Expensive lesson about handling current

[Pascal]

This happened this week end at Bimini Big Game. Those familiar with Bimini know that the current can really rip there being the narrowest spot in the channel.

A 40/45 Post was slipped stern to the dock, with the current flowing into the slip. For some reason, the driver choose to back out of the fairway after leaving the slip... So he went forward out of the slip into the current and instead of pivoting to starboard to turn in the fairway, forward to the main channel he turned to port and tried to back out the 150' distance.

The nearly inevitable happened... By the time he reached the Thead he had been pushed sideways into the dock and ended up with the pulpit and anchor of a big Viking in his galley.

It took them a few minutes to free the boat. To make things worst, instead of trying to pivot the bow off the corner piling using the engines they tried to push the boat against the current and ended up doing more damage ripping the rail out. I dont know How none of the guys trying to push didn't get hurt by the ripping rail...

The Viking came out unscathed, except for a minor scratch but the post had broken side widows, ripped railing and stanchions and possible damage to the corner support and windshield...

Bottom line: use the current dont fight it! Plan your approaches and departures to use the current. Favor the up current side (or upwind) of a fairway and remember that once you get sideways, beam to a current, you will need at least one boat length to recover. Once you are within a boat length to a down current obstacle, it s game over

And no, thrusters will not pull you against a 1kt current!

The sound of crunched fiberglass and safety glass bursting is not something you want hear

 

[JLR]

My worst docking nightmare is ending up beam to a row of boats at dock. I always try to give myself plenty of room. Once you are on the other boats, there is very little that you can do to extricate yourself without doing damage to all concerned.

 

[Avenger]

My worst docking nighmare, especially in this day and age, is getting caught doing something like that on camera and having it posted on the internet. Looks like a captain job will be opening up. Either a first one, or a next one.

 

[Boatnut]

My wo0st nightmare would be watching the guy taking the pictures, instead of helping a fellow boater out of an uncomfortable situation. Most boaters I know have a few horror stories to tell. Then there are the ones that watch then tell everyone what should have been done. Do we call them pinos or armchair captains?

 

[tomrealest]

Was the girl with the bright red top and white skirt on you boat, Pascal? If yes, I'm impressed!

 

[Pascal]

My wo0st nightmare would be watching the guy taking the pictures, instead of helping a fellow boater out of an uncomfortable situation. Most boaters I know have a few horror stories to tell. Then there are the ones that watch then tell everyone what should have been done. Do we call them pinos or armchair captains?

Nope, she was not...

Look, I posted this story because we can all use a reminder that it s easy to get bitten by nasty conditions... As to helping, as you may see in the picture, there were 4 guys on the post, and a pro captain and crew on the Viking...

To use your words, Only an "armchair captain" would suggest that they can push a sportsfish off a pulpit against a current using muscle alone... Nice advice.

 

[OBXTucker]

Reminds me of my first docking experience in the Baltimore Inner Harbor (it's posted here somewhere). In retrospect, the conditions weren't nearly as bad as I was inexperienced. But I pinned my LRC between two much larger yachts at the end of a fairway. Wind and current were hurting and I didn't use enough power to recover. 1 - 2 seconds of idle hesitation and it was all over....windage took over and I was on the dock pinned between the two monsters.

Admiral on the yacht at my bow (my anchor was hanging in her cockpit) was yelling at the top of her lungs "YOU SCRATCH IT, YOU BUY IT!". Larger motor yacht (80' +/-) on my stern had his anchor and pulpit in my cockpit. Scratched up my gunnel pretty well. Captain of this boat happened to be standing on the dock and was cool as a cucumber, and a perfect gentleman.

He and a fellow Hatt owner helped me move her over to the slip without any further damage. I was ready for a scotch (and I don't drink scotch!). Fortunately, no pictures or videos!

Valuable lesson learned. I spent a TON of time working on my docking skills after that cruise and feel I can probably dock her anywhere - but more importantly - if I can't, I know it before hand and won't let the wind/current get the better of us again.

And YES....I installed the biggest bow thruster that would fit into her - after that event! LOL
It WILL move her against a 1kt current and will almost throw you off the bow if you're not holding on....

 

[Boatnut]

Nope, she was not...

Look, I posted this story because we can all use a reminder that it s easy to get bitten by nasty conditions... As to helping, as you may see in the picture, there were 4 guys on the post, and a pro captain and crew on the Viking...

To use your words, Only an "armchair captain" would suggest that they can push a sportsfish off a pulpit against a current using muscle alone... Nice advice.

Posting the picture and commenting is one thing, critisizing what someone did and telling them how they should have done it are 2 different things. This is not the first time you have posted this kind of situation, and done nothing to go anywhere near out of your way to help. Maybe a couple more people would help, but you find it more important to take pictures, and tell them how they should have done it.

Jeff, glad you got a big thruster, my admiral wants me to get bow, and a stern thrusters. I am not proud, I'll take all the help I can get anytime.

 

[Boatsb]

Why help? That just makes the damage less and the pics less exciting.

I can't say that more people helping would have minimized the damage but I think its every boaters duty to help out when they see a need. Real boaters do not leave people in bad situations. Real boaters offer help with not self serving comments and don't criticize.

Real boaters would have pics after but not during the incident because they were doing their part helping.

Peter Parker didn't get pictures he changed into spider man and did something.

 

[bobk]

C'mon guys, there is virtually nothing anyone could have done to prevent or minimize that once the skipper lost control. And you risk your limbs if you try. I had a similar situation at Kent Island YC a year back. I was docked at the upstream end on the outside of the visitors dock with a strong current flowing down on me. Two friends in 36-38' boats were assigned to the inside of the dock and misjudged the effect of the current. I was on the bow with a big fender to try to fend off the anticipated crunches. No joy. Both hit my pulpit and sctatched and gouged her. But the others took the worst damage. And there I was trying to fend them off. No, having Pascal on the bow would have made no difference. As he said, he posted to remind us to stay alert to the situation. Thanks Pascal. Reminder well taken.

Bobk
Chateau de Mer
1981 48MY

 

[Boatsb]

Sorry Bob but the truth is we dont know if help would have prevented damage or not. I would have tried. You dont stop CPR because you think the patient will probably die. You offer your help and do what you can. I'm sure the poor guy running the boat would have appreciated someone asking if there was something they could do to help instead of taking pictures.

 

[Freeebird]

Admiral on the yacht at my bow (my anchor was hanging in her cockpit) was yelling at the top of her lungs "YOU SCRATCH IT, YOU BUY IT!".

Don't you just love people like that?

Hmmm... maybe if I yell at this guy who is obviously having problems, it'll give him more confidence and make him concentrate more on what he's doing, and he won't hit my boat.

If I'm going to yell at someone in that situation, I'm going to be yelling instructions, not threats. NOBODY on this or any other boating forum hasn't found themselves in a situation they would rather not repeat when it comes to docking a boat. You have to feel badly for this guy, and not just because Pascal posted a photo. Outside that, how the heck is Pascal supposed to help? Yes, that question can be taken more than one way! LOL

 

[Pascal]

Why help? That just makes the damage less and the pics less exciting.

I can't say that more people helping would have minimized the damage but I think its every boaters duty to help out when they see a need. Real boaters do not leave people in bad situations. Real boaters offer help with not self serving comments and don't criticize.

Real boaters would have pics after but not during the incident because they were doing their part helping.

Peter Parker didn't get pictures he changed into spider man and did something.

If anything, the bad advice given in this post underlines the need for more discussion about what if scenarios. Putting bodies in harms way is the last thing you want to do. Think about it for a minute instead of ranting... When a boat is impaled sideways on a pulpit, how many people can be on that pulpit to push?

And obviously you didn't see the Post rail and stanchions be ripped out and whipping around...

So again, thinking positive, what do you do when pinned in this scenario to minimize damage and injuries?

I see 3 options:
Splitting the gears, full rudder to pivot the bow off the corner piling until off the pulpit and at an angle sharp enough to back out up current.

Pass a stern line across to the up current piling (next t head), to hold the boat in place, then back the Viking down a few ft

Get a tow and pull the Post up current

I think either 3 would have worked in this case.

Any other ideas?

 

[Boatsb]

Bird that's just so right its wrong. The point is to offer help and help if needed.


A couple of Tennessee hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls 911. He gasps to the operator, "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator, in a calm soothing voice says, "Just take it easy. I can help. First, lets make sure he's dead."

... There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says, "OK, now what?"

 

[Avenger]

I was on the bow with a big fender to try to fend off the anticipated crunches. No joy. Both hit my pulpit and sctatched and gouged her. But the others took the worst damage. And there I was trying to fend them off. No, having Pascal on the bow would have made no difference.

Maybe if you used him as a fender.

Admiral on the yacht at my bow (my anchor was hanging in her cockpit) was yelling at the top of her lungs "YOU SCRATCH IT, YOU BUY IT!".

Don't you just love people like that?

Hmmm... maybe if I yell at this guy who is obviously having problems, it'll give him more confidence and make him concentrate more on what he's doing, and he won't hit my boat.

Well said. Gotta love when they put the "bitch wings" on and start adding their two cents. Helpful as can be.

 

[Boatsb]

"Admiral on the yacht at my bow (my anchor was hanging in her cockpit) was yelling at the top of her lungs "YOU SCRATCH IT, YOU BUY IT!".


Now we know why man invented wood chippers

 

[Freeebird]

Bird that's just so right its wrong. The point is to offer help and help if needed.


A couple of Tennessee hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn't seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls 911. He gasps to the operator, "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator, in a calm soothing voice says, "Just take it easy. I can help. First, lets make sure he's dead."

... There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy's voice comes back on the line. He says, "OK, now what?"

Sorry Scott, but that story is just wrong. Those boys were from Alabama.

Outside that, I can't see giving Pascal grief over this one. I've enjoyed giving him grief ever since he blamed me for some dock kid taking it upon himself to untie my boat in a current years ago while saying it was my fault. Let's face it, Pascal has covered more water than most anybody else on here over the past couple of years, and he's gotten some real experience along the way. I don't see a problem with him posting this photo as it doesn't name names, but the "I could have done it better" stuff is... well... Pascal.

 

[sgharford]

Maybe professional captains can instruct a group of unknowns on the dock what to do in adverse conditions, but to me it’s a dangerous distraction. I'm far from the captaining experience most have on this site, about 300 hours of non-commercial use in local waters on a 43 DC (plus allot of prior sailing experience). I don't like people coming out of the woodwork, especially too many and ones I don't know, helping me when docking. I'm even leery of the paid dock hands as many are not use to how a large boat doesn't respond to a physical push off the dock. You don't know where they are and you don't know if they’re going to tie off a line without you knowing it. You can't see over the sides (I can't from lower helm from which I typically dock) to see where they are on the dock, so now you are worrying if they have a limb in the way or about to fall in the water between you and the dock as well. Knowing everybody well enough on this site, I'm sure we are all most worried about physically harming another much more than our boats or someone else’s. I worked on a gas dock as a kid, it can be just as dangerous for person on dock as you don’t know what the captain is going to do either. Even when I help people to this day, I await instructions from captain, or if I see they ‘look confused’, I make suggestion as to what I intend to do and what they should do after I complete my action - like tying spring line, wait for me to cleat it, then go in reverse, OK? I would not offer to help a group of professional anglers like this unless they we're calling out for help. I would consider myself a nuisance otherwise.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I think the time for instruction is before the accident happens. This is why people ought to practice handling their boat in difficult situations, so they know how to get themselves out of trouble when it happens. Not that I'm immune to any of this; I have never had anything this bad happen, but I have been in my share of self-induced scrapes.

 

[Boatnut]

i have no problem with posting the picture, the pontificating is what gets to me. Hindsight is 20/20/ If we had 20/20 foresight, we would have a lot of different people in the white house.

Some people seem to get off on other peoples mishaps. The situation could have been posted with better taste.