Doing some armchair boating while waiting for my closing on  a 2009 NT 37.

I have a 40 foot slip, port side tie-up. To leave the slip, I would back out to starboard and then head out the fairway. Prevailing wind pushes me away from the finger pier. I know that prop walk would tend to pull the stern in the direction I need it to move but there's one more complication. There is little room to back out because I'm the second boat from the face dock (so my slipmate is right on the main dock).

Would you still come in bow first or would you back in? It seems like backing in would allow me to use prop wash to nudge the stern against the dock (and against the prevailing wind) when docking. Leaving the slip would involve sticking the bow out and then giving a nudge on the thruster to push the bow through any wind that might be fighting it.

Downside is I have not backed large boats in before and the beautiful Sabre next to me in the slip doesn't want to be part of my learning curve!

I’m almost always singlehanding so the usual advice about using spring lines does not apply (unless I could handle them entirely on board and very close to the helm)

My marina has dock attendants so that helps when they are around but I like to go out often at sunrise so I really need to figure out singlehanded ways of handling everything.

Thanks for any tips!

Thomas,
I highly recommend getting some hands on lessons in boat handling on board your boat in that marina. The NT 37 has starboard prop walk, so most of us like to dock starboard side to the dock. Your slip with the wind direction you describe sounds like it could be a bit challenging, especially for a single hander. I also suggest installing a stern thruster if your new (to you) boat does not have one.
Good luck,
Tom Easterbrook
formerly Pilitak NT 37-068
Nanaimo, BC

From: Thomas Parrent via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
Sent: July 6, 2021 6:29 PM
To: sentoa@lists.sentoa.org sentoa@lists.sentoa.org
Cc: Thomas Parrent tparrent88@gmail.com
Subject: [Sentoa] Singlehanded docking

Doing some armchair boating while waiting for my closing on  a 2009 NT 37.

I have a 40 foot slip, port side tie-up. To leave the slip, I would back out to starboard and then head out the fairway. Prevailing wind pushes me away from the finger pier. I know that prop walk would tend to pull the stern in the direction I need it to move but there's one more complication. There is little room to back out because I'm the second boat from the face dock (so my slipmate is right on the main dock).

Would you still come in bow first or would you back in? It seems like backing in would allow me to use prop wash to nudge the stern against the dock (and against the prevailing wind) when docking. Leaving the slip would involve sticking the bow out and then giving a nudge on the thruster to push the bow through any wind that might be fighting it.

Downside is I have not backed large boats in before and the beautiful Sabre next to me in the slip doesn't want to be part of my learning curve!

I’m almost always singlehanding so the usual advice about using spring lines does not apply (unless I could handle them entirely on board and very close to the helm)

My marina has dock attendants so that helps when they are around but I like to go out often at sunrise so I really need to figure out singlehanded ways of handling everything.

Thanks for any tips!

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Hi Thomas I have a 37ft with flybridge and often single hand; back in everytime you have better control and I wouldn't bother with a stern thruster. Best regards Mike McBryde Kismet NT 37 -158.Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
-------- Original message --------From: Thomas Parrent via Sentoa sentoa@lists.sentoa.org Date: 2021-07-06  6:29 PM  (GMT-08:00) To: sentoa@lists.sentoa.org Cc: Thomas Parrent tparrent88@gmail.com Subject: [Sentoa] Singlehanded docking Doing some armchair boating while waiting for my closing on  a 2009 NT 37.I have a 40 foot slip, port side tie-up. To leave the slip, I would back out to starboard and then head out the fairway. Prevailing wind pushes me away from the finger pier. I know that prop walk would tend to pull the stern in the direction I need it to move but there's one more complication. There is little room to back out because I'm the second boat from the face dock (so my slipmate is right on the main dock).Would you still come in bow first or would you back in? It seems like backing in would allow me to use prop wash to nudge the stern against the dock (and against the prevailing wind) when docking. Leaving the slip would involve sticking the bow out and then giving a nudge on the thruster to push the bow through any wind that might be fighting it. Downside is I have not backed large boats in before and the beautiful Sabre next to me in the slip doesn't want to be part of my learning curve! I’m almost always singlehanding so the usual advice about using spring lines does not apply (unless I could handle them entirely on board and very close to the helm)My marina has dock attendants so that helps when they are around but I like to go out often at sunrise so I really need to figure out singlehanded ways of handling everything. Thanks for any tips!_______________________________________________Sentoa mailing list -- sentoa@lists.sentoa.orgTo unsubscribe send an email to sentoa-leave@lists.sentoa.org