Quote:
Peter B wrote:
Sorry, but I must be missing something here. Sure I could back into my berth, but why bother...? Bow in is far quicker, simpler and safer, especially when there is a side wind blowing, which there usually is in our marina, and the finger is plenty long enough to allow for stepping onto the swim step and through the transom door. Leaving is even simpler. Slow out in reverse, then using the boat's momentum, a quick burst in forward with helm hard over kicks the stern round, and lines her up with the clearway, then slow ahead on out. Too easy...? Why make a simple exercise difficult..? Is it just to show off or what? To me it smacks of the person who boasts about how hot they can eat their chilli....why would you want to when it just kills off your taste buds...? Same deal for mine....though I can see a point if your boat sticks out beyond the finger and you don't have a side door access.
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*PeterB, Where is your manhood?
Really, few finger piers on the East Coast of the US are long enough to accomodate an over 40' boat with easy exit from the stern.* So, not liking diving off the bow pulpit, I will back in.* Some fixed docks have no finger piers just pilings.* They are even difficult to use when backed in.* Impossible when bow in.* One example is Boca Grand Marina.* Some have such abreviated finger piers that they are almost impossible bow in.* Hampton VA public piers are an example here.* Why make it difficult to access the boat from the dock.* In our case it works better to back in in most cases.* Besides that I have great visibiliy to the rear.* Hindsight is always best.
There are other good reasons for orientating your boat in one direction or another.* In my present slip I prefer to be facing the sun.* Windshied covers shade the boat in the evening, and the cockpit is in the shade.* perfect for happy hour.* Some times it myght be wave action is better on the bow.* There are any number of reasons.
-- Edited by Moonstruck on Thursday 25th of August 2011 08:46:55 AM