Backing

Inquiry*--*do you feel more comfortable backing out of your slip, or into*it?

KJ

Out. My boat backs to starboard, and having to back into a slip on the port side of the marina fairway isn't fun. Backing out's easy since it gets me pointed in the right direction to exit.

Out should usually*be easier.....but for my slip it depends on which way the often 2-3 knot*current is racing...

Back out.* Almost all of the boats in my marina face into the berth, both upwind and downwind.* It's easier to "thread the needle" coming into the berth bow forward.* Have to turn into the berth, and there's more control with the rudder in the back.* Exiting the berth is a matter of reversing straight out, and once well clear, turning going forward to parallel the dock for the exit.

I back in, and pull out. I board the boat from the swim platform, if I went bow in I wouldn't be able to get on board (I could jump off the pulpit to the dock though.... maybe:
:-D

Back out, the starboard walk swings the boat in the right direction to go ahead. Also pull in on starboard side, then reverse pulls the stern into the dock. It is like having a stern thruster.........

I*get on/off*the Coot from the side where there are gates in the rails.* The marina requires boats to be totally within the berth fingers, so even those using the stern's swim platform can enter from side.

Wow. My finger pier only comes up to about midships on my boat... I hope they don't change the rules here...

Short berth fingers sound like an eastcoast thing.

Backing out.

BUT.......I did have a slip facing into the prevailing winds and when it's windy I'd much rather have Willy bow into the wind so in that slip I backed in. All attempts during practice and after were successful. I found if I positioned the boat the same way every time she'd back in more or less perfectly. It was much easier than I thought it would be. Have been for some time in a north facing slip so I back out now. Willy pulls her stern toward the float (stbd) so to compensate for the prop walk I push off the stern on my way to the helm out about 2.25' I never let anyone push me off. I found they never pushed the right amount. Most all the time I then back straight enough to go all the way into the opposite slip across the fairway and of course put her in fwd gear and exit. The prop walk seems to have effect only when getting the boat in motion......not to maintain way. Generally I like to back out.

Eric

Nearly everyone at my marina backs into their slips. All the wet slip holders do. Once in a while a dry stack customer will take a slip for a weekend and a few of them pull in.

It's a pretty social place so there's a lot of getting on and off the boats, entertaining, etc. We couldn't do that bow in.

rwidman wrote:
Nearly everyone at my marina backs into their slips. All the wet slip holders do. Once in a while a dry stack customer will take a slip for a weekend and a few of them pull in.

It's a pretty social place so there's a lot of getting on and off the boats, entertaining, etc. We couldn't do that bow in.

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*What do your marina mates think of*those (non-believers)*who dock bow-in?* With boats stern-to-stern, are there frequent and loud conversations between boats?**Are all/most the vessels*twin-engined motorboats with few or no sailboats?*

Much prefer to back in. When backing, it's very easy to see straight behind me. But if I'm backing out, I have to be 75% of the way out of my slip before I can see past the boats on the left and right of me. Going forward, I only need my bow a little into the fairway before I can see if any other boats are moving or turning into the fairway.

I will usually back in, but if it is windy or a current running I will go in bow first unless the finger piers are very short. I'm single screw with bow thruster. From what I have seen in marinas along the Gulf Coast most of the trawlers will back in.
I find it interesting to see the hailing ports of boats when they are backed in.
Steve W

Since all control is at the stern, bow in is much easier, especially in shelters, where the width between walls is only a foot or so greater than max beam, so getting lined up with the stern foremost is critical, and very difficult if a current or a good breeze are factors. Once the props and rudders are trapped in the slip and control is lost, if the bow falls off due to current or wind, the docking can turn ugly.

In one of our frequent destination places, when things get busy, backing in to a wide cross dock and tying a number of boats together so that all are stern-to, is required. Then the parties get going.

I'm with Koliver. But I can do it either way if needed

'nuff said.

I prefer to back in, if the evil winds allow.

We generally back in, as it is easier to get off the boat & the power cord will actually reach the plug in point. Nasty winds will complicate things, as the bow swings off very quickly. In those cases, if help is handy, we back in. If not, bow in.

I have a very odd take on this one.* I prefer to be stern in at our current marina for being more social.* But the dock cleats are in such a weird placement that the boat sits better bow to.*

Tom can back the boat in or out the same.* We walk to starboard so our current slip works well either way.*

When visiting other marinas, we take into consideration current and wind, and then convenience on getting Tivo on and off.* Not all marinas on the NC*Coast have full finger piers, so we plan ahead for sure.

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We back in also , unless the wind is blowing real* hard then we pull in.

also better to socialize, most other boats on dock are back in.

Bow in. Nice to have the fairway as a backdrop when enjoying the aft deck. There is no privacy the other way.

mahal wrote:
Bow in. Nice to have the fairway as a backdrop when enjoying the aft deck. There is no privacy the other way.

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* * * ** Ditto

Double ditto.

SeaHorse II wrote:mahal wrote:
Bow in. Nice to have the fairway as a backdrop when enjoying the aft deck. There is no privacy the other way.

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* * * ** Ditto

*We are bow in as well. Part of the reason is that there are triangular fillers where our finger pier meets the main float, which forces the boat three feet further into the fairway if backed in. Another factor is that we are single screw, and not having precise steerage when backing, it's easier to do my backing into the wide fairway than the narrow slip. Given no wind and a little bow thruster, I can back in, and I do for temporary work on the boat.

I would however likely go bow in for the same reasons you mention.

Carey wrote:
*We are bow in as well. Part of the reason is that there are triangular fillers where our finger pier meets the main float, which forces the boat three feet further into the fairway if backed in.

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*Ditto

rocheport wrote....

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Back out, the starboard walk swings the boat in the right direction to go ahead. Also pull in on starboard side, then reverse pulls the stern into the dock. It is like having a stern thruster.........

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Ditto for me exactly, in fact 7tiger7's reason below is about the only reason I could imagine one would normally want to reverse in - short finger and unable to access boarding platform and transom gate.* Especially if you only have a single.* Having said that, no doubt someone will think of something...yes we know twins are different...and ferry masters can make singles actually talk...but in the real world...

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7tiger7 wrote:

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I back in, and pull out. I board the boat from the swim platform, if I went bow in I wouldn't be able to get on board (I could jump off the pulpit to the dock though.... maybe:
:-D

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*PS. Another reason we tend to not back in unless we have twins is our marinas here in Aus tend to have 2 boats between fingers, so one docks to st'bd and one to port, and if things go pear-shaped backing in, more damage to the other boat is likely.* I have actually had to fend off someone doing exactly that when my berth partner boat, even with twins, got crossed up backing in and even fending him off with a boathook he put a nasty gouge in my gunwhale cap.* I see many of you have a finger each side, so if you drift off it is only finger you hit - hopefully padded on the edge.


-- Edited by Peter B on Monday 16th of January 2012 04:46:44 AM

In our Marina, all the finger docks are attached directly to the shore, so the policy is bow-in for everyone to avoid excessive shoreline erosion from the propwash. We're in a very exposed location for wind, and I guess I'd prefer to be stern-in to point the bow into the prevailing, but that's the only plus I can think of. Bow in, we enjoy the sunsets from the cockpit, instead of staring at marina buildings.

Nick

Frankly, since we only have a single finger pier, it depends on what side of the boat we need to work on that often dictates bow or stern docking.

I prefer to go bow in. Makes life simpler.

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-- Edited by dwhatty on Monday 16th of January 2012 06:46:39 AM