any cleat! - and not worry about anything else.  From the stinkpot, with its low freeboard, she could even do this from inside the boat; her stepping off from boat to dock is one of the parts that makes me nervous, as she sometimes has a tendency, in my mind anyway, to try to 'jump' over way to early and I have this HUGE fear of her going in between boat and dock.

Once we are "tied" to the dock by the line looped over the cleat, she (more or less at her leisure, comparatively - no panic at all) simply loops the same line over another cleat.  We are in effect tied off bow and stern.

No cleat-hitching woes, no line adjustment issues, etc.  It's fast, easy and best of all SIMPLE.  A single line to fool with rather than two (or three).

This is not the best approach for all circumstances, but it so-far has allowed us to simplify what we had to worry with.  As we get better at the approach phase communications, we can add more complexity to the dock line handling as needed.

Another tool for the toolbox.

[Oldrig]

Hey Capt.,

Sounds like a great idea (Grog to ya'!).

I'll give it a try (once I get her launched, probably next week). Lynne and I also have *serious* communication issues over docking and anchoring.

Anchoring and weighing anchor really puts our relationship to the test: I've suggested that we rehearse some simple hand signals, but she says she doesn't "have the time" to try to remember them. So, we try screaming over the putt-putt of the one-lung diesel. It doesn't work. Grrrrr!

--Joe

[Fortis]

It depends on conditions and such, but I usually find that if I only ask my crew to worry about the spring line on inital approach to a dock, I can then use the boat to bring us in to and keep as at the dock while she jumps up onto the dock with the end of the mid line in hand, She does a couple of turn with it kind of loose and then I can turn off the engine and she can either adjust in or out accordingly and cleat it off.  I then go up to the bow and throw her the end of the bowline or if practical throw a loop of line up over the cleat or bollard and bring the bitter end back on board to tie off.

After that, everything is cake.

I have to say I have witnessed hundreds of hideous relationship killing moments at the docks of people being unable to come up with tactics for simply tying up. I have witnessed it devolve into accidents where people were hurt and I have needed to grab our first aid kit and go bobbing for yacht-wives. I have seen it turn into a violent confrontation where some gentleman sailor got tired of merely yelling at his wife and decided to start hitting her instead,  He had been dragged, none too gently, up onto the dock and had three rather large gentlemen sitting on him by the time I managed to get near.

On my sid eof it, I have never ever had to raise my voice with anyone during docking. Ever. I make my approaches according to the skill levels I think  I have on board, less about 25% for sudden surprises. I explain exactly what everyone's job is on a one by one basis as we are approaching (it is not like we are coming in at 30knots, folks. We have time for THE TALK) and I leave the trickiest bit of the operation to me, because on my boat, if I screw it up...I do not have to bother yelling at anyone....Or having them look at me like they are waiting and expecting to get yelled at.

If the weather is so rough that coming in to dock is really fraught and dangerous, then you should nto be coming in. Go AWAY form land and ride it out where it is safe in open water. In all other times you need to plan and plan ahead so that there are no keystone cop moments.

This is where this post gets too long, but I think it needs saying...
I believe in learning on the job, in giving someone something challenging to do so that they can learn form it and gain confidence. Most everyone who sails will say exactly the same thing...Here's the thing, for some people it is a mantra and an excuse for piss-poor planning, lack of forethought and responsibility and a justification to bully and treat their crew shabbily. Making the positive side of the learning on the job statement work is actually MORE work for the skipper instead of less. Is about greater vigillence so that you can buy your crew the LEISURE TIME in which to learn. If everything is happeneing at once, there is no back up plan and thye have to do something that they only kind of mostly understood when you explained it and now less and less is looking like the cscenario and instructions provided....They are not going to have the opportunity to look around, figure things out and learn...They are going to try to do something really convincingly and they are going to shut down all the bits that actually do the real learning. They are going to be scared, uncomfortable, out-of-their depth (even if it is a really simple job) and operating really below par. And THAT is what they will long term take away from the sailing trip and the docking operation at the end. They will smile, they will take the jokes...and they will be that much less likely to come sailing again because it bit them with their own implied ignorance.

It's really weird. I have done the coast guard certification courses, I have my Yachtmaster coastal skippers ticket and a bunch of other certs. They all teach nav and emergency proceedures and pilotage and storm tactics, yadda yadda yadda and then they tell you you are a qualified skipper at the end of it.( As long as you are not paid proffessionaly or work as part of a pro paid crew). That's great...But what was missing from all of those courses and what never ever gets talked about on any of the internet boards si that one of the skippers tools, and his duty is to have LEADERSHIP SKILLS. even if it is a crew of one and she is married to you (maybe especially then, because role swaps and polarisations are trickier than assigning roles from scratch). It really does pay to decide what type of leader you wish to be, to find how that style works and to learn the skills involved. It will return on th einvestment many times what choosing a "faster" bottom paint or a carbon headsail will in terms of improving the performance of your vessel. Weirdly enough, it even makes your solo sailing better...and it definately gets you invited on board other people's boats when they need extra crew.
It also helps a lot in the rest of your life, like at work and such....Which is why I have been thinking about it lately and posted it here. I have been with the company I work for for a little over two MONTHS. I got to have a bit of a conversation on outlook and philosophy wit the project manager and he was asking me what drove the style in which I did things and worked with people. About a twenty minute chat about life the universe and everything...And then he asked if I would please accept a promotion, as they could really use some of "that". This in a place where my contract states rock solidly that no promotions would happen inside the first 12 months, and more likely 18-24. But now I digress (and am boasting a bit too)

Alex.

[CharlieJ]

AS often as not on board Tehani, I'm doing dock lines and Laura is on the helm. In fact, coming in to our home slip, she's almost ALWAYS doing the driving. We seldom have any troubles.

If we are entering someplace strange, we'll stop the boat, look things over and discuss what and how we intend to approach. And neither of us is the least bashful about aborting and going elsewhere if what we see doesn't suit us or seem safe.

I recall a time when Laura was sailing our previous boat in to the launch ramp, just after they had added 20 feet to the end of the down wind jetty. She made the approach, found she didn't have enough boat speed to make the dock and bailed out, sailed out then back in for a second try. Still hadn't lined up quite right so bailed a second time, and this time had it nailed coming in. A guy standing on the dock asked her "don't you have an engine on that thing?". Laura told him- "yeah, but that's no fun at all' ;D

All the while I was standing on the bow, just waiting. I don't recall having said a word.

[Fortis]

All the while I was standing on the bow, just waiting. I don't recall having said a word.

That is so one of the BIG leadership skills! One of the hardest to achieve for many people.

[Tim]

Typically the first mate will be on the bow. If we are coming onto a familiar dock I will have the stern line in hand and step off, the motor having been cut before we meet the dock.

If we are coming into an unfamiliar dock or if there is a lot of current or breeze, first mate will still be on the bow, with me at the helm with motor ready if necessary to hold us in place, or I will toss the stern line over the cleat to secure it.

Very few words are spoken

[Bill NH]

One of the great things about sailing regularly with the same people, whether it be with spouse, friends or as part of a paid crew, is the non-verbal communication that develops.  After a while you really work like a team and little if anything needs to be said. 

I probably reached the pinnacle of this on one particular rotation when I was Captain of the schooner Californian some years ago.  After 4 months together our crew of 8 could run the 145' vessel - get underway, come alongside, anchor the vessel, and even set and strike sail - with nothing but a nod or a hand gesture on my part.  We finished that rotation based out of Sausalito doing daysails on SF Bay, and things were always busy to the point where good teamwork like this was essential...

Of course after almost 25 years sailing together, both professionally and on our own boats, my wife and I have it down pretty well too.  One of the nice things about being married to a very experienced sailor (and another captain) is that there are very few times or places I wouldn't be comfortable sleeping soundly down below while she's on watch.  No egos here, we both drive and both do deckhand duty.  I'm amazed more sailing couples don't practice this - I would certainly want the only other person aboard to be able to handle the boat if anything were to happen to me!

[Tim]

Absolutely Bill, although she is still getting used to the Ariel, my partner has always been able to do any aspect of seamanship required. Typically she will plot the courses and helm about half the time.

We made a point of taking ASA courses together for our bareboat certification so that either one of us could handle the boat and that we were on the same page doing it.

[CharlieJ]

Totally agree Bill. I have no qualms whatsoever about going below and going to sleep with Laura in charge. I KNOW she an handle anything short of a total disaster. And she could probably handle that too, but she'd wake me up for that :D