Safe Boating

Cruiser Handling Guide - Landing

Landing a boat is one of the reasons why so many boats never leave the slip. Their owners do not feel they have the skill to do it right. Here, too, practice is the only way to overcome that concern. First, you see how your boat reacts at low speeds in open water, then take the bull by the horns and come ashore again.

Do it one step at a time. Take all the time you need. Maneuver at idle speeds, as slow as you can, and set out lots of fenders in case you do come too close to some obstruction.

Note: If you cannot avoid coming into contact with a dock or other boat, try to make the contact along the full length of the boat. That way the force is divided among two or more fenders and will not likely cause any damage. If you T-bone the end of a finger dock, you are more likely to damage your boat.

a. Safety position

This is one of the most useful techniques of all. It allows you to hold your position with a minimum of movement, either on your part or from your boat. If you are waiting for a boat to clear the gas dock, or your neighbour to finish tying up before you enter the slip, you can use the safety position.

Rotate your boat so the wind is coming from astern. This is the most stable position. The wind passes down both sides of your craft, almost holding you in place the way a ping pong ball is held in place by a flow of water. You simply alternate engines with quick bursts in reverse to hold your place.

Note: It is much more difficult to hold with your bow into the wind. As soon as it falls off to one side or the other, the wind catches it and you have to use considerable power to point back up into the wind and that can carry the bow over to the other side.

b. Checklist

The safety position also allows you to go through your landing checklist.

1. Make sure your lines are secured to the appropriate cleats and ready to deploy without tangling. Your fenders should also be swung overboard and set at the right height to protect the hull.
2. Check the conditions, any wind or current, where you are landing and whether you are landing stern first or bow first.
3. Decide what you need to do.
4. Tell the crew what you require and when.

c. Landing on the dock

Note: the technique for landing bow first or stern first is the same, except that when you land stern first, you engage the engines in reverse.

1. At idle speed, bring the bow up to the dock.
2. As the bow reaches the dock, use the engine closest to the dock to turn the vessel broadside to the dock. If the turn is not fast enough, turn the wheel away from the dock to bring the stern in.

Note: This will take some practice. The first time you try it you will likely land perfectly, but six feet or more from the dock. The trick is to know when to begin the turn so the bow stays close to the dock while the stern swings in. Lots of fenders on the dock side will give you more confidence.

d. Wind off dock

1. Using alternate shifters, bring the bow up to the dock.Note: The angle of your approach is determined by the wind. When the wind is strong, off shore, you want to approach with the bow as directly into the wind as possible. That way you are minimizing the effect of the wind by offering as small a profile as you can get. Use the downwind engine or alternate engines to hold your line of approach.
2. As the bow reaches the dock, use the engine closer to the dock and turn the wheel away from the dock to bring the stern up.Note: In a strong offshore wind, you might have to add throttle to the engine closer to the dock bring the stern up into the wind. You may also have to engage the outside engine forward to hold the bow up to the dock.

e. Wind on dock

As with the previous technique, you angle of approach is determined by the wind. You want to approach with the stern as directly into the wind as possible so it has a minimal effect. The rest of the technique remains the same as when the wind is off the dock, except that you may have to put your engines in reverse to slow your movement toward to the dock. Remember, reversing the engine closer to the dock will bring the bow closer. Engaging it in forward will bring the stern closer. Reversing the engine farther from the dock will move the bow away from the dock.

f. If all else fails

When an offshore wind is too strong for you to bring the boat broadside to the dock, you can set one of your crew on shore and use your lines to bring the bow up. Approaching the dock stern first will probably make it easier for your crew to step off onto the dock.

1. Place an extra fender at the stern to protect the swim platform.
2. Have a person on your crew standing at the stern, with a line that is secured to the stern cleat. A second crewmember is on the bow, ready to throw a bow line to shore. If there is help ashore, crew at the stern can step back onto the boat and go forward to the bow line.
3. Approach the dock stern first into the wind, offering as little profile to the wind as possible.
4. As soon as you are close enough, the crew steps off the boat and secures the stern line to a bollard or cleat on the dock.
5. Put the outside engine in gear forward. If needs be, add a little throttle. The bow will move up against the dock.
6. As soon as it is close enough, put a line ashore and secure the bow.

g. Landing in slip

Most of the time you will be backing into the slip. Although boaters who are not used to this find it more difficult, the boat is usually easier to keep in control when backing up. The boat moves more slowly and reacts sooner to changes in direction.

1. Make sure your fenders are at the right height – on both sides of the boat – and that your lines are secured to the boat and untangled.
2. Rotate the boat so its stern is pointed into the slip.
3. By alternating shifters, pull the boat into the slip.Note: This becomes more challenging when you have to approach the slip on an angle. In a crosswind, for instance, you should approach upwind as you would on a dock. This can be tricky, particularly when there is a boat in the adjacent slip. Often you are better off backing up to the slip, to put crew ashore with bow and stern lines. They can usually manhandle the boat into the slip.