Docking Lesson 1... stopping would be nice

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Learning how to GO is obviously one of the first steps, but when you think about it, learning to STOP is just as important. Maybe more so.

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Here's a boat sailing along on a beam reach. The skipper turns slightly away from the wind, and eases sails out as far as they'll go.


Is the boat going to stop? After all the jib is just flapping and the mainsail is at least partly flapping. Very little if any forward power is being produced.


The answer- this boat will slow down but it will not stop. Even the flapping sails exert a force called DRAG (link), and when the boat is angled downwind then it will be pulled forward.





Here is a boat that turns directly head to wind. This boat will definitely come to a stop and may begin sailing backwards. It is difficult to judge how how far the boat will coast straight into the wind. What's more, it will be difficult for the crew & skipper to see what's in front of the boat and it will also be difficult to get the boat started moving again.

Is there a better way to STOP?



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If the boat turns a little into the wind and the sails eased all the way, the boat will stop. The sails aren't flapping right in their faces so they can see & still balance; plus it's easy to get going again by just pulling in the sheets a little.

This is the better way to STOP a sailboat




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The STOP drill- step1. tiller toward the sail... T-T-T... just like tacking, but DO NOT tack! (link to "TACKING")
step 2. ease the sails.
step 3. repeat steps 1 and 2 UNTIL the sails are fully luffing (flapping) freely
step 4. pull the tiller to center sharply, if the boat is head-to-wind in irons, or almost so, put the tiller AWAY from the sail (or where the sails used to be) to put the boat at an angle to the wind, before it completely stops and you can no longer steer at all.
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With a little practice, a beginning skipper should be able to bring his boat to a stop right beside one of the buoys. This is safer than practicing on a real dock.

We will practice docking in all conditions, so be prepared for a coach to ask you to demonstrate.






In order to fly a plane, you must learn to bring it in for a landing. Same with a sailboat, maybe a little easier learning to dock BUT it's still necessary. And it's worth practice even for experienced sailors.

There's no such thing as being 'too good' at docking!

(link to GLOSSARY)



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