HOW TO SAIL BETTER
Brush up on multihull sailing skills before heading off on a holiday charter with Gavin Le Sueur’s guide to coming alongside
Handling and docking a multihull is an acquired skill.
The ease with which a multihull is moved by the wind has a major influence on the approach to a jetty. The lighter the multihull and the larger the windage (eg wing masts), the more preparation is required. Catamarans with twin diesel inboards have excellent manoeuvrability. In contrast, a single stern mounted outboard or drop down diesel leg requires a lot of careful forethought and practice.
Single outboard driven multihulls
Many multihulls need to be going about four knots before they will turn sharply into the wind by rudder action alone.
It’s an advantage to be able to steer the outboard to manoeuvre when a multihull is not moving fast enough for the rudders to have much effect.
If the wind is light you’ll have better manoeuvrability with the daggerboard(s) up. If the wind is strong enough to cause side slipping or leeway then daggerboard(s) down will help reduce this at the cost of a slightly wider turning circle.
Lines and fenders should be prepared well in advance. When approaching a jetty to windward have someone ready to secure a line from the bow and use reverse to swing the stern in. If you’re on a trimaran have the crewman on the middle hull with the line secured to the float.
When leaving a jetty, think ahead about the effect of the wind. Leave a line secured to the jetty to facilitate turning if the room is tight. To ensure the line will run free never have it spliced at the end. Asplice will mean a thicker portion of rope and one day it will catch on a bollard or jetty structure.
Multihull Seamanship Rule: Practise manoeuvring. Practice teaches vessel characteristics
Twin motor manoeuvring
If both propellers rotate in the same direction, then be aware of the significant sideways pull when the motors are given short, hard thrusts. By using this knowledge, it’s often easier to come alongside a jetty in one particular direction. If the propellers are counter rotating (ie drive in opposite directions to one another) then this will not occur and coming into a jetty will require large movements of the rudders to direct water flow over the rudders to steer the stern.
Practise your approach technique when mooring up in tight areas. You need to be able to extend your ‘feel’ to all corners of the multihull so the width is well covered. When going into a marina berth concentrate on one hull, getting it as close as possible. Occasionally watch the fit of the other hull but if your preparation is right then only one hull needs to be parked correctly–the other will follow!
Fenders
Most multih
