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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Docking technique

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/22/2005 : 23:20:15

Disclaimer: I have not sailed a C250 yet, but hope to this weekend.

I found a person in Portland who will take me out on their C250WK, so I won't have to avail myself of Paul's kind offer (thanks again Paul).

She is a fairly new (2 months) C250 owner herself, and we were discussion one thing that mystifies both of us: how do you dock these boats?

In other boats I've sailed, you can easily board and step off the boat at the shrouds. It looks (from pictures) to me like you can't do that on a C250. So if you are approaching a strange dock, how do you do it? The technique I was taught is to manuver the boat to place the shrouds where you want your crew to step off, they step off and capture the bow, and you either motor toward the dock to keep the stern in, or step off the stern yourself to catch the stern line. Even stepping off the stern looks like it is a little more difficult, because of the high combings...

Anyone out there like to elucidate for a newbie?

Thanks,

Kevin

Kevin Mackenzie
Former Association Secretary and Commodore
"Dogs Allowed"
'06 C250WK #881
and
"Jasmine"
'01 Maine Cat 30 #34

Edited by - on

River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 00:48:00

My usual dock plan involves stepping off the coaming. I loop a line around the dockside wench and either carry the end onto the dock wit me or have a passenger step off. Since the wenches are located close to mid-ship, it makes it easy to manage the boat with the line from this point until bow and stern lines can be secured. It has worked well for me.
Another plan which I eventually want to try is to use PVC pipe to construct a raised hook off of the dock (This could only be done if you have your own moorage slip.Also, I have seen such devices advertised for purchase.) By hanging your dockline on the hook upon departure, you leave an accessible dockline that you can just reach out and grasp as you dock ther boat on return. This works well when sailing alone.

River Harley

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5894 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 12:27:13

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">The technique I was taught is to manuver the boat to place the shrouds where you want your crew to step off, they step off and capture the bow....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

That's also the way I was taught, Kevin, but I think there's a better way. Make believe you're single-handing the boat, and bring it into the slip as if you have no crew. Make believe that you have to do it without help from anyone else. That means you must slow the boat down, so that you can stop it with a little shot of engine reverse. (If you bring it in fast, then you need someone to catch it before it slams into the dock. If you bring it in slow enough so that you can stop it with a little shot of reverse, then you save your crew from exerting him/herself, and you'll be able to dock the boat whenever you don't happen to have crew.) Once the boat is in the slip and stopped, you can step off the boat wherever it is convenient. Usually it's best to step off on the windward side, and secure the windward lines first.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 13:45:36

Another aspect of this issue is dock line placement. When single handing, before approaching the slip/dock, I run the live end of my bow line back to the cockpit. As I enter the slip I slow the boat with the motor and attach the stern line first, which will pull the boat into the dock. I then pick up the bow line, step onto to the dock, and tie off. Simple, easy most times, but takes practice. Wind and waves will obviously make things dicey. I always make a practice approach to see how the wind will effect the boat as I approach the dock. No surprises this way. I do this in windy conditions even if I have crew available to handle dock lines.

Edited by - aeckhart on 09/23/2005 13:47:43

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 14:29:13

"you can step off the boat"
As usual Steve has the correct term. Never, ever, allow a crew member to JUMP off the boat while docking - if they do, then Newton's 1st Law of Motion comes into play...

("to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" - crew goes one way, boat moves violently in opposite direction!)
Derek

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johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 15:24:29

I have incountered so many different conditions and docks sizes while docking, anyboby in thier seventies, when looking back over time there are several things I always do........while sailing alone

Have my life vest on.

Have fore and aft dock lines ready to go, fenders out hopefully on the right side.

Have docking pole within reach.

Have the safety rails down.

Never approach the dock faster then I'm willing to hit.

Put the engine in neutral, but leave it running, let the boat momentum bring you in.

If you have any doubt about your approuch try again and again and again.

You know, when you take sailing lessons and get certified, Basic, Coastal or what ever...if you don't get it, what ever you are trying to do , they have you do it until you can.

Personal note: In Canada for some reason, there is someone always someone there to help you while docking.

paulj C250WK #719

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5894 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 16:49:43

Another way to think about it is to bring your boat up to the slip at a speed that you think will cause the boat to coast to a stop about a boat length before it is in the slip. If the boat stops early, you can give it a small shot in gear, and put it in the rest of the way. If the boat coasts farther than you expected, you'll still be going so slowly that you won't do any damage, even if you bump the dock, and a small shot in reverse should stop the boat easily.

Also, there's no rule that requires you to put the boat in the slip only by using the motor. If you get the bow in far enough so that you can reach out and grab something, and physically pull the boat in the rest of the way, don't be proud. Do it that way. To me, that's a perfectly seamanlike way to dock a boat, and I do it whenever I misjudge my docking, or when the wind grabs it.

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Dick Dyer
Deckhand

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16 Posts

Response Posted - 09/23/2005 : 20:21:15

Good advice here, particularly about stepping off.

One other thing is to use a midship line to secure the boat first, that way if someone misses the bow or stern, the boat can't "weathervane" away from the dock.

Now as to securing a line around the "wench", she always complains when I do that ;-)

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JaimeZX
1st Mate

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USA
34 Posts

Response Posted - 09/24/2005 : 18:55:28

DOH! Beat me to it! I was going to say something along the lines of how most people call their wife "the Admiral..." ;)

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River Harley
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2005 : 02:38:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dick Dyer
 Good advice here, particularly about stepping off.

One other thing is to use a midship line to secure the boat first, that way if someone misses the bow or stern, the boat can't "weathervane" away from the dock.

Now as to securing a line around the "wench", she always complains when I do that ;-)

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Heh Heh...You caught it didn't you? Two days after I posted my reply, I was in the shower and suddenly - while thinking about my forum entry - realized that I probably wrote "wench" instead of "winch." It drove me crazy at first, but then I satisfied myself that it would provide fertile ground for some humor by someone on the forum. I think I also wrote "wit" instead of "with" too. It was late at night....as it is now....good night.

River Harley

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britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2005 : 09:12:13

River, thanks for the post, and the little bit of wench humor.

You were not alone in raising a smile.. Steve milby wrote
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Usually it's best to step off on the windward side<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
But do look first to see that there is a dock on that side

Kevin,
Having bumped the dock a little too hard in the past, I totally agree, slow is better.
and yep! go around again, who cares if you make several tries at getting it right! Getting it right is not only best for you, your crew, and your boat, but best for others and other boats too!

The crowd will wince when a bump occurs - "Ouch! I bet that hurt something", but when you finally get the boat along side, smooth as silk, no sweat, and can step off the boat with lines in hand, they'll aplaud no matter how many times you went around the marina.

Don't sweat it! It's ok to go around again!

Edited by - britinusa on 09/26/2005 09:13:07

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 09/26/2005 : 11:01:17

Kevin, I sail my C-250 single handed 90% of the time here in upstate N.Y. and have had mis-aligned approaches more times than I care to remember. Usually wind related. I sailed 72 times this summer
here in N.Y. and generally have found if your having trouble docking and there are people in the area someone will assist you and don't be afraid to ask. Also, three years ago I purchased a "Dockcatcher" which is fastened to the dock with three #10 self tapping screws, it generally just hangs a rope up and out over the edge of the dock so it can be grabbed either by hand or docking pole, wrapping it around the winch and winching the boat sideways into the dock, works the nuts. "Just my two cents worth"

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