Practice Boating Drill Guide part 3
November 1st, 2008 — dodoBoat Drilling Touch and Go Docking
Just as pilots practice “touch and go” landings to hone their skills, the powerboat skipper should perfect his docking technique practicing with the same method. This is best done at a deserted pier so that you won’t get in anyone’s way (or be embarrassed by your own early efforts). After a few passes at the pier, you’ll soon be confident that you can handle your boat properly in most docking circumstances.
Preparation: The intent is to be skillful enough to bring your boat alongside the dock without relying on the dock lines to pull you into position. Start your practice session early in the day when wind and water are calmest. Hang fenders over the side you plan to dock on.
Drill: Locate a spot on the pier as your eventual destination. Approach the pier at about a 20° angle. Use steering and reverse to align the boat at the pier. As soon as the boat has stopped in the position you desire, move the boat away from the dock and start again. Try approaching port and starboard sides to acquaint yourself with your boat’s handling characteristics in close quarters.
Drill: To practice an approach to a crowded dock, tie broomsticks to the dock, extending out over the water, to mark the space between other “boats.” Try several approaches, making sure that you stay within the space you have allotted yourself without touching the neighboring “boats.”
Boat Drilling Picking Up a Mooring
Although most boat handling skills are used while actually docking, the popularity of moorings in many areas will require you to develop techniques for picking up a mooring float. This procedure is similar in many ways to retrieving a floating object. A little practice with an actual mooring in an isolated area will insure that you know all the steps when you need them in a crowded anchorage.
Preparation: Find an unused mooring buoy. A navigational buoy is not a good substitute. Most moorings have either a ring or a shackle attached to the floating buoy. You’ll need a bow line to thread through that eye. Some moorings may already have a line attached so be careful not to tangle your prop as you approach.
Drill: The safest and most controlled approach to a buoy is from the downwind side. Before beginning your approach, locate the wind direction by looking for flags or smoke in the area. Other boats will be downwind of their moorings.
Have the boathook and bow line ready, with someone on the bow to handle the actual tie-up. At idle speed, approach the buoy and, when it is out of sight under the bow, have your crew tell you where it is located. If necessary, the crew can use the boathook to snag the buoy and pull it in. As soon as that’s done, put the engine in neutral so as not to run over it. Pass the bow line through the buoy eye and fasten the end to your bow cleat.
If you are alone, you may want to secure the bow line and bring the tail back near the steering wheel. You can then bring the boat alongside the mooring buoy and thread the line from the cockpit.
To depart from a mooring, start your engine, release the end of the bow line and pull it through the buoy eye. Back away from the buoy.
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