Bad docking day

frgeorgeh said:

Wow. So many posts. How cool! Let me answer couple of main questions or topics:

1) how I currently get out: I back straight out along walkway. There are no cleats out there in the middle to tie a spring line so, once my bow clears last wood post I give her port rev. Eng only and use the walkway as a spring. My swim platform is plastic and it hits walkway on the foam. Once my bow swings out enough I and a little fwd starboard eng to get boat straight. Then it is a little this and a little that to try and get straight down the fairway.

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If I were you, once the boat was back far enough that you had 3 or more feet of clearance between the bow and the piling, I would put port in forward and starboard in reverse, swinging the stern to port and the bow to starboard -- with a fender held between the bow and the dock. That way you you will have better leverage against the dock than you have using your swim platform (which is probably not built to handle that load and certainly has less leverage).

Someone tell me it's ok! Pretty freaked out right now. Only had the boat a month and only driven her 4 times. My ego sure took a hit today cause the last time went so well. Ugh!!![/QUOTE]


It's ok and then some. Each boat's a different story and until you have had your boat in every conceivable situation---like that's ever gonna happen--you won't have all the answers. My only advice is that when I am docking or departing, I always try to have an "out" plan--one last move I know I can make if things turn odd--it's weird, but that approach usually tells me a lot about how to approach it in the first place.

But it's all good and you're not alone.
Poach

MYTraveler said:

If I were you, once the boat was back far enough that you had 3 or more feet of clearance between the bow and the piling, I would put port in forward and starboard in reverse, swinging the stern to port and the bow to starboard -- with a fender held between the bow and the dock. That way you you will have better leverage against the dock than you have using your swim platform (which is probably not built to handle that load and certainly has less leverage).

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This is how we almost always leave a dock with open water on one side. We add the element of a line from the bow to the dock, around a cleat or bullrail, and back to the boat where it is held by the person not driving, who is also holding a big fender between the bow and the dock.. The driver puts the rudders hard over into the dock, the dockside prop in reverse and the outboard prop in forward.

The combined prop walk of both props turning in the same direction and the outboard propwash against its rudder move the stern out very quickly. The line to the dock keeps the boat from moving forward or aft, and the fender keeps the side of the bow off the dock. If we're doing this against a strong wind we simply use more power, particularly on the outboard engine.

We pivot the boat out at least 45 degrees or even more if it's windy and there's a boat on the dock behind us. When the boat is angled out the way we want it, the rudders are centered, the dockside transmission goes to neutral and then reverse, the person on the bow lets the bitter end of the bow line go and pulls the line back around the cleat or bullrail and onto the boat as the boat backs smartly away from the dock.

Depending on the direction we want to depart the area we either continue backing the boat in a turn until we're headed parallel to the dock or we continue backing out at an angle until we're far enough out to engage forward and turn away from the dock in that direction.

This has become our standard method of departure from a dock unless the wind simply pushes us off it.. No pushing the boat out from the dock, no putting the swimstep against the dock, no assistance from the dock needed at all.

PS--- This technique is much easier to do than it is to describe.

FRG, just coincidentally, today I've been reviewing docking maneuvers described in three books that I use as textbooks when teaching: Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship, Powerboat Handling Illustrated, and 7 Steps to Successful Boat Docking. The first two cover a broader range of topics, while the last really focuses on docking (as the name implies).

Anyway, you might find those (or similar books) useful for learning/understanding the theory behind various maneuvers, techniques, methods.

I usually let a student pick whichever for the text, but then I expect students to read specific (i.e., assigned) material in advance and I ask them to develop questions in advance -- based on their reading -- that we'll discuss when we get to the practical portion.

As Marin mentions, many techniques are more difficult to describe than they are to do. The pictures help.

-Chris

Good news! Spoke to Dock Master this morning. He is going to move us to an end outside dock right on the turning basin. The Admiral and I couldn't be happier.

Dear Friar George


Praise God... err praise the Dock Master... err praise you for having balls to push for a better slip!

Art said:

Dear Friar George


Praise God... err praise the Dock Master... err praise you for having balls to push for a better slip!

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Hehe. Well, I was told how to work with this DM. You go in his office and crawl in his pocket until he gets up and does what you want him to do. Seems to work. ?

frgeorgeh said:

Hehe...You go in his office and crawl in his pocket until he gets up and does what you want him to do. Seems to work. ?

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.....I'm gonna pass on this one padre

Glad you got moved.

frgeorgeh said:

Good news! Spoke to Dock Master this morning. He is going to move us to an end outside dock right on the turning basin. The Admiral and I couldn't be happier.

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That tells your right there it was the correct move. All the you can, one could, here's how, it's easy, it's impossible doesn't really matter. The fact that you're happier and will feel better about the next time you use the boat is what's important. The goal is "happy."

A bottle of the "good stuff" to the local harbourmaster or wharfinger at Christmas is a inexpensive investment.

That acknowledgment of gratitude to the HM is perhaps the wisest of the many wise recommendations given. Well done!

Glen

I'm thinking RNL is a harbourmaster...

Not me, but I did get the HM in Sitka to assign me a different slip back in '98 and I've been mighty grateful to this day.

FRG,


You did a great job! Remember when docking: "Go as fast as you want to hit the dock!" You will get better but remember practice practice.....

Codger2 said:

I've been where you are now and it isn't fun! My suggestion is to change the venue...get another slip which should result in you gaining some confidence again.

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How about that!

Here's more absurd boat docking -at full speed! It's a wonder no one lost a limb in a few of these. Turn the sound down/off as the music isn't worthwhile...

George

I was also in the same situation at the marina.
Hopefully some of the snowbirds will be leaving soon and open up some slips.

Steve

stevefon said:

George



I was also in the same situation at the marina.

Hopefully some of the snowbirds will be leaving soon and open up some slips.



Steve

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They are mostly gone here. Unfortunately they left their boats! ?

So, the weather is already intolerable there?

markpierce said:

So, the weather is already intolerable there?

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Wifey B: The weather is never intolerable in Paradise....

In the 80's, nice breezes off the ocean. What more could one ask for?

Although at the moment, we're in the Bahamas where the weather is also perfect.

Snowbirds come here because in the winter the weather gets intolerable where they live.

The weather is acceptable here year-around. That's why we stay here despite a cost of living 40% higher than most everywhere else.

Dubnuh said:

Here's more absurd boat docking -at full speed! It's a wonder no one lost a limb in a few of these. Turn the sound down/off as the music isn't worthwhile...

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Definitely a macho thing. Definitely not my style. Slow and easy is my thing.

BandB said:

In the 80's, nice breezes off the ocean. What more could one ask for?

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80s? Christ, that's way too hot. I hate it when it gets over 70. 65 is my idea a really comfortable temperature. I've worked in the Middle East in 120 degree heat in my job --- I didn't like it but I can deal with it. But after living in Hawaii all those years, 80 degrees is no longer acceptable. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

That's why for me the US stops at the southern Oregon border and the east bank of the Mississippi. Besides finding what''s outside that rectangle being boring based on what I've seen of it (other than Maine which is great), it's simply too damn hot.

I was hoping as a little kid back in the 60s that global cooling was going to continue to be all the rage. I would have really liked that. Global warming no so much, other than if it warms up enough it will create a whole bunch of new places to go boating and seaplane flying. So that will be nice.

markpierce said:

The weather is acceptable here year-around. That's why we stay here despite a cost of living 40% higher than most everywhere else.

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Wifey B: It's 55 degrees where you are right now....not acceptable.

I just looked it up. It went down to 36 degrees there in January. And from Nov 11 til the End of Jan never once reached 70 degrees. Sure not bikini weather..

It's what you're use to, but I'd be like freezing in that kind of weather after living here or wearing tons of clothing and all these layers like I did last year in Washington and Alaska and thats ok for a change, but not all the time. Today was bikini and tshirt and shorts all day. That's my climate.

Sixty-degrees is a good temperature while walking, especially without direct sunlight. If there is a good breeze, somewhat higher is OK. Beyond a low-humidity 88 degrees, even sitting in the shade is intolerable. If living in 90-degree, 90-percent humidity, I'd be dead within a month.

As we all know but sometimes fail to mention, there's a world of difference between 80* with 75-100% humidity (feels like 100*+) and 80* with 35-50% humidity. I just returned from Florida with 72-77% humidity and low 80* days. It was miserable compared to our CA Delta. By noon, I couldn't wait to get off the water or into air conditioning. The temp swing from low to high throughout the day was less than 10*.

The beauty of having my boat on the line between the Delta and the Bay is that I can turn east and enjoy the warmer and drier air and fresh waters of the Delta or I can turn west and enjoy the cooler and moister air and salt waters of the San Francisco Bay. I like having choices!!

I don't have AC on my boat and don't miss it. During the warm months of summer, we might hit 100* during the day, but it cools off by about 30* during the night. AC is never needed at night here but I wouldn't be without it in the more warm and humid climates.

FlyWright said:

As we all know but sometimes fail to mention, there's a world of difference between 80* with 75-100% humidity (feels like 100*+) and 80* with 35-50% humidity. I just returned from Florida with 72-77% humidity and low 80* days. It was miserable compared to our CA Delta. By noon, I couldn't wait to get off the water or into air conditioning.

The beauty of having my boat on the line between the Delta and the Bay is that I can turn east and enjoy the warmer and drier air and fresh waters of the Delta or I can turn west and enjoy the cooler and moister air and salt waters of the San Francisco Bay. I like having choices!!

I don't have AC on my boat and don't miss it. I wouldn't be without it in the more warm and humid climates.

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Wifey B: And we love....love love love....the humidity. Hubby's allergies don't act up. We really feel the dryness when we go somewhere in winter and have heated low humidity indoor air. The other thing is skin. The humidity is soooooooooooo good for your skin, but then when you go to dry areas you need lotion. The salt air is good for sinuses and skin. It's amazing how the body adapts to the climate. 6 months somewhere and it's like your body forgot the past. We had cold in NC and were ok with it. But now we're spoiled.

I tend to be with Marin here, having lived in NZ for my first half life, and now here in Queensland, Australia for the last 26 yrs, I find the heat/humidity here a bit trying, and actually look forward to the non-summer 9 months. Here now in Brisbane our wee weather station is saying it's 22ºC (71.6ºF) inside, and 15ºC (59ºF) outside. You can sleep better for a start. Typical winter temps are 5-10ºC (41-50ºF), overnight, rising to 20-22ºC (68-71ºF), in the day. Love it.

By the way, for those interested, the shortcut for the superscript for degrees, º is achieved by using alt key & 248 in Windows, and option key & numeral 0, in Macs.
I find it helpful, as I use it a lot I guess. Certainly quicker than typing degrees in full, fore sure.

BandB said:

But now we're spoiled.

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I'm not surprised. Meat left out in the heat doesn't take long to spoil in my observation.

In that same vein, when I see current photos of people I used to work with in Hawaii when we were all in our late teens and twenties but who stayed in Hawaii, they look like a very old saddle. Humidity or no, their skin looks like dry leather.

On the other hand, I meet people who have lived their whole lives here in the PNW and at the same age, they look years if not decades younger than those Hawaii folks. I'm talking Caucasians here. Asians tend to age much better in appearance that haoles do, even in Hawaii.

I'll continue the thread drift….

I like a variety in weather. Adelaide has a great summer. Usually hot & dry. Winters are coolish & wet. (Similar weather to southern Mediteranean countries.)

But I do miss having colder winters with snow.

My least favourite weather is just above freezing temperatures, wet and windy.

My favourite weather is just below freezing, perfectly calm, with giant snowflakes floating down like feathers.