Been reading these responses and will add my experience to the discussion. I have a C&C 26, which is lighter than most of the boats mentioned in this thread so it doesn't carry as far, which makes my situation a bit easier. My slip faces north at a marina in Miami, FL and we usually have an ENE wind. Because it stops easily I will usually sail it back into the slip without using the engine, often single-handed.
To make the line handling less busy I've tied a tether (out of 3/16 line) connecting the fore, aft, and two spring lines together at the bitter ends -- one set for each side The slip has a short finger pier to port and two pilings to starboard. When casting off I simply drop the lines into the water as I back out. Then when I return, I can grab the closest line on whichever side seems best with a boat hook and have all lines in hand at once. This allows me to slow the boat if needed, or pull it foreword if necessary, and keep it centered against the wind using either an actual dockline or the tether line as needed. Then after tying the first I just walk around the boat and cleat them using markers on the lines to get the length right. It's a bit unconventional, but in three years of doing this I've only embarrassed myself a couple times. Jim Hesketh C&C 26 -- Whisper Coconut Grove, FL
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