Docking

[garyd]

Someone asked about docking and it reminded me of some good and fun docking I've seen.

350 concrete slip Marina, Grand Isle Grand Haven MI.

There was a 33 bertty flybridge. The daughter used to take it out with her girlfriends I think she started when she was 16 or soo. There was always a current and wind broadside to the slips. She would get a head of steam up going up current turn into the slip then once past the first pilings she would jam it in reverse and boil the water. It actually worked for her for years never saw her damage anything.

Another guy use to manuever his boat into the slip once in someone would scream "kill it" which he did then he would yell "everybody grab a piling" with his hands on his hips. I think I actually have that on video tape it's a hoot.

Taught a guy, bought his first boat 38MY, taught him how to dock it until he got it. One night I look up and here he comes. The boat was loaded to the gills, people everywhere. the wind was up the current moving. Remeber his first boat. He slids her into the slip, he needed a little reverse to settle her down, but didn't touch a piling. A round of cheers went up and I stopped worrying LOL.

I use the wheel all the time and I teach people how to use the wheel effectively. I know others don't but it is a good habit to use the wheel and know what it is going to do to the boat. And of course if someone asks you to help them out and you jump on board to help only to find a single engine tall MY or Trawler without a bow thruster you better know how to use the wheel or your dead meat.

garyd

 

[Pascal]

i agree about the wheel...

what i see a lot of people do is stop in the fairway, then rotate the boat around. in my opinion, it's amistake as they end up spending twice as much time exposed to the wind (or current). I always turn the boat away from the slip with the rudders while slowing down with the off side engine in reverse. that slows, stop the boat while helping in the turn. then the slip side engine goes in reverse and with minor correction the stern slides right in.

but if you don't use the rudders and spend 30 seconds turning the boat around, you end up out of shape ...

 

[thoward]

Personally I do not use the wheel at all. I like using throttles and shifters once I am in position. For my slip entrance I pull perpendicular to the slip and put one in forward and one in reverse, rotate with some throttle input. Just before I am parallel with the slip I slide both into reverse and I am in. A little forward bump and that is all she wrote. Quick and easy unless you stick a keel in the mud. Then you can really put the power to it and spin her in quick. Good times watching the boys on the dock run

 

[Capt.Erich]

I use the gears and throttles too. Because I run different types of boats I never really know how much effect the rudders will have. I teach perople to do this as well. Once you get comfortable with a certain boat you will learn her little quirks and expand your abilities to manuver her.

Hmmm... kind of sounds like a marriage.

 

[garyd]

Using the wheel is very important. Like I said try docking a single screw with no bow thruster without using the wheel. You can't.

We always talk about what to have on board in case of emergencies. Well I would say sooner or later you may have to dock the boat on one engine. Yep gotta use the wheel.

The really neat thing is once ya start using it it's no big deal and helps considerably. You can actually walk the yacht sideways with the use of the wheel and gears. It takes practice and patience. The last time I had to do this at a fuel dock the guy just looked up at me and said how'd you do that?
Now if ya got a bow thruster that's just like cheating LOL.

Not using one of the main controls on the boat during critical manuvering is like not topping off your fuel tanks when you shoulda. ya know what I mean Vern.

garyd

 

[captbuddy]

I to just use the gears and throttles. My slip is in the corner of main dock coming out and the main dock going righ and left. When I come in I have to go to far starboard corner and pivot boat clockwise. When lined up I put both gears in reverse and keep it lined up with the gears. Coming out is the trick. Wandered why noone wanted this slip after moving into the marina. First time I tried to get out I found out. Even with my little 42' I could not pull straight out and turn to starboard to head out. My stern with dinghy got into main dock coming out. That made bow go towards port and into the other boats facing mine on the other finger. It looked like a chinese fire drill going on. I think people thought I had never owned a boat. That's when I realized I had to leave just like I came in. Stay hard to starboard coming out of slip and when swim platform clears the pilling, pivot boat counterclockwise and back out of the marina. Second time leaving the slip, I actually looked like I knew what I was doing.

 

[UNIQUE_NAME]

if possible, i go past the slip and reverse engines. then i use the backward momentium, rudders and gears to "steer" into the slip.

jim

 

[Trojan]

On a single I always used the wheel. But on the twins I only use the gears. If I loose an engine then anything goes.

BILL

 

[Pascal]

practicing single engine procedure is good once in a while... I can normally turn and back my boat in to the slip on starboard engine alone. doing that on the port is harder since i need stbd in reverse... same with backing on one engine... ex if you only have the port engine, put the rudders hard to stbd while backing. they have no effect in reverse but as the boat pulls to stbd, a short frwd burst on the port engine will kick the stern back to port without killing all the momentum. it works... good training.

 

[MarioG]

Ya gotta know when to draw the line in a bad situation. last week or so. it was blowing about 25Kts from the North East, our slip is oriented South East with a big, new CABO sport fish next to our slip down wind. As I approached the slip, it was pretty obvious that things would get really messy real quick. Seeing Yaisy at the bow holding a spring line and a boat hook while trying to hold on, I sucked it up and said "screw it". I aborted the approach and cruised around to the other side of the dock where there is a protected seawall. Although not a very "macho" move, it did save alot of bumps and bruises and no broken fiberglass.

Know your limitations as well as your boat limitations. and that's your best maneuver.

 

[Capt.Erich]

Ya gotta know when to draw the line in a bad situation.

Although not a very "macho" move, it did save alot of bumps and bruises and no broken fiberglass.

Know your limitations as well as your boat limitations. and that's your best maneuver.

You've got that right. Yes it's pretty cool after the fact when you stick a "landing" that mear mortals will tell their grandchildren about. But, he who knows his limitation and those of his boat will live to sail (and brag) another day.

I'm typically driving a very expensive boat that belongs to the guy who will sign my pay check... so yes, I've taken passes before. But I have had a few landings that I am quite proud of too. It's especially cool when you have a crowd. Once while waiting for a lock on the Okeechobee, a bunch of runabouts crouded in front of me. I was in a new 74 Hatt MY. The runabouts left me in a situation where I had to move my lines and fenders to the opposite side and squeeze into a small spot. In stead of being a jerk and telling them to move I nesteled up between them without touching anything. I also parked the same boat later in Key West in a spot with only a few feet between the boat fore and aft while the tour boat was off-loading. Nothing like having an audience to see if you're going to screw up!

The key to docking is to LOOK like you know what you are doing and keep cool.

 

[(Nobody You Know)]

I like to have good communication with dock Master and/or dock hands. Good to get a feel for their limitations, ability.

Stop a cpl hundred feet of the dock and look at nearby flags, sailboat weather vanes, get a good idea which way the wind is blowing.

Before approaching the dock give the crew plenty of time to make ready lines and fenders per your instructions.

Then with boat, lines, fenders ready and dock personel standing by make your (pre planned) approach. Approaching up current or wind (if possible) goes without saying.

It's also a good idea to take the boat out on a calm day and make practice "touch and goes" at docking to get the hang of it and how the boat handles.

As The Bosun said, "there's two sets of folks called thems: thems that's on the dock and thems that's on your boat. Now thems that's on the dock don't know the ability of you or your crew members nor your wheel twistin ability. So the thing to do is to ring down ahead and assess the situation and get the boat ready accordingly. And remember, the thems that's on the dock gives advice. Only the captain gives orders."

I love it.

 

[Bob Bradley]

While I don't condone drinking to excess while boating, I will say that I dock much more fluidly after 2 tanqueray and tonics than stone cold sober... I just kinda feel my way in.

Of course anyone can have a panic attack. One afternoon last summer, I approached my slip calmly, and prepared to slip her out of gear for the final approach. As I pulled back on the shifts, I realized that the port engine wouldn't come out of gear. With little room left for correction, I had no choice but to shut down both engines. I hopped out of the chair, grabbed the railings of the flybridge ladder while facing aft, and without my feet ever touching a step, slid down the ladder to the cockpit, where I grabbed the three fishing rods that my crew had strategically placed in such a manner that they effectively blocked the cockpit controls from coming out of gear. Turning around, I ran back up the ladder, fired her up, and docked her like I had planned out the entire thing. Sometimes you just get lucky.

Several years ago, while I was rebuilding my old Chris, I launched her despite the fact that her wheel was home in my cellar being refinished. A buddy came along for the ride from the launch to th slip. Halfway there, he freaked out when he realized that there was no wheel on the boat. I just smiled as I docked her with the engines.

 

[jim rosenthal]

That's why I carry Vise-Grips...

 

[Bob Bradley]

They were in my back pocket. I'm brave, but not foolhardy.