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01-23-2013, 08:56 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Dear Prudence
Vessel Model: Eagle 40
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 131
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Taming of the Single Screw
I've been invited back for the 7th year in a row to present this topic at the Seattle Boat Show. I'll be there at 2:15 this coming Friday. Almost every year, somebody from a Power Squadron, a yacht club or other organization sees the presentation at the show and invites me to do it for their group as well. Last fall, I was invited to the Marine Trawler Owner's Association cruise in at Port Orchard. I thought that was going to be a really tough audience, but the presentation was very well received and several people individually thanked me afterward and claimed they picked up a couple of docking tips.
I sure as heck don't "know it all". I handle a boat with competence, but fall short of perfection. When I do get in trouble, it's always because I made a mistake- and knew better. After 30 years of plowing into docks, piers, pilings, and anything else it is possible to hit going forward, astern, or slammed broad abeam I discovered a few things that seem to work better than others. Sometimes, just knowing why you're screwed up halfway through a landing is really useful. If things are going badly, and you realize, why, it's easier to plan a second approach.
The seminar is very useful for new boaters, people "evolving" from twin screws to single (just kidding!), or even experienced boaters who may be faced with helping somebody else learn to run a single engine inboard powerboat. It's a useful course outline, even if a boater already knows everything the seminar covers.
Anybody on the list that's around the show on Friday, stop by (even if you don't stay for the seminar) and say "Hi".
The Boat Show also asked me to present for the 5th consecutive year "Man Overboard" (Jan 27, 5:00 PM) and a topic that is new this year, "Choosing and Using a Yacht Broker" (Jan 29 at 3:15 and Feb 1 at 1:15)
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01-23-2013, 09:11 AM
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#2
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Guru
City: somewhere
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,356
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Good luck with your presentations.
Maybe you should video them and put them on YouTube for others to learn from?
__________________
Life is a Beach
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01-23-2013, 09:27 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Dear Prudence
Vessel Model: Eagle 40
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beachbum29
Good luck with your presentations.
Maybe you should video them and put them on YouTube for others to learn from?
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Thanks for the good wishes. Odd that you should mention the videos, a local videographer who is doing some work for Washington State Parks and I have been discussing that very topic. Docking videos with several simultaneous camera angles, etc.
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01-23-2013, 09:33 AM
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#4
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Guru
City: Georgia
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 951
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The nice thing about video is you can take 4 to 6 hours of docking manuvers and edit it down to a single 3 minute "how to" video.
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01-23-2013, 09:38 AM
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#5
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Member
City: Portland, Oregon
Vessel Name: Peregrinator
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 48
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 18
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Has anyone had any experience with a good docking simulator.
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01-23-2013, 09:41 AM
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#6
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Veteran Member
City: Anacortes, WA
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 70
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Things I've learned about maneuvering in tight spaces and docking:
Docking is a spectator sport, graded by style points. It is all about "looking good". So if you are approaching the dock and you don't think you are "looking good", it's time to stop, back up, and try it again.
When maneuvering in tight places, never go any faster than a speed at which you are willing to hit something.
When you arrive at the dock, be going no faster than the dock is.
Also.......not a docking rule but a rule of life......"never engage a bagpiper in an argument, you won't win."
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01-23-2013, 10:03 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Dear Prudence
Vessel Model: Eagle 40
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OkSkipper
Also.......not a docking rule but a rule of life......"never engage a bagpiper in an argument, you won't win."
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Hello, Peter
That's because we pipers have a lot of lung capacity and are known to be quite loud.
You know the difference between a bagpipe and on onion? Nobody ever cries when you cut up a bagpipe. :-)
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01-23-2013, 10:09 AM
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#8
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Guru
City: Solomons Island Md
Vessel Name: Fryedaze
Vessel Model: MC 42 (Overseas Co) Monk 42
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,721
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Heres folks that can handle single a screw.
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01-23-2013, 10:10 AM
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#9
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Guru
City: Hailing Port: Charleston, SC
Vessel Name: Moonstruck
Vessel Model: Sabre 42 Hardtop Express
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 8,276
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"Taming of the single screw" is a catchy title that I'm sure generates much interest in your presentation. My observation, and I think you know this, is that it is more taming the boat handler. The single screw boat has certain characteristics that cannot be altered. The boat will do what it is going to do. Learn those characteristics, and figure ways to use them to advantage. If that does not work. figure how to mitigate the effects. Learning that is one of the more interesting aspects of boating.
I will be interesting to see your video when available.
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01-23-2013, 10:21 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 380
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I agree with the original post.It is definitely better to be "screwed once than twice" Lol
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01-23-2013, 10:36 AM
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#11
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Guru
City: San Diego
Vessel Name: Circuit Breaker
Vessel Model: 2021..22' Duffy Cuddy cabin
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,691
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fryedaze
Heres folks that can handle single a screw.
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I've seen this before but always enjoy it. (Especially the last scene where the crewman is securing the port bow line. )
__________________
Done with diesel power boats! Have fallen in love with all electric!
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01-23-2013, 10:43 AM
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#12
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Guru
City: somewhere
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,356
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chuck Gould
Thanks for the good wishes. Odd that you should mention the videos, a local videographer who is doing some work for Washington State Parks and I have been discussing that very topic. Docking videos with several simultaneous camera angles, etc.
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I would watch them since I'm still a rookie.
__________________
Life is a Beach
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01-23-2013, 10:44 AM
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#13
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Curmudgeon
City: Stoney Creek, MD
Vessel Name: Moon Dance
Vessel Model: 1974 34' Marine Trader Sedan
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,775
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fryedaze
Heres folks that can handle single a screw.
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I'm green with envy! But hey, but even these guys bang into the pilings.
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01-23-2013, 10:56 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Dear Prudence
Vessel Model: Eagle 40
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 131
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fryedaze
Heres folks that can handle single a screw.
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Obviously there's some time element involved in the rodeo scoring. According to the flag, they have the wind generally on the bow when backing. Even without competing for time, you wouldn't want to dawdle around excessively and risk the bow being blown well off when backing. If you're throwing a wake when you pull into a slip it's tough to say that you don't have more speed up than you need- and maybe more than you will be able to control.
Maybe they should change the rodeo scoring from "who's fastest" to "who's most accurate"?
Paraphrasing Peter from up thread, "Never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it." (sometimes you will)
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01-23-2013, 11:39 AM
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#15
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Guru
City: Longboat Key, FL
Vessel Name: Bucky
Vessel Model: Krogen Manatee 36 North Sea
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,196
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Chuck.....hope you've bring your topic to the Ft. Lauderdale Trawler Fest this month. It's always helpful to review what one knows and get tips on what one doesn't.
Of course, if you stay around for the Miami Boat Show in Feb, you might have to change your topic from "Taming the single screw" to "The art of throwing wakes".
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01-23-2013, 12:08 PM
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#16
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,144
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fryedaze
Heres folks that can handle single a screw.
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These guys too...they often dock 2 boats with a single screw...
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01-23-2013, 12:51 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
City: patterson
Vessel Model: CHB 45 Pilot House
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 196
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NOTE: The EYE of the line is placed on the piling and NOT on the boat.
CCC
__________________
Charles C Culotta, Jr
Patterson, La.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS
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01-23-2013, 12:52 PM
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#18
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,144
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles
NOTE: The EYE of the line is placed on the piling and NOT on the boat.
CCC
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That's one way of doing it....
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01-23-2013, 01:00 PM
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#19
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Guru
City: St Augustine,Fl
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,796
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Thats called "tying the boat to the dock,as opposed to tying the dock to the boat" I'll stop there.
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01-23-2013, 01:54 PM
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#20
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Scraping Paint
City: -
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 13,745
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Peregrinator
Has anyone had any experience with a good docking simulator.
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Yes. We got ours before the internet had really taken off and before iPads and such, so it's a bit clunky as an electronics platform but does a better job of conveying the concept and techniques of docking than any of the newer simulators we've checked out.
It is so effective, in fact, that my wife and I continue to dust it off on a regular basis and practice with it as we've found that it's really enhanced our ability to dock the boat. I can't speak for the newer simulators, however, as this one is so good we've had no reason to really explore in detail what's on the market today.
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