Brenda Young

Today we practiced docking with a fairly brisk wind blowing us off. Our first attempt at leaving the dock, we tried to use a bow spring. The boat so quickly that we never got to it. So we had to take the bowline off the cleat. So we released the line from the boat and just drifted into the channel. Regathered ourselves, came back, secured a line in the midships. So from there we used the midships docking stick and bowline to get onto the midships cleat, and we docked reasonably successfully despite the brisk wind that wanted to blow the bow off at any moment. The difficulty with that is that the wind blows the bow off, and then you actually start steering into the windward boat. So you really have to maintain control of the bow at all times. It's pretty difficult to turn around because in that moment you lose control of the bow and you're drifting. But we managed it. The docking stick was actually a significant asset in that circumstance. Then to get off the dock, we just ended up with two bow lines and stern lines. We just released the stern line first, and then very quickly the bow quickly swung in the wind, pointed us in the right direction, and we just motored out fairly stress-free. Then when it came to sailing drills, we did a couple of tacks, and then we just did MOBs. We just sailed to. Just to really get the feel for it. And then we came back and docked reasonably successfully. This time we had the midships line on a bowline, and then we attached it to a winch that was in the cockpit around the cleat with the intention that we could actually winch the boat onto the dock. But I don't think the line was the correct angle to the winch, and it just got tangled. So we had to sort that out, so better just to stick to the... sweating

Docking practice focused on repeated approaches and departures using a bow spring. Completed six to seven repetitions, securing the boat alongside using engine and rudder before rigging a stern spring to spring off safely in the prevailing wind and tide. As the tide reached its peak, one approach required a ferry glide into the berth, providing useful experience judging lateral movement and clearance. Practised man overboard recovery under power using Bob, with successful recoveries by both crew. Completed several sail-on mooring buoy approaches in light winds, strong tide and with one reef in the main. Found that, in these conditions, making multiple short tacks into the tide gave better control and a more accurate final approach than standing away on a single tack. Also practised dropping and hoisting the mainsail while on the mooring, sailing off the buoy, returning to the marina, and completing a successful final berth.