Here's one for the proofreaders out there. Want to make sure I didn't
get port and starboard accidentally reversed. Get a fresh cup of coffe
if inclined to wade into this. 2500 words. :-)


The Taming of the (Single) Screw, Part III


Readers following this series will recall that in our first two
installments we considered the natural forces of wind and current. We
have also reviewed the mechanical forces we can generate with single
inboard technology to offset or capitalize upon prevailing
environmental forces, and reviewed the effects of these mechanical
forces when backing or turning a boat. In this third installment we
will examine the practical steps involved in bringing a single screw
into a dock or a float.

Let's begin with a reality check. Even the saltiest single screw
boater will occasionally make an awkward landing. Knowledge and
experience will reduce the number of embarrassing incidents. When
conditions are at their worst, knowledge and experience can easily make
the difference between a well-resolved tense situation and a major
insurance claim. However, close quarter maneuvering with a single screw
is a mixture of science and art. Nobody has ever written a set of
docking guidelines that can be applied in finite detail to every single
screw boat in every conceivable condition, nor is such a text likely
ever to appear.

To consider "real world" close quarter maneuvering, it's actually
useful to begin with a fairly unreal example. Examining the steps
required to dock a single screw inboard in rarely encountered
situations where wind and current are both negligible will create a
basis from which to consider the modified techniques required during
the majority of landings and departures.

Docking with calm wind, no current.

Plan and prepare. The proper time to get fenders situated and mooring
lines ready to take or pass ashore is long before one arrives at the
dock. In calm conditions, a fundamental decision will be whether to
dock with port or starboard side against the float or pier. Boaters
with a right hand prop (backs to port) often favor docking port side
to, and boaters with a left hand prop (backs to starboard) typically
prefer to put the starboard side against the dock. Lines and fenders
should be deployed accordingly.

A critical consideration when rigging for a port or starboard landing
will be the type of approach a boat must make to the dock. If the dock
is parallel to the fairway, (such as a breakwater dock or must fuel
docks), it is normally possible to approach an available berth from
either direction- and many single screw boaters will motor past an
available opening, execute a back and fill turn, and then re-approach
with the preferred ("backs to") side of the vessel closest to the
dock. In some cases, (such as a slip at the end of a fairway) a boater
will have no other choice than to make a landing with the "backs
off" side of the boat.

The planning and preparation stages are critical to a successful
docking. Even the best helmsperson will be unnecessarily challenged if
making an approach that disregards the physics of the vessel.

Check reverse

Having once executed a hair-raising U-turn on a crowded day just
outside the Ballard locks, this author can attest to the wisdom of
checking reverse gear before it will be needed to stop the boat.

Begin the approach

Sometime early in my boating experience, a kindly old salt passed along
a rather shopworn homily that surely endures because it is so critical
and succinct: "Never approach the dock any faster than you are
willing to hit it!" After "hitting it" a few times over the
years, I've not yet found any better theory for determining the
optimal approach speed. In calm conditions, idle speed is surely fast
enough and in many cases may be too fast. Some boats make several knots
at idle speed, and will require shifting in and out of gear to control
speed during an approach.

When docking parallel to the fairway, the best approach angle is
typically 15-30 degrees, with the sharper approach required when there
is limited clearance on either end of the available opening. (In
ridiculously tight situations, i.e. putting a 45-foot boat into a
60-foot opening, successful landings often begin with approaches almost
perpendicular to the dock or float and conclude with technique similar
to "wind blowing off the dock" considered below in this same
installment.) But once again, as we are modeling the ideal docking
under ideal conditions let's assume there is room for a traditional,
angled approach.

Approaching a slip that is at a 90-degree angle from the fairway
involves an additional consideration. Most fairways are restricted in
width to the point where an appropriately sized boat will not have the
luxury of a "straight shot" entrance to the slip and arrival at the
dock is often accomplished by executing a moderate curve to achieve the
90-degree change in heading. In such a situation, the best possible
approach will put the dock on the outside of the curve, i.e. a turn to
starboard to enter a perpendicular slip where the landing will be to
port, and once again if given a choice the dock should be on the
"backs to" side of the boat. (Experienced single screw boaters are
often seen going beyond an assigned slip and performing a back-and-fill
turn in the fairway to avoid making a 90 degree turn into a slip that
would put the dock on the inside of the curve).

While it may not be possible to be straightened out completely before
entering a slip at right angles to the fairway, it is useful to be at a
shallow angle before getting too far into the slip. The most critical
consideration when docking in a double slip will be the common presence
of another boat in the other half of the slip. Any decision must be
made so that contact with the neighboring boat will be avoided. One
technique found useful by many boaters is to image the float extended
into the fairway and image during the initial stages of the approach
that one is about to come alongside the imaginary extension.


Take advantage of momentum

When the boat is several feet from the dock, quickly evaluate the
position of the vessel's pivot point. The pivot point is normally
about 1/3 of the way between the stem and the transom- but a prudent
boater will know where this point is on a specific boat before
attempting to dock it. Also take a glance astern to make a final check
for clearance aft.

As the forward quarter of the hull approaches the dock, the rudder is
shifted away from the dock (if docking port side to, the rudder should
be taken hard astarboard). Momentum will continue to carry the vessel
forward until the engine is shifted into reverse and an offsetting
sternway is generated. As long as there is headway, the rudder action
will pivot the bow away from and the stern toward the dock. Reversing
the prop reduces headway and after a very brief moment should bring the
boat to a halt, with "prop walk" tucking the stern nicely against
the float. When docking on the "backs to" side, there is no need to
drive the stern against the float or pier- the prop walk will finish
the job at the same time the boat is brought to a safe and gentle stop.

When the shift of the rudder away from the dock, the use of momentum,
and the influence of prop walk are combined, the boat will stop in
place with a minimum of drama.

Docking "wrong side" to:

Occasions arise when a boat with a right hand prop must land starboard
side to, or when a boat with a left hand prop must land on the port
side. Bringing the "backs from" side to the dock requires a
slightly different technique than landing the "backs to" side as
described above. When landing on the "backs from" beam, it is
usually advisable to approach the float or pier at the lowest possible
speed where control can be maintained and at a very shallow, nearly
parallel angle. Reverse is a useful tool when docking on the "backs
to" side, but on the "backs from" side using reverse will pull
the stern away from the dock. A slower approach minimizes the
self-defeating use of reverse gear when landing wrong side to. Skillful
operators often develop a technique utilizing a very short burst of
power against a rudder hard over and away from the dock to "kick"
the stern into place without regaining headway.



Docking with wind and/or current

The physical movements and coordination required to dock a single screw
inboard when wind or current is not a factor is not much more difficult
than, for example, learning to drive a car or truck with a manual
transmission. Depending upon the winds or currents encountered, single
screw docking techniques must be modified in order to have any
possibility of success. The "standard" procedure for benign
conditions will not produce satisfactory results when there are more
than several knots of wind or even a one-knot current.

Generally speaking, dock "upstream"

During the "plan and prepare" portion of the docking sequence, a
prudent single screw boater will evaluate the prevailing winds and
currents. If there is much wind, it is easy to observe the flags and
burgees of boats already at the dock and determine the direction as
well as the relative strength of the wind. General wind conditions
observed outside the breakwater may not be the same as the breezes
swirling through a marina. Boaters who can find a safe place to take
off all way prior to making final docking decisions can observe the
amount of drift and note how the local current is effecting the boat.
Once a helmsman has determined whether wind or current will be exerting
the greatest force on the boat, it is highly advisable to look for an
approach to the dock that will require the boat to power into the
prevailing force. It is far easier to apply a slight bit of additional
power and make rudder corrections when going "upstream." Consistent
with the principle that we must apply mechanical forces to offset the
environmental conditions, choosing to dock into the prevailing wind or
current allows us to utilize a much broader spectrum of power to
maintain control of the vessel.


Wind blowing or current running parallel to the dock:

If at all possible, approach at a heading with the bow into the wind.
Unless the wind or current is severe, an upstream docking will be very
similar to the no-wind-or-current approach outlined above. If there is
a strong current running, it will tend to carry the entire boat along
with it, and one of the challenges will be the need to sustain forward
momentum throughout the docking. If there is very little current but a
moderate wind, upstream dockers will want to remember that the bow will
come around the pivot point with greater reluctance and the turn may
require slightly more time to occur. A shallower approach angle,
perhaps 15 degrees, will help offset the tendency of the wind to trap
the bow.

Wind blowing or current running onto the dock:

In cases where a boater has a choice, it may be better to go to the
leeward side of the pier or float and make an "upstream" approach.
Such an option will be inconsistently available, so a certain number of
landings will be made on the windward side of a float or pier.

When the wind is of moderate strength or less, it isn't difficult to
make a broadside landing into a slip that is parallel to the fairway.
With fenders deployed, one simply stops the boat in a position parallel
to the float or pier and the wind will push to boat to the dock. By
virtue of the bow's normally taller profile, shoal draft, and lighter
weight, the wind will tend to carry the bow faster than the stern. In
the face of a strong wind it may be advisable to stop with the bow
angled slightly away from the float rather than absolutely parallel,
and when entirely lucky the wind will push the bow into line as it
shoves the hull toward the intended landing.

When landing on the windward side of slip at right angles to the
fairway, it is necessary to remember that for a portion of the approach
the vessel will be beam to the wind, and allow for some sideslip
approaching the float.


Wind blowing or current running off the dock:

Wind blowing off the dock can be frustrating for boaters without a
definite plan, but it need not be unduly difficult. A much more
perpendicular approach will be required to prevent the wind from
carrying off the bow, and in cases where the wind is severe it isn't
unheard of to begin with an almost 90 degree position. Skilled
operators often begin with the stem a few feet from the dock and about
2/3 of the way aft from the front of the intended landing space.
Landing in these conditions can require a decisive use of the throttle.
Set the rudder to pivot the bow toward the front of the slip and power
ahead. Once the boat begins to turn, the wind will tend to keep the bow
off the dock. With some practice, it becomes easy to predict how much
throttle can be applied without hitting the dock.

Once alongside, get lines ashore quickly. In severe conditions it may
be useful to rig an aft leading spring line and make this the first
line fast after landing. If needed, the boat can be powered ahead
against an aft leading spring and thereby held to the dock while other
lines are secured.


When all else fails, say "Gaa gaa".

Learning close quarter maneuvering with a single screw inboard requires
practice, patience, and a plan. Some boaters practice without a plan,
managing only to get very adept at docking and maneuvering awkwardly.
Visualizing the physics involved in the process will allow a boater to
understand why a landing was smooth and successful, or appreciate
exactly what went wrong during the latest embarrassing moment (and we
all have them) at the helm.

Above all, don't forget the magic docking words. (Shame on some our
readers! I meant the "repeatable" docking words.) The magic docking
words are part of the vocabulary of most infants and familiar to us
all. When things go wrong, simply say "Gaa Gaa," remembering that
it's an acronym for "go around again, go around again." The
seasoned pro is not afraid to abort a landing that isn't going well,
back off, and take a second run at it. Nobody will really remember that
it took Joe Doaks two or three attempts to make a decent landing in
some difficult conditions- but they'll never forget the day John Doe
wrecked his own as well as a neighboring boat.

(Now that you're safely at the dock, settle in and watch for Part IV
of this series in our next issue. We will discuss how to get away.)

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

On 29 Oct 2006 21:52:38 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

Here's one for the proofreaders out there. Want to make sure I didn't
get port and starboard accidentally reversed. Get a fresh cup of coffe
if inclined to wade into this. 2500 words. :-)


I can't remember if you mentioned this in previous articles, but a
common commentary I use when doing on-the-water instruction is "it's
easier to add momentum than remove it". Just a thought.


"Neutral is your friend".



Outboards are defiantly better at maneuvering than inboards. :)

A statement I might debate, but not now. Packing up and heading home from
the boat.


Eisboch

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

Outboards are defiantly better at maneuvering than inboards. :)

A statement I might debate, but not now. Packing up and heading home from
the boat.


Eisboch


On second thought, I think I'll wait for a while. Just checked the Sagamore
Bridge webcam and traffic is a bit heavy. I'll wait until the commuters get
through.

http://www.capecodlivecam.com/sagamore.shtml

Eisboch

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

Outboards are defiantly better at maneuvering than inboards. :)


A statement I might debate, but not now. Packing up and heading home
from the boat.


Eisboch


On second thought, I think I'll wait for a while. Just checked the
Sagamore Bridge webcam and traffic is a bit heavy. I'll wait until the
commuters get through.



So,

First of all ... before I make a fool of myself ... are you talking singles
or twins?

Eisboch

On 29 Oct 2006 21:52:38 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

(such as a breakwater dock or must fuel
docks),

typo: must most

On 29 Oct 2006 21:52:38 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

(if docking port side to, the rudder should
be taken hard astarboard)

I think you meant "hard a starboard" but perhaps "hard to starboard"
would be clearer.

"Chuck Gould" wrote in
oups.com:

Now that you're safely at the dock

I always wondered why, if they're going to continue to make it out of this
cheap plastic crap that's as easy to destroy as an eggshell....why can't
they put a big, WIDE rubber bumper, built right into the hull like the cars
have, that you can bang against the nails sticking out of the
dock...without destroying a $900,000 boat....or even a $32,000 boat....or
even a $20,000 boat! The strip should be easily replaceable, built into
its groove it slides right out of after taking off the end cap.

Isn't the price high enough to include an all-around rubber bumper and the
hull reinforcing to support it? They don't have to put wheels and a
suspension system on it like a car, so there should be plenty of profit
left over for the strip, especially at these prices.

Why should you have to hang the equivalent of an old tire over the side to
keep the eggshell hull away from the dock? How stupid.

Larry
--
I sure hope Halloween comes real soon....
I've run out of Halloween candy THREE TIMES SO FAR!

On 29 Oct 2006 21:52:38 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

The magic docking
words are part of the vocabulary of most infants and familiar to us
all. When things go wrong, simply say "Gaa Gaa," remembering that
it's an acronym for "go around again, go around again." The
seasoned pro is not afraid to abort a landing that isn't going well,
back off, and take a second run at it.

Chuckle.

To which I would add the safe driving slogan: "Leave yourself an out",
so that you have time and space to "go around again". Easier said
than done of course, but a good concept to be thinking about.

Good article(s). I think I see a book coming.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...

On 29 Oct 2006 21:52:38 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

The magic docking
words are part of the vocabulary of most infants and familiar to us
all. When things go wrong, simply say "Gaa Gaa," remembering that
it's an acronym for "go around again, go around again." The
seasoned pro is not afraid to abort a landing that isn't going well,
back off, and take a second run at it.

Chuckle.

To which I would add the safe driving slogan: "Leave yourself an out",
so that you have time and space to "go around again". Easier said
than done of course, but a good concept to be thinking about.

Good article(s). I think I see a book coming.


I was actually congratulated once by a dock watcher following an aborted
stern in docking in Scituate.
Only problem was ... he thought I was leaving.

Eisboch

Wayne.B wrote:
On 29 Oct 2006 21:52:38 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:

(if docking port side to, the rudder should
be taken hard astarboard)

I think you meant "hard a starboard" but perhaps "hard to starboard"
would be clearer.

I agree that "astarboard" looks a bit weird, (and spellchecker doesn't
like it at all), but according to a couple of nautical dictionaries I
keep on hand "aport" and "astarboard" are the correct spellings. I'll
consider changing it.