On Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:45:20 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

Unlike the gentleman who wants to single handle a bober pick-up, I have a
question about how to enter a slip with two crewmen aboard. Theoretically this
can be done under sail, but the first approach should be with an engine, an 9.9
Yamaha outboard
in my case. Problem is that our slip is on a bend in the river, so that with a
strong current flowing, we have to come in bow first to the narrow slip with the
current on
the beam. I have tried to come in a bit upstream of the flow and try to time it
so that
we are in line just as we enter. It's a bit tricky, and there is a tendency for
the stern
to swing downstream before we have a chance to get a line to it. Any
suggestions?

Sherwin D.


Can you/do you approach into the current? That would keep steering way
on while slowing speed over ground and speed relative to the hard
things you don't want to hit.

I can line up the boat with the slip, but a strong current will throw my stern down
stream. I can maintain steerage going in, but if I enter too fast I am in danger of
hitting the concrete wall at the front of the slip. These are slips with small metal
piers
pointing into the river. There are two slips between each pier, with a wooden post
at the head of the slip dividing the slip for two boats. I have to avoid hitting the
pier,
the wooden piling, and/or the boat in the downstream side of the slip.

Sherwin D.

Dick Locke wrote:

On Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:45:20 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

Unlike the gentleman who wants to single handle a bober pick-up, I have a
question about how to enter a slip with two crewmen aboard. Theoretically this
can be done under sail, but the first approach should be with an engine, an 9.9
Yamaha outboard
in my case. Problem is that our slip is on a bend in the river, so that with a
strong current flowing, we have to come in bow first to the narrow slip with the
current on
the beam. I have tried to come in a bit upstream of the flow and try to time it
so that
we are in line just as we enter. It's a bit tricky, and there is a tendency for
the stern
to swing downstream before we have a chance to get a line to it. Any
suggestions?

Sherwin D.

Can you/do you approach into the current? That would keep steering way
on while slowing speed over ground and speed relative to the hard
things you don't want to hit.

sherwindu wrote:

I can line up the boat with the slip, but a strong current will throw my stern down
stream. I can maintain steerage going in, but if I enter too fast I am in danger of
hitting the concrete wall at the front of the slip. These are slips with small metal
piers
pointing into the river. There are two slips between each pier, with a wooden post
at the head of the slip dividing the slip for two boats. I have to avoid hitting the
pier,
the wooden piling, and/or the boat in the downstream side of the slip.

Sherwin D.

I have seen people with crossed lines (i.e. ropes) at the front of a
slip that they are heading into. (assuming this is your slip). They
form an X at the pier end of the slip with the bow of the boat at the
middle of the X at the distance that you want to keep the boat from
the pier.

We also see lines strung between the pilings that delineate the slip
to separate our slip from the next one. Of course they won't help if
you ram them at warp speed, but they should slow you down a bit.
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id1.html

The top picture was taken at low tide (the water went up to the top of
the pilings at high tide and it is still about 18" above the dock)
just after Isabel when the boat in the adjoining slip had been hauled
and shows the lines between the slips.

The second picture shows when we were docked on the other side - you
can see a little of the chafe guards, and there's one of the X lines
at the front of the slip, going like /

We tie fenders to the pier where we normally exit the boat. When we
leave the boat it is crosstied in the slip so that it isn't close to
any edges, but when we want to get on or off, we pull her over to the
pier. The fender in the first picture isn't usually there.

And I repeat that we leave the lines on the pilings and cleats on the
pier so that all we have to do is pick them up, and the chafe guards
are attached to the lines where they go through the hawse holes or
through cleats (on the boat), so that I will know how close to cleat
the line in.

I would also come into the slip against the current.


Dick Locke wrote:

On Sat, 01 Jul 2006 23:45:20 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

Unlike the gentleman who wants to single handle a bober pick-up, I have a
question about how to enter a slip with two crewmen aboard. Theoretically this
can be done under sail, but the first approach should be with an engine, an 9.9
Yamaha outboard
in my case. Problem is that our slip is on a bend in the river, so that with a
strong current flowing, we have to come in bow first to the narrow slip with the
current on
the beam. I have tried to come in a bit upstream of the flow and try to time it
so that
we are in line just as we enter. It's a bit tricky, and there is a tendency for
the stern
to swing downstream before we have a chance to get a line to it. Any
suggestions?

Sherwin D.

Can you/do you approach into the current? That would keep steering way
on while slowing speed over ground and speed relative to the hard
things you don't want to hit.

On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:24:46 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

I have to avoid hitting the
pier,
the wooden piling, and/or the boat in the downstream side of the slip.

That is a very common dock layout.

What I have seen many people do, and it seems to work, is to tie a
permanent line between the piling and the sea wall. Keep it fairly
tight and it will give you something to catch your sideways drift
before you hit the boat in the adjacent slip.

Another strategy is to hang a number of fenders on the side with the
adjacent boat and just lay along side while you tie up. Shouldn't be
a problem as long as you are using nice clean fenders of a suitable
size.

On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:24:46 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

I can line up the boat with the slip, but a strong current will throw my stern down
stream. I can maintain steerage going in, but if I enter too fast I am in danger of
hitting the concrete wall at the front of the slip. These are slips with small metal
piers
pointing into the river. There are two slips between each pier, with a wooden post
at the head of the slip dividing the slip for two boats. I have to avoid hitting the
pier,
the wooden piling, and/or the boat in the downstream side of the slip.

Sherwin D.

Yi, that's ugly. I guess you're on the waiting list for a slip on the
downstream side of the slot and the upstream slips are much more
readily available.

If it's a short finger-pier, man, I thought I had it tough with a
downwind double-finger that was 6 inches wider than my boat beam.

What about accepting a clunk as inevitable and hanging a long fender
board overboard and nestling the aft quarter of your boat into the
post and pulling it upstream from the pier?

Thanks for all the tips. I guess I was looking more for a maneuvering solution using
the engine (both forward and reverse) to offset the current. I'm also going to ask my
neighboring boat owners how they manage to handle the current.

Sherwin D.

Dick Locke wrote:

On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:24:46 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

I can line up the boat with the slip, but a strong current will throw my stern down
stream. I can maintain steerage going in, but if I enter too fast I am in danger of
hitting the concrete wall at the front of the slip. These are slips with small metal
piers
pointing into the river. There are two slips between each pier, with a wooden post
at the head of the slip dividing the slip for two boats. I have to avoid hitting the
pier,
the wooden piling, and/or the boat in the downstream side of the slip.

Sherwin D.

Yi, that's ugly. I guess you're on the waiting list for a slip on the
downstream side of the slot and the upstream slips are much more
readily available.

If it's a short finger-pier, man, I thought I had it tough with a
downwind double-finger that was 6 inches wider than my boat beam.

What about accepting a clunk as inevitable and hanging a long fender
board overboard and nestling the aft quarter of your boat into the
post and pulling it upstream from the pier?

On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 11:45:06 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

Thanks for all the tips. I guess I was looking more for a maneuvering solution using
the engine (both forward and reverse) to offset the current. I'm also going to ask my
neighboring boat owners how they manage to handle the current.

Sherwin D.



Depending on which way your stern walks in reverse (probably not a
strong effect with a small outboard propellor) you might be able to
come in at a fairly good speed, have someone jump off and secure the
bow while you reverse like hell to pull the stern toward the dock.

Dick Locke wrote:



Depending on which way your stern walks in reverse (probably not a
strong effect with a small outboard propellor) you might be able to
come in at a fairly good speed, have someone jump off and secure the
bow while you reverse like hell to pull the stern toward the dock.

That would probably work, but it puts the boat at risk should the engine die at the
wrong time, or you don't apply the reverse at precisely the correct time and power.
The head of the slip is a nice solid cement wall, which I would not like to hit. By the
way, this 9.9 Yamaha has plenty of thrust with a very large prop, so I don't think that
this is any kind of limitation.

In article ,
Dick Locke wrote:
On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 11:45:06 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

Thanks for all the tips. I guess I was looking more for a maneuvering solution using
the engine (both forward and reverse) to offset the current. I'm also going to ask my
neighboring boat owners how they manage to handle the current.

Sherwin D.



Depending on which way your stern walks in reverse (probably not a
strong effect with a small outboard propellor) you might be able to
come in at a fairly good speed, have someone jump off and secure the
bow while you reverse like hell to pull the stern toward the dock.

Jumping isn't a good idea. Also, high speed isn't a good idea either
in close quarters.

--
Capt. JG @@
www.sailnow.com

The problem is that there is no one right answer to your problem.
The solution can involve any number of things such as line handling and
engine and rudder usage.
Best bet....... find someone around your dock area who seems to make
his/her approaches with little difficulty (takes some time and observation)
and ask them for advice.
Because your situation involves an off the dock current, for the most part
you will need to use a combination of line handling and engine/rudder
maneuvers to come up with something that works well.
Don't be afraid to use your line from different points on the dock as well
as the boat and be ready to "work" those lines to your advantage.
As for engine and rudder, try maximum rudder and minimum engine first and
then increase or decrease as experience teaches.
As a final thought..... don't forget your anchor...... there may be a
maneuver that could benefit from it's use.


otn


On Mon, 03 Jul 2006 11:45:06 -0500, sherwindu
wrote:

Thanks for all the tips. I guess I was looking more for a maneuvering
solution using the engine (both forward and reverse) to offset the
current. I'm also going to ask my neighboring boat owners how they
manage to handle the current.

Sherwin D.