Student
Mike Alton
Courtenay, BC, Canada
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Bareboat Charter Master Level V
Status: Big Time Sailor
Qualified days: 0
Posted 2023, Jul 14 03:00
I owned a Hans Christian 43 T with a max prop for many years and the reverse thrust is not any better than a standard fixed prop. Possibly because the boat is a full keel design and the prop wash gets pushed against the back of the keel in reverse.
Student
Harrison Rose
Virginia Beach, VA, USA
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Qualified Crew Member Level III
Status: Big Time Sailor
Qualified days: 77
Posted 2024, Jul 09 21:22
In previous lessons you talked about the catenary shape of the anchor chain. You suggested 50 ft put 2x depth for an all chain rode. However, you have gone to 5x depth for this mooring. In a shallow area this would not give enough scope for the anchor to be sitting correctly based on your previous lesson (and you would use more than necessary in more depth). Can you explain why the rules for the scope of the anchor are different when doing a med mooring or with this long line method vs standard anchoring?
Student
Dorian Swerdlow
White Plains, NY, USA
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Captain Level V
Status: Really Big Time Sailor
Qualified days: 219
Posted 2024, Dec 18 01:14
The text says "The helmsperson can leave the boat in slight reverse to stay on station with the anchor rode taught until the long-line operations are complete." If crewmember will swim a line from the stern to shore, I think it's a good idea to shut the engine off when the swimmer is in the vicinity of the boat. If a dinghy is used instead, there is a chance a crew member may fall into the water when boarding the dinghy.
Student
Dorian Swerdlow
White Plains, NY, USA
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Captain Level V
Status: Really Big Time Sailor
Qualified days: 219
Posted 2024, Dec 18 01:18
The long line ashore method is clearly useful if there are other boats moored this way, so you don't swing into them. Are there other reasons to select this method?
Student
Casey Reagan
Waconia, MN, USA
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Crew Level II
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 34
Posted 2025, Jan 03 03:37
How are these maneuvers done if there is no one on the dock to release the dock lines from the cleat? Any tips for shorthanded sailors?
Student
Dorian Swerdlow
White Plains, NY, USA
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Captain Level V
Status: Really Big Time Sailor
Qualified days: 219
Posted 2025, Mar 05 17:02
The text in the Ferrying animation seems to be for a boat with an inboard engine with "prop wash" (i.e., thrust washing over the prop that can be directed with the rudder). This course is for boats with an outboard motor. Since there will be no forward motion of the boat to make the rudder effective, the steering will be done with the outboard motor tiller rather than the boat's rudder.
I haven't tried this maneuver with an outboard motor, so the above is just my conjecture.
Student
Charles Low
Brockville, ON, Canada
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Skipper Large Sailboat Level III
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 55
Posted 2025, Mar 26 20:25
Someone with a charter-rental houseboat said how friendly all the other boaters were, as he came in to a dock, always at the ready to help, with their boathooks. It never occurred to him that they were protecting their property!
Student
Charles Low
Brockville, ON, Canada
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Skipper Large Sailboat Level III
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 55
Posted 2025, Mar 30 20:08
What if the annoying person the dock, barking orders, is the dockmaster? (Answered in the video, but cannot delete my message.)
Student
Angela "Calypso" Schultz
San Francisco, CA, USA
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Crew Level I
Status: Sailor
Qualified days: 20
Posted 2025, Apr 08 21:07
I wanted a way to practice coming into the slip, but wanted to practice using a target that wouldn't cause any harm if I did actually hit it. Fortunately there is a row of about 5 red return buoys that guide boats into my marina. On a day when there wasn't any traffic I practiced approaching each buoy imagining it was the end of the dock, and getting as close and slow as I could, enough that my mate could practice throwing a line. I learned to account for drift from current and windage, and feathering my engine so that I could stop and back up if I needed to bail out. This was quite helpful and I gained a lot of confidence and figured out what kind of communication was most effective between me and my mate. This made for a low stress gamification of a docking exercise. I hope it can be inspiring for someone else!
