I'm going to add my 2 cents to the above comments. I'm not sure if what I have to say is worth 2 cents, but here goes:
Bluetooth headsets:
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I simply called her cell while she was on the bow. Both phones stayed in the cockpit so there was no danger of losing them and it worked perfectly.
Did you try that when we were all at Worton Creek with no cell service?
The real marine headphones are the things to get. Too many places, even on the Chesapeake, are lacking in cell service (especially anchorages). We've used the Eartec units for years. It's nice to be able to have a private conversation when docking (yes, you can even call each other names and keep the "show" private - although it does freak out dock hands at times
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Also in cases like you are describing you can cleat your lines off to the boat and then loop the lines around the pilings and them lead them back to the cleat on the boat. That way when it comes time to leave you just release one end of the line and pull it back around the piling to you.
An excellent trick, especially for short stays.
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Bowline loops for the bow pilings are good because if someone puts a line over yours you can untie the knot without fighting his lines. A large loop can usually be put over a tall pole using a boat pole.
Proper etiquette is to "dip" your lines I believe, but that's a very rare thing to see people do. It also takes extra effort.
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I always find it funny to see transients coming in and tie their stern first, then bow as it usually results in some mad dashes back and forth to prevent the boat from hitting the dock. Same result if you tie bow lines first, it doesn't prevent the boat from backing into the dock unless the boat is smaller than the slip which is usually rare.
Watching people dock can be so much fun! I have friends who have RV's and the same thing goes on at RV parks, but they're even harsher. They don't stop watching just at the RV being put on it's pad, but they keep watching to see if the "crew" knows how to hook up water, waste, power, etc. Harsh!
Ron, I do not have the mileage that Pascal and Capt. Bill have under me, but I've been all over the Chesapeake, to the Abacos a few times, and down the SE Coast of Florida quite a number of times. It all depends on the situation, slip layout, current, wind, etc. We prefer to stern-in to any slip, but have gone bow-first when necessary. Do you have twin engines and/or a thruster? How your boats handles can really influence how you dock. When we stern in with non-floating piers I stay at the helm and maneuver the boat in the slip so my wife can get her lines on the forward pilings. Then I worry about the stern lines as with my props 10 feet apart I have great maneuverability. I personally prefer dock hands stay away as they are not in on the conversation my wife and I are having and keep trying to grab my lines. I usually try and ask them to be patient. Experienced ones figure out pretty quickly to just wait for the tip
One last comment: I prefer smaller slips to larger ones, especially if I'm by myself. My beam is 10', so a 12' slip is great as once I'm between the pilings I'm not going anywhere. Even with the two of us on the boat it can be a real challenge to get tied up in a larger slip, especially with wind or current. Often we have to specify we want a smaller slip as marinas are so used to people wanting the largest slips they have available.
