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Old 06-03-2018, 10:32 AM   #41
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Originally Posted by koliver View Post
In your backing in, Port tie, Stb Walk situation, don't be bashful about your neighbour. If your fenders are adequate (if not, get some that are) use the neighbour's boat as a big spacer, and when that slip is empty, his dock. Then you can toss a pair of longer lines across to your own dock and pull your boat over. That technique is for when all else has failed, of course.
Haha. On occasion I have used some rather unconventional maneuvers like that. 😁
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Old 06-03-2018, 12:16 PM   #42
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For the first 10 years we had our boat we had the same issue, only reversed. Right hand prop with a starboard side tie up. What made matters worse was we have a 40' over all length and the fairway only measured 42' so maneuvering was very difficult. I had to use the thruster if there was the slightest bit of wind. Luckily there was a piling on the port side at the entrance to the slip so occasionally i would use the piling. I see that is not an option for you. With practice you will be able to pick the spot to start your turn as well as picking how close to the end of the dock you need to be when starting. I did this both with the thruster and without so I knew the locations for each. With the thruster you will need to use it to steer in reverse. Without the thruster you will need to use the back and fill technique. For the first year I used the thruster exclusively, Then as I got more confidence I would try without the thruster. After a while I could get in and out with no thruster. since then I changed slips to be right next to friends and now go bow in and of course I have a starboard tie and as soon as I throw the boat in reverse to stop forward momentum the boat moves away from the dock. It's always something!
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Old 06-03-2018, 08:31 PM   #43
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I feel your pain John. The fairway behind my boat is much narrower than my boat is long. My boat does not like to back to starboard (RH prop). I would be better backing in to my slip, but we like the view of the harbor from the salon and after cockpit when we are bow in. Even coming into my slip is unusually tricky as the wind and current are constantly messing with us.

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Old 06-04-2018, 01:23 PM   #44
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Thanks so much for everyone's replies. So much good info and experience on here. Our combined years of boating takes us back to Noahs Ark days! Lol
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Old 06-04-2018, 02:09 PM   #45
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Trouble backing in your slip

Trouble backing in your slip.

I haven’t read all the replies posted but I will make my suggestion. If you have a strarboard propwash went in reverse that slip is ideal for your boat set up.

My boat is set up in a very similar fashion. Starboard prop walk went in reverse and a bow thruster.

When I am running my boat down the fairway, I like to have a little bit of forward momentum so when I’m ready to make my turn, I turn the helm hard to port and shift into reverse, and once in reverse power of the engine a little bit.

When this happens the boat is going to slow down to a stop and the stern of the boat is going to skew to starboard. At this point with the rudder still hard to port I will use my bow thruster to get myself lined up on my slip for minor adjustments.

If I’ve done my turn to early, so I’m not lined up with my slip with my rudder still Turned to port I can very quickly do a little burst of forward which will move my stern to the right and towards my slip.

If I am still not lined up and I can’t go forward then I simply put the engine in reverse throttle up briefly in the prop wash again is pulling me to the star board.

Only when my boat is relatively lined up with my slip I will center my rudder if I am still not lined up and I can’t go forward then I simply put the engine in reverse throttle up briefly and the prop wash again is pulling me to the star board.

Only when my boat is relatively lined up with my slip I will center my rudder. Then shifting in reverse again I can start backing into my slip and use the bow thruster As my steering device.

What I have found, is if I try and do too much with the writer and the engine shifting back-and-forth he gets to be a very busy and hectic operation. By minimizing the rudder as my steering device I quiet the operation down and I don’t feel like I am rushing.

What I have found, is if I try and do too much with the writer and the engine shifting back-and-forth he gets to be a very busy and hectic operation. By minimizing the rudder change of directions my success rate had really gone up.

Of course when wind and current are being fought It will always be a bit tricky.
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Old 06-07-2018, 10:10 AM   #46
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My first slip with out old boat was on then end like that. I begged to have them move me. Pointing out that it wasn't just my sanity/boat condition but that of anyone else along the fairway if things got out of hand. While a certain slip might have it's advantages, the stress of docking may overwhelm them.

I second the recommendation to hire a captain for at least a part of the day to do some back/forth practice runs. Find a weekday when there's not a lot of other activity going on. Then just some repeated practice. Focus on understanding just how well the boat handles under different amounts of throttle and wind/current conditions.

My old boat had terrible handling when just at idle in-gear. It didn't have enough keel to keep it from wandering. Applying a bit more throttle made it much easier to control. But then it was a matter of understanding how applying enough reverse to stop/change would likewise affect the handling.

Learning the points where things were going to become difficult to recover from was VERY helpful. As in, don't let the boat start to yaw to the left/right as it would be difficult to bring the bow back in line because the stern would have to swing in the opposite direction. Granted, this was with twin v-drive inboards (no thrusters), but the same idea applies.

It was with the captain's help that I got a better handle on understanding when a docking was going poorly enough to merit a back out and do-over. Otherwise I'd end up along one side or the other of the fairway (and the bows of other boats and their anchors) without a lot of ways to maneuver away again. Understanding this helped a bunch, especially planning for how the wind would likewise push us. As in, holding close to the wind to avoid being pushed past points of maneuvering control. Strong wind coming in from one side? Hug a bit closer to that side of the fairway and let the wind be a part of your planned motion. I've never had to deal with too much current or tide, but those are also factors to keep in mind.
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Old 06-08-2018, 01:28 PM   #47
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If I were you I'd be bow-in stardboard tie. Stern-in port tie is difficult with prop walk always wanting to pull the stern to starboard and away from the dock.
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Old 06-08-2018, 02:04 PM   #48
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I have a single with a bow thruster as well, I would back in all the way down to your slip. If she gets out of hand with the wind you can shift to forward and exit under full control.
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Old 06-08-2018, 02:55 PM   #49
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You always carry momentum when you come in like that. The drift gets you pretty good I’m guessing.
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Old 06-08-2018, 08:05 PM   #50
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The predominant suggestion above is to practice. Concur. As a retired helicopter pilot I like to practice 'hovering' over the same spot in a variety of relative winds and currents trying to keep the boat in exactly the same spot over ground. Try it near a buoy or float away from the dock, into wind first and later off the wind. Then, get your boat into a stable hover near your slip, make very small changes to power, rudder and/or thruster to move the boat to where you can get a line ashore and then use gentle power against a spring line to bring the boat in against the dock. As others have suggested, prop walk is your friend if you learn to use it, and it doesn't take much of a shot of power to get a little kick to either side, depending on the gear you're in. Take your time.
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Old 06-08-2018, 08:27 PM   #51
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I went bow in tonight. I've done it once or twice before in the past before too. It was DEFINITELY easier to dock. No doubt about that. But now I'll have to worry about backing out. Lol


I couldn't agree more with the folks that say "practice, practice". 100% agreed. I'm still a relatively new boater (36 y.o with about 3 years in total and 2 years were with small outboard powered boats).


I may keep going bow in....We'll see after I back out!


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Old 06-08-2018, 08:35 PM   #52
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Originally Posted by South of Heaven View Post
I went bow in tonight. I've done it once or twice before in the past before too. It was DEFINITELY easier to dock. No doubt about that. But now I'll have to worry about backing out. Lol


I couldn't agree more with the folks that say "practice, practice". 100% agreed. I'm still a relatively new boater (36 y.o with about 3 years in total and 2 years were with small outboard powered boats).


I may keep going bow in....We'll see after I back out!


Attachment 77237


Nice photo.

Backing out to starboard, particularly with a bow thruster, should be pretty easy. Of course that is if you have decent visibility to the rear.
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Old 06-08-2018, 08:54 PM   #53
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Nice photo.

Backing out to starboard, particularly with a bow thruster, should be pretty easy. Of course that is if you have decent visibility to the rear.
Ah the joys of a back down camera.
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Old 06-08-2018, 09:28 PM   #54
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Ah the joys of a back down camera.

Dan, I have one! Installed a 2 camera system this spring. One faces the transom (wide viewing angle) and the other one is on the bridge facing the passengers (aft).

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Old 06-08-2018, 10:01 PM   #55
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Originally Posted by South of Heaven View Post
I went bow in tonight. I've done it once or twice before in the past before too. It was DEFINITELY easier to dock. No doubt about that. But now I'll have to worry about backing out. Lol


I couldn't agree more with the folks that say "practice, practice". 100% agreed. I'm still a relatively new boater (36 y.o with about 3 years in total and 2 years were with small outboard powered boats).


I may keep going bow in....We'll see after I back out!


Attachment 77237
Nice going!

I think you will find backing out far easier and less stressful than backing in....looks like a great slip btw.
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Old 06-08-2018, 10:54 PM   #56
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Quote:
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Yeah, I definitely don't wanna change slips. I like my slip a lot. I'm looking at it as a challenge and a learning experience.

Psneeld: As to your post 34; It doesn't back left in reverse. The propwash is to starboard. That's a lot of what my problem is , since I have a stern in port side tie up.
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Sorry, was thinking left out of the slip if backing out....still knew starboard propWALK.

If you pulled in, the starboard propwalk would help coming alongside. Another plus for pulling in.
psneeld is right, and his advise to pull in, meant to berth bow first, in case you didn't get that, and that is also exactly what I suggested way back in post#4. I suggest you re-read post #4 as I also describe how easy it is to swing the boat's stern round to head out the freeway after you have backed out, and that's without a thruster. With one, as several others have said, it will be even easier. You can combine both the stern kick and the thruster to swing her on a dime..!

My boat has a starboard prop-walk in reverse also, (not wash - the wash goes to port obviously), and I don't have a bow thruster eother, but in a berth such as yours, docking bow in would be a cinch, and leaving it just as easy, as everything is then right for your boat. Including the easier turn to starboard to drive in, and the starboard turn when you've backed out, because the prop-walk in forward is also pushing the stern to port to make the right turn easier. Then better still, the reverse prop-walk is slowing you and pulling the stern to the dock, and you even have a thruster to edge the bow back to starboard if it tends to drift away from the finger.

Nowhere will you find, engraved in a tablet of stone, that one must dock stern in..!

Do what works best for you and your boat, especially as you don't want to change berths. Your situation cries out for bow in, as long as you can still access the swim-step from the dock finger.
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Old 06-09-2018, 04:48 AM   #57
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Nowhere will you find, engraved in a tablet of stone, that one must dock stern in..!

)
Not in stone, but you will find marinas that require it. They do so to keep their walkways clear and not have bows and pulpits interfering. Fortunately, the OP's marina doesn't require it.
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Old 06-09-2018, 06:44 AM   #58
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And many with finger piers so short that anything but backing in is a struggle to board.

Then for me I just make tha call based on arrival and departure conditions whether its worth the stop.
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Old 06-09-2018, 07:18 AM   #59
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[QUOTE=Peter

[B]Nowhere will you find, engraved in a tablet of stone, that one must dock stern in..! [/B]


It may not be in stone but my marina contract states stern in.

Cant think of a marina in Sydney that allows bow in
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Old 06-09-2018, 08:31 AM   #60
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Yes, bow in is definitely allowed here. We have lots of sailboats here also so I don't know how the marina could even enforce a rule like that (since they are all bow in).


My only concern now is that I have to run my shore power cord a lot farther.....Not the end of the world I guess.
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