Mega Yacht docking position.

Of course you can go in with the bow if you can arrange a gangway there, you can even reserve all places and stay alongside if you are rich enough...

But I think all boats today are built to have the stern to the dock and tenders you have to launch in advance. Many yachts have crew tenders on the foredeck for easy launching at port and some has a small raft for cleaning the hull after arrival...

berthing stern to

In my opinion there is also a practicality aspect. When you come stern to into a defined and confined position, this is an easier maneuver. Once the aft part of the yacht is between the other yachts, then it is a very easy job; you will not be effected neither by the wind nor by the current. When you are sailing out and will be moving out in between the pontoons, it will be easier to control your bow. You drop all your lines and wait till the bow line sinks and then move out. It would be more difficult to do this move with your aft coming out first and you are trying to control where you are moving (there is mostly limited space between the pontoons). Furthermore, when you are stern to, you are having a tension between the bow line and your stern lines. In some marinas, especially town jetties there may be craft that is handled with negligence (a good example are fast ferries coming with speed into Greek island town jetties). These may cause large wakes. This way there is some space between you and the jetty and you do not damage your boat. If you are alongside, you may hit the jetty in spite of your fenders being in place.

nilo

Beautifully done.

As opposed to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzMT9xtvcA4

C'mon NY, cut the guy a break.
High wind, ripping current and giant rollers.
sheesh

Did you see this scary clip..?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9BxurQSBiE

That can only happen in Russia. (and China)

You know Pascal, the same thing has been haunting me since I looked at that video. Does anybody know if there was some kind of obstuction opposite that slip that precluded him from pivoting further out from the dock?

Hi,

Having been in and out of Porto Cervo a few times myself on different boats I would say that he was on the left of the photo below with his stern towards the camera where if there are boats opposite there is very little room to do anything.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yBdoD3jHI...2m8jnM/s1600/sassari-porto-cervo-il-porto.jpg

Actually, he appears to be opposite and a slip or 2 into the open area from the 1st boat on the other line. Had he spun about 2 slips up from his and backed in from the other direction he'd have had all the room in the world. There doesn't appear to be any wind or current to be dealt with. Cudos though for the inch by inch maneuvering.

Not a Megayacht docking but very impressive sportfish docking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W36rDKl4T5s&sns=em

Aw, he cheated and used the blender! I thought he was going to back her in till I noticed all the poly balls along the port side.

The guys up at the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center used to put on a real clinic in years past. Most were single engines (and flanking rudders) and most people thought they were twin's! Used to draw a crowd just to watch em storming in rewind. Got real exciting when a cable snapped or an engine stalled.

Its important to take your time when docking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hId0EhWeRKg&NR=1