Analyzing Failed Boat Maneuvers: Learning from Mistakes

[@mickfinn2596]

Speaking as somebody who owns a 63ft motorboat based in the Med and having faced this situation of having to back into a crosswind berth without boats either side many times, I have only one piece of advice. Radio the marina and get them to send one of their tenders to hold you in position whilst you attach the lines or ask for another berth which is easier to get into

[@epicnavigator]

Exactly!

[@ecmo11]

That or anchor out & wait for conditions to improve.

[@lordanbuble5167]

or take free spots on pier close by with wind coming from stern

[@tamast1423]

or dont buy a 65 feet if you did not learn to handle it

[@raa729]

I have been in this situation before, 22 knots, 2 meters, 50 ft, stupid marinero insisting we dock between two yacht with 2 boat spaces between each perfect to crash them with a bow, bespite our intention to dock to the side of the leeward boat. Saved it but it was ugly. Another time we were sailing shorthanded on 33ft with wife, strong wind simply drifted us sideways along the empty pier, tried twice eventually just docked sideways and that was my lesson: if there is a space and no one to help: dock sideways. If an angry dude from marina comes - make him help with his dingy and redock. No need for heroics

[@epicnavigator]

Let me know what you think about this analysis so I can make more videos like this in the future

[@pavloskourris277]

Captain what do you mean by “slap” the wind. Also you suggest backing to the wind but won’t it be difficult to bring the bow to the wind? (or do you overshoot your stern to the docking position and try to hold the bow and allow the stern to drift in position). A schematic of what you suggest would have been the best way would really help. Great video waiting for more👍

[@epicnavigator]

@@pavloskourris277 I will make a video explaining it. Thank you for the comment!

[@sailinghjem]

This is great analysis, thank you, please keep them coming!

[@fikfikfiksk]

Please do more of these, also with anchor.

[@helmshardover]

Good analysis, but I would add to it. Given the large number of crew available: In strong winds prepare a (windward) sternline with a large bowline loop (the one on the shore may be tangled and now is not the time to sort it out. The guy stepping ashore drops the loop over the bollard, the "cleat" crew takes in the slack smartly. Meanwhile the midships "boathook" crew brings the line up from the water, and the "walking" crew takes it smartly to the bow where the "bow cleat" crew takes in the slack and takes a turn round the cleat. Both cleat crew look to the skipper for further instructions.

[@SuperGemma2010]

fantastic commentary !!!! its amazing how things go bad so quickly in the wind if your not prepared, an old sailor once told me boats can be fixed that's why your insure them but people cant be fixed, rely on your surroundings to fend off and never panic, great tutorial as always, thank you

[@jrobertemery]

I was there watching it from the other side on a Volvo 70. It was pretty windy that day, and this docking was one of the more "successful" ones of the day. Saida is a 1973 Swan 65. Of the couple of Swan 65's racing in Antigua Race week (which is when this was filmed) she is a real beauty! Hadn't realized from so far away how much trouble she was having with her docking. On another note, wanted to say that your video's are great and some of the better educational videos I've seen. Notably, the solo med style instructional video. Keep up the great work.

[@coolcreamykiwi]

Thats a Swan? lovely boats must be older boat.

[@ΑλεξηςΜεντεκιδης]

The YACHT is a SWAN 65, from the early 70’s. A true super yacht for it’s time !

[@blippie]

It still is a superyacht and also in terms of looks.

[@kenbrown1440]

Good call, cheers!

[@nickchern392]

An amazingly useful format of the video. Please, continue.

[@paulnicholls2921]

Great video. A lot of the points you make are obvious to an outside observer but quickly get forgotten in high stress situations. As you rightly point out, give everyone one job to do and with enough crew the job should be manageable.

[@fsrodeo81]

You said it at the beginning but I would underline it once more cause I think it s one of the most important things in high wind manoeuvers: if you can(and in this scenario you could easily) just go forward past your berth and back in against the wind so the bow will have only a little chance to drift and the momentum will keep the boat in line and give you some time to tie the boat down. Apart from that very good video, well done

[@dans2172]

An extremely comprehensive collection of not unlikely subpar decisions and possible consequences during docking in windy conditions. Lots to learn. So true about ”if anything goes wrong, everything goes wrong”. Been there, done that - at least some of them. It’s not easy. Great advice too, along he way. Lack of experience and preparation by the Captain of course, but who am I to judge.

[@pannpann9894]

Det är normal vind, gör färdigt för att back släp ankaret, backa till kajen strätta kättingen kasta linorna på kajen, bli säker att ankar sitter..😢😊

[@stefstaf]

Letting go of the starboard stern line was the one most crucial mistake that created all this havoc.

[@annetteandthelittlewolf]

Speaking as a boating newbie, this video was incredibly insightful!

[@weisshalivniwine]

Great presentation. Looking forward to more. Thanks !

[@viatormarine]

Best way to learn is to avoid mistakes that others made already. Therefore such video analysis is important for other captains. We are all on an endless learning curve on a boat. In this video I just don't understand why they dropped the windward stern line. It was fixed, so you don't need more to control the boat. Just avoid the bow drifting. But he didn't even use the bow thruster. Fix the mooring line and that's it. No drama.

[@rschmidl]

great training video. Very well explained and illustrated on a live example

[@user-ns4bd2lk1x]

This is an old Swan 65 an S&S design. It has a fin keel but the rudder is attached to a skeg. Generally it manoeuvres reasonably well in close quarters and especially when fitted with a bow thruster like this boat. The crew was not briefed well and the captain too hesitant.

[@blippie]

Maneuvering backwards tend to be a bit of an issue with these hull shapes though.

[@kenbrown1440]

Good call, cheers!

[@bogdanstancu6501]

Thank you for the experience shared and mostly for talking in English ;)

[@TradeWindgng]

Thanks!

[@epicnavigator]

Thank you for the support, let me know what kind of video would you like to see in the future

[@TradeWindgng]

@@epicnavigator Many thanks to you for those informative videos, it would be great to see more videos with twin engines reversing into a slip in calm and cross wind weather! Most appreciated captain🙏

[@gillesthedenat845]

La manœuvre, au début, est excellente, bien anticipée. La suite est une succession d'erreurs incompréhensibles. Surtout avec autant d'équipier disponibles.

[@BarrierSecurity]

A Stern line attatched on starboard side before approaching, then back up, attach the line to shore and put the gear in forward, with enough throttle. I believe that would have worked fine to keep the boat in position with no hassle. Greetings from the founder of Oslo Seilskole in Norway.

[@donlindell1994]

Excellent teaching, I learned a lot. Thank you for all the hard work preparing this educational video.

[@kchatz]

great details, for every condition. Thanks

[@rf2835]

Hi, I think you are a very good instructor. Im looking Forward to more Videos, i Hope in english, bc i don't understand greek. Regards, rich

[@alfonsovargasmacias2926]

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. It's very useful. Congratulations.

[@gr8wings]

Great explanation of the several mistakes they made ! Put fenders the right way, get windward stern line first and quickly, forward gear on and big thrust that aligns the bow windward and keeps the boat straight, then attach the windward mooring line, complete mooring, that's it. Fair winds !

[@maxheadroom2743]

I do lots of high cross wind backwards docking, often in narrow spaces, with a biggish 20 ton yacht and 1 crew member. Not seldom with 2 poles at the dock/box entry. My tips: - Instruct the crew members. On small yachts they all have a role. - Prepare all lines through the correct hawse hole and over the railing before the approach, bring out all fenders and assess fender height.Have a roving fender. - If the situation is tricky, get a downwind or sideways mooring. If not available: get help and/or bring out a mid ship line and/or dock sideways first and rotate. - Approach into the wind, then back, up and turn. The bow will be blown downwind, causing the aft to pivot upwind and stay nicely close to the neighboring boat. - A long run backwards is not necessarily wrong. I use it when I want to assess the situation. Also, my boat has a long(ish) keel and a skeg and does not steer very spontaneously while moving backwards. - Back up perpendicular to the pontoon with sufficient speed to keep the crab angle small. When entering the gap between the neighboring boats the drift will reduce., and the aft will pivot towards the upwind neighbor. Use bow thruster to steer the aft past a side jetty if needed. Straighten the boat using the bow thruster and let the crew member throw the aft windward line. - Everything depends on this windward line. My crew member stays on board and throws the line around the bollard or hands the loop to a helper. Above say 15 knots, a miss is a bailout. Below 15 knots there is time for a second attempt. - While the line is thrown, turn the rudder downwind and stop the boat. The prop wash will nicely keep the aft in place. This sets up the boat for the bail out. - Take the go/no go decision. I the line is pulled tight, turn the rudder windward and when the line gets tied, push the engine forward to keep the boat lined up. Use bow thruster if needed. If a bailout is called for, keep the rudder downwind (so that the aft moves upwind) and steer clear from the downwind neighbor using the bow thruster. - While the crew member takes care of the front line I keep the boat in position using the engine and rudder. - The crew member takes care of the windward bow line or mid ship line (depending on available help at neighboring boats etc.). - If time permits, I throw the downwind aft line and set a spring. I notify the crew member that I leave the boat with idle engine so that I can tighten the spring. Meanwhile, the crew member takes care of the downwind bow line. - The boat is now fully moored. Retract bow thruster, turn off engine, plug in the shore power and open a bottle of wine! It is not more complicated than this but it does take time to learn. For beginners this is quite a lot to take in and fine tune. That is why I recommend to start at low wind conditions, say below 10 knots. That way everything goes slower, there is more time, speeds are lower and if something does go wrong there is no damage. Happy sailing!

[@epicnavigator]

Everything on point! Personally I found the leeward line unnecessary to engage it and I do it at the last moment just to balance the boat. The only case I give both aft lines is when wind from the bow and I have no other boat next to me to get alongside

[@pabloschmahl1861]

That is a great and objective explanation. A lot of help within 20 Minutes. Thank you !!

[@skippersteiermark]

liked yor explanation - agree with your analysis

[@gunnarhaldorsen4185]

The following would work perfectly with a wider boat, perhaps also with the boat in the video (even if it's a little narrow/slim at the aft part): 1. Have a stern line ready on starboard side, attached to the cleat on starboard stern or starboard side canter, with a bowline at the loose end (approx. 2,5 m slack line) 2. Approach: Go astern towards the wind, make a port turn (astern) towards the pulley on the wharf/quay/pier (the sentrifugal force will keep the bow upwind for a few seconds) 3. Jump ashore with the starboard stern line, hook it onto the pulley on shore 4. Put the engine in forward, and the boat will most likely easily be held in position as long as you keep it in forward, while you attach the mooring line to the bow. Two people (captain + crew) could do this by themselves. If you have a wider boat with a lower transom/stern, you could do it this way all by yourself WHILE drinking coffee with the other hand, given the engine power/thrust can keep the bow in position (I'd think up to approx. 25 knots of wind). I do this when I run courses on boats up to 50 feet, showing people how easily you can dock and moor all by yourself while drinking coffee, also for the fun of it. Oslo Sailing School (www.osloseilskole.no)

[@Matze-72]

very instructive, very well commented, great video...

[@wolfstegm]

beautiful yacht, nicely dressed crew, absolutely no idea

[@martingermann]

Very clear and informative..Thank you for sharing your experience..

[@stephencammann983]

Really helpful tutorial, thank you for taking the time to make it!

[@epicnavigator]

My pleasure!

[@IvanIi-tc3xf]

Fiab. S 13:55 ,j. 🎉🎉G v😅h😅guv😅u 😅u😢. .fvybuii.hgvjv,🎉hwhew😂che iviiiH. y

[@de0xyrib0se]

Guys, even if you are the only boat in the marina, put your fenders out, both sides just in case, doesn't cost you anything to do so. Also, don't try to push boats by hand or using your legs unless you have spare parts for your body laying around :) Commentary is right on point. We've all been there at one point or another on windy days. Practice makes perfect.

[@RobertAlexanderRM]

Extremely well explained. Fascinating. Thanks a lot. Thanks from Rome - Italy.

[@petrpodobsky7005]

I think that the classic yacht looks wery nice :)) But it is also wery nice example how things can go bad wery quickly

[@someguy9440]

This is brilliant and constructive commentary. Well done, sir.

[@johnstott1431]

It’s a Swan 65. It’s not long keel, but it is fin and skeg. This is at Nelson’s Dockyard.

[@volkerkonig9376]

it's not only a SWAN65, but furthermore a SWAN 65 has won the first "Whitbread round the world race" in the 70ties, today " Volvo Ocean race". A wonderful yacht.

[@dimosthenispaschalidis2999]

Excellent video and very informative!!!

[@richardzickermann2808]

Great analysis. Please continue!

[@pepperbird6671]

"Slap" the wind, without seeing your video on that topic, is using the inertia of the turning move of the boat when you come backing into the wind and make a quick turn so that the bow keeps moving to windward when the boat is already at 90° to the pier. Thus, you can balance the two movements going back to the pier and the (re-)drifting of the bow to leeward. It is a "classic" in all "stern to" manoeuvres where you have no finger pontoons. At my skipper exam, I had to do exactly that in about 20 knots of side wind but without anchor or mooring lines. I had to approach the pier and let one guy step out (step not jump!) and in a second approach I had to pick up the guy again. I lost two kilograms before I got my licence...

[@epicnavigator]

Very accurate

[@pepperbird6671]

​@@epicnavigator Six sailing trips in the Aegean make you learn how to do the "Roman Catholic" mooring-manoeuvre, as we call it in German.

[@lordanbuble5167]

why they let go stern windside rope for? with main engine fwd-rudder into wind+ bow thrust think they would be able regain control

[@seflmar]

14:45 - I am a beginner, but why exactly is not a full forward throttle a good idea here, but a little bit is fine? I see that there is a risk of prop-walk affecting the stern, and a risk of catching the mooring line with the main proppeler. But both is true even for a little bit of throttle. Thanks! EDIT: Oh, I just noticed they didn't drop the other side of the lazy line. So a full throttle would probably cause the stern to drift to port.

[@aostudio1363]

Great content, thank you very much!

[@alexporichis3490]

Ωραίο κ επεξηγηματικό βίντεο captain.Σωστος που τονίσες,ότι Δν κρίνεις τις ικανότητες του καπετάνιου.Η αληθεια ειναι...πως καλά το'πες!Αν ξεκινήσει κάτι στραβα...συνεχιζει στραβά!Καλες θάλασσες,καλή σεζόν. Μακριά από μας αυτά...😂😂😂

[@axelv1753]

Give a strong kick forward with the main engine and rudder max to the left will kick the stern away from the other boat and at the same time move forward away from the trouble. His mistake was to try to kick the bow more to starboard with the bow thruster rather than the stern to starboard with the main engine. Since half his boat was allready forward of the other boat turning to port will get him out of the trouble. At that point it MAY be relevant to use the bow thruster as a backup.

[@rainmaker3]

Ωραίος! Πάντα πίστευα πως είναι κρίμα με τόση θάλασσα και πλοία να μην έχουμε έναν γιουτουμπερ που να ασχολείται με αυτά. 👍👍👍

[@TradeWindgng]

Great video Thanks Keep them coming please

[@ayofanfics39]

Really nice video and explanation. Subscribed and waiting for more

[@jerryguitar1420]

Nice explanation, good analysis and learning.

[@s.schaffhausen9967]

Thank you very much for the accurate and precise analysis of the situation. I am very impressed by your experience and the calm manner in your videos! One of the best sailing channels and instructions, and I would love to take a skipper course with you. Unfortunately, I don’t have Facebook… How can I contact you for training?

[@epicnavigator]

[e-mail] Send me an email please

[@DirkJacobsz]

great lessons -thank you

[@p-cwixstrom2939]

Really good video of how to not to do!!

[@emmecourg9260]

Wow ! the tip to just let the boat just rotate around the mooring line of the other boat is REAlly good. thanks. I am sure at that point, with the stress I would have played with my engine to try to get out. really good advices, mooring with lateral wind with Anchor in the "greek way" is not easy to do for the 1st time. after some mistakes, you get used to it, but having tips like this from the start is very good

[@epicnavigator]

The general idea is not to overreact when something go wrong and do calculated moves, and the most of the time doing nothing and just protect the boat with the fenders is the best solution

[@FDK_7]

Thanks for the analysis! Very helpful.🙏🙏 My humble opinion is that he could put forward speed steering to the starboard side when he lost bow thruster just to cycle the other boat’s mooring line and free the boat (two boats actually) just to gain space and time to re-organise the second try of the mooring and most important to reorganise the crew.

[@holgerek1707]

Thank you so much for the analysis! I have a question: After the lazy line broke the bow started drifting around the other boat. Why not hard portside rudder and forward then? I figure the stern would have come free from the other boat. After breaking free from the other boat the stern would have pointed windward, no danger of going anywhere. Then reorganize and try again. What do you think?

[@epicnavigator]

I will make another video explaining that

[@EinFranke]

This one helps a lot! Thank you! 👍

[@graham2342]

With all that space and wind to starboard, i think i would stem the wind and go alongside. Plenty of. time to attach the stern moorings attach the midships line and pick up the lazy line. There being plenty of crew. Then allow the wind to take the bow to port until in the required position. Hope this is clear. Not the same of course when space is limited. Really interesting video

[@tmwalrus]

Very informative video and analysis, thank you!

[@AfricanFlightStar]

WOW. As an aircraft pilot for the past 4.5 decades, we often analyze aviation accidents in order to learn exactly what went wrong, so that we can be sure to not make the same mistakes in the case of pilot error. Your analysis of this situation is excellent, and taught me so much useful information about how to do it right, and how not to do it wrong. An excellent presentation, thank you for taking the trouble to share this with us! Subscribed, and am looking forward to diving in to all your other sailing training videos. May be coming to the school for a couple of courses too. PS: I'm interested to know how you were able to shoot the different angles of the video from both sides of the boat; were you flying a drone over the boat while it was docking, or what? Just curious. Thank you.

[@epicnavigator]

I appreciate your opinion Captain! The video was taken by a local and I use it for the analysis. You can see the original video by clicking the link I have in the description

[@reinhardmayr4131]

Using the midship cleat was new to me -- I will give it a try next time! Thanks for this good analysis!

[@epicnavigator]

I have a nice video on that maneuver, I will upload it soon

[@jeremybevis6441]

I owned a 56’ Laurent Giles 30 tonnes long keeled staysail ketch back in the late eighties, early nineties. I sailed from the UK to the Pacific islands. We had to do stern to mooring all the time with no bow thruster. You assess the sideways drift that will occur. Drop the anchor and pay out the chain to allow for the drift but keeping the yacht aligned correctly and get enough stern momentum to be able to steer astern to the allotted space, always using the anchor cable as a brake to keep control. First stern line secures the vessel with bow under control. Manoeuvre as taught in the merchant navy seamanship classes and even worked in Rarotonga, Cook Islands in 40-50 knots of wind with only 3 crew. One helm, one anchor winch, one stern line. This bunch must be a charter crew. No idea but fortunately no consequence either.

[@davidramirez199]

Thank you for the good lesson

[@centric1206]

such good video, thank you

[@teodorfarsang3410]

Hey, it was a good video. Even an experienced sailor need recap/drill time by time. Docking during wind always challenging. My first thought is handling untrained crew. How? During this situation not possible to train them, they could confused easily and drift is too fast as you said it is about seconds. Need to drill earlier. Your video is a good training material.

[@bsabolic]

very good video and explanation! ...and...bye bye bow thruster. 😂

[@marcopagliacci]

that is a great video, thank you

[@oceanbornmoon]

me watching, sitting on the edge of the chair and almost screaming "Oh no, not that, too!"...better see it "done" by others, than to get trapped in the same situation myself in real (not that anyone is safe from getting into this situation regardless experience and all)...thank you so much for the videos and the teachings!

[@Aikaterini22]

Learning from mistakes , it's a big truth.

[@danielboughton3624]

Always easy to analyze after the fact or off-boat as it develops v.s. being in the situation as it develops. The lack of pressure allows us to see what could have been done.

[@epicnavigator]

Correct, and so many people, including me we have done even worse docking and damages but we have been lucky that no one recorde it. Huge respect to the captain witch btw managed to finally exit without any damages

[@wrobelda]

14:54 can you please explain why is it not advised to use the engine to go forward at this point? My intuition cannot explain it. Also, it would be great if you could use a simple Paint schematics to explain what would be best approach in this scenario. Appreciate all the work, though, very insightful! EDIT: oh it is to protect the other boats mooring lines from getting into the propeller! Now I get it.

[@epicnavigator]

I will try to make a drawing about the most proper approach for that specific case

[@wrobelda]

@@epicnavigator it would be highly appreciated!

[@andyjamesable]

Easy to criticize .. Though you are correct, there are certainly lessons to learn .. I have been there so many times, my 40 foot Corbin has severe prop walk so reversing is a nightmare in windy conditions.. and as you said once something starts to wrong, panic sets in and everything else will go wrong too !!!

[@epicnavigator]

I had my failure on video a week ago and I will upload it for analysis. I am a professional and I totally understand and respect every Captain on a bad day/moment

[@lyamur]

Thanks for the video! Your precise advices are very helpful. In the video you mentioned that they may have attached the boat to the middle cleat. Do you mean that they should do it at first time or there is a chance to change it from the back cleat to the middle one?

[@epicnavigator]

They needed to have it already there. There is no chance to do this kind of changes during the drama

[@MartinEremiev-vz8ki]

A very good analysis! Would you tell us the reason why applying a forward throttle when the stern was in the contact with the other boat is not a good decision?

[@epicnavigator]

I will make a video explaining a few key points

[@DavidWillow-m7w]

Nice instructive summary, in the last sequence the lazy line appears to be far away to starboard so it’s not likely that it got into the bowthuster. The mooring could have been saved if the aft windward mooring had been properly managed. In these strong wind conditions, why not moore along the quay?

[@epicnavigator]

Usually the slots with lazy lines and mooring lines are problematic for alongside since the wash from the propeller pushes the lines parallel with the dock and the get tangle with each other or with the rocks and blocks underwater. Sometimes they can even get to the propeller and the are causing big Drama that need diver to fix. I have to say that the Captain here was a few seconds away from success but he got overwhelmed from the lack of preparation and the inexperienced crew and he let the boat end up to the ugly position. He has the skills and the knowledge but he was on a bad day obviously...

[@elmarstenslop4461]

Thank you for this impressive lesson! I learned a lot!

[@CMehl]

65feet S&S made by Swan. A typical S&S yacht. I had a 31 feet S&S. Great design. Both have a similar shape.

[@coolcreamykiwi]

I agree with all your anaylsis, however, I always prepare fenders on both sides because we never know what might happen... (no plan survives contact with enemy) Anyone not assigned duties of moorage should be below, at the ready, out of way (danger) The bow always creeps with the weather or current faster then the rest of boat.

[@constantinealexandrakis]

Best way to learn, thank you so much for the analysis!

[@Misteribel]

Wait, where is the rest of the video? You got cut off 😮. Excellent advice. Esp on using the mid cleat. It's a life saver, i use it a lot when single-handed on a 44ft yacht.

[@GreatOutDoorWorldofMines]

Yes bow downwind, sometimes it easier when the place is narrow, once you are in the other boats hold you straight

[@jorgfellinger8004]

Very interesting analysis! Would it be a discussable strategy in this specific situation: First go alongside backwards starboard, bow against the wind, in an flat angle, bowthruster, fixing first bow, afterwards midline. Bringing up the mooring. After fixing backline loosening frontline and let the boat drift and fix mooring, when the boat has the right position. Bowthruster does a little bit of help, Motor is holding the ship on pulling the backline? Question from an unexpierienced landrat with 23footer on an european lake.

[@epicnavigator]

It is possible but very complicated. Also when you go alongside to a place with mooring lines, you end up fouling your propeller with the lazy (slime) lines because the wash is pulling them on the surface

[@volkerkonig9376]

Warum einfach wenn es auch kompliziert geht? Das ist eine SWAN 65( 65 Fuss lang, ca. 38to).Die dreht man nicht so einfach an Leinen.

[@volkerkonig9376]

Ausserdem das zielführende Manöver ist vom Themenersteller und von mehreren Kommentaren ausreichend beschrieben worden. Kein Grund es unnötig zu verkomplizieren.

[@radiusnorth1675]

I hope you will help me with my lack of knowledge, ... when "med mooring" what is the purpose of dropping the anchor when backing in? Doesn't it just increase the possibility of anchor lines getting crossed? If you can be securely tied to the dock with various mooring lines what is the point of the anchor?? Thanks for your videos.

[@epicnavigator]

It's either mooring lines either anchor ⚓. You don't use both for the reason you just mentioned. In Greece we usually have mooring lines to the big private marinas and to the small marinas around the islands we use the anchor. In case of emergency though (extreme wind, loosing control of boat etc), you can use your anchor in area with mooring lines but then you call the diver to clear up the entanglement

[@radiusnorth1675]

The reason I wanted your opinion was that I have recently watched two different videos on "med mooring" where they employed an anchor off the bow before backing in and tying up to the dock. I was just hoping for some clarification or insight. Thanks

[@epicnavigator]

Med Mooring is when you tigh the stern to the dock and you use either anchor either mooring lines to tight the bow. Very rarely you use both the same time

[@slepafuria5280]

nice explanation

[@dcubrakovic1]

Great video, great explanation and great drone footage in strong wind. I was just surprised that they are using lines from the dock? I have never used that, I do not trust them, or they are tangled, or whatever. I am always using lines from the boat, they are prepared carefully (under the bar) and the guy jumping on the ground and one on the cleat can then be very fast. Once the stern line is fixed, it is much easier. Walking mooring guy has to be faster. But I have been in similar situations. My biggest fear in critical situations where I am leaning on another boat, was that my propeller does not take the bow line (mooring or anchor) of another boat. If this happens, then without control, the problem is much bigger. Nice comments, really, and a few drawings on paper beside the video, would be great. Thanks

[@aaronwalderslade]

I always say to novices I meet, when things start to go wrong, and they will go wrong, the single most important thing you can do is to neutralise your fore-aft speed. Boats cannot move very fast sideways. Trying to power away from the problem will often get you into a bigger problem. As the captain, I like to say there are three above me: the wind, the current and the ship. The wind is first in command, then the current, then the ship, then the captain. The captain must adapt his plan to fit and go along with what those above him are trying to do.

[@broshuisalbert2413]

At 12:40 I already suffered for the anchoring line of the "little" yacht. But fortunately the propellor ànd the rudder of the big yacht missed that anchor line...... By rhe way: I enjoyed the commend of green shirted man!!!

[@speedymartin2]

A lot went wrong but the port was too slow as well. Your guy had to be standby with the lines while the boat was approaching. With winds like this from the side your boat had to be supporting upfront. Not after everything went wrong. The port have a responsibility to protect other boats as well. I think mistakes are made on both sides. Thanks for the video, it’s a learning for everyone.

[@epicnavigator]

Very accurately said, nevertheless the captain managed to take the crew and the boat out of the drama without a scratch which is what matters at the end of the day

[@volkerkonig9376]

but if I had been the skipper, I had contacted the Marina before, asking for a man to help with the lines and a dinghi to assist. And I had waited with the docking until they arrive.

[@SVRoquetta]

Good video and advice 👍 I have a question... If the manoeuvre has been successful, how is the bow finally secured? An anchor? If so, why not lay the anchor first...

[@epicnavigator]

They secure the anchor by tightening the mooring line. The anchor cannot be used because will get tangled with the mooring lines underwater. Chech the previous video with the single hand maneuver to see how we tightening the mooring lines to the bow

[@SVRoquetta]

@@epicnavigator wait .. there are 'slime lines' leading from the dock to a mooring block. Now i understand 👍

[@leonardmilcin7798]

The captain should be available to maintain control over entire operation and this means being aware where the boat is drifting, what happens next if you don't react and how much time for reaction you have. I see this was completely missing here. I honestly don't know what the captain was doing. I think the biggest thing missing here is debriefing your crew before arrival. I always talk to the crew, explain what we are going to be doing, how we are going to be doing it. Then I talk to each crew member about their individual task. We may also cover backup plan and things that can possibly happen and what we are doing then. If I have explained what they were supposed to do but they are not doing it well, it is much easier to just shout and remind them quickly than to start explain what you need them to do. If you need to explain every person what they need to do, while docking, you could just as well do it yourself. As to contingencies, in this situation I would designate two people with fenders, one closer to the bow and one closer to the stern (just so that they don't have to run). I would explain to just put the fender between where the boats would touch. To the rest of the crew I would say that if we start drifting too far, the plan is to drop mooring, wait for it to sink and then regroup and start again. The point of having a crew is that multiple people can be doing things at the same time while you can maintain awareness of the situation and stand at the controls and react when needed. But for this to happen, the crew needs to know what they are supposed to be doing and how they are supposed to be doing it. I think this captain here does not have crew management ability needed for a craft this size and I would be really hesitant to leave the port with this person being captain. One more detail, I love bow thrusters but they have tendency to fail when you need them the most. It is easy for the wind to overpower bow thrusters and because they are so relatively small, they easily get clogged. I use the thruster but I always plan my movement as if the thruster was not available to me.

[@pepperbird6671]

What you describe is what an experienced skipper would do. The video clearly shows that the skipper lacked experience in this case. But if that's the case, why is he skippering such a large yacht in the first place? Perhaps because he (they) could afford it. "I always plan my movement as if the thruster was not available to me." That is why I don't have one 😎!

[@iainhunneybell]

I watched something very similar in English Harbour at pretty much the same spot only a few weeks back. A _beautiful_ classic yacht with a huge crew and the shiniest varnish you have ever seen, came in. There was a _gentle_ breeze coming into the harbour, so same direction as this, but _gentle_ … maybe 5kn. The marina rib even took out a laid mooring to them. So what did the skipper do? Well, came into the harbour, picked up the laid mooring from the rib, carried on past the bow of a parked yacht, and then started the back in _with the bow ‘down-breeze’_ (I won’t qualify it as being downwind!). Backed up okay, 1-2 yacht’s beams up from the moored yacht, and very similar to this on the stern lines. Lots of crew not really doing anything, skipper (owner?) giving no instruction whatsoever and seeming to sit there expecting someone to do something to sort the situation, and guess where his bow was, having started off ‘down breeze’? Much like this example, he ended up with his bow leaning on the other yacht, loose stern lines eventually falling back into being alongside just like this guy. Now, if he’d gone into the harbour, turned, come back with the bow _into_ the breeze, picked up the laid line on his port bow, backed up and got the windward stern line on and tight, as you point out, he could have sat their forever on the combination of that single stern line and slow engine. So despite clearly lots of money and beautiful varnish, it was remarkably like this but in _much_ less challenging conditions. I know but for the Grace of God go we, but it really was a demonstration of how not to do things. As a postscript… ‘Even my wife’, who tends to be very non-judgemental and will suggest that maybe there were currents, whales, mermaids or something causing the chaos that I have overlooked, commented as we walked away: “I think we do better on our own when in Greece”. _That_ is quite a comment coming from her!

[@MartinDauer]

beautiful yacht, terrible maneuver

[@leftvassis]

Would it have been a good idea to (at the time of contact with the other boat) keep the windward line on, reverse relatively close to the dock and release the lazy line? This would put them in a pretty standard position to leave the dock and avoid damage

[@epicnavigator]

They shouldn't attempt to exit regardless of the windward line engagement, keeping the boat beam to beam with yhe boat next to you is giving you plenty of time to re engage line and finish the docking without drama

[@roberttichauer1932]

While the initial approach was less than ideal, can the windward stern line be looped around the dock bollard and then lead back to the windward midship cleat? Do you know if this is a solution to stabilize the boat before attaching the slip line to the forward windward cleat?

[@epicnavigator]

Absolutely....and they could use another line as mid ship and then drive the boat to the wind very smoothly. The windward stern line is good to keep it under small tension to balance the boat perpendicularly to the dock

[@roberttichauer1932]

@@epicnavigator Thank you! I enjoy these types of videos! Keep it up!

[@volkerkonig9376]

It would have been a clever idea of the skipper to prepare a long spring from the midship- cleat before docking and leading it to one of the powerful winches of the SWAN. AFTER fixing the windward- sternline immediatly, which allows him to steam into, bring the spring over to the pier. This would have given him perfect and easy control of this heavy yacht( 33- 38 to).

[@akcamelot]

I like very much an easy going mood of your comments. With all points listed still can not imagine that captain for such huge boat has no experience to split tasks with crew well in advance before the whole game starts ...

[@epicnavigator]

I know extremely experienced sailors that they sail in world class level and they have no clue about docking...I know these things because I choose to teach it in Greece and I studied it, and off course I learn a lot from my own mistakes, wich btw have been even more dramatic that the captain of the video.

[@akcamelot]

@@epicnavigator how can I reach privately ?

[@epicnavigator]

@@akcamelot you can find me in Facebook or by email [e-mail]

[@volkerkonig9376]

I think they underestimated the docking- manouvre in a strong crosswind from the beginning and were not prepared and focussed enough for the manouvre. It can happen also to pro's.

[@MAI20084]

Fixing the Stern winwardline quickly and gear foward moderately would be a good solution but this shoud be briefed before the manoever

[@nilcansucuklarilhandemir8706]

Saida is a Swan 65 was refited in Turkey Marmaris years 2003 - 2004..

[@uhoffmann29]

Wow ... what a cluster f*ck ... everything went wrong and they were not at all prepared. It always amazes me that people who operate a boat like that are so clueless. Perhaps the captain knows how to operate the boat, but he clearly does NOT know how to operate and prepare a crew. BTW, love the video. Very instructive and useful, also because of the drone shots. 🙂

[@epicnavigator]

I wouldn't say everything went wrong, since they got out with no damages and no injuries I consider that as a successful exit. People don't really understand that incidents like that is the norm to the sailors life especially when maneuvering big boats like that in challenging conditions. That video points what went wrong but also even more went very smooth. I have my own falure video list to watch after my failed maneuvers and I will upload it with analysis soon

[@GrumpyOldMan9]

4:02 If a heavy guy is not allowed to jump ashore, most American sailing yachts have a problem docking

[@epicnavigator]

😂😂

[@meow1990_2]

*takes notes*

[@thanasiskokkonis5268]

Υπερθεματίζω ότι πρόκειται για το σκάφος SAIDA, κατασκευή 1973, κλάσης SWAN 65 (Ketch). Μήκος 19.68μ , βύθισμα σχεδόν 3μ (2.91μ) και δηλωμένο εκτόπισμα 32τν.

[@awanderer9000]

Look like a rookie mistake esp. on a such a big boat and not sure what their plan was. In the conditions they were in the only thing that matters is getting the windward (in their case starboard) mooring line secured, everyone on board should be laser-focused on that single thing. The line should be ready to throw and it is ok to secure it ashore as well (no need to pass it back initially, this could be done later). The whole operation should take no more than 5-10s. Then the skipper can use the engine with as much power as necessary to drive against the windward mooring line and straighten the bow. The whole process step by step: - approach in reverse aiming for a spot on the pier that is more to windward compared to the desired final mooring spot - secure the windward mooring line as quickly as possible - use engine to drive against the windward mooring line to move the bow against the wind and straighten the boat. This would work under most conditions, except the most severe ones, where one may need assistance of e.g. of marina staff in a tender who can help pushing or pulling the bow - once the boat boat is in correct position (perpendicular to the pier), hold this position using the engine and get the windward lazy line out of the water, taking care that it does not get into propeller. The best is to keep the tail of the lazy line onboard till the mooring maneuver is over - secure the windward lazy line on the bow - secure port mooring and lazy lines - once all 4 lines are secured, use the engine to do final finetuning of the boat position (distance and/or angle to the quay) by giving slack or bringing in the respective lines Actually, the only time-critical piece of the process is initial securing of the windward mooring line. If that is unsuccessful for whatever reason, the attempt should be abandoned immediately and another approach started. All other actions can be done at a relaxed pace and do not involve much risk as the boat is already secured by the line and engine working against this line.

[@volkerkonig9376]

I underline your hint for the " windward lazy line( I prefer to call it pilotline of the bow- mooringline)". This important thing is forgotten often and the result is a line in your rotating propeller blocking it. Hold up the pilotline out of the water until the skipper decides that there is no risk anymore to fetch the pilotline in your propeller.