Docking Bridle
July 24, 2023 · 9 min · 43K views
What this video covers
Tom Tursi of the Maryland School of Sailing and Seamanship demonstrates a docking bridle technique for bringing a 40-foot sailboat alongside a pier, particularly when wind or current pushes the vessel away.0:10 The setup requires a 50-foot line with a loop created by an overhand knot 20 feet from one end.0:22 The loop attaches to a piling or dock cleat, while the longer leg secures to a midship cleat and the shorter leg attaches to the bow.1:19 During approach, the crew places the loop over a piling.2:38 The helmsman then shifts into reverse and throttles up, creating a lever arm between the propeller’s astern force and the midship spring line.2:42 This force pulls the boat backward and pivots the stern toward the dock.2:54 The bow line remains slack throughout the maneuver to ensure the spring line maintains control.3:20 This method works for both single-handed and double-handed docking, regardless of whether the dock uses pilings or cleats.5:43
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