Disclaimer that all of my sailing experience is on keelboats, not cats
I would approach this a little bit differently than others, as a sails-down downwind docking.
Drop your jib before you get close to the dock. Then get directly upwind of your dock, about a boat-length away, turn into the wind, and drop your mainsail. Then use your momentum to continue your turn until you are facing back to your dock, using your momentum and the wind pushing behind you to push you alongside the west side of your dock. If you have too much speed you can do a 360 or big S-turns. There is no such thing as too little speed because the wind will eventually push you to the dock.
sailed a catamaran and have only recently started sailing again after a couple years hiatus. But, I sailed a Puddle Duck for years before upgrading to an O'Day 25 that I cruised for 6+ months.
I think you were on the right track with your first attempt. (Red arrow). If you don't get right up to the dock as long as you're not too far away, you should be able to, essentially, heave-to and drift sideways when the sail is luffing. If you are too far out and/or the wind is strong you could pick up quite a bit of speed drifting downwind, which would be less than ideal, but probably not catastrophic. You've identified the potential issues with this approach already.
I've drawn what I think might be another possibility if wind, depth, and skill allow. The idea is to sail in along the end of the neighbor's dock towards your ramp, similar to the angle of the red path. But this time aiming towards the walkway of your dock. Then, as you get close, come about and let momentum carry you upwind with mainsail luffing until you can reach the right side of the dock. If you come up short or overshoot, just sheet in a little and sail away to try again.
Please let me know if I have missed or misunderstood something, because as much as I would like to be an authority, I am always learning as well.
If it was me and I wanted to play it very safe, I might consider coming in with the wind behind me (or in the bow if enough space given the other dock) first park on the short side of the dock (the side pointing away from land) then swing the boat around to leeward side of dock in a controlled way, after I have tied up and calmed down.. but for sure depends on details on the dock, crew and strength of the wind..
If I can get within touching distance of the dock at any point, I'm good. It's getting to the dock without either overshooting or undershooting that is the problem, because either of these result in the tricky situations I detailed in my post.
one thing I do , especially if I am single handed, is what you have said and tie the aft line to the dock as I come past it then take a bow line and pull the boat into the wharf.
The problem I see is that coming down wind you could come too fast and only have a short time to avoid hitting the neighbours wharf.
Generally I like to motor into the wind and current so things can go very slowly, somebody told me once to only come into a wharf as fast as you would want to crash into it.
Approach the shore closer to your neighbour's dock, then turn in to the wind so that you are approximately head to the average of the two wind directions. Secure a port side bow line at the (assuming the diagram is North up) Northeast corner of the dock, and then back down on it to swing the stern towards shore and end up tied to your dock port side to facing offshore.
It sounds like you're describing the first approach I described in the text of my oost! I detailed later in my post why that was challenging. If I can get to the point where I can touch the dock, I have no issues getting the boat secured to the dock.
5002_leumas@reddit
Disclaimer that all of my sailing experience is on keelboats, not cats
I would approach this a little bit differently than others, as a sails-down downwind docking.
Drop your jib before you get close to the dock. Then get directly upwind of your dock, about a boat-length away, turn into the wind, and drop your mainsail. Then use your momentum to continue your turn until you are facing back to your dock, using your momentum and the wind pushing behind you to push you alongside the west side of your dock. If you have too much speed you can do a 360 or big S-turns. There is no such thing as too little speed because the wind will eventually push you to the dock.
tench745@reddit
So, disclaimers first: I have never
sailed a catamaran and have only recently started sailing again after a couple years hiatus. But, I sailed a Puddle Duck for years before upgrading to an O'Day 25 that I cruised for 6+ months.
I think you were on the right track with your first attempt. (Red arrow). If you don't get right up to the dock as long as you're not too far away, you should be able to, essentially, heave-to and drift sideways when the sail is luffing. If you are too far out and/or the wind is strong you could pick up quite a bit of speed drifting downwind, which would be less than ideal, but probably not catastrophic. You've identified the potential issues with this approach already.
I've drawn what I think might be another possibility if wind, depth, and skill allow. The idea is to sail in along the end of the neighbor's dock towards your ramp, similar to the angle of the red path. But this time aiming towards the walkway of your dock. Then, as you get close, come about and let momentum carry you upwind with mainsail luffing until you can reach the right side of the dock. If you come up short or overshoot, just sheet in a little and sail away to try again.
Please let me know if I have missed or misunderstood something, because as much as I would like to be an authority, I am always learning as well.
Imaginary-Address165@reddit
If it was me and I wanted to play it very safe, I might consider coming in with the wind behind me (or in the bow if enough space given the other dock) first park on the short side of the dock (the side pointing away from land) then swing the boat around to leeward side of dock in a controlled way, after I have tied up and calmed down.. but for sure depends on details on the dock, crew and strength of the wind..
TheThunderbird@reddit (OP)
If I can get within touching distance of the dock at any point, I'm good. It's getting to the dock without either overshooting or undershooting that is the problem, because either of these result in the tricky situations I detailed in my post.
wanderinggoat@reddit
one thing I do , especially if I am single handed, is what you have said and tie the aft line to the dock as I come past it then take a bow line and pull the boat into the wharf.
The problem I see is that coming down wind you could come too fast and only have a short time to avoid hitting the neighbours wharf.
Generally I like to motor into the wind and current so things can go very slowly, somebody told me once to only come into a wharf as fast as you would want to crash into it.
FujiKitakyusho@reddit
Approach the shore closer to your neighbour's dock, then turn in to the wind so that you are approximately head to the average of the two wind directions. Secure a port side bow line at the (assuming the diagram is North up) Northeast corner of the dock, and then back down on it to swing the stern towards shore and end up tied to your dock port side to facing offshore.
TheThunderbird@reddit (OP)
It sounds like you're describing the first approach I described in the text of my oost! I detailed later in my post why that was challenging. If I can get to the point where I can touch the dock, I have no issues getting the boat secured to the dock.