Nervous over my larger boat purchase. Is this normal?

Actually think spring lines are both the first and third things.

I don't sweat the dock help. I appreciate it, and I know that the plan here is merely to get lines on and the vessel (and surrounding vessels) out of harm's way. I always know that when we're in, that I'm spending the next 20 minutes reconfiguring everything. One of my pet peeves is dock hands that feel it imperative to cross spring lines at a companionway. But I don't bother trying to train them while coming in. We hand a line, give an instruction, then watch what actually happens and react to it.

...ford, I agree, I really appreciate the help from dockmates who have been doing this much longer than I. Just get me attached to the dock safely and once the engines are down I'll set my line as I like.
The captain that delivered my boat always told me that you have three gears... forward , reverse, and neutral and at times neutral is more valuable that either of the other two.

The worst problem we have is with dockhands who not only do not know what they are doing but refuse to listen to instructions. And it is tough to figure out how much a dock attendant knows when you come into a new marina. I can deal with the guests on the boat, it is those on the dock which worry me. We even had a fellow boat owner years ago release the lines and push us off the dock before we started the engines. Of course, this was on a much smaller boat.

It's very normal, don't worry. Bigger vessels are easier to handle than smaller vessels once you get used to the dimensions and throttle/thruster responses. The concept is the same. Good luck.

Yeah, bigger is slower to stop, so move more slowly in tight situations until you get a feel for her. In fact, get her out into the open and move her around a bit. You'll get the feel pretty quickly.

I agree. Honestly, I don't even care about the bow line unless working into a slip using dolphin pilings. I want a spring line in place and a stern line to keep me off my neighbors if the wind is blowing.

Rick DOT calm your self! It will be easier as the others have said due to more weight and size. Hopefully you can find some empty slips/docks with no boats around to paly with till you get it down, which won't be long. Enjoy!! Just keep it slow incase you bump something other than another boat.

We always rig the lines with the eye on the boat cleats in case nobody is there to assist. This way we pass the lines around a piling of dock cleat and bring it back to the boat allowing us to adjust as needed and when ready to leave lines are already doubled up and ready to be released from the boat. If somebody is on the dock and looks competent we may ask them to pass the line around a cleat or piling and send the bitter end back. I m always amazed at how some people can’t follow simple instructions about which piling to use and to return the line...

Each landing is different and we gotten into a habit to number lines from bow to stern... this way I can give the sequence to the crew for ex 2,1,4,3 if coming alongside in the current off the bow. That way we re all on the same page and I know what to expect.

What about when you only have cleats on the dock and no pilings? Do you do the same thing? I would be afraid of the line coming off the cleat when tension is released.

Yes. We throw the bight of the line on the dock behind the cleat and then pull the bitter end catching the cleat. Once all the lines are secured we get on the dock and add a full wrap around the cleat.

I will have to try that. That is a good idea. I'm just a little nervous about the line going limp and getting off the cleat, until you wrap it. BUT I will give it a few tries.

We remain in control because the bitter end comes back to the boat. If we need to move the boat up or down the dock a few feet so that the boarding gate doesn’t end up in front of a piling or pedestal, we can adjust it. Keep in mind dock layout is very different on this side of the pond.

When backing into a transient slip between pilings, with or without finger pier, we do the same thing. Pass the line around the piling (or cleat on the finger) and bring it back. In that case the spring lines are always the first ones to be set so the boat can’t back into the dock. Then we wiggle bow around to set the bow lines.

at a home slip, backed in, Where the lines stay behind when we go out, I always use the eye of the spring lines on the boat cleat. This way I know for sure the stern can hit the dock, no adjustment needed. All the other lines are setup bitter end in the boat so the lines can be worked on the cleats to pick up slack against the wind. Trying to force an eye on a cleat against pressure is too hard and you risk hurting a finger between the line and the cleat


even if the line is slack, it can’t get off the cleat as it’s weight keeps it on the dock.

I'm going through the same but I already know the answer. Go big, you will not be disappointed. I hired the captain who worked on the boat I purchased on a month to month basis. So, he is familiar with all the systems and can teach me. I lined it up (about 10 feet out from a dock yesterday) .. feel ready to pull it out of the slip later this week with the Captain close by my side ready to take over. It's big fun!

Many different ways of skinny a cat:
This is the easiest.


Then you change it to avoid chafe and avoid jumping line