Advice on docking in my berth

MarlieDog

MarlieDog

New Member
Oct 18, 2021
11
Australia
Boat Info
2004 SunDancer 280
Engines
Mercury 496 HO with Bravo III Drive
My berth is next to a concrete wall as in the pic. The prevailing winds can often be pushing the boat towards this wall and depending on the tide the wall can be either low or high making difficult to fend off. I am thinking best is to back in with a line running from bow ready to catch the first dock cleat to stop bow moving to port into the wall. I have single engine with bow thruster so that could be used to keep starboard side into the berth. The plus is I do not have a boat next to me but I am just worried about this unforgiving concrete. Any thoughts on strategies and do you think this looks challenging?
 

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Have you considered adding something like hull hugr flat thick fenders directly to the wall?

I have a similar situation and I Put about 8 feet of them where I could contact and its good insurance
 
Sounds like a good approach. I would want the bow locked off with a line and then you can use engine and rudder/outdrive to swing the back against the dock. I might consider bow in if it is difficult to get the bow line on first.
 
We have a similar situation in our slip. We try to get bow line on first. My wife has learned to lasso the cleat, then I can pull the stern around with the engines.
 
I’d figure out a way to safely bump that wall, which will greatly reduce your stress. Otherwise you and whoever is helping you are going to be yelling at each other a lot.

No matter what approach you use you’re going to end up bumping it at some point.
 
The pic was taken when the tide was high , at low tide the wall would be at level of radar arch so above the gunwale which makes it difficult for fending off. They really need a couple of piles just off the wall.
 
Phil S said:
Have you considered adding something like hull hugr flat thick fenders directly to the wall?

I have a similar situation and I Put about 8 feet of them where I could contact and its good insurance
Click to expand...

That would help, I would have to speak to the Marina about attaching anything to their wall.
 
mquiet said:
Sounds like a good approach. I would want the bow locked off with a line and then you can use engine and rudder/outdrive to swing the back against the dock. I might consider bow in if it is difficult to get the bow line on first.
Click to expand...
Yes , I was thinking reverse starboard to keep stern in to berth and bow thruster to keep bow against berth.
 
Hmmm....

Even at low tide I'd be tempted to drive myself straight into that wall. Put the admiral up on the bow, she gently makes contact with the wall, then hard to port to back into the slip.
 
jmauld said:
I’d figure out a way to safely bump that wall, which will greatly reduce your stress. Otherwise you and whoever is helping you are going to be yelling at each other a lot.

No matter what approach you use you’re going to end up bumping it at some point.
Click to expand...
I would invest in two large round fenders. Round fenders offer the most protection. Some may have noticed that smaller USCG vessels are all equipped with them for hull protection. Once you have those, you will just need to learn how to use them in this slip. End slips like this one will always be the most challenging, but it is plenty wide so it should be doable with practice.
 
Easy squezzy. Use an after spring line on your starboard side. Idle in reverse and the spring will snug you up against the dock. Take all the time you like to get the other lines, the boat will stay in position with no fuss.
Make it even easier for your Admiral, get a Dock Mate from Hamilton Marine. It is a four foot fiberglass pole with a hook at the upper end. She can easily reach the spring line without using a boat hook. A great romantic anniversity present in my book!
 
Njlarry said:
Easy squezzy. Use an after spring line on your starboard side. Idle in reverse and the spring will snug you up against the dock. Take all the time you like to get the other lines, the boat will stay in position with no fuss.
Make it even easier for your Admiral, get a Dock Mate from Hamilton Marine. It is a four foot fiberglass pole with a hook at the upper end. She can easily reach the spring line without using a boat hook. A great romantic anniversity present in my book!
Click to expand...
Agree with the spring line first advice. The OP dealt with the issue of wind on the beam. It is not so easy, maybe impossible, to idle into a a slip in reverse with an I/O boat that is on the smallish side without blowing downwind. You could idle perpendicular to the slip with the stern toward the wall, backing down on the wall and then picking up a long spring line for the starboard side and snug that up as you pivot into the slip. I believe two large round fenders on the port side would be a nice added insurance policy in case the mate somehow loses control of the spring line. We used to go into an end slip like this in Frankfort, MI and we always approached it with the stern pointed at the wall until we made the turn into the slip. Fortunately, the marina deployed large round fenders along the steel wall to cushion the inevitable laying up against the wall as the wind pushed the boat sideways.
 
Do you have room to move towards your slip at an angle? Angled with the bow closer to wall. The wind would naturally blow you towards the wall in the position and you adjust with your bow thruster. Then back in pulling kind of against the wind. Use bow thruster to keep the bow in check.
 
Thank you for all the advice, now I have a working bow thruster it has made it a heap easier. I have been taking it nice and slow and had a number of successful and not too stressful arrivals into the slip.
 
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