NauticEd - International Sailing & Powerboating Education

Tacking a Sailboat in VR

Ever wonder why almost all modern production boats are sloops? It all comes down to shorthanded sailing.

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Finding a Female Sailing Instructor at NauticEd

A complete, practical guide to docking a twin-engine catamaran on a T-head (T-dock/face dock/Fuel Dock). We combine all the key techniques—spin in place, 45° approach, bow-line-first, ferry-glide sideways, and reverse-in—and show how to choose the right method for headwind, tailwind, and off-/on-dock winds. Clear, repeatable steps you can use on Lagoon, Leopard, Fountaine Pajot, Bali, and other cats.

What you’ll learn

Approach logic:

◽️When to use a 45° approach, when to back in, and when to ferry-glide parallel.
◽️Engine control: Opposing-engine timing, neutral pauses, and low-RPM finesse for tight marinas.
◽️Wind strategy: Headwind vs. tailwind vs. blow-off/blow-on—how to let wind help (not hurt).
◽️Line order that works: Fast bow loop to stop the blow-off, then stern and spring lines for control.
◽️Fenders & setup: Height, spacing, and where to stand crew for clean hand-offs.
◽️Abort & reset: How to read a bad setup early, bail out safely, and re-approach with control.
◽️Common mistakes (and fixes): Over-throttling, losing the bow, drifting past the slot, line-handling errors.

Practice plan: Simple drills to build muscle memory before busy fuel docks or crosswinds.
Chapters

✅Approach & risk checks • Choosing the method for today’s wind
✅Spin-in-place refresher • 45° approach (headwind)
✅Wind pinning you onto the dock (hold parallel, make fast)
✅Wind blowing you off the dock (bow-line-first sequence)
✅Tailwind strategy: pass the slot, reverse-in, align with opposing engines
✅Lines & fenders—fast, safe hand-offs • Abort & try again
✅Quick practice routine

Who this is for:
New cat owners, charter skippers, and monohull sailors moving to cats who want calm, drama-free T-head landings in real marinas.

Instructing isn't about what's easy for the teacher—it's about what works for the student.

What does EPIRB stand for? Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. An EPIRB is a distress unit you activate when human life is in jeopardy. It transmits a specific 15-character ID (Hex ID) that cross-references a database, and with built-in GPS it sends your lat/long so rescuers know exactly where to look.

EPIRBs can be sold with or without AIS transmission—and AIS is strongly recommended, because then not only rescue personnel know where you are, but boats in the vicinity can see your AIS signal on their display.