Instructions for Casting Off From a Dock in a Sail Boat
Leaving and approaching the dock in a sailboat are the points when damage is most likely to occur, without proper preparation. The boat can crash into the dock, or body parts can be crushed between boat and dock. Before setting out, a good crew discusses how to leave and approach the dock, and a smart captain makes sure everyone knows what to do to stay safe.
Instructions
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Plan your departure, and make sure everyone knows his or her role. In a typical departure situation, the captain is setting in the stern controlling the motor and rudder, one crewmember is controlling the ropes that secure the boat to the dock, and any other passengers are seated in a safe place.
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Start the motor, and release the bow of the boat. The most capable crew member should untie the ropes and step onto the boat, while holding one rope that is still looped around a dock cleat. If there is another capable crew member, they should be holding an oar or other sturdy pole to push against the dock – especially if there is a wind pushing the boat into the dock.
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Release the last rope. If you expect the ropes to be there when you get back, they should be left on the dock. Otherwise, bring the ropes onboard and stow them once you are underway. The person with the oar should now ensure the bow is pointed away from the dock, taking care that if the boat is blown into the dock, the collision is slowed down as much as possible.
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Stow any ropes, poles, fenders or other gear as soon as you are free of the dock. Keep a constant lookout until the boat is far from the docks and other boats, and you are ready to cut the engine, turn into the wind, and raise the sail.
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Tips & Warnings
On the way out of dock, plan what to do when you cut the engine, point the boat into the wind and raise the sail. Look at the amount of wind to determine if you want no jib, standard jib or Genoa jib. Take off the mainsail cover, and stash it away. Check the mainsail halyard, ensure it's not tangled.
The point where the last crew member comes on board, when leaving the dock, is when many injuries happen. There are several forces acting on this last boarder at the instant the boat leaves the dock: the moving boat, the oar, the wind, the rope being held and the step itself. A good rule is that boarding the boat should be a step -- not a jump.
References
Resources
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