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Date Posted: 14:53:21 09/29/08 Mon
Author: Ari
Subject: Liveaboard Slip & Downwind Docking

Hey,

Well, in the midst of the financial meltdown, we have an opportunity to take another baby step towards the ocean.

A marina in the Estuary has a legal liveaboard slip, we've applied, and it looks like we might get it!


Pros:

- Legal: neither Sarah nor I have time or temperament to sneakaboard. not morally opposed, just don't want the drama.

- Huge: the spot is a 100' long end-tie. We could keep Macha and a fleet of tenders and daysailors and outrigger projects

- Nice: the marina facilities are pretty pimpin'. We could get mail and do laundry and all the luxuries we're accustomed to

Cons:

- Expensive: like $1200 a month. Shi-ite. Still, we're paying 1500 for an apartment and $500 for an end-tie now, so we'd still be $800 ahead

- Funky: the dock is cross wind, with the prevailing wind blowing ON to the dock. I see warping in our future...

Which brings me to the topic of downwind docking.

Basically, in this diagram:

http://www.grandmarina.com/dock.html

our parking spot would be the entire end of "A" dock.

I looked at this map online when I heard the liveaboard spot was open and about creamed. Looks so bloody easy.

But, the problem is, there's another marina right where that yellow shaded part is So tighter than it looks. Then, the wind is blowing from the West, but follows the snakes and turns of the Estuary so it basically blows straight on the dock.

We imagine the best strategy would be to approach on a close reach, aiming to drift to a stop at a point just upwind of the dock, then drift down onto it.

Getting off the dock would basically require the mother of all bobsled starts. Maybe a little ebb too?

The maneuver required is enough of a pain in the arse that it makes me think twice about a spot that is otherwise our dream come true. (Well, short-term dream -- the long term dream involves an anchorage with palm trees!)

What do y'all think? How would you handle a dock layout like that? Trice the main and grit your teeth? Kedge/warp? Tow with dinghy? Wait til calm wind and slack tide and scull?

Overall, I think it's such an opportunity that we'd be fools not to take. It will force us to pare down our remaining possessions, and being around the boat always motivates us to get projects done. Living aboard is definitely the next step in our countdown? My worry is just that Macha will spend more time at the dock and less time sailing... Like the saying goes "the perfect is the enemy of the good."

What do you scurvey dogs say?

- Ari

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