Between the Docks Workshop Friday 7/17/2026 @2pm
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jjb...@mindspring.com
Jul 13, 2026, 11:53:50 AM (4 days ago) Jul 13
to Cal Sailing Club Announcements
So you want to go sailing on a windy Saturday afternoon! … But what if the dock is so crowded that the only open spot is pretty close to the sea wall? …Or what if the wind is coming from a little farther to the south than you’re accustomed to? Maybe it’s a bit shifty today? Or maybe it’s just not very windy at all? Maybe your crew cast you off in the wrong direction, and now you’re accelerating towards the sea wall. Uh oh, right? Getting a little nervous about casting off?
And when you come back, there’s only one small space between two boats, and you don’t quite make it. Lots of stuff can go wrong between the docks when you launch, especially on those busy days with lots of traffic.
Your docking skills are assessed at every level at CSC - Novice, Junior, Senior. The basic principles remain the same - knowing how to use your weight to your advantage, slow sailing when coming in, backwards sailing when coming out, good decision making, and quick, tight turns in high traffic - but your level of skill is expected to be more advanced at each level when navigating the space between the docks.
We have this workshop on a weekday, with less traffic, so that we can safely learn and practice these skills. We will start with several departing and docking techniques on Quests (with crew, not single-handed, although we will talk about that). We will cover potential problems, and how to deal with them. We will learn how rudderless techniques are useful here, and are one of the reasons that we teach rudderless.
This workshop will be Friday afternoon, July 17. Start will be around 2 pm, and we will finish about 4:30 pm.
Please register your interest in attending via Slack by pinging Mo or John. We will cap on-the-water practice to about 4 boats/8 people.
To get the most out of this workshop, you must have a rating (novice, junior, or senior) and be able to tack, gybe,and slow sail in order to participate in the on-the-water practical part. Anyone is welcome to attend the dock talk and demos, and cheer on your fellow sailors who are practicing skills.
John Bongiovanni and Mo Johnson León
And when you come back, there’s only one small space between two boats, and you don’t quite make it. Lots of stuff can go wrong between the docks when you launch, especially on those busy days with lots of traffic.
Your docking skills are assessed at every level at CSC - Novice, Junior, Senior. The basic principles remain the same - knowing how to use your weight to your advantage, slow sailing when coming in, backwards sailing when coming out, good decision making, and quick, tight turns in high traffic - but your level of skill is expected to be more advanced at each level when navigating the space between the docks.
We have this workshop on a weekday, with less traffic, so that we can safely learn and practice these skills. We will start with several departing and docking techniques on Quests (with crew, not single-handed, although we will talk about that). We will cover potential problems, and how to deal with them. We will learn how rudderless techniques are useful here, and are one of the reasons that we teach rudderless.
This workshop will be Friday afternoon, July 17. Start will be around 2 pm, and we will finish about 4:30 pm.
Please register your interest in attending via Slack by pinging Mo or John. We will cap on-the-water practice to about 4 boats/8 people.
To get the most out of this workshop, you must have a rating (novice, junior, or senior) and be able to tack, gybe,and slow sail in order to participate in the on-the-water practical part. Anyone is welcome to attend the dock talk and demos, and cheer on your fellow sailors who are practicing skills.
John Bongiovanni and Mo Johnson León
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