Docking Technique

[Knotty C]

Our first try docking in our slip was a disaster and much more frustrating because about six men stood by and watched the whole thing without ever offering a hand. We finally got it docked after bumping both stern corners and the bow. Not a good experience.

Our slip is on the Columbia River and we have both current and wind to contend with, not to mention that as we come into the slip we have to make a quick U turn that has us going with the current into the slip. That leaves us with little control at a critical time.

Now we come in make the turn and instead of aiming for the middle of our side of the slip, I aim for the boat in the slip next to ours (it's a double slip). By the time we reach the slip our momentum has pushed us right where I want to be and if it's not close enough to the dock, I just turn the wheel towards the dock and put it in reverse. It works like a charm.

Early on we went to an empty dock and practiced docking starboard, docking port, backing up, getting to the dock bow in and then moving the stern over. It was a really valuable experience and has made a huge difference in my understanding of how the boat handles. Now I dock the boat most of the time and Don gets off at the Dock. I had to learn because it was more scary for me to get off the boat in the wind than to learn how to dock it.

Dee

[Larry H]

Good discussion,

Heres something I learned....

If you have to enter a tight docking situation like a slip inside a marina and it all goes wrong....

Go back out into open water and try it again. Think of the first attempt as 'scouting' and adjust what you are doing the second(or third!) time. Too much maneuvering(forward and reverse) stirs up the water and makes false currents and eddies.

I think it's better to try it over than to lose my cool and damage something.

[Hunkydory]

Reading these post sure makes us feel better. With our lack of experience, thought we were among the very few who had problems around docks.

What saved us and those around us in our learning curve?

1. GOOD LUCK!!!

2. As Nancy H says- scouting.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Whenever we found a empty slip, or dock with few people or boats around we tried docking over and over, using different angles of approach. Did this in as many different water currents and wind directions as we could find.

After 3 yrs and 4600 boating miles, coming into a slip or to fuel is still our biggest boating challenge. Our 1st time back out after every long Wyoming winter it feels like we are beginning all over again.

We now have been at it just long enough to really admire anyone that can consistently maneuver a C-Dory or any other boat well around docks.

[Sea Wolf]

This information is dead on correct, just like we'd all like to be able to dock!

I thought I was doing a pretty good job of getting into my slip (usually), but blew it occasionally in strong cross winds. Some fellow told me about the method Knotty-C mentions in slightly different form:

Start the turn aiming at the dock finger between your slip and the boat next to, but beyond in the direction of your travel, as though you are going into the dock finger instead of the slip. After gliding forward in neutral and slowing down, shift into reverse after having turned the wheel in the opposite direction of the intended turn, and use just enough an amount of thrust to make the boat straighten up aligned right on the slip. Now gently go slowly into forward with the motor just enough to enter the slip until dropping back into reverse to fihish parking the boat.

Another thought: often people get into trouble because they're too timid to use enough thrust to make the boat go where they really want it and lose control to the wind or current. The solution is to practice until you get over the timidity.

We have 200+ houseboats at Bridge Bay on Lake Shasta along with 250 other smaller boats. Some of the houseboats with all their windage are as long as 65 feet with a 15 foot beam and have to go in slips that are less than 20 feet wide. Our C-Dorys ought to be a piece of cake by comparison!

Joe.

[Hunkydory]

Joe,

You were able to express exactly what we learned to do through practice. Of course just when we think we have it down pat, we will blow it again. Sometimes not even knowing why, that can lead to timidy, which has to be overcome to become one of those whose skill we admire.

Like you, we observed much larger boats moving in and out of very difficult scenarios with wonder. Making us think we should be able to handle our little boat, with little difficulty. Actually we are improving. To watch other C-Dorys in action around docks would have helped. In our travels we have seen only one other C-Dory out on the water and none manevering around the docks. All our learning has been by trial and error and of course the information on this site.

The lack of watching other C=Dorys in action is just one of many reasons we are so much looking forward to the Lake Powel gathering.

[Sea Wolf]

Jay and Jolee-

Thanks!

Here's an idea! Let's have a DOCKING RODEO at one of the C-Brat get togethers!

We could have a series of set maneuvers for each boat to go through and judges with point cards!

Best Score wins!

Should be at least 3 maybe 5 trials of different types of docking, e.g.,

1. Docking abeam from leeward.

2. Docking abeam from windward.

3. Entering an upwind slip from abeam (includes the 90 degree turn).

4. Picking up and tying to a bouy.

5. Backing upwind through a chicane (where each alternate bouy in a line must be passed on the opposite side of the boat).

Morre ideas?

Might be intimidating to some, but would certainly be fun to watch and a good camaradie generator!

What do you all think?

Joe.

[Dora~Jean]

Good stuff! Steve (Seabran), good advice also, don't have to put it right where you want to end up -- just walk it there. Novel idea, like one that you say "why didn't I think of that?". I think it's because everyone's watching you 'subconsciously' want to make a good impression -- who knows?

I've had many boats, never a twin engine before. I find myself getting into real tight situations, wind, current all varying. I try and think about how each engine contributes to forward and reverse motion, one at a time, or both, turned or straight. Takes my pea brain a long time to figure it out, then even then I'll get it totally backwards. I really like the extra manueverability of the twins, but got to understand the paddlewheel effect (all boats) when moving slowly forward or reverse, and that I have non-counterrotating props (both clockwise).

These boats do blow bow-away and even the whole boat quite fast, much faster than Deep-V's or heavier boats as most have mentioned. Anybody tried to move the boat sideways upwind with twins, not walking particularly. I've thought if I had a port wind and just wanted to nudge sideways a couple of feet I'd turn the wheel all the way to port, put the port engine in reverse and starboard forward. The port engine would pull the stern to the left (paddlewheel) and back along with the bow to the left, the starboard would push the stern forward, correcting for the port engine, and bow more left to counteract windage. Wouldn't this work?

Going starboard in a starboard wind would be much more difficult with my CW props though, and of course wind speeds above a certain point would be hopeless.

Steve

[Bess-C]

This is a great thread. It caused me to think of a couple of other situations.

To expand on the B-C rule about an audience, the first time you're attending a C-Brat gathering you're almost sure to have problems. New boat, nervous, think everyone else knows what they're doing, going to fast, spouse giving directions, you're probably going to blow it. The great thing is that there will be a dozen people there helping you to get into the space and they're just admiring your boat, not judging your skills.

Another tough situation is when the wind is behind you coming into the dock. I always leave my GPS on to monitor speed over ground. If I don't, I'm always coming in faster than I want. My worst crash landings have been with wind behind and off the side of the stern away from the docks. If I don't watch it, I'm doing 3-4 knots and think I'm doing 1 1/2 or 2. I have to watch the speed, because my eye doesn't always tell me how fast I'm approaching the dock.
Lyle

[Captains Cat]

Lyle, I've found it best to always come to a COMPLETE STOP, a little way off the dock, tnen nudge it forward. Worked with Aircraft Carriers, Destroyers and even Frigates. If it doesn't work, you can always say "Frigit"...

I can recall a Destroyer coming in too fast and the Old Man (Captain) telling the OOD (Officer of the Deck, the one "conning the ship") to let go an anchor. Well, he did, but they were going to dock Portside to and he let the Port anchor go and droped it right on a telephone booth on the pier and then proceeded to take out about 15 feet of pier and pilings.

I was the Chief Engineer..

Charlie

[Sawdust]

Charlie!

I thought you were on the bridge. Been teaching folks for years to come to a dead stop before making a dock -- see what the current, wind, etc. do to the vessel, and only then make your approach. In NY pier area, the current working on the hull is NOT the same as the surface current. Easy to get an unpleasant surprise!

Same with the CD - I like to stop (a la Lyle) and see what's really happening - then adjust and go. And the old Navy term you used - don't approach a dock faster than you want to hit it - always applies.

My fishing boat, a single engine inboard Pierson (Bill, don't ban me!!) always backs one of two directions, either to port, or the way you don't want to go. You really must pre-plan each approach to save fiberglass. The vectored thrust of an ouboard sure makes docking easy!!!

Dusty

[Captains Cat]

Dusty, they didn't let me come up to the bridge very often. Usually only when one of my snipes was at Captain's Mast, which was more frequent than we'd all have liked.

Beats me why those kids reenlisted when they were working 18 hour in 125-140 degree temps with 90% humidity. The folks today with gas turbines in modules have it very easy in comparison. Still not a bundle of joy!



charlie

[DaveS]

[Alyssa Jean]

I was married to twins while on the 22. I went back to just one on the 25. (Thanks Dave I needed this post to get me to 700)

[Falco]

Just to underscore a few comments in this post:

1. Try always to come into a dock from windward and/or up current.

2. Have fenders ready. I use SS clips on mine so switching from starboard to port (or visa versa) takes seconds.

3. I sometimes use a short (3') spring line I clip onto the amidships cleat and lasso a cleat (hanging out the window) as I come in. Most often though, I will attach a stern line first. Then I will turn toward the dock and use the engines in forward to bring to boat (fenders) gently but solidly against the dock. That is only time I ever leave my boat (to tie off the bow line), ie, I have at least one line attached. The reverse can be used as well (bow line attached first - usually by the Mate), then point the outboards at the dock and slip it into reverse to bring the stern agianst the dock. No violent moves are needed; just give the "flatboat" time to respond. This rope + engines trick is pretty handy in other situations, eg, leaving a dock when the wind is pressing you against it (cast of stearn, point the outboards away from the dock and apply enough throttle to swing the stern away from the dock, slip the bow line and back out into the channel).

4. Controlling speed is vital; bear in mind wind and/or current may be all you need. "Nudging" the boat in by shifting in a out of gear is important.

5. I have twins but rarely use them to maneuver for docking. (I use them instead for pivoting, trailering.) As long as I can get one line on, I will always dock. That's the key.

6. ASK for help! Sometimes dock watchers are being so amused they forget to grab a line!

7. Be sure your mate/guests know what expected of them - BEFORE getting to the dock. Anyone not involved in docking should stay put. Movement in the boat can outsteer the helm in tight situtions.

[C-Gypsy]

This conversation has been good for me. I thought I was the only person who ever had trouble docking! haha.

My Nimble Arctic pilothouse sailboat was a nightmare. Coming in to the dock I had to be extra careful because I could not stop all that weight quickly if I built up too much speed. In two years of docking I ALWAYS got hit with a strong crosswind 3 seconds before entering my slip. IT NEVER FAILED!!!

My Nor'Sea 27 is heavier but is a breeze to dock because the diesel inboard will stop her in a heartbeat. Drive in to the slip, hit reverse & step off. Sort of like Captain Ron in the movie, eh?

Up until this evening I was looking forward to getting my C-Dory, thinking it would be easy to dock with a real motor that really turned.

Ok people. I will be at the June event. Please help me!

Just look for the boat with bed matresses hanging off both sides and a pillow hanging off the bow. That will be me.

Al