My new slip!

[South of Heaven]

Well it's official....no more trailering for me (at least not as much). I'm still game to trailer for a multi-day cruise if anything arises but the bulk of my boating will be from my marina for most of 2016.

I'm right on Buzzards Bay (Cape Cod, Ma.). It's a great location...only 5 minutes from the Cape Cod Canal, maybe 10 nm from Marthas Vineyard.

Any advice for a first time marina guy? Do's and don'ts? Dock line selection? Cross-tensioning? Flushing the motor? Washing the boat? Marina etiquette? Fenders? Tying off the side of the boat that is open? Should I run 2 bilge pumps, just in case?

My tie up side is starboard. I criss-crossed the lines and cross tensioned them. I also put 2 fenders on each side. The bow also has a fender. I'm pressed up close in the bow....I may go there tmmrow and back up a foot or so and retie my lines. I don't wanna be so close in the bow. The dock also has some permanent fenders on my tie up side. That helps.

When I got back I sprayed off the entire boat but didn't use soap. I was lazy! I'll do it next time. I also flushed the motor via the hose flush mount. I finally checked my bilge pump with the battery switch OFF. It works....but I'm still very worried about water accumulating in the boat. I think a mooring cover is in my immediate future. Btw, in my video I have a open spot next to my port side. There will be another boat next to me! Hope I can maneuver with him there. Kinda nerve wracking.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHQsF8X1TP0

[South of Heaven]

This picture of my slip shows the port side thru-hull. It's definitely above the water line.....but very close. Look under the C Dory logo, the last strake closest to the water.

[thataway]

First on the video, please go slow--I got motion sickness... :P

way too close on the bow--You don't want the bow over the dock--and what will happen when you put that anchor on there?

You correctly put the spring lines crossed, but a little too high. The amid ships breast line is too tight, same with the stern line.

It looks as if there is some open water, outward--wakes and waves across the fetch of the water will move the boat and dock in different directions...You don't want to strap the boat too tight to the dock.

You should have no problem docking. Go slowly, line up straight on the slip--make the turn, and then go forward. If it looks out of alignment, then back out start over. Practice a few times--and it should be easy.

I like to have permanent dock lines I can leave at the dock--eye splices to the boat. Keep a set of lines for your travels. Also I like nylon, 3 stand, but the braid on braid are nicer looking and have a better "hand" (feel). Don't use bungee, don't use poly propylene lines for dock lines.

Doing well!

[hardee]

I agree with Bob. You are Way too close on the bow. I'd back out about 2 feet at least, and if the anchor is still over the dock put a old life jacket on it so it is easily seen and no one "bumps" into it.

I agree with you, a moorage cover will be a good for your boat and your peace of mind.

Have you checked with Yamaha, on running the freshwater rinse in the up position? My recollection is that it is to be done with the motor in the "running" position but not with the motor running. Tough to do if you want to have it stored up and the boat in the water. In that case, this might be the best option.

You will enjoy being able to "pop in and go" with much less issue than when on the trailer.

Harvey
SleepyC

[jennykatz]

I would put on a bimini top can be used for shade and will stop most of the rain coming in your boat . We have had a bimini with a full enclosure we never use the side or back canvas . we just use the bimini or back top and it keeps most of the rain out of the boat .
another option is get a mooring canvas that attaches to top of roof and goes to the transom with sides this would keep all water out and be safer from vandals . Jim

[brooks&judy]

On the other hand, you may be fine flushing your Yamaha while tilted-up as that's how a park ranger here does his after every trip in the boat - he uses Salt-Away and lets the hose run four or five minutes. His main concern is the water pressure is so good the tell-tale stream shoots over the dock - he has to flush it when nobody's coming along.

There are two other concerns in leaving the boat in the drink: Electrolysis and the prolonged chance for water seepage around fittings and fasteners into the core.

If the motor bracket hangs in the water, be sure it's adequately protected with an anode; same with trim-tabs, and keep an eye on `em! Our harbor is so hot thanks to new steel pilings I won't leave my 22' Cruiser in it - zincs fizz away in a couple months.

Constant immersion also makes it imperative for tabs and cockpit drain to be well sealed to keep water out of the balsa core.

With the concerns addressed, having the boat in the water ready to go sure is nice!

[South of Heaven]

Thanks guys. Here's what I did today..

1. I moved the boat back about 2 feet.

2. I slacked up the lines and added a spring line on the port side (open side). I tied that to the cleat that is next to water hose. Now I have 2 bow spring lines and one in the stern.

3. I tightened up all the existing dock fenders. The previous guy from last year must have left them there last year! So I'm gonna use them; I just had to readjust them. I also adjusted the fender in the bow area.

4. I put my bimini top on. It seems very secure because there's a nice zipper/rail on the roof area. I'm hoping that keeps some rain out.

5. I added another blue fender on the port side (now I have 3).

About the flushing thing; I haven't read the owners manual. If it says to keep it down while flushing then I'll do it. That's not a big deal. Then I can just rinse off the lower unit and bottom half again before storing it.

Yes, I'm definitely worried about the electrolysis and the possible water intrusion from extended periods of time in the drink. All of my external AND internal anodes were changed in March. I don't have trim tabs either....

Another thing guys: I'm still planning to take her out of the water periodically this season. I'm not just gonna keep her there until October! No way. I'm planning to pull her out once a month and do a thorough cleaning, inspection and any preventative maintenance which is needed.

[South of Heaven]

Here's a new video I took of my slip, just coming in before it got dark. Beautiful time of the day.


https://youtu.be/G0Fxr-fQg90


I'm getting better with my docking but still having a problem when its windy. I actually banged my boat pretty hard last week and I had an audience to watch me too. Lol.
Im gonna try to "stern in" the boat at some point but for now I'm happy with "bow in ".

[Kushtaka]

If you have power at your slip some people use a 110v sump pump in their boats at the slip. Another options would be a cockpit cover. It's not that big a deal to pull your boat, but once the shine on the marina gets knocked off a little you'll probably start trusting the boat in the water on its own for longer periods. It's pretty reasonable to leave your boat in all season, especially with bottom paint in good shape, etc.

I do pull mine during the winter, but really only because that's when we travel, so I'll yank her out when we leave town for awhile, and put her back in when the winter kings start showing up, or something else motivates me. My point is that I keep my boat in the water year round (except if I'm out of town) and there aren't really any issues. I'll usually pull her every three months or so to knock the growth off the spots where my bottom paint needs a touch up, and back in she goes after a quick hull inspection.

We get lots of storms during winter and summer, and lots of rain year-round. I've been fine with two bilge pumps (one is a float switch type, and the other an automatic water sensing type). Since I've owned the boat they have not come close to killing the battery except one time when an old water sensing pump failed to turn off and one of my neighbors heard it running and switched it off for me.

you have corrected your mooring lines very well. You had it way to bound up and tight to the dock before. You want the float and the boat to be able to move somewhat independently, but not so loose that the boat can change it's orientation on the dock at all.

The one thing that I'll point out that hasn't been mentioned is that our boats have a very wide hull amidships, but no really good spot to attach a bumper here. I've put bumpers on the dock before, but had it "shoot" me off the dock, or turn my boat in a funny way as I approached so I got rid of it. I've found that the best thing to do is hang an A5 polyform (aka spherical) on the handle at your cabin bulkhead (do you have one?) behind the widest part, and another at the cleat in front. This give much more clearance than needed and holds the boat fully off the dock. While this can also "shoot" you off the dock, the bumper can easily roll and not do this and I've found it works well. Full disclaimer, I don't use these anymore because I had to pilfer my A5 buoys to mark my ground tackle.

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

[quote="Kushtaka" our boats have a very wide hull amidships,[/quote]

On my boat I use a smaller fender at the widest part of the hull and larger ones fore and aft. This seems to work well - boat sits more parallel to the dock as opposed to rocking back and forth(making a pivot point of the middle fender).

Regards, Rob