Here is the photo of my dock. The green Nonsuch on the port side is my boat. You can see I am very close to the short. If my stern turns to the port, I do not have a lot of space before I hit the land.
I am thinking of two options:
Option 1:
Start engine and get it down to 1000 rpm
Turn rudder 80% to starboard
Release lines in order: 1st spring line. 2nd bow line. 3rd stern line
Reverse at 1000rpm for 2 seconds
Then neutral
Adjust the rudder to back out
Option 2:
Rig a spring line - line attach to my stern cleat to the mid-ship dock cleat
Start engine and get it down to 1000 rpm
Center the rudder
Release lines in order: 1st bow line. 2nd stern line. 3rd HOLD the mid-ship spring line on the boat
Reverse at 1000rpm for 2 seconds
Then neutral
Release the spring line
Adjust the rudder to back out
*Reason for the spring line is to prevent the stern from turning TOO much to the port.
I read somewhere the spring line method (Option 2 here) is good for very tight space or high wind
Nice looking boat! And yes, the first thing I saw before I read your message was how your boat is going to want to back into the shore when you leave the slip. May I suggest a third option? Back into your slip so you can pull out forwards. Perhaps with the help of a spring or pivot line on the end of your dock. And maybe put in for a slip farther out away from the shore when one becomes available or when you put your boat back in next year.
And if you somehow end up in one of those slips to the right side of the photo, you will probably go bow in and then learn to back all the way out of the fairway. I had to do that many times in my first slip here in SD. It’s not so bad once you get used to it and it makes it easy for you to look for cross-traffic rather than sending someone out on the bow to do it. When I was finally offered a new slip to move to it was just like yours, only the first one from shore, not the second. I turned that one down and I finally got a good one. You need to manage in the mean time, but there’s no reason you need to put up with a hassle slip for the long term.
– You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “INA Nonsuch Discussion Group” group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to . To view this discussion visit .
NS233
(Bob Neches, Me Gusta, Nonsuch e26U #233)
23
Brian’s offering some good suggestions, and I’m impressed with the systematic way you’re putting together a plan for handling your boat.
The possibility of backing in and motoring out had occurred to me as soon as I saw the picture, too. Once they’re in motion, Nonsuches are fairly manageable in reverse.
Are you singlehanding, or do you have crew assisting you? Which way does the wind typically blow across your slip?
I think it’s now getting down to details where the answers matter for any further advice. (Then again, given the way you’re approaching it, you may soon get the hang of it without needing more advice.)
Hi Shirley,
You photo looks almost identical to my situation. Hopefully the water near the shore stays deep. I make the “stern to shore” turn when departing.
Are you to trying to back up the fairway ( the harder turn to make) ? Or turning immediately after leaving your slip and motoring forward up the fairway ?
Brian’s suggestion to back in is a good one, but we prefer bow in for the privacy it provides being so close to the gangway.
My departure process is to reverse turn (stern to shore, then forward turn to starboard, and motor forward down the fairway… I’ll note differences in highlighted text.
Your Option 1:
Start engine and get it down to 1000 rpm ( I think my engine idles a little slower, I maneuverer mostly at idle )
Turn rudder 80% to starboard ( I start with my rudder centered which allows the boat to begin moving before I steer )
Release lines in order: 1st spring line. 2nd bow line. 3rd stern line. ( When departing I release whatever line has tension last, the slack lines aren’t doing anything )
Reverse at 1000rpm for 2 seconds ( I reverse with idle throttle, and use rudder to counter prop walk once I’m moving, usually 1/4 turn to starboard. Once the boat is moving shift into neutral, for Soave it takes about 4-8 seconds )
As soon as our bow will clear the finger on the starboard side I steer to port usually about 1/2 turn, it looks like you have more distance to the dock behind you so you may want to turn slower to leave more space for the starboard turn coming up. If the boat slows before you are ready to start your starboard turn give it a tiny bit of reverse. Plan to let the boat coast to a near stop before shifting into forward.
Then turn wheel aggressively to starboard (at least 3/4 turn ) and shift into forward ( throttle still idle )… you may feel a little vibration in the wheel as the prop wash flows over the rudder fighting the prop walk. Once the boat starts moving forward you will feel the rudder grab and the boat will steer to starboard. It’s worth practicing this a few time in open water. In the book that you ordered this is part of the maneuver called a standing turn.
Once you complete the turn center the rudder and proceed up the fairway.
With a right handed prop, you can only make standing turns to starboard , but not to port. This is why it is easier ( if we’re docked bow in ) in our slip to to turn as we leave the slip.
Maybe your idle is set a little fast ? It may just me the tachometer reading is off.. it sounds like your boat accelerates faster than Soave. .
After I got the hang of the maneuver, I decided to keep the slip because the WIFI is stronger than further out the dock and I like to take Zoom meetings from the boat.
Good Luck with whatever approach you decide is right for you.
Rob
s/v SOAVE
NS33 #009
Cedar Point YC
Westport, CT
Thanks for your detailed message. Actually, as soon as I reversed at 1000 rpm, the stern starts to move to port. My mistake was KEEP reversing continuously while giving more throttle. This makes the stern turn more aggressively to port.
That’s why, in the future, I will leave the throttle at idle at 1000rpm, reverse for 2 seconds only (like you said) and then neutral. I realise neutral has no prop walk and so I let the stern to coast a bit first.
Shirley,
Does your boat have a two or three blade prop. Generally two blades walk more than three. Also if the idle speed was set at 800 rpm rather than 1000 you would experience less prop walk.
Mine has 3 blades fixed prop. Ok, will try 800rpm next time. Thanks for the tip
Shirley
David
( Carol Ann - Colington Harbour, NC - #51)
28
Good Morning-
While I’ve not experienced “prop walk”, personally yet (newbie to the boat, and haven’t left the “porch”) I did witness it by the Captain I hired to deliver the boat to our dock.
It was a windy evening and “Carlos” was sizing up the approach into my dock. (fairly narrow for a “beamy” boat) Anywho, the docking was made more complicated with the new Tender we bought, since it was being towed instead of hung. (Ugh another story, but the divat plates couldn’t hold the dingy, so Captain Carlos felt it was best (safest) to tow it). Anyways- Carlos used the “prop walk” to literally “walk” the boat back and around the piling and into the slip (never once touching or rubbing the the piling, just spun around it. What I thought was going to be a struggle of man, machine, and Mother Nature- became a simple, non-stressful event… kinda of boring!
Safely docked and utterly amazed at how simple it looked, I asked Carlos… how’d you do that??? Being a man of few words… he smiled and said, “prop walk”!
I can only hope my dockings will go as smoothly! But- I’m looking forward to learning much more about the phenomenon called “prop walk”!
Just an update today. I achieve some success doing the following:-
Start the engine at 1000rpm
Remove the lines in sequence: 1st, Spring line, 2nd bow line 3rd stern line
Put the wheel to Starboard 1/4 turn
Reverse at 1000rpm
Boat starts reversing
Straighten my wheel
Put in neutral (Theoretically, neutral reduces prop walk)
Let it coast - seems going slightly to port anyways
Once clear, I do forward and starboard
All the maneuver is done at 1000rpm
I do NOT back up all the way out of the fairway.
In my dock , as you can see in the photo, I back out to the my stern port (the shore), once the boat clears my finger pier, I turn starboard and go forward out in my fairway.
Well, today, there was no wind and so it was fairly easy. I need to practice more to get a hang of it.
Another Nonsuch owner recommended that I change to Flex-O-Fold made in Denmark. Will consider it next year. For now, I just have to live with my 3 fixed blade propeller.
Thanks,
Shirley
NS233
(Bob Neches, Me Gusta, Nonsuch e26U #233)
30
Hi Shirley,
Great to hear of your success. Experience is a great teacher, and in the case of boating it’s also fun.
A couple thoughts for you or others following this thread :
If there is wind on your stern when you start, the turn to starboard will be more difficult. With Soave I back out further than I need to before starting the starboard turn to make sure I have plenty of room for the starboard turn. If the wind is blowing you back toward your slip, you could get pinned without ample room to maneuver.
Maybe try the maneuver at 800 rpm ? On Soave I find with lower the rpm initial prop walk is reduced.
Fixed props provide consistent propulsion when maneuvering. With practice you can master docking with any style prop. Folding and feathering props are great for reducing drag while sailing, but I’m not sure how they would help with docking. I’m actually a little afraid to switch now that I’ve learned to maneuver with my fixed prop.
After the basics, there are advanced level of docking skills that are very rewarding to pursue. Learning the basics gave me real appreciation for watching experienced skippers maneuver their boats. Have fun and never stop learning.
Smooth sailing,
Rob
s/v SOAVE
NS33 #009
Cedar Point YC
Westport, CT
