1. Presented by Wavelength Sailing School www.Learntocruise.ca
Docking Clinic
Presented by Wavelength Sailing School
Welcome -Docking can be one of the most stressful parts of boating while I cant turn you into an expert I can give you some tips to practice
Sep-19
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2. Copyright Wavelengh Sailing School 2014
Seminar Topics:
Roles of the helm and crew
Boat maneuvering at low speed
Every boat has a stern thruster
Prop walk, what is it and is it friend or foe?
Multi point turn using prop walk and rudder to turn in confined spaces
Docking and departing a dock with various winds and currents.
Use of spring lines to maneuver boat
Ten golden rules of docking
Sep-19
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3. Get used to maneuvering the Boat in Forward
On a calm day in open water check how the boat reacts at low speed
How slow can you go and still get response from rudder?
Practice coasting with transmission in neutral
When boat is stationary and with transmission in neutral put rudder hard over and give a quick burst of power in forward.
Stern of boat will swing to port or starboard (helm direction) without significant forward motion..
Sep-19
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4. Your built in Stern thruster
Sep-19
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5. Get used to maneuvering the Boat in Reverse
On a calm day in open water check how the boat reacts in reverse
With transmission in neutral and boat moving slowly forward shift into reverse and give a burst of power to stop the boat keeping the rudder in the neutral position. :
Does the stern swing, if so to port or starboard this is an effect of prop walk
How quickly does the boat stop
Now try backing the boat:
Once any initial effect of prop walk is overcome can you steer the boat in reverse
How slow can you go and still get response from rudder? .
Sep-19
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Propellor Walk
There is a paddle wheel effect of the propeller which turns the stern of the boat sideways.
It only occurs when the prop shaft is angled –inboard engines –No prop walk with outboards
Effect is not very strong in forward (because wash from propeller over the rudder dominates) but can be very strong in reverse.
Prop is either right handed (turns CW in forward when viewed from astern) or left handed (ACW)
So in reverse a left handed prop turns the opposite way CW and the stern is pushed to starboard.
The effect depends on the geometry so is dependant on the boat
Other factors eg off centred propeller will influence effect
Sep-19
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7. Turning the boat in Confined Spaces
Practice first in open water!
Back and Fill Technique using prop walk and prop wash.
Suppose stern of boat moves to port in reverse –we can make a tight starboard turn by:
Rudder hard to starboard and pulse of forward power will kick stern to port.
leaving rudder to starboard, transmission into neutral pause and pulse of reverse power will kink stern to port (prop walk) do not leave in reverse or boat will start to turn to port!
Into neutral pause and pulse of forward power will kick again kick stern to port.
Repeat until boat is turned in direction you want it.
If stern of boat moves to starboard in reverse then follow the above but with rudder hard to port to make a tight turn to Port.
Animation
Sep-19
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8. So what have we learned about the boat?
How slow we can still maintain steerage.
Use of prop wash to give maneuverability at low speeds
Prop walk in reverse
If the stern moves to starboard try to get a starboard to slip and conversely if to port a port side slip.
Back and fill technique to turn the boat in confined spaces
How easily the boat can be steered in reverse once the effect of prop walk is overcome by the effect of the rudder.
Sep-19
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At the dock.
Unlike a car a boat turns about a point near the middle (Centre of Lateral Resistance)
You can find this out with the boat loosely tied of at the dock. First push on the bow of the boat and the bow moves out then on the stern and the stern moves out at some point between these (usually nearly in line with the mast on a sloop) the boat will just move sideways. This is the CLR.
So a dock line tied to the bow will swing the bow in and stern out whereas a stern line will swing the stern in and the bow out, an amidships line will tend to move the boat sideways.
Wind (and or current) across the beam of the boat will tend to swing the bow away from the wind/current more than the stern
Sep-19
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Dock Lines
Sep-19
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Getting ready to dock
Radio ahead to get dock assignment ( and directions if appropriate) and request help docking
Fenders
Space fenders to protect bow & beam of boat. Correct height for dock (if unknown assume low) and tie off on rails or low on stanchions (not on llifelines!)
If you are entering a slip have fenders on the opposite side to the dock side and if you have enough crew one can carry a roving fender
Docklines
Bow stern and at least one spring line make sure they are cleated off and long enough to allow crew to get off easily .
Crew ready to step off with docklines (get over lifelines and hold onto shrouds –avoid tripping over lifelines ) with all parts of body inboard of rail.
Crew act as lookout for skipper
Sep-19
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Docking
Helm’s Job
Brief Crew on procedures
Bring the boat to a position alongside the dock at a slow speed or preferably stopped and close enough for the crew to step ashore with the docklines on command.
Helm has control of fore-aft movement at the dock
Crews job:
Step off and control boat on cleats with docklines, belay lines when boat is in position
Crew has control of sideways movement at the dock
Sep-19
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Docking
Sep-19
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Docking at an open Dock
Animation
Sep-19
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Docking in a slip
Sep-19
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16. Wind and Current orientation
Before docking try to gauge effect of wind and current in most cases wind direction dominates but in some cases there is a strong current that dominates.
Wind /current from ahead and onto the dock
Easiest bring the boat in at a shallow angle keeping the bow away from the dock. Stop with the boat off the dock and it will drift sideways onto the dock
Wind current from ahead and off the dock
Bring the boat in at a steeper angle towards the dock. Turn away at the last moment so the momentum of the boat brings it into the dock crew need to get dock lines smartly on cleats to stop boat from drifting off dock.
Wind/Current from behind as above but may need reverse to slow boat (remember prop walk will swing stern)
Sep-19
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17. Advanced Docking Using Springlines
Springlines can be used to maneuver a boat into a tight berth
Helm and crew need to know exactly what to do and do it correctly so this can be risky
A common misuse of springlines is to attempt to stop the boat using an after sprin)gline from the bow which turns the bow in and the stern out risking hitting an adjacent boat .
In this case use an aft spring line from a centre cleat which will stop the boat and draw it in parallel to the dock.
An aft quarter spring line will pull the stern in especially in conjunction with wash off the rudder. (turned towards the dock.
Sep-19
Copyright Wavelengh Sailing School 2014

18. Advanced Docking Using Springlines
Animation
Docking between two boats approach at steep angle at C2 attach an aft spring line to the dock from the forward cleat
Rudder hard over away from dock in forward will swing stern in to position C3
Sep-19
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19. Advanced Docking Using Springlines
Where there is plenty of space use a midships aft spring
Animation
Sep-19
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20. Advanced Un-Docking Using Springlines
Leaving dock with wind and current from abeam
Use aft spring power forward with rudder turned towards the dock to allow boat to pivot about bow (use a fender)
Sep-19
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21. Advanced Docking Using Springlines
Animation
Leaving dock with wind and current from Ahead
Use forward quarter spring to allow boat to pivot about stern (use a fender)
Sep-19
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22. Advanced Docking Using Springlines
Leaving a slip with a tight turn.
Remove all lines except forward quarter spring line (if you leave a forward spring at the bow make sure it is eased!)
Reverse out of the slip and when the stern is clear snug the forward quarter spring with a horizontal fender protecting the hull for the corner of the dock.
The boat will pivot around the corner of the dock.
Release lines and move ahead
Sep-19
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10 Rules of Docking
Practice maneuvering under power before you dock!
Practice docking in an open dock with no one around!
Discuss with crew beforehand
Attach plenty of fenders and at least 3 long dock lines (Bow stern, amidhips)
If you have a large enough crew rig a roving fender
If it is an unfamiliar dock check it out first
Never approach the dock faster than you want to hit it!
Call ahead for help
If you feel you are not on track to dock safely abort and come around again
Crew must never jump ashore
Sep-19
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Acknowledgements
Thanks to the following for Illustrations and animations:
Chapman Piloting –Hearst Marine Books
Sail Canada
US sailing
Sep-19
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25. Wavelength Sailing School
Sail Canada Day Sailing- Basic Skipper
Sail Canada Live aboard Intermediate (Bareboat Charter Skipper) and Advanced
Sail Canada Coastal Navigation
International Yacht Training International Certificate of Competence and International Bareboat Skipper
Pleasure Craft Operators Card
Radio Operators Certificate (ROC (M))
We offer Summer Courses in Kingston (25’ & 30’) North Channel lake Huron (up to 50’) and Winter courses in the Caribbean (up to 50’)
Sep-19
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26. Wavelength Sailing School
New later this year Sail Canada Basic modules - Take a Basic course as all modules or individual modules
Afloat:
Departure from Dock and Docking
Power maneuvers & Anchoring
Basic Sailing
Combined sailing manoeuvres & Emergencies under sail
Ashore:
Exam prep and Exam
Modules will be 4 hours and will cost about $ 150 with a discount for multiple modules
Sep-19
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27. Wavelength Sailing School
Phone
Sep-19
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