Your Captain’s Checklist for Departing a Dock on Auxiliary Sailing Vessels – Deep Water Happy
Departing a dock might not be as difficult as putting your boat back in the slip; but there are plenty of details you should check before you “shove off” the pier. Here are some ideas, and please comment below if I missed an important step or item or action that should be included.
Forward
- Anchor windlass and locker check
- Roller furling set to free (right) or main halyard attached
- Check for frayed lines, loose rigging, turnbuckles, etc…
Below
- Electrical panel settings
- Bilge visual and mechanical checks
- Batteries – engine battery “on”
- Instruments “on”
- Navigation lights on if needed
- Radios on Channel 16, radio check
- Towing service phone number
- Registration and sticker
- Soft wood plugs
- PFD’s
- Signal flares
- Fire extinguishers
- First aid kit
- Emergency tiller
- Flush toilet
Engine
- Oil
- Cooling water
- Engine visual check
- Belts
- Hoses
- Fluid and debris
- Stuffing box
Cockpit
- Covers off companionway and helm
- Covers off gauges
- Wheel extended
- Cushions out
- Sound producing device in cup holder at helm
- Flag tied
- Boathook out
- Sunscreen
- Drinking water
- Hat
- Winch handles
- Ignition key
- Throwable Type IV
- Stern check for manatees, loose items
- Power cables and water hoses disconnected
- Fuel
- Warm up engine
- Check transmission
Prepare to Cast Off
- Roaming fender
- Wheel unlocked
- Double back dock lines
Cast Off
- Wind – check direction, where it will blow you
- Wheel – set to direction of initial advance
- People – plan for them to deal with lines and get on the boat
- Lines – plan for them to get on the boat
- Traffic – check fore and aft, side to side, including sea life and divers
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- PierShare to rent your dock out or rent a dock.
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- Thank you Bill for being the Best Sailing Partner EVER!
