East Coast Docking Techniques

[thataway]

When single handing, cockpit controls would make it possible to get to the pilings with reasonable control. Other wise it would be difficult in the C Dory when single handing.

Every marina is different, At Panama City we go bow in. Getting out of the cockpit at any marina, especially with high docks is much easier if you open the zipper at the back of the cabin house, and put in an extra hand railing, on the outboard aft edge of the cabin top, which gives you something to grab onto as you come out of the cockpit. Note the second extra hand rail forward also..




When you have to use this type of set up on a regular basis, you adapt and learn the techniques. It certainly is intimidating for the first few times.

Backing with a single engine is a technique learned. Same as backing in single screw inboard boats--there may be times when you give a short burst in forward to kick the stern around. The only twin outboard boat I have owned was the Tom Cat--and it backed very well--but the hulls are like a keel and the motors are widely set apart. I am sure that twin outboards would be slightly better moving the stern, But not as good as twin inboards.

 

[Foggy]

Seems there's always something to interfere with docking: not enough space,
too much space (you in a slip for a larger boat), current, wind, lousy weather,
etc, etc.

Logic tells me to not go in unless I'm reasonably confident/experienced with
the scene and conditions. Don't be afraid to call the dock master for assistance.
When you're slipping next to another boaters pride and joy, don't be surprised
if they show up to assist you, if not for compassion, to protect their own.

And, use your dinghy if you need to tie off a hard to reach piling after you first
are somewhat secured in the slip.

Aye.

 

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

When you're slipping next to another boaters pride and joy, don't be surprised if they show up to assist you, if not for compassion, to protect their own.



Aye.

This is certainly true! But what if you have a Volvo I/O and they don't hear you coming? Last year I arranged for a transient slip for a week while on holidays. The slip they gave us had a Meridian on the other side of the finger. The first day we launched and returned to port about 10:30pm. There were 3 couples in the cockpit of the Meridian. I pulled into the slip and they didn't even know we were there until I stepped onto the finger dock! The look on their faces was priceless!! :shock: :shock:

Regards, Rob

 

[Foggy]

It usually takes all I have to deal with "what is" vs "what if".

Aye.

Grandma used to say, "Hypotheticals can be endless."

 

[C-Nile]

On the East coast, it seems that every marina wants us to back into their slip. This is ludicrous. We simply will not do it. We tell the facility we are going bow in, and to this date, no one has argued with us. If a docking finger is too short, or there are fixed docks, we won't stay at that facility. We are not going to risk damage to our boat or someone else's boat by backing in.

If the wind is coming from a favorable direction, or there is little wind, and the current is slight, then it is easy to back up a C-Dory into a slip (or our Marinaut.) However, as most of you know, in adverse conditions, it is next to impossible to control a boat while backing up unless you wrap a dock line around a piling to pivot the boat into position. Otherwise, our boats act like a big weather vane. I can't tell you how many people I have seen at Greenport lose control of their boats when backing into a slip when the wind and tricky currents were adverse. Just two week's ago, I had the foresight to go out onto my stern while a large 30-foot, twin engine boat tried to back in next to me. Had I not been there, his bow would have crashed into my stern-mounted kicker. Last year, another large boat tried to back in, and the current and wind turned him sidewise in his slip; his anchor narrowly missed hitting our cabin roof. He, too, had a twin engine boat. I think that where experience comes into play is realizing the limitation of one's boat in adverse conditions, and making the necessary adjustments.

We find there are plenty of favorable docking arrangements and facilities all along the East Coast. We just have to do the necessary research.

 

[Foggy]

On the East coast, it seems that every marina wants us to back into their slip. This is ludicrous. We simply will not do it. We tell the facility we are going bow in, and to this date, no one has argued with us. If a docking finger is too short, or there are fixed docks, we won't stay at that facility. We are not going to risk damage to our boat or someone else's boat by backing in.

If the wind is coming from a favorable direction, or there is little wind, and the current is slight, then it is easy to back up a C-Dory into a slip (or our Marinaut.) However, as most of you know, in adverse conditions, it is next to impossible to control a boat while backing up unless you wrap a dock line around a piling to pivot the boat into position. Otherwise, our boats act like a big weather vane. I can't tell you how many people I have seen at Greenport lose control of their boats when backing into a slip when the wind and tricky currents were adverse. Just two week's ago, I had the foresight to go out onto my stern while a large 30-foot, twin engine boat tried to back in next to me. Had I not been there, his bow would have crashed into my stern-mounted kicker. Last year, another large boat tried to back in, and the current and wind turned him sidewise in his slip; his anchor narrowly missed hitting our cabin roof. He, too, had a twin engine boat. I think that where experience comes into play is realizing the limitation of one's boat in adverse conditions, and making the necessary adjustments.

We find there are plenty of favorable docking arrangements and facilities all along the East Coast. We just have to do the necessary research.

I agree. Didn't we all learn to "Row your boat gently down the stream..."?
Translation: Be Captain of your own ship with due regard for others
without bucking the flow of things. Conclusion: People will be people.
You be what you want to see in others.

And, those with big boats and big bank accounts don't always have
lots of brains.

Aye.

 

[hardee]

Oh Boy, a new to me reason for twins :lol: :lol: Just being able to control your boat when backing.

As some of you know (sans Friday Harbor) I often back in, and rarely have anyone else on board or on the dock for assistance. I didn't know backing a single OB was so hard to do. (Now I've opened a can of worms haven't I?), but with the twins, it's a relatively easy process done by using independent forward and reverse for each side.

Now back on track. Yikes, those east coast, fixed docks are intimidating.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[Sunbeam]

Oh Boy, a new to me reason for twins :lol: :lol: Just being able to control your boat when backing. ..with the twins, it's a relatively easy process done by using independent forward and reverse for each side.

I haven't backed a boat with twin outboards, so curious: When I had trouble in those east coast slips (or other places) a big part of it was the wind taking the bow. I could "steer the stern" but not the bow so much. Can you control that with the twins when backing? I can imagine how you could have one engine in forward and the other in reverse, for some rotation effect; does that make it a lot better than backing with a single in terms of the wind taking the bow? Or how do you handle that.

 

[Foggy]

In Europe, and some places in the Caribbean, backing to a sea wall, or main dock
without finger piers, is commonplace and required. Tying off broadside to the
wall simply takes up too much space. No pilings to tie to near your bow and often
just boats already set on each side, stern to. Here setting a bow anchor going in
stern first is essential for all boats; sail, twin and single power.

So setting a bow anchor before going stern to in a slip with a short finger pier
could relieve some stress for those with apprehensions.

Try it. You may like it.

Aye.

 

[Foggy]

Oh Boy, a new to me reason for twins :lol: :lol: Just being able to control your boat when backing. ..with the twins, it's a relatively easy process done by using independent forward and reverse for each side.

I haven't backed a boat with twin outboards, so curious: When I had trouble in those east coast slips (or other places) a big part of it was the wind taking the bow. I could "steer the stern" but not the bow so much. Can you control that with the twins when backing? I can imagine how you could have one engine in forward and the other in reverse, for some rotation effect; does that make it a lot better than backing with a single in terms of the wind taking the bow? Or how do you handle that.

Backing with twins is easier for me than with a single engine. The easiest boat
to back with twins would be short with no windage forward. Boats with higher
topsides forward (C-Dory v Bass boat) catch any breeze, act as a sail and
increase the required talents of the helmsman. Hence, we see boats subjected
to windage, single and twin powered, with bow thrusters which help
maneuverability significantly in tight quarters especially with wind and current.

Aye.

 

[hardee]

Oh Boy, a new to me reason for twins :lol: :lol: Just being able to control your boat when backing. ..with the twins, it's a relatively easy process done by using independent forward and reverse for each side.

I haven't backed a boat with twin outboards, so curious: When I had trouble in those east coast slips (or other places) a big part of it was the wind taking the bow. I could "steer the stern" but not the bow so much. Can you control that with the twins when backing? I can imagine how you could have one engine in forward and the other in reverse, for some rotation effect; does that make it a lot better than backing with a single in terms of the wind taking the bow? Or how do you handle that.

Well, for starters, the 22 Cruiser with twins is the equivalent of have a bow thruster. When backing, using the "differential" controls of the twins, you can maintain the bow position in relation to the dock (or anything else) by varying the thrust in either direction (F or R) or in in the same directions but at different RPM's.

After a bit of practice it is easier to do than to explain.

Fun.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

 

[Sunbeam]

I think it would have been tricky setting an anchor and backing in to the east coast style slip I illustrated because the fairway was quite narrow. But then too my boat-handling skills could be better. (And in this case I left the slip but am not the one who brought the boat in.) You may have been able to make it work. (And other slips may have more space "out front.") Just looking at the med moor slips across the pond gives me the jitters! Although I guess with practice anything is possible.

Hence, we see boats subjected
to windage, single and twin powered, with bow thrusters which help
maneuverability significantly in tight quarters especially with wind and current.

I hear you there. I had a customer with a 58' trawler: Twin engines, bow thruster, and stern thruster. I got that one into a tricky slip without the wind taking anything ("I" being me and the thrusters 8) )

Well, for starters, the 22 Cruiser with twins is the equivalent of have a bow thruster.

I can't totally picture that - I'll have to try it sometime and then it will probably make sense to me. (I can see how you could control both the stern on the "backing to" side, and also have the ability to drive the "other side" forward, like you can in a rowboat; but not exactly how it would be like a thruster on the bow). Who knows, maybe after I try it I'll have to re-power with twins

 

[Foggy]

The very easiest boat with twin engines to back was my 42' cat - 'like' this one

http://chriswhitedesigns.smugmug.com/AT ... &k=6BWxTxp

Two diesels about 19' (yea, 19 feet) apart and all the windage was aft (except for the mast and rigging). It would spin inside it's own boat length.

Of course, this is not 'apples & apples' comparison to a twin powered C-Dory with
the engines just a couple feet apart.


Aye.

 

[thataway]

I can't totally picture that - I'll have to try it sometime and then it will probably make sense to me. (I can see how you could control both the stern on the "backing to" side, and also have the ability to drive the "other side" forward, like you can in a rowboat; but not exactly how it would be like a thruster on the bow). Who knows, maybe after I try it I'll have to re-power with twins Very Happy

If the boat is free, and not moored, you can pretty much move the bow with twins (especially wide set) inboards, where you want it. What the bow thruster will do, that twins will not do, is where you have a beam wind--and want to move the bow one way or the other, and the stern is pinned down, or moving off a leeward dock. In that case, the bow is moved independently, and you can walk the boat off the dock in a very significant breeze, with minimal spring line use.

 

[Foggy]

In northern Lake Michigan, I once chartered a 32' Nordic Tug having
a single engine and bow thruster. It was a delight to maneuver in close
quarters (here, we have wind but virtually no current) despite some
superstructure that would have made handling it much different without
the bow thruster.

Thus:
* Twins are great in most boats
* Single engines are great too (with caveats)
* Bow thrusters are a high priority in some boats (not C-Dorys)

Aye.

 

[Sunbeam]

Thanks for the elaboration. That's about what I was thinking (going by my experience with two oars, mind you). That you can do a certain amount of maneuvering with engines on the stern (and more with two of them back there), but it's not like having "a string pulling on the bow," which is how a bow thruster is.

I'm just excited to be moving up to hydraulic steering and a slightly smaller wheel with a suicide knob -- I think that's going to be great for things like turning around at the end of a canyon on Powell (where last year I was muscling the wheel lock to lock). Not that it's that bad, but... I think it will be fun to have the hydraulic/knob :thup

I still haven't really got over "tiller brain," but I'm working on it

 

[hardee]

Trying to get back to the thread theme, for me, backing into all those pilings would be less difficult with the twins, because I can keep the bow where I want it without having to constantly be going from forward to reverse to forward and spinning the wheel lock to lock with each shift.

The real issue would be to do that, and catching those pilings with a line as I go by, when single handing.

The bow thruster comment is based on the simple fact that I can move the bow laterally at will without making forward or reverse way in the water, essentially the same as using a bow thruster.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

 

[Hunkydory]

I agree with Harvey that the C-Dory 22 with twins can be steered well with the twins either in forward or reverse, but then control for me can be quickly lost with very little wind or current added to the scenario. For example last months while in Nanaimo, BC we came into their harbor for a quick birth in the transient dock, but after getting permission to use the dock, we couldn't find a spot to tie up without rafting to a fishing boat. In the process of looking we got into a very tight spot in between where two docks came up to the shore line, shallow water & rocks. I tried making a turn in place to port & even with the wheel locked hard over to port & the starboard engine in forward & the port in reverse, no matter the power given in this manner, I couldn't bring the bow around with the wind coming fairly strong from the direction I was trying to turn into, so we were being pushed side ways by the wind toward the shallow water & rocks. In the nick of time, I gave the twin maneuver up & with both engines hard in reverse & the wheel spun to starboard used a quick short burst of power followed by both motors in forward & another quick burst with wheel spun back to port managed to bring the bow around & under control & head out between all the docked boats with barely missing them both stern & bow & the props the rocks. Next time if there is any wind at all under a similar situation the twins will used as one motor & there are times when power & increased speed must be used to maintain control. In my opinion for what ever it's worth one of the most frequent mistakes, I see operators of their C-Dorys make when docking is trying to come in to slow & careful, especially if the wind is pushing them away from where they are trying to dock.

Jay

 

[Sunbeam]

Interesting, Jay. What you describe is sort of what I was getting at (if I understand your scenario properly) because with a fair bit of wind on the bow, I can't see how (even) twins could control it like a bow thruster could. Not that a bow thruster is invincible either (what is!) but just that a direct thrust on the bow (from a bow thruster) seems like it would be much more effective with the wind hitting you there than even slick twin maneuvers (which is not to say they aren't slick, and in calmer conditions I can imagine how they could be used to great effect, because I've done a lot of rowing, and in that you have the "one oar forward; one reverse" maneuver).

Discussing docking is always interesting to me, and I have yet to really "physically/mentally" grasp what to do in my C-Dory. An outboard with a tiller and me sitting astern feels like an extension of my arm/brain (grew up with those), but then you put in the wheel and I get so confused. Now the wheel feels like a car, the boat still steers like a forklift (back wheel steer) and I'm mentally trying to "backwards translate" from what I would be doing with that tiller steered outboard to the wheel. Whew! I need more practice!

 

[RobMcClain]

Maybe the solution to this whole issue is to buy about 100 of those spongy Nerf footballs and then use some 5200 to attach them around the hull. :wink: