Gould 0738 wrote in message
...
Take a spring from bow to shore. Put lots of fenders up
front. Apply full helm towards the shore. Slowly add power.
The stern will walk away from the shore until you can back
off from the quay in comfort.

Of course, but what does that have to do with an observation
that with the helm
amidships you won't achieve enough side thrust from the prop to
kick the stern
away from the dock?

Sorry! Missed the point that the helm was amidships, and
therefore agree your point. I have walked a stern out in reverse
with the bow tethered to the shore though.

In a *moderate* wind, the spring line is usually unneccessary.
Removing from
the question originally posed to the board any variable that
says the rudder
cannot be used allows the rudder to be turned toward the dock,
and a brief
application of forward will indeed "kick out" the stern. (Just
have to make
sure that you don't whack the stem in the process)

JimB