How to leave pontoon berth - specific conditions

[Aeolus]

...... and I was well into my 80th decade when I bought it......

You should change your forum name to Methuselah!!

 

[Tranona]

You should change your forum name to Methuselah!!

Sometimes I feel like that!

 

[bluerm166]

In a related situation we have a shallow hull and cannot deploy our drop keel initially (because of the mud shelf) so the bow will inevitably blow away prematurely onto the other boat.It is the projection of the pullpit that makes fendering unsatisfactory and of course you need a solution for single handing.
We have a permanent fixed line running along the face of our near pontoon/jetty.A separate running line is passed through a pulley held on a clip that slides along that fixed line.This running line is fixed at the bow and the free end is passed back to the cockpit .(It's overall length is just short of the prop) When we back out we hold the bow to the pontoon and when nearly clear release the line to pull itself through and trail in the water as we back away .
The line is retrieved when in a clear position .
Appreciate that your situation may differ so as to make this method unworkable.

 

[roaringgirl]

That is precisely why each individual has to weigh up the pros and cons based on their own individual circumstances. In my case I simply would not be able to sail the boats I would like to own without one. If one is unable to reliably get in and out of ones berth in a range of conditions then a boat is a static caravan eating up money. My last boat was a new Bavaria 33 and I was well into my 8th decade when I bought it so specified everything that a lifetime sailing suggested was useful for ease of sailing singlehanded and that of course included a bow thruster. Not always necessary nor used, but there when needed. Can't say I noticed any significant loss of performance, but if there was, so what? Not difficult to to provide the power for it if the electrics system was designed properly.

Change of tack now and Bavaria has been replaced by a boat with the same characteristics as the OP and others here. Could not have considered owning such a boat without a bow thruster. While the Bavaria turned well and steered well in reverse it had huge windage and the main use for thruster was keeping the bow under control in a crosswind and from blowing off the pontoon while getting lines on board, the new boat turns slowly and steers unreliably astern, but with a long deep keel and lowish freeboard does not get blown around so thruster is used mainly to make a tighter turn (I reverse into the berth) and get the boat straight for reversing.

Its great of you do a lot of sailing and have a reliable crew a you can work up your techniques to deal with all sorts of situations, but for people like me who want to be able to sail without relying on anybody else you look for anything that makes things easier, or indeed makes owning a boat possible.

I very much doubt that I'll manage to be sailing into my 8th decade, so hats-off to you!

I live on board with my young family, which is sometimes like sailing single handed, sometimes half-handed! With no assistance at all it is perfectly possible to come alongside an upwind pontoon and hold the boat there while lines are secured - provided you can lassoo to attach the midships clear to the dock, you can then use the spring and propwash off the rudder to hold the bow in at the dock.

 

[Tranona]

With no assistance at all it is perfectly possible to come alongside an upwind pontoon and hold the boat there while lines are secured - provided you can lassoo to attach the midships clear to the dock, you can then use the spring and propwash off the rudder to hold the bow in at the dock.

Don't have a problem with that specific technique, but as I explained that is not appropriate for the berth I have. It is orientated east/west and although the prevailing wind is SW there is often south or even north (the worst) blowing up or down the run. Approach is from the south and the gap between the boats in the other side less than 2 boat lengths. so I have to turn to starboard to reverse in so the challenge is to do that with a crosswind and back in slowly with the wind blowing the bow off so the thruster is used to steer the boat. Lassoing a cleat is simply not practical from behind the wheel of a wide sterned high freeboard AWB. Vey different the odd times I have crew as they can pick up the fixed lines as I back in, although thruster still valuable (particularly with the new boat) to make the turn in the limited space.

As I said, you have to assess what is necessary to deal with the barriers to using the boat and sometimes improved techniques are appropriate and for others fitting the appropriate equipment is the way to go. Both my neighbours with similar size boats have thrusters fitted - one even older than me and vastly more experienced having bought his Freedom 33 in Puerto Rico and sailed it back nearly 30 years ago and the other a lovely shiny Southerly 110.

Pretty sure that if you do continue sailing into old age that your outlook will change just as mine did - remember people of my age served their apprenticeship in sailing (if they started young) without any of the aids now available and in boats that were far less handy but learn to move with the times.

 

[Seaway Channel]

Perhaps do what they did before all boats had engines. Warping. Position your boat using lines and go from there?

 

[Poignard]

Perhaps do what they did before all boats had engines. Warping. Position your boat using lines and go from there?

Nobody would be more pleased than I to see such skills in use again and to practise them myself, but I'm afraid it isn't going to happen.

Before boats had engines:
- there were no marinas,
- harbours had bouys strategically placed to enable sailing craft to be warped into position,
- all but the tiniest of sailing vessels would have a dinghy astern, instantly ready to be used to take lines ashore or to a buoy,
- there would be boatmen willing to assist in return for a tip.

Like it or not, we are where we are : dependent on our auxiliary engines when we get into the confines of a crowded port.

 

[westernman]

Nobody would be more pleased than me to see such skills in use again and to practise them myself, but I'm afraid it isn't going to happen.

Before boats had engines:
- there were no marinas,
- harbours had bouys strategically placed to enable sailing craft to be warped into position,
- all but the tiniest of sailing vessels would have a dinghy astern, instantly ready to be used to take lines ashore or to a buoy,
- there would be boatmen willing to assist in return for a tip.

Like it or not, we are where we are : dependent on our auxiliary engines when we get into the confines of a crowded port.

And there would be a boy who was paid a shilling a week who was handy with the rowing dinghy.