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Bart Senior
 
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Default Docking Situation Question #1

You are in a difficult docking situation. You want
to depart the dock and sail on a gorgeous day, but
must leave now. Any later and you will lose your
light, and have to cancel sailing for the day.

You docked are on a river, facing down stream.

There is a 5 knot ebb current and it is max ebb.

The wind is coming directly across the beam of your
boat and also directly across the river. It is blowing
6 knots.

The boat is an Etchells keelboat, skeg hung rudder
without a motor.

Down current are two obstacles---both are docks
that are parallel to the river. The closest dock does not
project out as far as the second but has a motorsailer
tied up pointed upriver that you must clear.

If you clear the first dock, you still have to contend
with clearing the second dock which extends even farther
out into the river. If you can't clear that dock, you are
trapped in a cul-de-sac and will collide with something,
either the inside of the dock and pilings, which are free
of boats, or else into the club house with your forestay
and likely damage your rig, if not lose it entirely.

Questions:
1. What is your strategy? What are all the factors you
need to consider in planning this departure.

2. What can you do to insure you clear both docks?

3. What are your bail out options?