Tony

I leave a spring line of the dock, then when I cost into the dock in neutral I just pick spring line up with a boat hook, wrap it around the sheet wench and put the boat in forward at idle speed with the rudder amidships. I sail single handed a lot and this simple technique works for me. The boat stays tight against the dock while I secure all the other lines then I put the transmission back in neutral and shut down the motor.

Tony,

If you have a spring line amidships and belay it to the dock, your boat will swing bow in and stern out unless you are going very slowly AND using your rudder to counter the stern swing.

Even in a strong wind blowing you off the dock, that spring line can keep your boat snugged against the dock using adequate forward thrust and appropriate rudder.

I think all you need is more practice getting the feel of it. Have a few competent deck hands aboard while you practice.

I find it works best if the spring line is somewhat aft of center, ours is usually at the front stanchions of the forward lifeline opening. Works great there for us.

My special spring-line is fitted with a rubber stretchy black shock absorber thingy. Coming in very gently is very important and I use the midships cleat - it is a movable cleat that is placed on the rail that is used for spinnaker. Practice will give you confidence.

My usual practice, with some variation for conditions…

I run the spring line across (in front of) the midship cleat, then back to once around the dockside winch, and then to the helm, where it lays lazy within reach. When the spring line begins to take the weight of the boat I 'cushion' it with a controlled slippage to bring the boat to a soft stop. Once stopped, I easily cleat the dock line in the winch, then put the transmission lever into Forward, at idle speed, adjust the steering wheel for boat alignment in the slip, and the boat will stay perfectly at the dock resting on the one spring line. No rush, no keystone cops, no beverly hillbillies. Only after all dock lines are secure do I return to the helm to take the transmission out of gear and proceed to shut down the engine.

My crew person's *only* job is to lasso the outer deck cleat as it goes slowly by the open gate, using the boat hook and the bowline loop I've tied for them at the end of the line. If no crew, I can do that as well from the cockpit…but I wait a little longer than she/he would.

Larry, did you get that technique from Gary Jobson? Some years ago (before the internet was widespread) Gary was associated with a 'video magazine', distributed on VHS tapes. I got a sample and he did a demonstration of the exact technique you describe, along with a quick and simple way to tie a stopper knot (one I still use). The 'magazine' didn't last long, it was expensive. But I learned from the sampler.

Now 'days you can just launch youtube and find whatever you want; for free.!

I agree with Larry, it's pretty much what we do, although I don't open the lifelines until we're secure.

[url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5445.msg33766.html#msg33766[/url]

I've always thought that the spring-line-first docking procedure was only useful if you have the opposite set-up -- a dock cleat approximately amidships and spring lines on fore-and-aft cleats doubled up over the bow and stern lines.

I suppose the other way works too, but I think it makes more intuitive sense the way I had thought about it.

David, there are TWO types of spring lines. The ones you mention are for AFTER you're docked. The ones Larry and I and others mention are for when you are in the process of docking.

Pretty much what we do. Coast into the slip in neutral, drop a loop over a short piling (our dock has most of the slip pilings on both sides left long, but we do have a short one), run the line around the forward horn of the midship cleat and stand aft of that. Slowly stop the boat with that spring line. Then put the gear in forward and idle forward with the wheel turned a little to starboard (port side tie up) and adjust the spring as necessary to allow the boat to snug up to the dock. Cleat it off and take care of the rest of the lines. Once secure go to neutral and shut down. My wife and I practice both parts of this operation. Guess we need to learn to do it single handed, just in case. Of course, conditions can dictate modifications, but this is the general idea. It has worked well for us. We have also marked a line specifically for this use that allows the crew to set everything up and cleat the line prior to going into the slip. Then, theoretically, all they have to do is drop the loop over the piling. We found this can result in stopping the boat with a jerk if coming in too fast. I like the idea of running the spring back to a winch and controlling from there.

No, I can't say that I didn't get it from anyone. I'm sure it came up in conversation somewhere, together with 'intuiting' ways to keep from jerking the boat to a stop. Trying to find 'elegant' ways to single hand.

After once around the winch, the boat can be soft landed with barely two fingers holding, and slowly snubbing, the line.

[QUOTE=stu jackson c34;21107]David, there are TWO types of spring lines. The ones you mention are for AFTER you're docked. The ones Larry and I and others mention are for when you are in the process of docking.[/QUOTE]

Got it! Thanks!

What do you guys use for the midship cleat? Something on the toe rail?

Single Handing 101.1 Midship Cleats Pictures [url]http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,4921.0.html[/url]

Reading this thread, I'm really beginning to appreciate my slip. It's a single 40' slip with walkways on both sides pointing dead into the wind. I just pull in and out like I'm driving a really long car. :)

Mike

Mine is trickier than it looks because I have to leave and enter sideways between the outboard pilings 44 feet apart.

nice location for a slip. You can walk home in the time it takes me to walk to my car in the parking lot. :)

The attached pic doesn't show much of my slip, but it shows a couple things that make it much easier to dock. The slip faces roughly south. When this pic was taken, there were south winds 25-30 knots in my slip. It would be virtually impossible to back into the slip with that much wind on the nose, it blows the bow off on either side; so I'd come in bow first if necessary.

You can see 2 lines tied between the outer piling and the one at the end of the finger pier, by the lifeline opening, one high, one about deck level. These are pretty tight and serve to catch the boat and keep it from banging into my neighbors boats. My slip is oversized, about 50 by 20, so the boat can just about fit between the outer piling and the one on the end of the finger pier. When backing in with the normal, westerly wind on my starboard side, I clip a carabiner onto one of the ropes on the starboard side, then around a cockpit winch. That keeps the stern under control, while I go forward to handle the bow lines. Works great for me.

While I do have a spring line and a midship cleat that I installed myself, I only really use that when the wind is astern. I put the spring line on the cleat, wait for it to snug up tight (slowly), then keep the engine in reverse while I attach the stern lines. Once done, I can take the boat out of gear and tackle the bow lines.

Several of my neighbors have commented on how well I can get into my slip. I don't really think it's any special skill, just planning and thinking ahead. I've been honing my technique for some time and learned from my mistakes; if you make lots of mistakes, you learn a lot..!!! ;)

[QUOTE=plaineolde;21130]... I've been honing my technique for some time and learned from my mistakes; if you make lots of mistakes, you learn a lot..!!! ;)[/QUOTE]

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. :)

Will Rogers