How To Sail: Docking Technique - Sailing Basics Video Series
Docking can be incredibly challenging and result in lots of damage to your boat, to other boats and to docks. Watch the video to see some simple tips to do this right.
Find out about the dock & area
Direction of prop walk
Prep fenders, dock lines & lifeline gate
Ideally, approach into the wind
Assign crew roles
Slow down!
Beam of boat should make contact first
Crew steps off and ties off
We already took notes!
We have included all of the things we said in the video here, so you can just copy and paste what you need for your notes.
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APPROACHING A DOCK
Docking should instill fear, trembling, and extreme caution in every sailor. Every time I bring a sailboat into a slip or to a dock, my heart still beats faster, and that’s actually a good thing. Whenever you try cramming a beautiful sailboat into a tight space surrounded by millions of dollars in yachts, and you add wind and current and prop walk, this makes for a challenging situation.
We recommend when you’re working on your docking, find a nice long dock, and ideally practice your docking in calm conditions. We’re big fans of practicing docking at fuel docks. These are usually longer docks, not too many boats around, and it just gives you a little bit more room to maneuver. On this video, we’re just going to cover the basics. There’s a whole science to docking, lots of advanced techniques but we’re just going to look at the simple aspects of docking today. It’s really important, before you come into an unfamiliar marina, dock, or slip, you want to find out about the area. Four things that you want to know:
Number one, you want to know the wind direction. Where is the wind coming from? Which way is it going to push your boat? Number two, is there any current in the marina, and which way is that going to push your boat? The third thing is hazards. Often, you might find yourself in an area where there’s an old dock, maybe a strip of wood coming off, maybe there’s a rock in the area. You want to know those hazards. The fourth thing is the height of the dock. This is really important, because we need to know the height at which to put our fenders so they protect our boat when we come in to dock.
Another thing you want to know is the effect of prop walk on your sailboat. Most sailboats, when you put the boat in reverse, are going to pull the boat to port. Before we make our approach into the dock, there’s a couple other things that we want to get ready. We want to tie our fenders on. We then want to run our dock lines, one from the bow cleat, one from the stern cleat. Make sure they’re not going over the lifelines or around the stanchion. We also want to open up the lifeline gate, just so we’re ready to jump off on the dock. When you’re coming into a slip or a dock, really important that you plan your approach into the wind. It’s going to make things a lot easier, and just help slow your boat down.
As you line up to come in with the dock, you want to be going slow. I can’t emphasize this enough. You really, really want just barely enough speed so that you have steerage. You want the boat going as slow as possible as you approach the dock. Talk with your crew. Make sure everyone is clear on their responsibilities and how they can help you dock. When the boat is one to two boat lengths from the dock, you’re going to want to go ahead and put the boat in neutral. What this is going to do is, it’s going to help you control your speed and just glide in slowly to the dock.
As you make your final approach to the dock, it’s really important that you come in at as shallow an angle as possible. As the boat gets really close to the dock, you’re going to want to start pivoting the bow away from the dock.
The goal here, when the boat makes contact with the dock, you want the beam of the boat, the widest part, usually near the shrouds, to gently kiss the dock.
Right when the boat is about to make contact with the dock, the helmsman can feather the boat in reverse. This means just giving a little bit of reverse and go into neutral, a little bit of reverse, and go into neutral. You don’t want to slam the boat into reverse at this point, or prop walk can pull your stern away from the dock. When the boat has come to a full and complete stop, the crew with the dock lines can step off the boat and go ahead and cleat those lines off to get your boat attached to the dock.
Warn you crew ahead of time you don’t want anyone leaping or jumping off the boat. As the boat comes in, if you have people trying to make flying leaps off onto the dock, it’s just a recipe for a disaster.
PS. Want to spend a week improving your sailing skills while living aboard a beautiful yacht in an exotic location? Visit Nautilus Sailing School: www.nautilussailing.com/
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Пікірлер: 64
I learned to sail as a kid by my father and now as middleaged I have my own boat after 20+ years of not setting foot on a sailboat. Alot knowledge was in the musclememory but the neccesary details needs to by brushed up naturaly. And this channel does it perfectly! Alot of "ahhh, that's right"..now I remember how to and why it went a bit hairy and unnecessarly difficult and heavy performing the different manuvers! Thank you!
@NautilusSailing
15 күн бұрын
Glad to help. We notice how we can lose our touch when we don't sail for a while. May we prescribe more sailing? 🫡
Sailing doesn't come easy to me. These videos are truly helping me actually understand and learn the basics without being under pressure on the boat. Thank you!!!
@NautilusSailing
2 ай бұрын
Glad to help!
I regularly see boats under control of the Royal Yachting Association encouraging or allowing crew to launch themselves onto pontoons. It's madness. I really like your style, step ashore. Thank you.
@utopia2112
2 жыл бұрын
We say “No Superman sh*t!”
Thanks for your video's and instruction it is delivered in a clear, concise and easy to understand manner, without any drama or theatrics that others may employ.
As always, excellent video. Thanks learning so much.
these videos are great, for a complete novice like myself (that stupidly bought a sailboat with no experience since it was a bargain) I am finding them a great help to get to grip with the basics at least
@henrikpantle9266
Жыл бұрын
as long as you are aware, this might be the right way. Some train and practice but never have a boat.
I'm from Argentina. A couple of years ago I went to Lake Champlain, Vermont, for a sailing course (Intl. Sailing School) and was instructed exactly as in this video. We practiced with a Bavaria 40. Very instructive.
@NautilusSailing
2 жыл бұрын
I'd love to do some sailing in Argentina, epic part of the world.
Very well explained, thumbs up
Man these videos have helped me so much.
Really good basic explanations for good seamanship!
Great tips thanks :)
I like the first line connected to the dock to be an aft spring particularly if the wind/current is pushing you off the dock. Once you have an aft spring attached the helmsman can turn the helm away from the dock and put the boat in gear. That will pull the boat in against the dock and the bow and stern lines can be attached at your leisure. Once the lines are secured, put the engine in neutral and shut down and you are tied up. Don't forget to center the helm.
Your videos have been extremely helpful. I purchased a 26 foot Pearson sailboat and I am new to sailing.
@NautilusSailing
2 жыл бұрын
Awesome! Hope you guys have a blast sailing it and learning the ropes...
Nice!
Ha. I spent four months in that beach club during lockdown. Rented one of the houses on the golf course, which came with use of the beach club. One of the best times ever!
@NautilusSailing
9 ай бұрын
Very cool! Thanks for sharing. We had a lot of people start sailing during lockdown. The sense of freedom is amazing. Keep it up.
@scrumpymanjack
9 ай бұрын
@@NautilusSailing we didn't sail there, and I'm not a sailor. But one day I will be!
Nice video, esp the emphasis on slow speed and shallow angle. A lot of beginners tend to go in too rough, leading to potential accidents. I prefer, however, to keep the crew on board as much as possible, and certainly with the first line, unless it's really impossible to belay it from the boat. This is even more important for single handed sailing: don't leave the boat until it is secured. About leaving: the same thing, there's no need for the person to untie the rope and then jump aboard. Just tie it such that you can easily loosen it from the boat. No jumping needed = higher safety for crew.
@NautilusSailing
2 жыл бұрын
EXCELLENT points!
Thankyou :)
This was great to watch. Thank you for a short, simple and concise instructional video.
@NautilusSailing
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks Evan! Much appreciated...
Great video 👍
@NautilusSailing
4 ай бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it
Finally a simple video explaining sailboat docking. Tired of the rambling.
If you're going to spring off it's better and safer to have the crew on deck controlling the spring line rather than doing from the dock.
@NautilusSailing
3 жыл бұрын
Good advice Paul! We have done it many times both ways, and it's hard to have a one size fits all approach. So much depends on boat type and freeboard, and the crew. Our only hesitation with doing it from on deck is that it can be a real pain if the dock line gets caught in the cleat as you are trying to flick it off! Just something to keep in mind...
Well explained thanks for the tips. How do you suggest a single handed sailor can dock? Is it simply move faster between each task and in effect multi-task?
@NautilusSailing
4 жыл бұрын
Another great question George! So docking technique really depends on conditions, size and type of sailboat, and dock. Honestly, most single handed sailors when entering a more challenging marina or docking area call ahead and have the marina be ready to assist. This makes things a lot easier! If you are docking a smaller boat on your own, then you can use these techniques. You just want to make sure the boat is completely stopped before jumping off with stern line, have the bow line ready too, and be quick :)
I want to plan a Mexican vacation with you guys doing some instruction based entirely on the quality of your vids.
@NautilusSailing
2 жыл бұрын
Would love to have you aboard! It is an amazing adventure and the Sea of Cortez is a BEAUTIFUL place to explore :)
Good tips
@NautilusSailing
3 жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
I will do the rya competent crew training next November the 6-10th. I'm using the Esail software to get used to terms and boat responses...and to docking it is being a nightmare. I've been crashed my videogame boat all the time I'll trying to do. I'm wondering if it is that hard to completing the mission on virtual system, how it would be in real life? And to get worse...youtube after that started to show me lots of crashing boats in marines (in real life)... and that is not helping me to cheer up😂.
@NautilusSailing
9 ай бұрын
In real life, we're right there with our students and don't often sink our training boats. You also have so many more visual, physical cues to work with. We say, slow is pro, so we only go as fast as we want to hit something. Keep at it, but sail on as many boats as you can.
There are no cc or transcript for this video which I would greatly love. It helps use it as teaching material. Other than that it's great guys!!! Thanx anyway!
@NautilusSailing
3 жыл бұрын
Glad the video is proving helpful as a teaching material! Let me check with our video guy and see about transcripts for teaching. That is a fantastic idea...
If you're new to the area, how do you find out how high the dock is and what hazards are nearby?
@NautilusSailing
4 жыл бұрын
Great question Tyler. We usually contact the marina before entering either on VHF or via phone, and this is a good time to ask about dock height. Otherwise we enter a marina with fenders about 6 inches off the water, and once inside the marina take a look at dock height and adjust accordingly.
@digitalcanvas4444
4 жыл бұрын
@@NautilusSailing Thank you!
This guy giggles 😂
Cool. Now do a docking video for single handed sailing
@NautilusSailing
Жыл бұрын
Great idea!
I have yet to find an instructional video that emphasizes amidships cleat first. Performing a bow or stern dock line cleating first allows for immediate bow or stern swing away from the dock. An amidships dock line to dock cleat prevents this every time. Is there a reason you and other instructors don't make this THE common practice?
@NautilusSailing
4 жыл бұрын
Hey Kent... great point. On smaller sailboats, I think using the amidships cleat is a great idea. When sailing on boats in the 25-30 foot range, I find this works really well. For me personally, I find that on larger sailboats, the stern can still pivot away from the dock when using the amidships cleat, depending on your approach speed to the dock. I find that the method shown in the video stops the forward momentum with much less chance of the boat pivoting away from the dock.
a lot of errors - beginning with barfoot crew and continue with "shallow as possible" and...
The crew member should have worn shoes. You never know if the dock is made of wood and if a piece sticking out.
@NautilusSailing
4 жыл бұрын
Yes! Nice catch... You are definitely right. This is our home dock which we use year round and so we know it well, but for most docks, wearing shoes is a must! Thanks...
You sound like you're just about to laugh all the time. Bit odd. But thanks for explaining the things clearly.
“Find a nice open long dock” I can’t even get to that place because of the wind , current , crowded conditions. As a new boater , I’m ready to abandon the hobby because every time I dock and undock is like a pure panic, exhausting and not enjoyable : (
@NautilusSailing
3 жыл бұрын
Well said! We know the feeling. Most times the fuel dock is where you need to go and it's a popular place. Tricky and everyone is watching. Pick a calm morning, check your tides and practice. Get every fender you own. Slow is pro, 1.5-2 knots is max. After a couple of 1 hour sessions, you'll do better.
Good video, except poor seamanship showing line handler stepping off the boat bare footed. Wearing shoes mitigates a lot of unnecessary risks.
@NautilusSailing
2 жыл бұрын
Great point!
Get a Docking Stick. End of story.
@Misteribel
4 жыл бұрын
What is a docking stick? And does it do the steering, maneuvering, rope handling for you?
@charonstyxferryman
4 жыл бұрын
@@Misteribel Landlubber spotted (not you!) - or maybe (s)he talks about RC boats, LOL Definition: Landlubber (noun) : A person unfamiliar with the sea or sailing.