The Deckhand Cheat Sheet

The most intense moments on a boat don’t necessarily occur on water, rather it’s the return to land when things can go wrong.

• Learn two knots: the clove hitch and the cleat hitch. You use the clove hitch for tying lines *around* things, such has hanging a fender off of the boat’s railing, and you use the cleat hitch to tie lines around…you guessed it, cleats! (Cleats are those T-shaped hooks found all over boats and on docks, but you knew that, didn’t you?)
  
  
• Before you tie anything, assess. Are you hanging a fender? Good. Make sure where it hangs after you’ve tied it will keep the boat from touching a pier, another boat, or whatever object you’re trying to prevent contact with by using a fender in the first place! The same thing holds true with tying a dock line–look at where the line connects to the boat and the dock, and you’ll quickly see if it will stop the boat’s movement forward, backward, or side-to-side. Lock the line so it has some slack, but also prevents the boat from contacting a section of the dock.
  
  
• Pay attention to wind direction while docking. Captains are always paying attention to wind and are likely to provide instruction, but this isn’t rocket science, and a good deckhand can figure this out. Boats will move in the direction of the wind, so when coming into a dock, it’s best to first secure the lines that will counter the wind’s force. 
  
  
• Throw lines in a coiled bunch. If approaching a dock where there are others waiting to assist, and the lines are tied onto the boat, keep in mind these three things: (1) ensure the line will go directly from the cleat to the dock (i.e. not around other “obstacles” such as rails on the boat), (2) don’t throw lines to people waiting to receive them until the captain has approved it, and (3) coil up as much of the bitter end of the line so you have some weight in the line when you throw it. Once a helpful person on land has caught the line, it’s courtesy to get off the boat and tie it up–don’t assume they can tie a line (or tie it the right way).
  
  
• If a line isn’t needed, it should be stored. Lines that fall off a boat can get caught in propellers. If there are spare lines anywhere and not being used, they should be placed where they can’t end up in the water, paralyzing the boat.
  
  
• The fewer dock contacts, the nicer the boat looks. During departure and docking, when the lines aren’t secured, the boat becomes vulnerable to contacting the dock, and that’s when scratches and scrapes can happen. As lines are being removed or secured, monitor the boat’s movement, and if you see it approaching a fixed object, try to stop it with your own force. Even a slower hit is much better than a rapid one. Obviously don’t risk limbs for this, but usually stable footing and two hands can put a stop to most movement.
  
  
• Don’t defy physics, you’ll lose. A stable and secure footing should almost always be the first step of doing any dockhand (and even interior) tasks. If you try to awkwardly reach over something because it might appear to get the job done faster, you’ll eventually learn your lesson when the boat tips you over. Or making one trip while carrying two dishes without an arm or hand to balance you will inevitably result in one dish dripped and spilled. Remember, you’re NOT on land and the floor will move. Stable footing, where you are comfortably secure to focus on the task at hand, should always be a priority.