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The way we learned to dock in our keel boat class was to have one crew member on the rail with a bow dock line in one hand and holding the shroud with the other, then gracefully step onto the dock. The person at the helm then tossed you the stern line. Well, I have nearly bought it, as they say, more than once when I tried to step over the life lines off the port side onto the dock. The Ensign 23 we used in class has a wider deck area you can actually stand on and its easier to step over the life lines because the rail is even with the dock not 2 feet up like the Mac.

My question is when pulling up to a dock with the Mac is there a safe (and graceful) way to step off from the rail to the dock, or do most unhook the lifeline an step off from the cockpit?

Thanks,
Wally

I have always unhooked the lifeline and stepped out from the cockpit. If there is a current, I try to be on the side of the dock where the current/wind would push me into the dock, which would avoid having the bow get away from you. If this is not possible, I prepare a stern docking line with a loop before approaching the dock. As soon as I get on the dock with the loop line in hand, I throw it over the cleat at the dock and make a run for the bow and grap on to the lifelilne or shroud so it doesn't get away, then make my way to the bow line to secure it. The method you describe seems both ineficient and perhaps dangerous. Of course, with two people, everything changes. My description is while single-handing.

Leon

I also egress from the cockpit.

In the marina where we slip Nice Aft, the wind seems to mostly come from the south. That translates into blowing us away from the slip. The Mac is difficult enough to control at very low speeds, but when wind comes into the equation, docking can be nasty, so a quick dock tie up is essential. When docking, I back in. I find it much easier to control the boat. Both rudders and the daggerboard are down (I have an M). Before I even start going in reverse, the Pelican hook is released on the lifeline that will be blocking my exit. Since most of my docking is done at my slip, I leave a line on a dock cleat that is approximately amid-ship to where Nice Aft will be when docked. That line is there for me to grab quickly. When I exit the boat, I quickly tie the aft line to the dock and then grab that line which is already on the dock, run that line around the winch and through the jam cleat. This procedure quickly gets the boat tied with two lines. I then tie the bow line. Once the bow line is secure, I release and remove from the boat the line which had been run around the winch and through the jam cleat. That line is now run directly from the dock cleat to the stern cleat on the boat. It is used as a spring line.
Having that line already on the dock waiting for me allows for a quick dock tie up. On windy days it is really needed. If the wind is really going, I have had to grab a stanchion to stabilize the boat while running the line around the winch.

Ray

I am also usually single handed. I always unhook the lifeline on the side of the boat I have chosen to dock before making my approach.
Current isn't an issue where I usually dock but wind certainly is and the high windage of the Mac can be a significant problem.
I usually prefer to approach the dock on the leeward side, because, as the Mac loses way, a strong wind can drive it into the dock pretty hard. It is also easier to guide the Mac onto its trailer if the wind is blowing it off the dock.
If there is a crosswind, I approach the dock at about a 25-30 degree angle, swing the bow at the last moment then reverse the helm as I put the motor in reverse. This will usually pull the boat alongside the dock quite nicely. I use a whipping line (attached to both the bow and stern) to snare a dock post or cleat, and have additional bow and stern lines tied off at the cockpit ready for use. I don't leave the cockpit until the whipping line is engaged and secured. Then I secure a stern line before stepping off the boat through the (opened) lifeline at the cockpit to secure a add bow line.
On particularly strong cross-wind days I reverse into the dock so that the Mac trails out behind the motor like a flag. I found that reversing into the wind turns the uncontrollable high-windage Mac into a meek and well behaved vessel (although you do have to be careful not to engage the dock with your prop! )
When reversing into the dock I use a stern line as a whipping line to snare something on the dock, and once secured use that as a spring line to bring the Mac alongside the dock before stepping off to secure additional lines.
I would never have a crew try stepping over the Mac's lifelines onto the dock with a line in hand. If I had a crew designated this task I'd probably have them outboard of the lifeline while approaching, so that the step onto the dock is unimpeded.
Hope this helps

I probably sail single handed 75% of the time, so it's easier for me to "go it alone". We've ended up with boat drifting near sideways in the slip when the Admiral attempts to lend a hand. Her sole responsibility now is to ensure I didn't leave the Suzy in Reverse. (we've ended up back in the fairway from that mistake )

I use a spring line attached to the forward port stanchion (dock to port), as soon as I stop the boat I cleat the aft port line and then throw the spring line over the nearrest dock piling and pull the bow in tight. From there the remaining dock lines can be attached at you leisure. Works great, especially in a crosswind that wants to blow the bow away from the dock. If you search docking you might even find a video clip of the procedure that someone posted.

good luck,

JC

Hi! We have a 26M and the lee side of a low floating dock.
Getting blown away from the dock is our only issue.
After kissing the dock perfectly we could end up sideways.

I placed a "sissy" line, with a snubber, high on a pile.
We run this down to a cleat, diagonal, before we leave the dock.
Now my Admiral's only responsibility is to hook
that line with the boat hook - she could never hop down onto the dock.

Then I have plenty of time to shut down and take care of the docking lines.
Not very seamanlike maybe, but pretty easy.

I almost always singlehand - - - so I have to do everything by myself.

1) Point the boat somehwere near the dock

2) Cut off the engine

3) Apply the dock brake

4) Dive off the bow into the water ahead of the approaching boat

5) Become the bow fender between the bow and the dock

6) Push the boat away a little so you can climb onto the dock

7) Try to find some rope or string with which to tie up the boat

8 Try to find the engine you cut off (see #2 above)

9) Gather up all the empty beer cans

10) Throw the empty cans in the water and watch them bob up and down until they sink

11) Empty the urine cans (Folgers plastic coffee cans are best) into the marina water

12) Put your hands behind your back (you are under arrest)

Rick

Thanks for the responses everyone, especially Rick.

I think I've got my answer. Removing the pelican hook and stepping off from the cockpit with the bow line looks like the way to do it. Unlike most of those who answered, I always go with a crew. The reason we bought the was that our other boat only holds 2 and everyone wants to go sailing.

I am trying to get away from doing it all my self, which is also a habit of mine. In our keel boat class they also talked about planning your next move with your crew and switching tasks so anyone can do them. Thats why I almost became the boat bumper on Saturday, one of my sons was at the helm. There is a long dock away from the launch where I can set up and take down if its not to busy. We were docking on the lee side with a light crosswind because then the boat is not bumping the dock when rigging. It did take up a couple of tries.

Most of all I guess it just takes a little more practice and we did have a great day of sailing.

Thanks,
Wally

Docking a 26M can be a PITA depending on wind and current given the boat's light weight and generous freeboard of 5'. I generally come in a little quick and at an angle towards the side I want to exit the boat on. Prior to approach, I'd unhook the lifeline I want to exit on.

Picture if you will, a rectangle and I expect to exit on the starboard side of the boat.

I'd come in a little quick and point my bow with a projected impact about 3/4 along that starboard side.

As I enter the rectangle I put the boat into reverse and cut the wheel HARD to port and give it about 1/3 throttle (varies depending on conditions and approach speed), effectively pointing my prop towards starboard and giving it some gas in reverse.

This serves 2 functions, it slows the boat and simultaneously pulls the rear of the boat to starboard against the dock.

With the angle of approach I'd use, my aft would be far off to port while my bow would be about to ram the dock on the starboard side. This slows the boat and pretty much sucks the stern against the starboard side of the dock. Obviously after you slow the momentum, you let off the throttle a bit and gently come against the dock.

This almost abrupt maneuver has helped me overcome wind and current.

Obviously adjust for conditions...but that's how I learned to do it

If you perfect it, it's a very quick and efficient method. Performed expertly, you can certainly impress some with it

Wally,

One mod that I did was to add pelican clips to the life lines where they connect to the bow pulpit. Disconnect the appropriate side, secure it out of the way by snapping it onto the life line on the other side, then have my crew (if I have one) hold onto the furler and step off from the side of the bow.

Of course I normally solo and just do this myself like the others have described from the cockpit.

Practice, practice, practice.

Have fun,
Jim

I also use the 30 to 45 degree approach to the dock and then turn the motor and use reverse to 'suck' the back end to the dock while stopping forward momentum. I have found my biggest issue is the enthusiasim of my guests. Many are willing to leap over 3 feet of open water from a moving boat to help out. Had my cousin do that once and not only cleared the open water but kept going and cleared the dock in only one step. Lotta help that was.

Now I tell them not to step off until I give the order, many are absolutely amazed that all they have to do is step down on the floating dock, from a stopped boat. If there is a fair to strong wind they will already have the bow line in hand when they step off. I then place motor in neutral and join them on the dock with the stern line which I tie off before going forward and untying the incredibly innovative and complex knots that my guests have used to tie off the bow.

We leave two permanent bow lines attached on our .

One to port and one to starboard. They are run aft outside of the shrouds and rest along the rub rail, then tied to the stations at the cockpit.

- I unhook the cockpit lifeline
- step out of the cockpit onto the dock, with both the stern and bow lines in hand.
- I tie the stern first (with the the bow line in hand, if the bow wants to get away due to wind or current)
- then move forward with bow line in hand, and tie off the bow.

Under certain extreme conditions, once the stern is tied, I may put the engine in forward gear which moves the bow closer to the dock.

PS,
Our bow lines are only 25 feet long, so if we drag them by accident they will not foul the prop, and the shorter bow dock lines do mean having to use separate breast and spring lines when docked overnight.

Darry

Your cousin's story reminds me of my wife's cousin (the aerobics instructor) getting off our bowrider powerboat about 13-14 years ago. She put one foot on the dock and kept the other on the boat and got confused when the boat started to separate from the dock. She couldn't figure out whether to get back on or jump off. Both her husband and I are franticly yelling "jump!!" but being a landlubber from the highlands, she froze up, the boat kept moving off the dock and into the water she went with a big splash. Ah, if I only had had a video camera in those days, it would have been priceless.

I normally dock my macX singlehandedly but a couple weeks ago we went down to the pier in St Petersburg (Go Rays!) for lunch/shopping/car show and they have these new slips that are right out in the open bay (last time I went there, I stayed the night in the marina). There were these big signs all around saying "dock at your own risk" , "not responsible for damages" and there is a big fat piling off of the stern which I had my wife tie off of while I kept the motor running to keep the bow off of the concrete dock. Normally, she watches the kids while I singlehand, but this time I needed her help since it was out in the open and not a smooth water marina. It wasn't too windy so only something like a 1 foot small chop otherwise I would have gone into the marina.

A few hours later when all 7 of us were back on board and I was almost ready to cast off, I'm just about to jump off and undo the bow lines when these huge waves hit us in the slip, I mean, they must have been off of a cruise ship or something because the bow was a good 3 feet higher than the dock before the waves hit and I'm sitting in the cockpit watching the bow dig about 2 feet below the dock with these ~5 foot monster waves. Luckily the stern line on the piling held the boat from hitting the concrete pier (and surely being destroyed) and then I knew quite clearly why all those signs were there!

On our we loop the bow and stern line around the winch, till we need them, and unhook the lifeline on the side to the dock. when we get close I grab the lines from off the winch and just step over the side onto our West Marine boarding step
http://images.westmarine.com/full/1829522.jpg

I then just step down to the dock. I just wrap the step's rope around the lifeline pole and clip the hooks together. It works great, no slipping to the side or turning on its side. The step just hangs there, one of the best and least expensive, mods we've done.

Since we started using the boarding step life at docking time got EZ.

don

1. At our own slip we have a short, midship, docking assist line fixed at one end to a dock post , abeam of the winch on our X. Before leaving the slip, we let go all other lines, leaving the boat attached to the dock only by the assist line, which is wrapped around the winch and cleated. On leaving our dock, we uncleat the boat end of the assist line and lay it on the edge of the dock, extending toward the open end of the slip.

2. On returning to our slip, I motor into the slip and reverse the motor to stop the boat with the winch abeam of the dock-attached end of the assist line. I then reach from the cockpit and pick the free end of the assist line off the dock (easy enuf to do since the dock is slightly higher than the edge of the cockpit) , wind it around the winch and cleat it snugly. The boat is now fixed to the dock. We can then, at leisure, step from boat to dock and secure bow and stern lines.

3. We uncleat the assist line for overnite or when leaving the boat.

4. "Foreign" docks are something else entirely.