Safe Boating

Cruiser Handling Guide - Safe Departure

Your first decision is what order to let go the lines. The line closest to the wind secures your boat. You have bow and stern lines and two springs. When the wind is from the bow, the bow line is holding the boat. When it is blowing offshore from the stern quarter, the stern spring is doing most of the holding and so on.

As a general rule, the line closest to the wind is the last one you let go. An exception could occur when the wind is blowing directly off shore. Usually, you would let go one of the spring lines last, but if you want to pull away stern first, the bow line would be last. That way the wind would do the work, pushing your stern away while the bow line holds. Obviously the stern line is last when you want to go out bow first.

Note: if there is no one on the dock to assist you, your crew can hold the bow line with a single loop over a bollard, around a cleat or through a ring. Otherwise the crew would have to scramble over the bow rail or leap across to the swim platform, neither of which is advised.

a. Leaving the Dock or Pier

The first step in pulling away is to move the boat away from the dock. Before you start moving ahead or astern, fenders should be well clear of the dock, a meter away or more. Boaters who simply put the engines in gear and pull away run the risk of rolling the fenders up and rubbing the hull against the dock.

i. When the wind or current is not a factor

1. make certain the fenders are at dock level. Until you are more skilled you can put an extra fender near the swim platform when you head out bow first or at the bow when you head out stern first. Careful boaters do this regardless of their skill level.
2. have the crew untie all lines from the dock and secure them on the boat. Using the shifter that is closer to the dock put that engine in gear forward. Hold it in gear for a second or two only, just long enough to start the boat moving. Then quickly pull it back into neutral.Note: the engine closer to the dock moves the boat away. The outside engine moves the boat closer to the dock.
3. The bow will continue to move away from the dock. When it starts to slow down, put the inside engine in gear forward again for another second and pull it into neutral. If the boat starts to move forward, put the outside engine in reverse for a split second and quickly push it back into neutral. This stops the forward motion while continuing the bow’s turning away from the dock.
4. Should the swim platform get too close to the dock, or there is too much pressure on the fender, a quick in and out of the outside engine forward or inside engine astern will pull the stern away.
5. Feathering the engines in this way moves the boat sideways off the dock. Once the fenders are clear, you can turn the boat in the direction you wish to travel using the turning in small spaces technique. When the bow (or stern) is pointed the right way, put the downwind engine in gear.Note: To move away stern first, you start by putting the inside engine in reverse to move the stern away from the dock first.

ii. Wind off the dock

While the wind will do the work for you, pushing the boat away from the dock, you should still aim the boat in the direction you wish to travel, before proceeding.

1. Have the crew untie and secure all lines except the stern line (when you head out bow first) or the bow line (when you head out stern first). When you head stern first, get the crew on the boat before you depart (see note above).
2. Engage the inside engine in and out as described above until the boat is clear of the dock. Then rotate the boat until it is pointed where you want to go and proceed.

iii. Wind on dock

When the onshore wind is strong enough to hold the boat against the dock when you try to pull away using the inside engine, you have to use your lines to get off the dock. This operation can be tricky, particularly when the onshore wind is strong.

1. Set fenders as you would in the first technique; an extra fender at the bow when you head stern first or at the stern when you head bow first.
2. To go stern first, have the crew let go all lines except the bow line, which they secure to a cleat well forward of the bow. Here you may need assistance on the dock. With the bow line well secured, put the inside engine in reverse. The boat will pull against the bow line and the inside engine will push the stern away. You may need to add a little throttle to the inside engine. If the wind continues to hold you on, you can put the outer engine in gear forward for a second or two and then pull it out. Once you are clear, untie and secure the bow line and continue to move away from the dock stern first.Note: if the bow threatens to hit the dock once the line is let go, quickly put the outer engine in reverse for a second or less and the bow will pull away. Use as short a burst as you can because the same force tends to push the stern back toward the dock.
3. To go bow first, put the extra fender at the stern, right on the corner of the swim platform. Let go all lines except the stern line, which you secure to a cleat well aft. Put the inside engine in forward and the bow should pull away.

iv. Leaving slip

Departing from a slip is much the same as leaving from a dock or pier except that you will not likely have as much room on the outside, so the operation becomes a little more delicate. Nor will you have the choice to leave forward or astern. That will be determined by your position in the slip. For this description we will assume you have backed into the slip and are departing bow first.

1. Set fenders on both sides to protect you from your neighbours.
2. Untie and secure all lines. If necessary the crew can hold the boat against the finger dock until you are underway.Note: the most effective way to hold a boat is to stand with your side to the hull, grasp the rail or other hand hold as close to shoulder height as possible and simply raise the leg that is farther from the boat. This gives you maximum leverage.
3. Put the inside engine (the one closer to the finger dock) in gear forward for a second and pull it out. Let the bow swing away from the dock. If you have the room astern, putting the outer engine in reverse for a split second will assist the swing.
4. Once the bow is clear, put the outer engine in gear forward and pull ahead.
5. Use the shifters alternating one side at a time to pull the boat completely clear of the slip. Once you are clear of the finger dock and your neighbour, put both engines in reverse to stop your forward motion.
6. Use the rotating technique above to aim the boat the direction you want to travel and proceed.