So; You bought your Landing loop. You watched the video. You have pre-marked your lines. You practiced 4-5 times making sure you know where to hold the pole and the line. You know how to extend the pole. NOW, You want to know how to dock using the Landing Loop?
It’s simple…. You have already left the dock for a great day on your boat. You are returning to your slip and want to tie up.
Before you get near the dock, have your mates take their places on deck(seated is best). Make sure they are wearing a US Coast Guard approved PFD. Have them take their Landing Loop and extend the pole as you feel is needed. Be sure to use your premarked lines. Have them slip the loose end of the line between the feet of the cleat on the boat near where they will sit. Make a slip knot using the pre-formed loop on the line. Load the Landing Loop frame with the line. The pre-marked spots you placed on your line should now be part of the large slip knot you made. Place them on to the two black tips of the Landing Loop and form a large slip knot around the metal frame(refer to the detailed instructiomns or video if needed). Slide the pole and the line to the extended position. You are now ready to start towards the dock. The Landing Loop is loaded and ready. All of this should take less than 30 seconds to complete, if you prepared your Landing Loop before you left the dock.
When you are ready to tie off, tell your mates to place the loaded frame over the cleat on the dock. (Remember, the pole is already extended and ready for tie up.) Tell them to release the frame from the line, pickup the line that was placed through the cleat on your boat and pull the line tight. Both ends of the line are now secure.
Congratulations!! you are tied to the dock.
It’s easy…. It took a little pre-planning and education, but it’s wonderful docking without fear.. No one had to jump off. No emergency trips to the hospital. No yelling or screaming. Everyone knew what they were doing. The end of a perfect day of boating safely. Best of all. Everyone goes home talking to each other.
Thanks for enhancing boating safety.
Gadgets Unlimited, Inc.
Captain Al