how to handle a CD 36 in reverse

[windwalker111]

sadly my new wife does not like to sail. My CD 36 is set. up to singlehand off shore. Unfortunately, I am having trouble in the marina docking and egressing by myself.
I have considered adding a bow thruster but really hate to do that. Any ideas out there for backing into a slip with tide and wind shorthanded. Thanks

[tjr818]

I find it far easier to pull in bow first and then back out when you want to go sailing.

[gonesail]

to back in you need to have enough speed for the rudder to steer the boat. if you are backing the same direction as tidal flow then that might cause the boat to wander. cross currents can play havoc on a full keel. but it's possible .. i did it today. also be aware of any prop walk. my boat walks to port in reverse.

[Frenchy]

Yes, I would head straight going in and warp around a piling to reverse out and face in the right direction. -Jean

[Chrisa006]

Get the book Maneuver and Dock Your Sailboat Under Power, then have a friend go out to just be there and practice. Full keels can be hard and sometimes you may have to dock somewhere else and wait for the conditions to get easier.

[John Stone]

As a general rule full keel boats do not steer backward under control. The truth is they can be nuanced backward under the right conditions. There is a lot of technique involved with handling a full keel boat under power in confined spaces and I agree the book is useful.

Right hand props pull the stern to port in reverse generally. Strong wind will force the bow away no matter what you do. Like others, I pull in bow first unless it's flat calm and minimal fore and aft current. Then, when it's calm I warp the boat around and back her in. You have an absolute responsibility not to hit someone else's boat. You have to keep your boat under control however you do it and warping lines are timeless techniques of good seamanship.

It will help you to have a slip that allows you to back out with the stern going to port and the exit to starboard. Find the right slip, read up and practice under calm conditions somewhere safe, short blasts of forward and reverse throttle using prop walk, good judgment, and you'll work it out.

I'm the last person to tell another sailor not to modify a sailboat but my perspective is only mod to improve sailing vice degrading sailing performance. A bow thruster will not only complicate your boat but will make her less capable under sail in anything but a fresh breeze.

[Carl Thunberg]

To piggy-back on what John said, I have a bow thruster on my CD28 Cruiser, which admittedly is an entirely different boat. Even with a bow thruster, I still head in. A bow thruster is not a miracle cure in reverse. Far from it. It's actually a distraction because in addition to paying attention to wind, current, and steering, you also need to have a free hand to operate the bow thruster. I'm not a great juggler and can only manage a few tasks simultaneously.

[ghockaday]

I find it far easier to pull in bow first and then back out when you want to go sailing.

plus one, pull in, push out

[Maine_Buzzard]

Use 100' of floating waterski line. Pull in bow first. To exit, tie a mooring hitch to the aft cleat, wrap the line around a piling or smooth cleat on the dock, hold the line and play it out as you back. when clear of the dock, wrap it around the winch and continue backing. the bow will pivot out and you can stop, take in the line, and continue on.

[Tom Keevil]

Trying to back a Cape Dory into a confined slip is a fool’s errand. Go in bow first and back out. How you back out will change with the wind, the current, and the geometry of your slip. Your best assumption is that the bow will blow off downwind, and your job is to figure how to deal with that, and use it to your advantage. Note also that because of the prop walk it is much easier to turn the boat clockwise than counterclockwise. Short bursts of high power will allow you to turn the boat without generating too much forward or backward speed.

Whenever we come into a marina our first question, before tying up, is “How are we going to get out of here?” We will often change our plan so as to avoid having to back out of a tight spot.