How to Come Alongside the Fuel Dock Singlehanded

[@richardelder256]

I see you don't believe in using an amidships spring line. Which should be the first line that goes ashore. I'd docked my heavy, full keel cutter by myself with only 20 hp and little 2 blade prop for years. Went to the BVI to deliver a Swan 54 up to Annapolis, unfortunately with the owner on board. I rigged a proper midships spring and put out fenders as we approached the fuel dock. When the owner noticed it he insisted that I take it off. The dock boy took the bow line and pulled it in hard then cast off when he saw what had happened. Owner panicked and ran the bow into the fairway dock at about three knots. $3000 in Swan Dollars. Try a midships spring. You'll like it!

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hey Richard. Thanks for the comments, and that sounds like a heartbreaking situation to be in! Now I have to say, firstly, I am definitely a fan of a midships spring! My reasoning in the teaching in this video is to hit a system that works for as many of those watching this as possible. Generally speaking, a lot of charter yachts 50ft and under do not actually have a midships cleat! The SO 45 does, which is great, though these days they are a added extra and not coming as standard. Secondly, in the idea of being singlehanded for this I am looking for complete control, from the helm in this case. With the control line being on the cleat next to the helm, you stay within reach of your controls and nearby the cleat to manage your control line. Especially important when the throw does not go as planned the first time, you can retrieve from your current position. 3 knots into the dock, looks like $3000 swan dollars he got off easy!

[@jocomlakar3526]

@@45DegreesSailing you can be in full control if you rig the line through the midships cleat and aft and then to the winch or tie off at at aft cleat. Once made at the dock, pull in either by winch or by using engine forward and then reverse which makes the line slack. Singlehand first option!

[@denise2169]

Hi Nick, I've been learning a lot from your videos and just came back from a sailing week in Croatia. As crew, I was able to do everything well, thanks to your teaching, while some of my crewmates had trouble with tangled lines, etc.. Thanks from Switzerland (we have the biggest lake in Europe, and sailing is super here)!

[@45DegreesSailing]

@@denise2169 great to hear! Very happy you at finding the videos helpful. Sitting in Vis right now watching the rain pass over 😉 🌧️

[@Sommers234]

Solo is a great way to hone your skills and build confidence. I like watching this video because it helps teach me what is necessary... the better I am solo the better I am as a skipper with crew.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Couldn’t have said it better myself Andrew.

[@PJCelis]

Solo skippering is real freedom, which gives peace of mind to invite ANYBODY you want onboard, not just sailors!

[@JaittPenguin]

Hi Nick. It's been a hot minute. You tought me and my partner Aey to sail back in the dark ages in NZ. Your lessons enabled us to have a grand old time. So glad to see you still active, are well and doing what we all love. Just getting back into it as approaching retirement and came across your channel. 😮

[@45DegreesSailing]

BARRY AND AEY! So good to hear from you :D Yes we are certainly still going strong, we just got this comment and regaled the story of the meal we had at your house blessing. Come to Croatia and sail with us!

[@Thfeyhvfdetyhbvcd]

Try a quick release DOCKING STICK that snaps onto your boat hook. I made mine with some pvc and a couple pop rivets. Secure its end to a midships cleat, drop its rope loop over the bollard, yank the boat hook away, and gently keep your boat in a forward idle until it pulls itself against the dock. Easy Peasy.

[@darrellstyner0001]

Great video! I'd also be interested in techniques for leaving the dock in tight quarters with various wind angles.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks Darrel. Ok I will put that on the list

[@45DegreesSailing]

It was awhile ago Darrel, but here is one. Commentary to come on this one. LEAVING ACI MARINA, PALMIŽANA, CROATIA kzbin.info/www/bejne/j529lWCMps6Znrc

[@MonstaMunch101]

Sorry for dumbest question of all time (I'm not a sailor, just randomly drifting around youtube): The gas pump says in big capital letters "Not for sailboats" and you're putting it in a sailboat. Clearly I'm missing something, what is it?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Haha not a dumb question at all! That particular pump is not for sailboats, we fill from the other ones. This station also services cars. And there is a pump here for commercial boats/fishing boats. Hope that helps!

[@MonstaMunch101]

It does indeed, thank you.

[@SomethingToday30]

Really good to find this channel. Real time "how to" is awesome.

[@wolfgangdostmann2308]

Good video - the Skipper was not perfect, but who is perfect...nobody. So it was a good video to understand where to pay attention! Thanks!

[@45DegreesSailing]

That’s for the comments. Indeed not perfect, and it was his first time doing it! We do not learn everything by watching a perfect example every time. Seeing where the pain points are. The challenges. This is what we are working on showing!

[@birdinthebush]

I prefer the midship cleat. A midship line will keep the boat in control both fore and aft, giving the single hander time to tie fore and aft later.

[@45DegreesSailing]

I would agree with that in theory many times. What we are showing here is also to allow for those yachts that do not have a midships cleat (more common than I would like!) and also in situations where leaving the helm/throttle is not a good idea, you can control this line completely from the helm.

[@frankbuetefuer6013]

Why are you guys never approach backwards in these situations? You can maneuver the boat very precisely to the wanted stern position, apply the stern line, drive into it like you did and fix the bow line. I learned it like that in the Netherlands and did it like that when being skipper on a chartered boat in Sicily. All the others did it in forward sometimes struggling to get the boat in position. Is there any reason for not doing it backwards?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hey Frank. I actually use the astern approach very often when the conditions/situation calls for it. I am a big advocate that you have the most control under motor on a yacht with your stern into the wind. In this case we had an offshore (albeit very light) breeze. So approaching in forward and applying reverse whilst turning alongside gives you a sideways momentum to bring you close to the pier. When the wind is along the dock (parallel to the pier) or blowing on, the reverse method is brilliant as you are able to be in very good control at slow speeds. Sometimes also the approach will depend on the surroundings and depths. This dock is quite shallow further down and has some obstructions (off the bow in this case) that do not allow you to start your approach from there, given we want the helm controls to the dock in this case, starboard side to.

[@frankbuetefuer6013]

@@45DegreesSailing Thanks a lot for your answer. I get the point about the very light weather conditions. Since I have limited experience I might be a little overcautious ;-). However, I feel much mor in control going backwards. Best, Frank.

[@sascha_sailing]

Another nice video! One funny thing, in that moment when you told us the wind is blowing you away from the dock, watch the flag at the stern and on the dock 😁🤪 I know a little later its really blowing from that direction but excatly in that moment its pushing you on the dock ;) Keep going, Sascha

[@45DegreesSailing]

haha I will have to review! Thanks Sascha

[@cioacaradu5466]

I love your videos! I am a skipper trying to learn more

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks Cioaca. Good luck with your learning! Any questions put them in the comments :)

[@johnny_123b]

You said that wind was pushing you away from the fuel dock, but the flags say the opposite 😂😂

[@45DegreesSailing]

Indeed. Yet. It was still blowing us away from the dock!

[@alandb2481]

Bizarre video. He spent the whole time talking about being blown OFF the dock, when in fact the wind was blowing ON. The helming was average, and unlikely to have been successful if he actually was being blown off.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Wow. Interesting perspective. Not a listener are you.

[@dahveed284]

looking forward to the whole single/short-handed sailing series. Hopefully you'll cover anchoring and mooring balls as well.

[@45DegreesSailing]

We will certainly keep covering all we can. For now mooring balls was done in this video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5_InoJrp9CtipI

[@Cacheola]

Great video but the music is obnoxious

[@SoundzAlive1]

Nick, I like all that you did. Only suggestions are . 1. Use this technique to lasso the bollard on the dock. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6q3maNmfMd1opY 2. Have a longer bow line running to the stern near the cockpit so you can get off the boat and have the bow line in your hand. Yes I think you hinted at this by saying you needed a 25metre line which you were buying later. André in Sydney

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks André, yes we use that system of capture already, this is what we teach here too. David was versed in that also, just this was his first time attempting this manoeuvre so was a few things going on and he did not quite remember the throw technique! And yes he now has the complete set of nice long springs. He's a regular singlehanded pro now!

[@rickgreen6081]

You were kind.😂

[@GoWithTheFloat]

Nice docking demonstration. Thank you.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks, you are most welcome!

[@sethm7761]

Does turning to starboard to hold the bow in do anything with twin rudders

[@45DegreesSailing]

Very little with twin rudders. With a lot of power on it has only a small effect.

[@jaysonlima7196]

So again we get to the exact same situation, through very different methods. I like to get an after spring from my bow to the dock and get that secured, if theirs a bollard great a loop works great, can also be done on cleats, but rails and the like not so much lol. Then with the boat in gear ahead turn the helm hard away from the pier, and she snuggles up nice as nice can be, but I do carry a couple of seriously long lines, which help! Again a great video and its nice to see how other people do things.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks Jay. Yes same result indeed! Carrying long lines should be a legal requirement! I often find charter yachts really under equipped for these type of manoeuvres.

[@ilicwebmail]

How about investing in wind mike?

[@petrosalifrangis4683]

You really didn't know how to turn off the shallow alarm, did you?

[@45DegreesSailing]

Can you explain how to do it?

[@hedleyjackson5131]

Loving these demonstrations great tips

[@ratusbagus]

I'd have used a midships line to drive on. Only one line needed to hold the whole beam to, driven in either direction Anything happens with either the bow or stern lines when he steps off and the solo skipper is scuppered.

[@nordlandettett]

Sorry, my english is secondary language. But at 10:33; If I understand correctly the boat is in gear (forward) and the rudder turned to port in order for the bow to turn push back into port because of the spring line?

[@45DegreesSailing]

That’s correct. Motoring against the stern line. Rudder can be centred for this also. Constant pressure on the stern line is what is needed.

[@nordlandettett]

@@45DegreesSailing and also - great material on this channel! To the point and humble. Need more cats, though. ;)

[@45DegreesSailing]

@@nordlandettett hahaha. We don’t care much for the catamarans! Though there will be more ;)

[@nordlandettett]

@@45DegreesSailing haha I know! But I mean our furry friends 😄

[@45DegreesSailing]

@@nordlandettett oh! Haha. Ok we can do more of those cats!

[@maxflight777]

Nick .. as usual : completely compelling clarity.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks mate!

[@deesmith5220]

love your channel Captain!

[@45DegreesSailing]

Thanks Dee!

[@micokastela]

Great times!

[@45DegreesSailing]

Great times indeed. Are you joining for the flotilla?

[@1483denis]

Thanks!

[@45DegreesSailing]

You are welcome, glad you enjoy the vids. Any questions feel free to ask or any requests …

[@debdoyle119]

Nicely done except for the line handling.

[@davidllewelyn]

Did we say this was my first day out?

[@45DegreesSailing]

And very well done indeed! And I would add, being as organised as David was, the recovery of a missed throw is an important part if the line work. If lines are messy and disorganised then resetting for a second throw can take too long and the moment is lost, the yacht drifts away.

[@debdoyle119]

@@davidllewelyn no problem that is how we learn

[@davidllewelyn]

The purpose of this video series is to help people learn. By sharing my learning process then maybe this will help others avoid similar errors. After all we are all continuously learning, well hopefully!

[@chrispeterson783]

@@davidllewelyn Congrats on the boat! That will be fun.

[@koroskaforever]

Well done. When I dock my sailboat alongside the pier, I often use just single rope as a stern line and as a spring line. When I come near to the pier, I tie up the stern line first on the stern cleat and live the engine in forward gear. Then I use the rest of the stern line. I step on the pier put the rest of the line through the ring somewhere in the middle of my boat and tie up to the stern cleat as a spring line. So, now I have my boat tie up - fixed in two points onshore. Then I have plenty of time to slowly tie up my bow line which I prepared sooner. Nice to see no traffic in front of the Milna gas station. 😀

[@45DegreesSailing]

Yes this is a nice variation too. This biggest help being that control line that goes on first.

[@SVTONICBoatWives]

Good video mate.

[@45DegreesSailing]

Hvaaaala. Looking fwd to October!

[@davidncw4613]

TY!

[@45DegreesSailing]

Most welcome David

[@EpikurFan]

The worst video in a long time: shirtless?? No head covering in June in the Adriatic. No boat shoes, no gloves. Wrong knot. Only one line prepared, lassoing not prepared etc. Unfortunately only suitable as a negative example.

[@45DegreesSailing]

🤣

[@mahinahathaway]

🤦🏽‍♀️

[@stefanoguercini7758]

this is just diseducatif staff. first put shoes than study

[@45DegreesSailing]

I’m not sure anyone understands your comment. Be great if you could clarify. Thanks Stefano

[@stefanoguercini7758]

@@45DegreesSailing rule n 1 is to wear shoes when manoeuvring

[@45DegreesSailing]

@@stefanoguercini7758 Rule? According to…?