[Public-List] going solo

Tue Jun 5 06:06:48 PDT 2012

Jeff

Exiting the slip: assuming you enter the slip bow forward, is the 
departure  to port or starboard? If to port prop walk is in your favor. 
My teachers instructed me to get the boat moving in reverse before 
starting to turn. Once the boat starts to turn, you can put the trottle 
in neutral and the boat will go for a while. It may need a shot of power 
again to get all the way around, especially if the wind is blowing 
strongly onto your slip. I back to port and use my aft dock line as a 
spring line. When I have had to back to starboard, all goes well as long 
as I get the boat powered up. My experience suggests not being bashful 
when it comes to initial power on departure. It is really important not 
to stall the rudder. This means not putting the rudder over more than 35 
degrees. You can mark this location on the cockpit using a protractor - 
mine is not left over from HS plane geometry.

Back and filling: If you get into the fairway the wrong way - stern 
pointing to the channel, you can back and fill. Here is how I do it. I 
get on the side of the fairway where I can turn to starboard(for me this 
means being in the "wrong lane". I turn slowly to starboard. After the 
boat is turning and "approaching" the your side of the faiway, put the 
engine in reverse. do not change the speed. The aft end of the will 
swing around and you then can leave the fairway going forward. Depending 
on the width of the area you are working in you may have to use reverse 
gear more than once. I suggest you go out to where you sail and practice 
this technique for an  hour or so to get use to how the boat works and 
you are comfortable with the process.

Entering the slip bow first. I have found that the most important thing 
is to go very slow as you move down the fairway. I have also found that 
It is better to make a sharp rather than shallow turn when entering the 
slip. In my case entering the slip with a northeast and south east wind 
is easy: the wind puts me on the dock. Noth wind is easy too, because I 
am docking directly into the wind. Likewise direct south winds - that 
need some reverse to slow  the boat.  The most challenging docking for 
me is southwest because it wants to blow me off the dock. I use extra 
power here to keep control and make sure I get a sharp angle to enter 
the slip.

Retraining Lines. Docking is easier if you have a bridle. this is a 
triangle shaped set of lines run from your dock to the pier and the 
aftpiling. This prevents me from siiding into my neighbors very 
expensive wood boat(the name is pretty grand), especially in south west 
winds. It is worth its price in gold and insurance premiums. Other 
people in our marina string a single line between the pier side piling 
and the inside water piling. This also works very well.

Sources;
Jack Klang: Cruisinng with Quantum - available from QuantumSails. The 
intenational Headquarters is in Traverse City, where I live. The book is 
spiral bound and 77 pages and deals especially with singlehanded 
docking.

Jack Klang: Single handed docking and sail trim with Jack Klang. This is 
a video. It  is out of print, but I have a local source that has several 
on hand. The price is $25.00 plus shipping. it is Boating R US on the 
internet. You could orded from them or I could get a copy and send it to 
you.

USPS - The Unites States Power Squadron has an excellent video on 
docking as part of its Seminar Series. I do not know if you can purchase 
the whole series - it is a set of seminars on a single video. In additon 
the Sail text book has some excellent pages on docking. I have a copy - 
also teach the course - and I would be glad to send copies to you via 
snail mail. Just send me  your address and they are yours.

If you use garhauer equipment, running lines back does not have to 
brake/break your wallet, especially if you wanted to start with just the 
main halyard. I have done a fair amount of this

Getting in and out of the slip single handed is fairly easy, best 
practiced in low wind at first.

I hope this helps.

David, 432

On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 7:13 AM, Jeffrey Randall wrote:

> I have owned Yankee Star for about 5 years and as yet have not sailed
> solo.  I have motored to a mooring and launched etc. But have not gone 
> out
> solo for even a perfect wx sail.  What gear/safety precautions or 
> reading
> would you solo sailors recommend.
>
> I use a slip so that is problem # 1 on a windy day.  I can easily 
> catch and
> release from a mooring but the potential for the dock/boat contact is 
> a
> little exciting.  My wife has been up on the bow and I have practiced 
> solo
> dockings a few times and will continue to do so till I feel I can do 
> them
> in heavy winds.  There is seldom someone around when you most need 
> them.
> The corrollary to that is when you screw up the dock is full.
>
> FYI, I raise the main from the mast, and currently have no plans/cash 
> to
> re-rig the main halyard to the cockpit but I do have roller furling. 
> After
> all it is the 21st century.
>
> Any and all ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Like flying the
> spinnaker,  this is one of those things that you have to try and 
> become
> accomplished at.
>
> -- 
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Jeff Randall
> JCMedical
> 603-498-5574
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