Bridog
Well-Known Member
Oh sorry Blueone. Now I get itView attachment 57808
His, I think?
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature currently requires accessing the site using the built-in Safari browser.
Oh sorry Blueone. Now I get itView attachment 57808
His, I think?
I agree. Best way to dock the boat is slow and easy. I can nudge the boat up to the dock and only then is anyone allowed to hand or grab a line.My wife is on the bow every time we approach a dock. But to answer this question, no, I NEVER let my wife throw a line. Driving the boat is my job. And if I can’t get the boat up to the dock, under complete control, so she can HAND the line to the dock attendant, then I have no business driving a boat.
As for the OP’s thread, I’m with the others here that suggest there’s more to the story. This is not the outcome of a slow speed dock maneuver.
You never let your wife throw a line?
That's how we dock. When approaching the dock, my wife or daughter scoots on their butts to flip the fender (s) & attach the line. I use the rule; 'never approach the dock faster than you want to hit it'. So I'm really slow. 2mph or slower.Well ya'll must be in calmer waters than we are. My wife steps off the front with the bow line. I'll grab the dock with a pole and pull the stern in, then step off and put the dock lines on. 75% of the time the wind is a pushing us away from our slip.
Most marinas will send staff to your slip to catch lines and help you in (if you ask). No need for your crew to do anything dangerous. I can solo dock my 330 unless the wind is really cooking (we are lucky to not have current) so I just ask guests to stay seated and out of my way while docking. My wife has MS so no climbing on the bow for her, and no need to.
There is an exception though. When we are rafting up, you do need someone on the bow to toss/catch lines between boats.
This reminds me of a time I was sitting on my boat when a transient came in alongside. Being a little windy that day he was having some trouble. He was being blown off the dock, stern against a piling, and bow bumping on my boat. He was a manly man no doubt, because his woman was sitting in the cockpit where she belonged.Absolutely NOT! If she can't hand someone a line from INSIDE the boat, then my docking job was not done right. If wind or current is strong enough where throwing a line is the only way, then I throw the line, NO ONE ELSE!
I really don't understand the captain that sits back and drives the boat and has the wife do all the work in docking.
Our 268 with a single 7.4 can be a challenge our wind is typically blowing us away drink the dock and my neighbor has an expensive boat that I don't want to touch lol. We manage and hadn't touched yet . One thing illbdo is take off canvas to let the wind out off the sail if it us at all significantWhen I dock, the only time I need any help whatsoever us when there is a current or significant wind. Typically, the wind/current are negligible, and the boat just doesn’t move fast enough for me not to have enough time to tie off stern and bow while everyone just sits around and enjoys the day. Before I get to the marina, I put it in N, grab 2 dock lines. Drive to the slip, Put it in, kill any momentum, then disembark, tie up. Done. With current/wind, someone else will disembark and tie up, I will use the engines/thruster to maintain position. I never need bow access until after the mid and stern cleats are tied. Once that happens, boat isn’t going anywhere. I never set up spring lines and stuff like that until after we have secured the boat. Basically, I redo all the dock lines to take into account tides, etc, after we are all tied up, engines off, etc. granted, a boat with single engine is another story. It was much, much harder to dock my 23’ deck boat than it is to dock my 32’ cruiser.
Most marinas will send staff to your slip to catch lines and help you in (if you ask). No need for your crew to do anything dangerous. I can solo dock my 330 unless the wind is really cooking (we are lucky to not have current) so I just ask guests to stay seated and out of my way while docking. My wife has MS so no climbing on the bow for her, and no need to.
There is an exception though. When we are rafting up, you do need someone on the bow to toss/catch lines between boats.
This is the kind of post that I have been pointing out, I doubt if "most" marinas have staff 24/7 and in my part of the world few have even day staff catching lines. Much of the time we don't even have help at the gas docks.
I would never presume to tell folks that deal with tides the way I tie my boat is the right way, I don't have that experience. The same applies to the on the bow while docking. If your situation doesn't require a person up front good for you but blanket statements fail to actually cover...
MM