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Melissa & Dave - Adventures at Sea

Do you remember how to rig a spring line?

Its another rainy day today.  Melissa stays snuggled up in bed most of the day.  But we realize that the aft head tank is full and Dave decides to head over to the pump out station to empty the tank.  We head off the dock only to be hailed by our dock mates that our dingy broke loose and was floating dockside behind us.  We holler out that we will be right back and our neighbors tie up the dingy.  (Ok, how did that happen?  Captain Dave’s knots are legendary.)

Meanwhile, we try to dock at the pump out only to discover when we round the corner there is a small boat blocking the dock.  Dave decides to head around to the other side of the marina to the second pump out station.  He mumbles something about “this might be a box canyon” as we head in.  Meaning that in the current, might be tricky to get back out off the dock.  None the less we dock easily and pump out.  While docked Dave says that he might want Melissa to rig a spring line to redock in our slip.  A spring line is a line mid-ship.  If Melissa hops off with the spring line, she can cleat it off, arresting the boat’s forward progress, and allowing Dave to power forward – thereby swinging the stern into the dock.  Been years since we had to pull this type of maneuver when docking in strong winds or current.  So we discuss that this might be what we need heading back to the slip.

We then cast off the pump out dock.  As per usual, Melissa is reconfiguring lines and fenders for the slip, paying little attention because, well, Captain Dave is at the helm.  Its so rare he needs an assist that she never even grabs a boat hook to fend us off – even when the wind is blowing.  She asks Dave if indeed he wants her to rig that spring line.  Calm as you please, he says, “I’m busy”.  This causes Melissa to look and realize that the current is so strong that despite having full power Dave is still headed across the fairway towards another dock and boats.  Mind you, even still, she doesn’t grab a boat hook because she figures (rightfully) that Dave will maneuver his way out of this tricky situation. 

Once we were clear of the breakwater, Dave instructs Melissa to rig the spring line.  We approach the dock, and we know with the current its going to be a bit tricky, but we got this.  Melissa hops off with the spring line, arrests the forward speed of the boat, and Dave powers the stern into place and hops off.  Meanwhile, another boat owner assists with the bow line.

Reflecting on what happened earlier, Dave asks whether Melissa was upset that he put her question about the spring line off because he was concentrating on maneuvering.  Not even slightly says Melissa.  A whole conversation ensues about the importance of clear communication aboard the boat and how it must be ok to say “not now” to an interrupt because some other urgent task requires immediate and full attention.

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