www.iFourWinns.com

Ok guys..here's the problem (and I don't mind admitting it and asking for help ! )
I have to reverse into the dock here in Spain , and I DONT have boats either side of me...
If I have a wind and/or current off the port or starboard,(common in my marina) it takes seconds after the stern rope is attached to the dock having perfectly reversed in, for the boat bow to swing downwind, with nothing to stop it !
Im pretty new to this (even though I have no issue landing a plane in a crosswind LOL )

So..whats the best technique...
a) attach stern windward rope, and then use engine in forward swung all the way into the wind to point the bow round and keep it there...is that a stupid idea?
b) have a spare BOW rope attached to forward windward cleat, which is passed back before reversing in, and this gets attached temporarily along with the stern rope to hold the bow till we can feed the "lazy line " forward and attach it to the bow as we need to

hope that makes some sense....!!!
all a learning curve... would be MUCH easier if I had a boat either side ! !

appreciate your advice

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

Your option A would work without steering into the wind at all...just leave the engine straight with the windward stern line attached. That way you are not pushing the stern leeward. This requires two people since you wouldn't want to leave the helm with the engine in gear.

Option B should work also. Is this your own slip? Do you have the option of leaving lines attached to your poles that you can grab with a boat hook as you back in?

_________________

"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Thanks..no its a marina, and I have no boats either side..
No poles..only stern mooring rings at dockside, and what they call a"lazy line" here in the Med...which attaches to dockside, and is fed all the way forward to pick up the main bow rope (which is fixed to the seabed at the bow)
Its the time it takes between affixing stern windward rope and managing to get the lazy line all the way forward and attached that is the issue...the bow has swung WAY before we get it attached
So the bow has to be stopped from swinging downwind/downcurrent pretty quickly

hope that makes sense!

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

This should show the problem clearly...mostly we have winds/current from starboard

by the way I now have 2 fenders each side and 2 at stern

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

OK. Looks like you need to drop anchor or use lots of fenders on the stern to keep it off the dock.

I still think your option A would work with the engine steered straight ahead, but you would need to stay at the helm with somebody else working the lines.

_________________

"Knot Easy" 2000 Horizon 240 Volvo 5.7GS /SX
tow: 2017 Honda PILOT EXL-AWD
prev. boats:
'87 Chaparral 198CXL 4.3 OMC Cobra
'69 Jetstar 16ft Ski Boat, 115hp Yamaha
'68 Aluminum Jon Boat, 3hp Sears
'64 Water Wings

Will give that a try..I always have some help with the ropes
As mentioned now have 2 fairly hefty fenders at swim platform...

thanks !

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

To me, and who am I. I would cross your stern lines. This would keep the your boat straight out from the dock. Then run spring lines from each midships cleat. Yes, that would put your stern against the dock. Thats fine as long as you use fenders. Also, the anchor line would not be needed and I would not trust it with that little scope anyways and it must be a pain to use.

Would dropping the anchor first and then pivot off the anchor work for you? This way the bow won't run downwind
You have a lot of room

Paul I...crossing stern lines is an interesting idea...sadly my boat doesn't have midship cleats, only bow and stern.....

Thalasso...hmmm LOTS of ropes attached to sea bed all round there for the bow lines..an anchor could easily get caught up in those I reckon....that could be problematic!

Thanks for all the advice..some great ideas in there. !

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

I would install a set of cleats, I am surprised you don't have them. Its easy enough to do. They make pop-up cleats were you don't need to get at the backing plate.

If that is you slip I would also attach some sort of fenders to the dock. Old rugs, fenders, rub railing, anything soft.

Yes planning to attach some soft materials to the dock when I can ....re installing cleats?
Does anyone with a Vista 248/268 have or need midship cleats? Im surprised

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

Is that line off the bow a mooring line secured on the bottom. Use that the same as a anchor.
Attach the bow first and then back in

It is but thats not possible..its picked up from the stern "lazy line" This is attached to the same mooring ring as the stern line, and is a sinkable weighted rope.- a much smaller diameter rope which is then fed forward to find the main rope attached to the seabed.
you would have to have backed in to the pontoon to even pick it up
would be almost impossible to pick it off the seabed before you reverse in

_________________
Bill P
Marbella, Spain
Vista 248 Year 2000
25th Anniversary edition
Volvo Penta Engine and Outdrive

This might give folks a bit better idea of the set-up - it's not terribly common out here to the best of my knowledge....Enjoy the music....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fw92r0gc7M

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2002 Funship 214
VP 5.7 GX Si
2003 Tahoe

Watched that. I feel for ya