Berthing short-handed

Alastair Buchan explains the steps for berthing your boat in a marina when you're sailing solo or with limited crew

- Alastair Buchan

Berthing is a demanding time for the shorthanded sailor. At first, a gale may appear more challenging, but during heavy weather it's nearly always possible to stop and think before you act. You control the pace at which proceedings happen. In berthing, once an action is begun, you must keep up with events.

Harbours and marinas are busy, crowded places. Distances are short, often measured in boat lengths. Manoeuvring space is limited, and margins of error are small. There is rarely sufficient time to recover from an unexpected miscalculation before colliding with some other boat or the pontoon.

Having a crew, even a crew of one, makes everything much easier. They can fend off other boats, keep a lookout, stand midships and step ashore with the lines as you come alongside, or tend to the bow warp while you look after the stern lines as you enter a box.

If you have a crew then, before you begin your berthing manoeuvres, always take the time to brief them on what you plan to do and who does what. Before doing anything, hang around, take a good look at where you intend to berth, and work out exactly what you are going to do before starting the berthing sequence. The four golden rules are:

Always select the easiest berth to enter, even if it is not the most convenient for the yacht club bar.

Never refuse assistance from those on shore. If you foresee problems and can manage to look completely incompetent, then, driven by self-preservation, crews from your neighbours-to-be will offer to assist. Otherwise, do not be slow to ask for help even if you may not need it.

Always plan your approach beforehand.

Do not change your mind at the last minute. Some of my better contretemps have been caused by having a better idea too late. At slow speeds in very confined waters, rapid and dramatic changes in course or speed (or both) are not possible.