Intro to boat handeling?

[hunshatt]

Best is when a group of new friends beg to go tuna fishing(schooly bluefin). Tell you they are pretty good fisherman, but have never caught big fish, then after you hook up a tripple, let you know that no they really didn't know how to reel, or gaff or keep the boat from getting sideways in 3-4's. Which was much of the motivation in making my C into a Exp.
There was much screaming and swearing that day, the loss of all 3 of those fish, 2 spreader rigs, and much of the self esteem of the person that got me to bring them. The best part , we did manage to hook another, I was able to give enough direction that the boat stayed straight, and reel and gaff the fish myself. Small 80lbs'er. After butchering the fish and steaking it, they wanted to know "is that all there is? how come the bags (for the 6 of us guys ) are so small?"

 

[rswirtz]

Ok, wasn't sure if this should go here or under the docking thread. The docking thread seemed more on the funny side so I choose here. This maybe funny but it is serious for us newbies.

When casting off with just 2 people aboard, one at the helm. How would you handle the lines? during a slack tide, tide coming from the bow, or the stern?

The x = lines (not to scale )

ok, my ascii picture is all screwed up when I submit.

We dock bow in, floating dock is on the port, to star is another boat


Thanks, Rick
(hope this submits ok)

 

[Pascal]

dont have tides but wind... i release all the slacked lines first, the taught ones last. i'm stern in, so if the wind comes from the the stern, i release the stern lines last. if the wind comes from the bow, i release the spring lines last...

if it's really windy and there is a chance for the boat to back into the dock after the first spring line is released, i move the boat up a little then release the spring lines. this way i can get back to the helm and put it in gear before the boat has time to back into the dock.

 

[garyd]

Rick, In your situation your this is what I would do. I can't see the complete picture but here goes.

Tie your stern lines so they are about the same level on the piling as the cleat on the boat. Make sure they have eyelets on them the lines that is. Now remove the lines from the cleat on the boat and put them back on only looped around the front of the cleat. Then back out of them. I don't know if this will work in your situation as is, but if your going to stay in that slip for years you could fiddle around and set up this on your boat/dock. It works great.

It will actually work in all situations by putting pressure on them with gears in forward to keep you in place. So you are bumping the boat into and out of forward while your extra crew removes all but those two lines. Once all the lines except those are free ya just back out of those.

Very safe, easy, repeatable, and once you gain confidence and experience you can do it single handed.

garyd

 

[rswirtz]

Wow Gary, excellent advice, thats simple and something I never would have thought of. This forum is so cool.

 

[garyd]

Thanks Rick. I use to do this all the time in a docking situation like yours. People that didn't know better (you know butinski's) would see me start to back out and think the stern lines were on and start hoppinng up and down trying to get my attention or yell hey you forg.... and then I'd be out and gone. They would turn red and walk off. LOL

Now I'm sure you figured out how to do it single handed. And of course this is only theory and no one would ever do it but. Make sure the engines are tuned, nice low idle set the lines, put it in forward and it will be planted until you get done doing whatever you want to do. Experiment and sneek up on it. Ya need good lines, good knots, good pilings and good cleats and bolts. Some situations/docks it can't be done because they are in disrepair. And of course there is a size and hp limitation.

garyd