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07-30-2020, 06:41 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: St Augustine
Vessel Name: Agape
Vessel Model: Californian 45
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 298
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Top 5 reasons to dock bow in (for us)
5. Our dinghy is towed behind us. We tie our dinghy to our dive platform. No room the other way
4. It's easier. Single screw Mainship 400 does not back anywhere close to straight. Its doable but everyone has to admit bow in is easy.
3. Peeing at night off the dive platform when stern in can be awkward for neighbors taking a stroll.
2. We have water and electric in the bow. Leaves the stern uncluttered. This is where most people hang out/pee.
And the number one reason to dock bow in is....
1. The view. (See pics) Pic 1 morning view. Pic 2 nighttime view. Pic 3 seawall and bushes view.
Anyone else?
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07-30-2020, 07:09 AM
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#2
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Guru
City: Reedville, VA
Vessel Name: Wingspan
Vessel Model: Aluminum Catamaran
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 580
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This seems to be a very regional issue. I prefer bow in unless you are limited by finger piers or something else that makes boarding impossible unless stern in. But in some parts of the country (North Carolina comes to mind) they look at you like you're a idiot who can't drive a boat if you bow in.
When I was delivering a boat from Maine with an old time sailor, we kept trying to dock stern in with a single engine lobsterboat a very bad cross current. After a couple failed efforts, he asked me "now why are we going in stern first, again?" I said, "well, that's just the way it's done". He said, "yah, but why...?" I had no answer and have never felt compelled to go stern in "just because" since.
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07-30-2020, 07:09 AM
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#3
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Guru
City: North Carolina for now
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 6,348
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For us, it was for a variety of somewhat equally weighted issues:
1) the electrical and water hookups were in the front quarter of the boat (available on each side, which was nice). Running them out the stern was a giant PITA
2) Having an aft cabin boat and a great aft deck which was the main daytime hangout, we preferred the privacy and somewhat reduced noise
3) Indeed, especially given the aft deck, the view was always nicer.
__________________
George
"There's the Right Way, the Wrong Way, and what some guy says he's gotten away with"
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07-30-2020, 07:15 AM
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#4
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,818
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pmcsurf1
5. Our dinghy is towed behind us. We tie our dinghy to our dive platform. No room the other way
4. It's easier. Single screw Mainship 400 does not back anywhere close to straight. Its doable but everyone has to admit bow in is easy.
3. Peeing at night off the dive platform when stern in can be awkward for neighbors taking a stroll.
2. We have water and electric in the bow. Leaves the stern uncluttered. This is where most people hang out/pee.
And the number one reason to dock bow in is....
1. The view. (See pics) Pic 1 morning view. Pic 2 nighttime view. Pic 3 seawall and bushes view.
Anyone else? Attachment 105671Attachment 105672Attachment 105673
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4. Learn to back your boat. It's the operator's inability not the boat. I have a single screw and always back in, usually without the bow thruster.
3. Really? Do you pee out the back door of your house also?
4. Does your wife pee out there also? Is that the banjo music from "Deliverance" I hear coming from your boat?
Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
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07-30-2020, 07:18 AM
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#5
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Guru
City: Rochester, NY
Vessel Name: Hour Glass
Vessel Model: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 7,539
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To me, it depends on the slip. My power hookups are midship on the port side. And I have center and aft step points on the port side deck, but only an aft step point on the stbd side deck. So I'll typically do whatever puts me port side to unless the slip layout greatly favors bow or stern in for a different reason.
In my current home slip, I always back in. It puts the dock on the port side and with the slip layout (center piling at the outer end of the slip), the boat fits better backed in. If I went bow in, the port stern corner would be fairly tight to the center piling, so I'd have to be very careful about how I tie and fender to make sure it can't hit on a windy day. And with a fairly tight fairway, backing out wouldn't really be any easier than backing in anyway.
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07-30-2020, 07:25 AM
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#6
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Guru
City: Jacksonville
Vessel Name: SONAS
Vessel Model: Grand Alaskan 53
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,235
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Number 1 reason to go stern in - getting to meet and chat with everyone as they walk by. Life is full of interesting folk, even more so in a marina.
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07-30-2020, 07:32 AM
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#7
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Guru
City: Cape May, NJ
Vessel Name: Irish Lady
Vessel Model: Monk 36
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,947
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We do bow in 95 percent of the time mainly because the dinghy is hanging out there on davits. Its easier for us as long as there is a finger pier. Without a finger pier, we have to back in to get off the swim platform.
__________________
Archie
Irish Lady
1984 Monk 36 Hull #46
Currently in Cape May, NJ
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07-30-2020, 07:47 AM
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#8
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Guru
City: Oconto, WI
Vessel Name: Best Alternative
Vessel Model: 36 Albin Aft Cabin
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,145
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If I have a choice I go Stern in, Port side entry.
* Starboard entry is very cramped, I have a sliding door but you have to crawl around the lower steering station.
* My utilities are on the port side, they could be moved but it is a 'bother"
* Most of my fenders and lines are already on the port side
* In case of emergency, I can leave the slip in one big hurry
* I feel it is rude to have my bow pulpit and especially the anchor hanging out over the main pier.
pete
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07-30-2020, 08:01 AM
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#9
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Guru
City: Great Lakes
Vessel Model: OA 440
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 904
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Privacy from dock gawkers.
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07-30-2020, 08:57 AM
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#10
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Guru
City: Malmö
Vessel Name: ABsolutely FABulous
Vessel Model: Greenline 33 Hybrid (2010)
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,504
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Upon entering a marina for the first time, we first look for alongside tie up, as we have an entry door to the cockpit on the starboard side. This makes for easy boarding and off-loading of bicycles. We rarely find alongside space available, however. If it does exist, it's typically reserved for larger boats.
We next look for more conventional spots that are closer to the facilities and administration building (where there might be WiFi). When we think of it...and have the luxury of time, we even check wifi signal strength before selecting our spot.
Finally, when we must decide on "bow in" or "stern in", we consider the following:
1) Position and path of the sun. (Solar panel production? Can we minimize sun hitting forward-facing sloped windows in the main cabin if possible?)
2) Privacy concerns if we back in due to traffic on the dock?
3) Getting the bicycles off (easiest from the aft cockpit)
4) Wind we may wish to capture with the hatch above the bow stateroom? Wind we may wish to avoid in the aft cockpit seating area?
5) Maybe it's an area where it would be nice to flip down the transom, which extends our deck area and enables the cat to get up-close-and-personal with the ducks? Then bow-in prevails.
So, with the hodgepodge of considerations above, there is, generally no perfect answer for us. After a day, we sometimes find we managed to get it just wrong and go to the effort to flip it around.
__________________
Scott
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07-30-2020, 09:00 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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It's always been "bow in" for me.
1) It's much easier
2) More privacy
3)side door on Starboard side only
4) Best view & fishing off the stern
5) short dock power cord
6) Dinghy ready to go
__________________
Done with diesel power boats! Have fallen in love with all electric!
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07-30-2020, 09:55 AM
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#12
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Guru
City: Santa Cruz, CA
Vessel Name: Concerto
Vessel Model: 1980 Cheoy Lee
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,531
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Quote:
Originally Posted by menzies
Number 1 reason to go stern in - getting to meet and chat with everyone as they walk by. Life is full of interesting folk, even more so in a marina.
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Yes. the socialites back into their slips. And the introverts go bow in. (I do not urinate off my stern (at least at the marina.)
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07-30-2020, 10:08 AM
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#13
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Guru
City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 21,449
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Wifey B: We do what is appropriate for the slip. We prefer bow in, but in many areas you don't have full length or even long finger piers and dock access if bow in is bad. As to anchor and pulpit, we're courteous enough to not put it beyond the slip, to tie off so the dock isn't encumbered.
And I'm again, disgusted by the idea of peeing off the boat and even more so with it in a slip. I hope that was just a joke. If not, I hope you get arrested at some dock one day.
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07-30-2020, 10:27 AM
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#14
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Guru
City: Jacksonville
Vessel Name: SONAS
Vessel Model: Grand Alaskan 53
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 7,235
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BandB
And I'm again, disgusted by the idea of peeing off the boat and even more so with it in a slip. I hope that was just a joke. If not, I hope you get arrested at some dock one day.
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Disgusted generally - even if at anchor? Either anytime when the only boat of after dark just to see the phosphorescence?
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07-30-2020, 10:28 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
City: Hilton Head Island
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 291
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I agree with Ted's comment, learn to back in boat. I had a tough time until I hired a captain and practiced like crazy in wind and currents all over the marina. I have to back a long way to get around the nose of that 44 foot Carver on my port side. Seems like I back up over 60 feet just to get her in. Fun!
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07-30-2020, 10:32 AM
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#16
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Guru
City: Oconto, WI
Vessel Name: Best Alternative
Vessel Model: 36 Albin Aft Cabin
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,145
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Two comments:
Peeing off the back of the boat in harbor? Come on, walk to the marina!!
Location and path of the sun? Too complicated for me
pete
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07-30-2020, 10:39 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: Gig Harbor
Vessel Name: Sandpiper
Vessel Model: Bluewater 40 Pilothouse Trawler
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,315
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There are no absolutes when it comes to docking. Each docking situation is different based on dock configuration, location and access. Sandpiper has a single engine.
We decide on bow in or stern in based on:
Length of dock. Back in if the dock is not long enough to get off at the stern.
Direction of wind and current. Stern into the wind is easier since the square back end will not get blown around as easy as the bow. Docking with the wind or current pushing the boat towards the dock is easier than docking against it.
Whether it's a port or starboard tie. We back to starboard so we would back in on a port tie dock. Bow in on starboard tie dock. But decision depends on dock length.
At a crowded dock with, kids dogs, chattykathys, we would definitely bow in.
At a dock with boater friends, Yacht Club cruises, stern in.
We may choose bow in or stern in based on ease of leaving a difficult to exit slip in the morning. Especially in tight marinas. Backing out to starboard is easier than to port.
We will choose bow in or stern in to have afternoon shade in the cockpit on hot days.
We may choose bow in or stern in based on the direction of the view.
We keep our options open until we are actually in front of the slip in able to assess it.
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07-30-2020, 11:17 AM
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#18
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TF Site Team
City: Westerly, RI
Vessel Name: N/A
Vessel Model: 1999 Mainship 350 Trawler
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 4,154
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As stated, many marinas either don't have finger piers, or their finger piers aren't long enough to dock bow in.
Not all boats have shore connections in the bow
Not all slips face open water. Many times, you're just looking at the stern of the boats docked bow-in on the next dock over. (At least you can wave at each other whilst peeing )
Your Mainship should back to Stbd. Get a slip a Stbd side finger pier and dock from the lower helm. You will be able to step out the door to the midship cleat. MUCH EASIER. Tie a spring line to the piling at the end of the slip and use that to spring from the midship cleat. It makes backing in with the bump and fill method very, very easy.
I like being able to chat with my neighbors. It would seem what you consider a deficit, I consider a benefit.
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07-30-2020, 11:45 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
City: St Augustine
Vessel Name: Agape
Vessel Model: Californian 45
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 298
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Yes to all of the above.
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07-30-2020, 12:01 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
City: St Augustine
Vessel Name: Agape
Vessel Model: Californian 45
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 298
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There are two type of boaters. People who pee off there boats and people who lie about not peeing off there boats.
The same is true for surfers. Those who pee in their wetsuit and those who lie about peeing in their wetsuit.
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