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DOCKING

Docking is one of the most stressful aspects of yachting, and the bigger the vessel, the bigger the problem when things go wrong (i.e. BC Ferries grounding Horseshoe Bay). It pays to keep your speed down, but you have to keep moving in most vessels in order to have steerage. The details and problems of docking have been likened to those of landing aircraft on aircraft carriers at sea in the following five ways:

1. Stress
The final moments of docking can be the most stressful moments in yachting. Indeed, those times can be the 'only' stressful times in a good yachting journey. Many cruisers just avoid it all together for as long as they can, keep sailing, and or anchor instead. You must come in at some point, though, if for no other reason than to visit a gas dock, so stress management should be planned ahead. Etiquette at sea dictates that a vessel coming onto port be 'ship shape', and there is a good reason for this. It is not vanity, but for safety of your yacht and it's crew, as well as others. You must prepare the vessel by clearing away loose items and lines, and organizing crew so that nothing impedes your transit of the decks. Deploy fenders well in advance. Arrange crew in strategic positions, and give simple directions for emergency actions, in the event your docking does not transpire smoothly. These directions should be limited to a light push or pull with a boat hook. Never send your crew to the bow to avert a collision! As in an aircraft carrier landing, you will eventually have to accept the stress, commit, and make your final approach at the most opportune break in vessel traffic. You have others to think about, so approach directly, confidently, and as predictably as possible, so that other vessels and personnel can work with you.

2. Speed
Just as an aircraft landing on an aircraft carrier cannot slow down past a minimum airspeed, a sailing yacht cannot slow down past a minimum speed over water during it's final approach to the dock. Dropping below this minimum speed will cause the underwater 'foils' of a sailboat to stall, just as would an aircraft's 'airfoils', and the stalled sailing vessel will loose steerage and drift out of control with enough inertia to cause considerable damage. Keep you boat moving (albeit very slowly) right up to the dock. There may be a heavier contact with the dock, just as carrier aircraft make somewhat heavy landings on a carrier deck, but this is still preferable to missing the dock, stalling, and drifting into other vessels. Well placed fenders will allow light impact to occur with no damage. Your speed will be approximately that of walking (never faster), and only drop below this when you are assured of coming up along side the dock. A carrier aircraft makes a 'controlled crash'. You will, alternately, be making a controlled 'thump'. This is somewhat non-intuitive for a new yachtsman, but just like an aircraft landing on a carrier, you must preserve enough speed for control. Keeping your boat moving will also allow you to abort your landing and maneuver around for a second pass if the first was not suitable, as is often the case with carrier aircraft. If crew are available on the dock just before the final 'thump', they can grab and stop the yacht, but if this is not the case you must allow the fenders to make the final contact. Fenders and bump rails can also be left permanently installed on the dock. Keep in mind that just as an aircraft does not come down nose first, you will not be contacting bow first, but rather a glancing contact with the port/starboard bow. Extremely large vessels will have the benefits of better thrust systems (even bow thrusters) but cannot make as much contact with the dock as a smaller vessel can, due to their increased mass. Keep in mind that engines and or thrusters can fail at the last minute, so do not rely on them to stop. Their use should be limited to maneuvering and buffering the final contact with the dock. 

3. Angle of approach
An aircraft landing on modern carrier deck must contend with a 'side-slipping' approach, due to the considerable speed of the carrier and the fact that the landing strip is angled slightly 'crooked'. In many marinas, a strong current going perpendicular to a yacht will force the skipper to make a similar 'side-slipping' approach to the dock. This scenario is made worse for the sailor do to the unpredictable speed and direction of the current. Do your best to select a moorage with minimal currents, or try to approach on slack tides. Other than this, there is little to help you, except an ability to make corrections to your approach 'on the fly' as you slow down and feel the direction of the current. Crosswinds will have a similar affect on docking, so so try to avoid landings in high winds if possible. Practice strong current/high wind landings in advance, safely away from the marina, by pulling up alongside a soft mooring float or something similar (you may find a bit of flotsam that can function as a 'pretend dock'). It is advisable to get clear into open water and practice with your particular yacht for your first day, and then return for your first 'landing'. You may not want to do this, choosing instead to get right into your sailing, but your first docking will be seen by your marina neighbors, and your seamanship will be judged by this first impression, so it is worth making a good one.

4. Potential to overshoot and damage other craft
The above-mentioned angled flight decks on a modern aircraft carrier reduced some of the consequences of an overshoot by landing aircraft (which in the past, resulted in collisions with parked aircraft). If possible, select a docking area that allows you to overshoot and bear away with nothing impeding your travel. Although it is not often available, a long, open section of dock is the best option. Approaching from the inland will allow you to drift free into deeper water in the event of a stall, rather than into the shallows. A section of perpendicular dock at the end of your 'landing' is not as good a scenario, but it is preferable to docked vessels on front of you. In a worst case scenario, colliding with a section of dock will not endanger others as much as colliding with other vessels.

6. Grading yourself afterwards
Like an aircraft landing on an aircraft carrier, there is rarely a perfect docking when it comes to your vessel. Each approach is unique, each stress level is different, and every docking is slightly different. There can always be better. You will invariably find yourself assigning a 'grading' to each and every docking, and (unfortunately) a very bad day is never going to be an option.

There is always a heightened sense of attention at any marina or fuel dock when a vessel approaches. Too fast, too crooked, or coming in at the wrong moment will result in attempts to 'wave off' the approaching craft, similar to scenes in the opening of the movie 'Top Gun'. Mistakes are costly, and perfect 'landings' will win you friends, while sloppy or risky landings will win you enemies. It is the only time that many of your yachting neighbors will see you in action, and one of the only times that your actions will affect their safety and safety of their vessels. Practicing, preparing, and executing the best docking you can will ensure you fit in safely with the responsible yachting fraternity. As a final thought, a perfectly executed docking approach, without the use of engine power, will allow you to land your sailing craft by coming in with inertia alone, in case of an engine failure (something that does seem to happen, more often than not, with sailing yachts).