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Getting the vessel away from a berth without a supporting breeze



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What is the issue?
Mooring space can be at a premium in many locations. This leaves very little space available at the bow or stern of a vessel to steer it out. This can make it very difficult to get a vessel away and particularly challenging if a breeze is pushing it on.

Why address this?
With no room to steer out from a quay or pontoon, and a wind blowing the vessel on, it can be virtually impossible to get out.

How to address this?
One of the best techniques to get off a berth is to use the natural curvature of the boat along with a slip line to spring her out either bow or stern first.

My preference was always to bounce the bow out as I found it easier to steer forward and I could also watch the stern squeeze in from the helm. You just need to be careful to get the springer line in when bouncing from the stern to keep it from sinking and fouling the propeller.



Place some large fenders on the bow or the stern as presented above. Power up and then remove all the shorelines except for the springer on the bow/stern set in a bight so that it may be easily slipped and retrieved aboard. Power forward/reverse so the boat comes upon the springer and presses into the quay on the fenders. This bounces the stern/bow out and the vessel may then be steered out.



With thanks to:
Michael Harpur, Yacht Obsession




Bow Spring




Stern Spring Slip




Another explanation


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