Let me start by saying I'm very new at this.
This 4th of July in a very busy marina I was coming in to park. The wind was 15+ coming straight down the fairway at me as I was coming in, and I have to turn to starboard to get in my slip bow first. Single engine with a bow thruster. No big deal, I've done this several times now with no problem. This time I thought I would do it from the pilot house and not from the fly bridge.
Not quite sure how, maybe I was a bit overconfident, but I shorted it. And as soon as I got a little turned to starboard the wind caught the bow and pushed me around. I was sideways in the fairway pointed into the wrong slip. The only thing I could do was let the bow keep coming around and I ended up just turning around and going back out the same way I came in. I don't even think people who were watching knew how badly I screwed up.
I went back out of the marina and it took me a good half hour to calm down and try it again. Nailed it the 2nd time from the fly bridge! Not a big thing for some, but a huge confidence builder for me.
|