Boating and Sailing.pdf - Moja ladja

Chapter 6: The Art and Science of Docking
For example, let’s say you’ve got twin engines, and your helper grabs the port line first.
You stop the boat with a short burst of forward as the bow comes even with the bow post,
and the crew ties off that side, allowing some slack for maneuvering. Now you bump the
port engine into gear for a second or two, and it will magically walk the bow over to the
starboard post, where your crew can pick up that line and tie it fast. Then you apply a bit
more reverse on both engines. The boat backs up, and you stop it within a foot or two of
the docks with a short burst of forward. The aft crew person then jumps up on the dock
and completes the securing process.
Parallel Parking
Arriving at a parallel dock is usually less challenging, unless other boats are blocking the
ends of the parking spot. If there are no complications, you simply motor toward the dock
at a 30-degree angle at idle speed, then take the prop out of gear, turn the wheel away
from the dock, and let the momentum start to carry the stern toward the pilings.
This is easiest with a single, clockwise-rotating engine if you go in port-side to.
Straighten the wheel and give a burst of reverse and the boat stops, but also magically
crawls sideways to barely touch the dock—man, you look cool!
You can do the same thing with twin engines, leaving the port engine in neutral and
giving the starboard engine a shot of reverse. Since the starboard engine has more leverage
to turn the stern to port in reverse (assuming the more usual “outward rotating”
configuration in which the starboard prop is right-handed and the port prop is lefthanded),
you only need a second or two of power to do the job. Is this easy or what?
Of course, there are often complications. One more little test life puts in your way.
91
Making use of the thrust of
two engines rather than one
eases handling around the
docks, often without turning
the wheel at all.
(Photo credit: Frank Sargeant)