Jun 01 2009

Randy Bush shares a couple of secrets concerning docking and the use of spring lines

Published by at 14:52 under Sailing

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Randy Bush
Randy Bush has been a guest BLOGGER several times. This usually happens when we do something a little out of the ordinary, a little training tidbit that everyone knows

    about

but has never tried. Once mastered, or at least experienced, I ask that he share the experience with the rest of us. And this is the case today. Here’s Randy’s follow-up to the Fuel Dock Challenge of ’09.

Docking with Springlines

It is often said that if you own a 36 foot boat, the first 36 feet and the last 36 feet of any voyage are the hardest; the rest is a piece of cake. Even very experienced sailors often manage to botch a landing now and then, and this sailor has definitely starred in one or two entertaining spectacles at the local marina. So, it was in that vein that I managed to coerce Capt. Dan into riding along one morning while I did a few reps at the fuel dock with some warm-ups at Whale’s Tail pier.

This particular morning we were concentrating on working against springlines while docking parallel ( beam to the dock). There are two ways to rig spring lines – we opted to cleat them more or less amidships. Springlines, in any case, are either forward-tending (leading toward the bow), or aft-tending (leading toward the stern).

The first scenario was going forward against an aft-tending spring to help “spring” us into the dock: The helmsman approaches the dock slowly while a crewmember stands ready with a line already cleated amidships. The crewmember gets off and take a turn around a dock cleat toward the stern of the boat. Once the line is secured, the helmsman eases the throttle forward, which naturally will bring the bow into the dock, but the stern will have a tendency to swing outward. To counter this effect, the helmsman turns the wheel (hence the rudder) AWAY from the dock, which brings the stern in smartly.

Conversely, one can also back against a forward-tending spring. In this case, the crewmember takes a turn around a dock cleat toward the bow of the boat, and the helmsman then backs against it. This method will work better when docking port-side, since when reversing, the rudder position has much less effect, and prop walk becomes a greater factor. When reversing, a right-hand-turning prop will move the stern to port, which is exactly what we want. But in either case, turning the wheel away from the dock will still help. Backing against a springline is also useful when docking downwind.

Departing the dock is usually not too difficult unless there is a strong wind and/or current holding you on the dock. A push-off from the crewmember before he boards the boat is frequently all that is necessary. Then the helmsman makes sure he has adequate stern clearance when pulling forward, or bow clearance if backing away.

If the wind or current cannot be overcome with a simple push, the crew can rig fenders forward on the dockside. Cleat the springline securely on the boat and take a non-locking turn around the dock cleat, then snub it back on the boat’s midship cleat. The crew stands-by to snub or release the springline as necessary. The driver has the crew retrieve the bow line and stern line. The only line remaining is the aft-tending spring. The helmsman adds power and turns toward the dock. Crew gradually releases pressure on the spring and allows the boat to spring out. When the boat is 60 degrees or more off the dock, the helmsman signals release and retrieval of the spring, goes to reverse and backs away.

If this sounds complicated, well, it is, at least until you’ve seen it a few times.

The most important component, of course: practice, practice, practice!

Randy Bush
S/V Varekai
Channel Islands Harbor
Oxnard California

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3 responses so far

3 Responses to “Randy Bush shares a couple of secrets concerning docking and the use of spring lines”

  1. # Rob Waltonon 04 Jun 2009 at 06:27

    Nicely done Mr. Bush.

    Looks as if the Captain will make a goat roper out of you yet.

  2. # Shrily Ujeston 04 Jun 2009 at 14:32

    Two thumbs up with a back snap Randy…but what kind of lines are we suppose to use in the summer?

  3. # Sail Boating » Blog Archive » learning to dock a sailboat in Channel Islands Harbor Oxnard …on 10 Jun 2009 at 18:41

    [...] link: learning to dock a sailboat in Channel Islands Harbor Oxnard … Tags: Posted under sail boat [...]

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