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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Which is better, port or strbrd tie-up?

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/18/2013 : 07:09:57

Hi all,

I have to reserve my new dock at Sandusky Harbor Marina for the larger boat, and the marina manager is allowing me to choose which side I'd like to tie up to the dock. Is it easier to tie up on one side compared to the other? Here is an aerial shot of the marina, and I believe my slip would be one of the slips on the second spine from the left.

Where I dock my C25 I tie up on the port side, but I never had a choice. sometimes as I came in to my dock I wondered if it might have been easier to have a starboard-side tie up.

anyway, any advice is appreciated.

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 07:38:32

I sure someone who is in a marina might have a better answer than me. But my question would be: from which direction is the prevailing wind?

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 07:52:33

<< from which direction is the prevailing wind? >>

Bingo..

you want your boat on the inland side of the pier ( for the passing boat waves to push it away from the dock ) and the dock on the side of the wind to blow the boat away from the dock.

I wanted mine with the stern facing south to get more sun on the solar panel.

try not to have a much bigger sailboat right next to you.. if you get into a storm the boat with the bigger mast wins.

Edited by - redeye on 01/18/2013 07:54:22

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 08:35:32

Can you tie off only on one side? If so, being to leeward of the dock has some benefit, until the wind pipes up from the other direction. (Storms around here usually blow from the opposite direction of the prevailing wind.) If you can tie the boat on both sides, holding it off the dock, I'd pick the prevailing windward side--that's what I have (along with a "dock wheel" at the corner of the finger).

Another factor is how an inboard sailboat maneuvers. A couple of components are:

1. In forward gear, the prop-wash against the rudder can turn the boat very sharply, whereas in reverse gear, you have very little steerage until you get some way on so the rudder has some effect.

2. Prop-walk: In forward it will push the stern to starboard, turning the bow to port (which can be counteracted by the rudder). In reverse, it will pull the stern to port, and the rudder will have little to do with it unless you are moving enough for steerage.

You can use a spring-line not just for docking, but for leaving by swinging the bow or stern away from the dock, aided by the rudder or by prop-walk. All of this is said without knowledge of the specifics of your slip choices and how you'll need to be able to maneuver... I'd ask around. (Your fairways look relatively tight for a 30+ footer.)

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/18/2013 08:45:50

DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 08:35:33

Prevailing wind seems to be the primary factor. But whichever side keeps the outboard furthest away from the dock in a storm or heavy wake makes me more comfortable.

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panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 11:15:22

Ben I dock at SHM and have been there for six years or more. A. dock which is to the far right is much short now. Maybe three years ago they shortened it to about half of what your picture shows. My dock is A59 the dock is on the port side and I face the west. I use to be at Battery Park but my boat was vandalized. I am very happy at SHM it is clean and well maintained. I'm not sure how you will be coming up from Columbus but let me know I might be able to give you some tip on how to get away from Cedar Point traffic.

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panhead1948
Captain

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345 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 11:30:43

Ben the docks go A thru F right to left in your picture. If you are on E or F you don't want to be to close to the end. If we get a good blow out the Northeast it can get a little rough down on the end. At the same time you want to be near the end for deeper water. If you have any questions call me 419 483-7423

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 11:58:54

I like the wind on my nose and prefer to dock on the outboard side of the arc as I'm turning into the slip (starboard turn, docking port side to). This way if I'm a little off coming in, I'm more likely to hit the dock than my slipmate. Docking port side to also puts my port mounted power inlet along the finger dock.

Based on being assigned to the second dock from the left, if my slip were on the left side of it, I'd dock port side to. If I were on the right side, I'd dock starboard side to.

Edited by - dlucier on 01/18/2013 12:16:34

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4024 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 14:15:05

I'm with Don, Assuming you nose in if its a starboard turn in, Have the dock on your port side, Port turn in,Have the dock on your starboard side. You will glide right in and the dock will catch you if your off a little. I pop the engine in neutral 3 slips away and just coast in. As soon as the nose passes the end of the dock I put it in reverse and the boat slows to a stop perfectly. I prefer nose in just because you have more control. These boats don't back up well.

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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 14:23:48

FWIW....having had several docks, w/ a variety different circumstances (prevailing winds, neighbors...etc) I suggest considering the momentum you'll have when docking, I find it's best to be able to slide up/into the finger slip. Having to stop, turn, dance about to get into the slip is just a hassle....

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 14:41:51

I've been on the "A" dock on the opposite side from Kevin (Panhead). I make a turn to port to enter the slip and, since momentum is causing the boat to slide to starboard as I make the turn, I prefer a starboard tie up. This allows me to actually enter the slip at idle speed or slower. Since you're moving to a much larger boat and will need a little time to learn to maneuver her in tight spaces, I think using momentum to let you glide to the (well-padded

)slip would be preferable to having to overcome that momentum in order to avoid collision with the boat on the other side.

So, if you're going to turn to starboard to enter the slip, tie off to port. If you're turning to port, tie off starboard. Essentially on the "downstream" side. (No, there is no current in the bay to speak of.)

If the Beneteau has bow and stern thrusters, I'd stop dead in the fairway and back in without worrying about momentum.

BTW, the prevailing winds are WNW to NNW.

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 16:25:13

Thanks all, it's nice to have such a friendly and helpful group. It makes sense about port turning into the slip and a starboard tie-up, and vise versa. That's what I'll try for.

And I certainly appreciate the marina info from those sailors with the local knowledge. It's really a big help. Hopefully the transaction proceeds smoothly with a happy conclusion. The survey is tomorrow, the finance department has my credit app, and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 16:30:33

I have a starboard tie up and wish it were port. The prevailing wind here pushes me towards port and the turn into the slip is less extreme. I'm not the only one, on my dock there are many available starboard tie up slips and waiting lists for the port tie up ones.

Since you are going to a boat with an inboard engine the decision will also depend on how much prop-walk the boat has and how well it handles turning. One trick that is useful is to put the transmission into a slow reverse when you are making the final turn (and the boat is moving in a forward direction). On my boat (RH prop, and a right turn) this uses the prop walk to help the boat turn more tightly and slows me down at the same time. The boat can almost turn in place if I'm at the right speed. Prop walk is pretty minimal on our Pearson, but this is still very helpful and has made my docking a lot more reliable.

Switching from an outboard to an inboard has it's pluses and minuses for docking. It is really nice to have engine controls on the wheel, but I miss being able to cheat and use the motor pivot to turn the boat in place.

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 17:26:45

My personal preference is a port side tie. Don't ask me to explain except that it's more like getting out of a plane or a car... Since some of the time when cruising I don't have a choice, I really don't care. When I do hae a choice, I always pick a port side tie. BUT, the aforementioned advice should prevail if you are worried about conditions, etc... Personally, weather and prop walk are parts of life and I don't worry about that stuff too much since I have dealt with just about every dock situation.

sten
DPO "Zephyr" '82 C25 SR FK #3220
SV "Lysistrata" '73 C&C39 - Dunedin FL

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 01/18/2013 : 18:02:48

Whether you enter bow first or stern first, just take it slow, and you'll be ok if you have a crew to help. Make sure that, before you enter the slip, you and crew both have a boat hook to grab a piling or dock. It will be a little challenging to dock singlehanded, but you'll learn how. The nice thing is that a bigger, heavier boat won't be pushed around by the wind nearly as much as the C25. That will make the boat's movement more predictable while entering the slip. I prefer backing into most slips, but either way works. When you know your slip, you should rig a 3/8" line from the outer piling to the finger pier on one side, and another line from the other outer piling to a place on the dock. When you enter the slip, you can grab either of those lines with a boat hook and, once you have a grip on the line, you can pull the boat into the slip by hand.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 01/19/2013 : 19:43:51

Something else to consider, when I shared a slip with another boat there was not a piling between the slips to tie the stern to. I could only tie-up one side of the boat at the stern but had a cleat for both sides at the bow. The prevailing wind most of the year pushed my boat away from the dock. During the winter months the wind pushed my boat against the fender and dock. After a year I had two discolored areas on the port side from the boat rubbing against the fenders.

Now that I'm in a single slip with finger piers on each side I tie the boat up in the middle of the slip and don't have to worry about the fenders rubbing. Doesn't hurt to have a 14' X 40' slip either.

Personally, I'd rather be on the upwind side of a slip if I'm sharing. I'd rather be the guy having to take extra precaution when docking. This eliminates the issue of having a new or inexperienced captain losing control of his boat and being blown downwind into my boat.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2013 : 10:11:36

I use a similar technique to Alex's when docking the Mystic Seaport's Herreshoff launch (inboard)--I approach the dock port-side-to, bow angled in, go to reverse at idle speed, and use the prop (short throttle bursts) to slow me and swing the stern in. Done right, I stop with the boat a couple of inches off the dock where I can flip two lines onto cleats and step off. If I come in starboard-to, the prop-walk as I slow the boat tends to pull the stern away from the dock, and I sometimes need to flip on a spring-line to let me push the stern in using forward gear. As said, it's different from an outboard, particularly in reverse with no ability to direct the thrust.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/20/2013 10:12:21

Stu Jackson C34
Admiral

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844 Posts

Response Posted - 01/21/2013 : 12:28:33

Do some research on prop walk and midships springlines (Nauti Duck's Dock-O-Matic, right here on this board).

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