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engsol wrote:


This has been likely asked before.

I'll be retiring this spring, and buying a sailboat, 30-32 feet. I have limited experience,
mainly two J-World courses, plus ASA through Advanced Coastal Cruising,
plus a two week trip off the Calif coast, plus a bit of racing on a Santana 20.

In my daydreaming, I have most things figured out in the locale where I plan
to sail (San Juan and Gulf Islands), except for this....

I'm approaching a slip with a cross-wind blowing me off the dock, and into another boat
sharing the slip. So what do I do? Being single-handed and all.

Single handing is the hardest when docking and so docking is to be
avoided. Anchoring is easier.

It will be equally hard to leave the dock under those circumstances -
so I personally wouldn't leave if I didn't think I could get back.

We have our docklines on the pilings to pick up.

One thought occurs
to me...toss a grapple and snag the dock. But this raises more questions....will I need
to use a winch? How do I route the line? Do they even make grapples, or will I
have to make my own?

Is this idea even worth it? Last year, we (class of 4 students on a 37 foot J-Boat)
tried to dock on the lee side of a dock in 35+ knots. It took all hands ( 4 men and a teen)
on the dock waiting to catch lines to snug us up, and it was a bit of effort.
I was amazed at how much force the wind exerted on the boat. It was obvious that
to dock a boat that size, in those conditions, a single-hander would have to be
lucky as well as good.

In case you're wondering why the concern...I'm too old to jump a 4 or 5 foot gap
between the boat and dock, and know I'll need to sail smart.


grandma Rosalie