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 Off
The Wall by
Dusty Miller
One of the
biggest challenges when you are landing boat is a wind that is blowing
off the dock. You try to bring the vessel parallel to the dock and
the wind just pushes you away. If you have never experienced it,
you will be amazed at how quickly even a little wind pushes around
a big boat.
A couple of years ago I watched a captain of a
thirty-four foot twin-engined cruiser make at least ten attempts
to bring his vessel parallel to the dock against the wind. I was
frustrated just watching, so I can imagine how frustrated the captain
must have been. Finally, he gave up and tried a different approach.
He eased the boat up to the dock, bow first, and let someone off
to wrap the bow line around a bollard. With the bow secure he drove
the boat forward. Unfortunately that just drove bow into the dock
and did not change the position of the stern. Finally, mad enough
to bite through a steel cable, I am sure, the captain had someone
take a stern line onto the dock and haul the boat into the wind,
eventually securing it. This was after at least forty-five minutes
of unadulterated frustration.
Like most boating challenges, this one can be met
with a little understanding and a lot of practise. When confronted
with this situation you need to have enough power, enough forward
motion, to compensate for the wind. Obviously you have to be going
toward the dock significantly faster than the wind is pushing you
back and that takes confidence. Face it, you are headed toward that
bow-eating dock at a good rate of speed, looking for all the world
like you are going to bash into it. But, of course, you do not.
At the last second you turn the bow away. The momentum of the vessel
overcomes the force of the wind and the boat slides up to the dock,
perfectly parallel. Speed, in this case, is a necessity and so is
good timing but when many boaters pour on the coals their confidence
can leave them at the wrong moment and get them into trouble very
quickly. The way around that is practise. (Top)
The best way to practise this maneuver is when the
winds are light. Set aside some time and find an open dock. Put
your fenders out and aim your bow toward the dock and make your
approach very slowly. At the last second, turn the bow away from
the dock and your boat will turn parallel. If you make your turn
too soon you will be parallel to the dock but you might have to
swim the line ashore. If you make your turn too late… well, you
do not want to make your turn too late. Keep practising - slowly
- until you get the timing right.
When you can land at a slow speed, start picking
it up. Do exactly the same thing a little faster and then a little
faster and then faster yet. Make sure you can do it perfectly at
each level before you to up a notch. Take your time. If you find
the momentum is carrying your boat too quickly against the dock,
you will have to throw it into reverse to slow down.
Now, if you ever have to land when the winds are
so strong that you do not feel confident enough to land parallel,
there is another way. That cable-biting captain had the right idea
- at first. Bring your boat up to the dock; let someone off the
bow with a line to secure the bow to the bollard. Next, using the
outside gearshift - the one opposite to the side you want to land
on - put it in reverse. The vessel will start to move backward and
when it begins to pull against the secured bow line, the stern will
come in against the dock. (Top)
If it is more appropriate to approach the dock stern
first, you will find it even easier to control because that is where
all your power is. You are, in essence, pulling the boat in rather
than pushing it. When you are up to the dock, let someone off the
stern and secure a line. Then, again using the outside gearshift,
put it in forward and the bow will come toward the- dock, into a
parallel position. As soon as the boat is parallel, secure a line
at the other end of the boat and you are home.
Learning couple of small tricks will make your landing
easier. When you have either the bow or stern secured to the dock
you do not want to drive the boat steadily in the way that ill-fated
captain did. Put it into gear then immediately bring it out and
repeat. Do not touch the throttle, just put the boat in gear and
take it out. That way you stay in control. You give it just enough
to bring it in without cracking the boat into the dock or putting
too much strain on the secured line or your cleat. Touch in. Touch
out. That is the trick. Here is another. When your stern or bow
is secure and you have the boat in gear, too much power or too long
a line can bring the other end of the boat around so it is pointing
at the dock. If that happens you can use the inside gearshift -
the one closer to the wall. Touch it into forward if your bow is
pointed at the dock or into reverse if you are bringing the stern
in. That will correct the angle and bring the vessel parallel. Again,
use the touch in touch out to stay in control. (Top)
When you are parking a single engine vessel, you
secure your stern line to the wall and touch in forward. To bring
the bow in, steer toward the wall, not hard over, just a quarter
turn or so. If you start coming in too quickly, you adjust by steering
slightly away from the wall. That slows your sideways movement.
With minor adjustments, steering toward and away from the wall,
and touch in touch out with the throttle, you will bring the boat
parallel and stay in control. If your bow line is secured, instead
of the stern, obviously you bring the stern in by putting the engine
in reverse and steering toward the wall, making the same kind of
adjustments.
I cannot stress enough how important it is to practise
this parallel parking in light air. If the wind is too strong the
first time, you might get into trouble. At best you might look like
the frustrated captain. At worst, you could damage your boat or
another. But start, as I said, in a gentle breeze off the wall and
you will be away to the races. Your confidence will grow with each
successful landing and you will be ready for the wind when the time
comes. (Top)
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