Springing off

[schrater]

Sharing a technique we don’t hear mentioned much in trawler circles, in case it may help others...

When we first got our single-engine, big stern, no-thrusters trawler, we were surprised at just how poorly it handled in reverse. And since we keep it on a river where 2-3kt currents are the norm, add a little cross-ways breeze and we found ourselves frequently pinned broadside against a dock (such as fuel or pump-out) with no way to extricate ourselves. After a few near-disasters, we were desperate for a solution...

Enter the old sailboat strategy of “springing off” to get yourself off a dock against a wind/current force or in a narrow parking spot. Because I have a squared-off stern I only do this from the bow end, but those with a rounded stern could do this from that end as well. The basic concept is to “pivot and reverse”.

Essentially you rig a line that goes from a cleat in the forward quarter (I like to use the hawes) down to a single wrap around a cleat on the dock that’s aft of that point, and then back up to a deck hand. You place fenders forward. You then put the engine in forward and apply throttle as necessary. The boat will try to go forward, but the bow line will prevent this, so the boat will begin to pivot against the fenders on the dock. The bow will rotate in across the dock, pulling the stern out from the dock. I usually continue until the stern is swung well out to something like 45deg, at which point I quickly drop it into reverse and back hard straight out at that angle. The dock hand lets the line loose and it runs out from the dock cleat and can be hauled in once free.

I have now used this technique hundreds of times, including against a 25kt wind pushing me flat against the dock. It works, and frankly I don’t know of any other viable method in those conditions. I hope this helps someone out there, and I’d be interested in variations or alternatives that anyone can think of (besides “get bow thrusters or twin engines”).

 

[oscar]

Even with twin screws this is a good technique. Of course using the engine away from the dock makes it even more effective, then again twin screws usually have small(er) rudders so they too need help to get the pivot going.

 

[High Wire]

You need competent deckhands or disaster can result. The plan needs to be well worked out before hand. The anchor out on the pulpit can hit stuff and get tangled. Letting loose too early or late can get ugly.
But when everything goes right it’s a beautiful thing.

 

[oscar]

You need competent deckhands or disaster can result.

Yes.... We have been known to do "line handling drills" with the boat tied up, or with a cleat on a 6x6 in the driveway at home. Standard callouts are a good idea too.....

 

[schrater]

Yes.... We have been known to do "line handling drills" with the boat tied up, or with a cleat on a 6x6 in the driveway at home. Standard callouts are a good idea too.....

Good point, oscar. This is a maneuver where clear, loud communication between pilot and deckhand is a must!

And starting by practicing in mild conditions can help prepare you for the rough stuff.

 

[psneeld]

It's rare that a pro will not back off a dock in many situations....much to the surprise of dockhands and other boaters. They all want to push you way off like most new boaters but with tide or wind setting you on the dock.....ooooops.


A lot of the time you don't even need the spring line...just turn full rudder into the dock and give a mighty burst of throttle....that alone will give enough boats an angle to back off in many situations.


Most boats whether singles or twins, if they go forward off a face dock...they will set themselves up for a dramatic departure versus a yawner.

 

[oscar]

Found this from the Auxiliary (slightly modified)... a good point to start

The open spaces refer to the line number.... Usually bow=1, forward spring=2, aft spring=3 and stern line=4

PUT OVER LINE ___
Pass the specified line to the pier and provide enough slack in the line
to allow the line handler(s) on pier to place the eye or bight over the
mooring appliance (bitt, bollard, cleat).

TAKE THE SLACK OUT OF LINE ___
Remove all slack out of the specified line without taking strain on the
line.

HOLD LINE ___
Take a turn(s) around the cleat with specified line, not allowing it to
slip.

CHECK LINE ___
Hold the specified line under heavy strain, but allow the line to pay out
to prevent parting.

EASE LINE ___ Pay out the specified line under tension but not a heavy strain.

SLACK LINE ___ Take all tension off the specified line, allow a slight catenary in it.

TAKE IN LINE ___
Slack the specified line, remove it from the pier and bring it aboard.
Report when it is aboard.

MAKE UP LINE ___ Secure the specified line.

 

[Blissboat]

Springing into the dock can also ensure a trouble-free departure from a narrow berth, when the wind or current is forcing you away from the dock, and down onto an adjacent hazard, such as a shoal or another boat.

E.g., if recovering the dock lines aboard in an orderly way would consume too much time to get underway and safely clear the berth, I have rigged a forward spring and powered against it while using the rudder(s) to press the stern against the dock. Holding the boat in place that way, we then take-in the bow and stern dock lines. Once everything is ready, center the helm, shift into reverse, and power out of the slip while the deckhand takes in the spring as the boat moves aft.

As others have noted, it's necessary to talk this through ahead of time, so that there's no misunderstanding about who does what, when and how. But just two people, one on deck and the other on the helm, can execute the maneuver with smoothness and ease. A few calm-day rehearsals just about guarantees it.

 

[rslifkin]

With twins, given enough room behind me, I typically pivot the stern out a little and back off diagonally. If space is a little limited, I can then angle forward and out from that point.

 

[Sidclark]

The only thing I can add to that is to eliminate the dockhand unless you're singlehanding. Just run the spring line around the cleat or piling and back to the line handler on the boat. When ready you can pull the line in from the boat. This is how my wife and I do it. You never know what kind of dock hand you'll get....

 

[Jeff F]

I use that technique. The other thing I do to help get off is to dock port side to the dock if there is wind/current pushing on to the dock, as my prop walk in reverse pulls the stern to starboard. That helps when it's time to back out. If I'm at 30 degrees to the dock when starting to back out it's easy to get a boat length off and do another quick back and fill to increase the angle, or to pull the stern to weather with a burst of throttle. It's much easier if your prop walk is pulling the stern away from the dock rather than towards it.

 

[Airstream345]

Spring lines are your friend and I agree you don't see a lot of trawlers using them. I've used the same technique to get out of a very tight "parallel parking" situation on a linear dock when single handed. Works like a charm.

 

[schrater]

Agree, Sidclark. We do this from on-board. No need for someone on the dock (and often they don’t understand what you’re trying to do). I usually just tell them to leave it alone, we’ve got this.

Reverse prop walk can be helpful in calm conditions, but won’t do anything with a multi-knot river current nor an 8+ knot breeze.

 

[jleonard]

A lot of the time you don't even need the spring line...just turn full rudder into the dock and give a mighty burst of throttle....that alone will give enough boats an angle to back off in many situations.

That is always my first plan as long as I am starboard side to the dock (since I back to port).

 

[fractalphreak]

It's rare that a pro will not back off a dock in many situations....much to the surprise of dockhands and other boaters. They all want to push you way off like most new boaters but with tide or wind setting you on the dock.....ooooops.


A lot of the time you don't even need the spring line...just turn full rudder into the dock and give a mighty burst of throttle....that alone will give enough boats an angle to back off in many situations.


Most boats whether singles or twins, if they go forward off a face dock...they will set themselves up for a dramatic departure versus a yawner.

+1. We do rudder into the dock (or away from it) depending on whether coming or going to enhance the ability to pull the stern away or to the dock. We also usually leave by backing away, or at least pull the stern off the dock 4-5 feet before moving forward if we do go forward. Using the rudder like that with twins gives a lot of added thrust to the side(ish).

We leave a large round fender just forward of the turn of the hull to help with pivoting off the dock using the twins (and rudder as described) in case its needed.

We do have the spring line in our bag of tools, we used it a lot more with our former power boat because it was so subjected to being blown around in the wind. We find the trawler doesn't have as much problem in that regard. We did set up to spring off the government dock in Ganges this past summer one blustery afternoon. I might have been able to power the engines to get off the dock, but the spring let us use a much more controlled approach. We were leaving a dock with a large catamaran right in front of us, and boats everywhere on a busy day, it was a good move.

 

[Jeff F]

Reverse prop walk can be helpful in calm conditions, but won’t do anything with a multi-knot river current nor an 8+ knot breeze.

That may be your experience, but it's not universally true. It's always there, and it's always working for you or against you. In a single engine boat with no thrusters you've got a limited tool set...

Think about turning around in a narrow fairway by backing and filling. One way is going to be a lot easier than the other because you're taking advantage of prop walk. In calm conditions you can probably turn either way. But try it with a strong current or breeze. One way you may get turned around. The other you're probably going to be up against the downwind/downcurrent obstacle.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Just make sure your bow is clear of any items on the dock. It would be a shame to do a smooth job springing off the dock and leave a broken off power pedestal behind squirting water into the air.

Often we will drop our big ball fender down between the bow and the dock and using differential thrust simply “lean” on the dock pushing the stern away. Then it’s just a matter of backing out.

 

[caltexflanc]

Another method to avoid the bow getting over into places it shouldn't, is to run a spring forward from the boat's dockside aft-most cleat. Put a fender off it if you like though usually not necessary with a twin, but definitely needed with a single. If you have a twin engine, put the dockside engine only in reverse and it will spring the bow off handy dandy. We liked this solution more than the other when on a tight face dock. And we could amplify it with the bow thruster if need be, but seldom needed to.

 

[syjos]

It's rare that a pro will not back off a dock in many situations....much to the surprise of dockhands and other boaters. They all want to push you way off like most new boaters but with tide or wind setting you on the dock.....ooooops.


A lot of the time you don't even need the spring line...just turn full rudder into the dock and give a mighty burst of throttle....that alone will give enough boats an angle to back off in many situations.


Most boats whether singles or twins, if they go forward off a face dock...they will set themselves up for a dramatic departure versus a yawner.

I agree 100%

We do the rudder to dock in forward without a spring. Unless there's heavy wind or current.

 

[kchace]

The only thing I can add to that is to eliminate the dockhand unless you're singlehanding. Just run the spring line around the cleat or piling and back to the line handler on the boat. When ready you can pull the line in from the boat. This is how my wife and I do it. You never know what kind of dock hand you'll get....

This is how we do it as well. In my experience, inevitably dockhands either do things without waiting for the command or are slow to respond to a specific command which always makes things more difficult then they had to be.



Ken

 

[mvweebles]

As a guy with a single and barn-door rudder with a few failed landings, some observations

1. As psneeld notes, back-away is almost always easier. Exception would be if there is wind or current from ahead.

2. Blast of prop wash over the rudder is indeed helpful. Make sure you have your rudder set hard-over before the blast of prop.

3. As JeffF mentions, challenge for single-engine boats is prop walk means there is a preferred side for landing. When trying to swing stern out (#2 previous), going into reverse to back-away will halt rotation away from the side-tie. JeffF's comment is to plan ahead and land on opposite side so prop walk assists in departure. I guess you pick your poison.

4. When you rotate the stern out, rotate it much, much further than you think you need even if there is no current/wind against. Again, Prop Walk will move you back into the side tie (or boat astern etc.)

5. Having at least one good sized fender (a round ball fender is handy) to pivot off is helpful. Needs to be placed between the end-points of the spring line to act as a fulcrum. Even on transom boats, the bow can be pivoted out though is not as much leverage as rotating the stern out.

6. Twins. Springs are rarely needed. Assume most twin drivers also exit in reverse using similar technique as above, just split between two engines. Short blast forward on outboard engine (i.e. further from dock) to 'dip' the bow towards the dock (prop walk also assists pulling the stern away when in forward, though effect is overwhelmed by rudder wash). Then reverse on inboard engine - prop walk will assist. Takes some judgement to know how far your gunwale overhangs the dock.

The above said, sometimes it just doesn't work out well. A few months ago before my boat went into the yard in Ensenada MX, I was moving from one single-finger slip to another. I misjudged the current and could not get the bow of my boat through the current to save my life. As I was slowly eeking my way down the fairway towards the rip-rap, Victor, a worker on the docks who I had befriended came to my rescue. I was a bit embarrassed and annoyed - I thought I was a better helmsman than that. Only good part of the story was it was a Tuesday midday without witnesses (save Victor).

Peter

 

[bayview]

More than once with docks that have poles on the outside I have just put the pulpit against the pole and swung out.

 

[Ken E.]

Chapman's discusses spring lines at length with diagrams, if you want learn about many iterations of them.

I'm with Weebles' comment on twins...."Springs are rarely needed. Assume most twin drivers also exit in reverse using similar technique as above, just split between two engines. Short blast forward on outboard engine (i.e. further from dock) to 'dip' the bow towards the dock (prop walk also assists pulling the stern away when in forward, though effect is overwhelmed by rudder wash). Then reverse on inboard engine"...maybe with a shot of throttle to help kick the stern out.

 

[Blissboat]

In my experience, inevitably dockhands either do things without waiting for the command or are slow to respond to a specific command which always makes things more difficult then they had to be.



Ken

Amen. Some dockmasters and their helpers are impressively capable - I actually met one, once! Others (meaning most, in my experience) seem ignorant of what goes into boat handling around a dock. Attempting to explain what they ought to have done to be helpful, and why, is a waste of time. I've learned to politely but firmly decline help from anyone on the dock unless I know the helper.

 

[rslifkin]

I always instruct anyone who's helping me (whether they're my crew, a dockhand, a friendly neighbor, etc.) to tell me as soon as the thing I asked them to do is done. And if they miss getting a line on a cleat or something on the first try, tell me right away. That way I know what I do and don't have to work with, as I can only see some of what they're doing from the helm.

I do also try to minimize needing / using help from anyone that's not on the boat with me, although if they're there and offering, we'll give them something to do. Usually it's just one simple task with explicit instructions, like "take this line and put it on that cleat".

 

[psneeld]

Amen. Some dockmasters and their helpers are impressively capable - I actually met one, once! Others (meaning most, in my experience) seem ignorant of what goes into boat handling around a dock. Attempting to explain what they ought to have done to be helpful, and why, is a waste of time. I've learned to politely but firmly decline help from anyone on the dock unless I know the helper.

I agree...but it has gotten me thrown out of 2 marinas.



One I was leaving anyhow ....and the other just tying up for the night.



I kept asking for the spring first to keep the current from pushing me into the Flemming up ahead...even the Flemmng's owner was amazed when the dockmaster told me there was no room available now.


It was when I said the captain was in charge of docking, dockmasters are in charge of slip assignments and I prefer to keep position by engine and I will keep shifting until a spring is on.