Hunter 44DS, Owner'S Manual

Page: 18 / 157

SAFE BOATING TIPS
PAGE 15
DOCKING
Docking your boat should be handled
carefully to avoid potential damage.
Under normal wind and water
conditions, the following considerations
should be made:
1. Whenever possible, your approach
should be made against the prevailing
wind and current to assist in stopping
the boat. Where these conditions are
contrary, the strongest should be used
to determine approach.
2. Approaching the dock: dock lines
should be at ready, loose gear stowed
and decks cleared. Determine the
direction of the wind and current and
when you decide which side of the boat
will be against the dock, rig dock lines
and fenders on the appropriate side. One dock line should be attached to the
bow cleat, another to the stern cleat
opposite the side that will lie against the
dock.
NOTE: If the boat is to lie against
a piling, rig a fender board across two or
more pilings.
3. Tying up: attach bow and stern lines
to dock, hauling boat in with fenders
against dock. Rig crossing spring lines
to limit motion forward and aft. Be sure
to allow some slack in all lines to
compensate for tidal activity if present.
Never use bow rail, stern rail, or
stanchions to secure a vessel, even for
brief periods. For other types of
moorings, or for abnormal wind or water
conditions, consult an approved boating
guide.
ANCHORING
Your Hunter comes with an on deck
anchor well and a Danforth type anchor
as standard equipment. The anchor is
selected to suit the size and weight of
your boat under normal anchoring
conditions, and is most effective in
muddy or sandy bottoms.
When anchoring, pay particular attention
to the scope of your anchor rode (the
relationship between of the water and
the length of the rode). A good rule of
thumb is to allow a scope of about 7:1 (a
rode seven times as long as the vertical
distance from the bow to the bottom). A
helpful aid is to mark the rode every 20
feet or so with knots or other types of
indicators. Before dropping anchor,
make sure the bitter end is secured to
the cleat in the anchor well. Also, be
sure to consider wind direction, currents, mean low tide depths and other local
conditions when anchoring, as well as
positions of any boats already anchored
nearby.
To weigh anchor, motor or sail (under
main only) forward slowly. When at a
point directly above the anchor, a quick
tug should free it from the bottom. Take
care not to damage the topsides when
hauling.
Anchoring in unusual water/ and or
weather conditions will require additional
precautions. Consult an approved guide
for suggestions