Manouvering a C-Dory

B

bridma

New member
It is very tricky to get in and out of my slip in the marina. As I approach my run in, I have to do a 90 degree turn to port. Level out for another 50' and then do another 90 degree turn to port into my slip. The most water I have to work with is 26ft! My 22 cruiser with the outboards is 25 ft long. I am so glad that none of you witnessed my first few attempts at getting into my slip, but I have now got the hang of it, although my heart is in my mouth on every approach. I just could not do this without the twins. I have noticed on the Brat pics that only single outboards appear to have a steering wheel knob. Perhaps you can satisfy my curiosity. How easy would it be to berth your boat in my situation with a single outboard? Is it impossible, easy with practise, or grab the steering wheel knob and go into panic mode?

Martin.
 
I don't know about how wind and current you have with your docking situation. I find going nice and slow and bumping boat in and out of gear goes a long way towards avoiding bad docking scenes with using too much throttle. . A steering knob allows you to go from full starboard to full port quickly. Making a u turn in a narrow area the steering knob comes in handy as you go to full lock with your steering going forward and full lock in the opposite direction in reverse doing this back and forth allows you to get turned around in a minimum of space. That example is where a steering or suicide knob as they are refered to in cars comes in handy. Nothing beats experience in learning how to dock. Having a motor that does not stall too easily is a real plus.
D.D.
 
having the knob and only using forward and revese instead of the throttle makes docking easy. I can turn my 22 and my 27 360degrees almost with in the lenght of the boat. It just takes pratice and control.
 
One thing that got me at first was the boat license materials saying you can only steer a power boat while it is thrusting (i.e. in forward or reverse). That is B.S.! If I come in to the marina, even very slowly, going in and out of gear, there's still enough water running across the lower unit to use it as a rudder. It won't be fast or responsive, but it's better than moving too fast by staying in gear all the time!
 
DD - your last comment brought back some memories. My last boat had a Mercruiser drive and I'm not sure if it was a cable adjustment or the momentary kill switch, but on a few occasions when selecting reverse to take off way and pull stern into dock - the engine did not restart after the ignition was killed going into reverse. Bow and dock kissed a couple of times! :amgry

"Never approach a dock faster than you are prepared to hit it!" :lol:

Martin - 4 bladed props do give you better control around the dock and increased thrust in reverse. On my Stingray with the origional Volvo 3 blade prop - when loaded for cruising(stern heavy) I would always seem to have trouble reversing to starboard.

Regards, Rob
 
I don't care how slow I'm going as long as it's in the right direction. More experience helps when dealing with wind and current when docking. Thank goodness for easy gel coat repairs and tolerant boating neighbors - whoops, sorry!
 
We had the opposite problem going from a single to twins! At first I found maneuvering twins a difficult task. It's all about practice. When maneuvering with a single it was all about small forward and backward thrusts with the engines using a suicide knob to turn the wheel. That is, turn the wheel to port and reverse to port and vice versa. Now with the twins it seems so much easier.
 
Again, it is in experience and practice. I always suggest that people take a few fenders and tie them to a piece of pVC pipe or an extended boat hook, and then go out into a calm bay and practice maneuvering to the fenders, between the fenders etc.

The knob is available thru Edson and several others as an add on. You can also get one at your auto shop--I had one of these in High School and we called them necking nobs....one hand on the wheel...

They do help to spin the boat faster. I have owned twins with inboard trawlers and they are much easier to use than the twins on outboards. On the other hand, after years of maneuvering single screw sailboats, the outboards seem easy. As Tom noted, with practice you can spin a C Dory in its length with a single outboard--of course it is always easier in one direction than another.

At times it is easier to back into a dock than go in forward. This is because the outboard is pulling and the boat will follow the motor-in heavy winds sometimes this is a better way to dock.
 
Ferret - you are right - as long as a boat has water passing the lower leg(way or current) then the stern will be steered by that "rudder".

I think maybe what the licence people are talking about is - once the way is taken off a boat it is then at the mercy of whatever other force is applied to it (wind, current). Most of my boats have been trailered - I spent a number of years at the Big Creek Marina(Long Point Bay), we had to haul out in a strong side current. I have also hauled out in strong side winds occasionally. In these cases I find you have to leave the bunks a little higher and come in hard(well, harder than normal). If you take off too much way you will miss the trailer.

Also don't forget that when the prop is thrusting it is causing a column of water to flow past the lower leg faster than the water flowing past the rest of the hull. Thus giving the "rudder" more steerage. This is one reason that IPS drives are so effective - with the prop in front of the "rudder" then the water flowing past it is moving even faster than on a conventional drive.

It all goes back to a basic rule of the road - "in a channel or river the boat travelling downstream shall have the right of way" Even if both boats have the same SOG the boat travelling upstream has more water passing its hull - giving it better steerage.

Regards, Rob
 
Practicing out in the open as Bob suggests is invaluable. I routinely show guests aboard how to do 360 in our own length to demo what one can do. I found being loaded for cruising a big help. A light boat can be affected more than the loaded boat. I found in docking early on I had a tendency to not throttle up much in reverse to stop or pull in to the dock. With more throttle it became easier. I find in tight marinas I tend to use reverse to pull the stern opposite to the way I want to go and go lightly in forward just to stay clear of other boats and also thrust the bow around with motor control. With practice comes confidence. I recently entered a tight marina solo with 20 knots abeam and sidled up in the 90 degree turn to berth with no issues. A year ago would have had me some concerned. Putting on some hours helps a lot. Just go learn how they run. And carry load that helps too. George
 
My docking procedure for the C-Dory is as follows:

1) The two bow lines and two aft lines are tied to cleats. The bow lines are draped on the side gunwales, so they can be grabbed from the deck. The aft lines are readied where they too can be grabbed quickly.

2) Fenders go out on both sides, in case I need them, and my shore-pole is extended, and at the ready on deck.

3) The three forward cabin windows, as well as the door are opened in order to improve visibility, communication, and how fast I can move about.

3) The radio is turned off, as I have found that it is much more likely that it will distract me, rather than provide useful information during docking.

4) Then I use just just enough power to drift in slowly, killing the engine once I can tell that I have a clean approach, just prior to leaving the cabin to catch a line.

One nice thing about the C-Dory design is how easy it is to drag or move it in the water; as long as you can get it approximately correct, it is not so difficult to pull the boat into a better position from the dock.
After you practice on the open water as Dr. Bob suggests, I would consider getting a couple friends to come along and help you push off anything you get too close to, and spending a few hours practicing.

David
 
One thing I might add: I don't kill the engine until the second line is tied. Joan and I work together as a team when docking, and communication is important... if you just say, "Tie off the bow," and that is done by leading the line back when you expected it to go forward, the boat can drift off the side in a lot of wind. Say which cleat or where you want it tied. Once one line is tied (or at least wrapped), you are almost there - get that second line tied, then kill the motor.

Learn to anticipate wind and current, and try to position the boat so they are working for you; not always possible, and that's when additional use of power is necessary.

In the last 5 years, I have worked with a lot of first mates. Joan and I can anticipate, but we still communicate. This past summer, I had to bring the boat (not our C-Dory) in to a tight area, with wind and tidal current, huge-ass ferry prop-wash, and make a 270º turn while dodging little runabouts. Oh, with a fixed prop/shaft single. It made me really appreciate how maneuverable the outboard is on our C-Dory.

Practice, practice, practice. Fenders are your friends.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
We do things a bit differently-for docking.

We very rarely use a "bow line" from the center bow cleat. (there are no chocks to keep the line in place, and it can chafe, plus catch on the bow pulpit legs.

We rarely use a "Boat Hook"--which I guess is what Mailbox refers to as a "shore pole" (?)--but it is handy.

If it is very tight we will put fenders on the opposite side to where we are docking--but that is rare.

We try and dock starboard side too. Before docking, we put the fender on the cleat just outside of the side sliding window, a fender near the front of the cockpit and a fender on the aft cleat. We attach two lines, one by the window, and one on the aft cleat.

If there are two of us aboard (85% of the time)--Marie is standing by aft to step on the dock and secure the aft line around a cleat, bull rail or piling, and then come foreword to take the amidships line (by window) if I have not secured it. However, most of the time, I have flipped a loop of line over a cleat, bull rail or piling and have it brought bad to the boat.

I NEVER cut the engine until we are secured. If you cut the engine; you have no steering, except the "rudder action" of the lower unit and no way of stopping the boat. Rather I bring the boat in slowly (unless a heavy wind or current requires aggressive power. I bring the boat in at about a 30 degree angle to the dock, and then when about a foot to 6" off the dock, apply enough reverse, (taking the outboard from a slight angle to the left, to had over to the right, and tap into reverse), to stop the boat and bring the stern right to the dock.

If solo, I do the same thing, but make sure that the mid ships cleat in secured before I leave the helm and go aft to make fast the stern line.

When backing out, I usually stand in the center of the boat, and have one hand on the wheel (at times using the knob) so I have good visability and easy of maneuvering the wheel. We both give a little push off the dock and back her out....Turning away from the dock-but also being aware of the bow's position.
 
I agree with not killing your engine untill you are secure. One reason maybe only a mechanic would consider is - if you come in off the lake after a long WOT run, pulling a tube, etc. and immediately kill the engine as you coast up to the dock you can be harming your engine. When putting out its full rated HP an engine is generating a lot more heat than usual. It can overheat after it is shut off. Especially an inboard on a hot day. This is why your cars electric fan sometimes comes on after it is shut off.

If you slow down out on the lake and idle into the marina that is good. :D

Regards, Rob
 
Practice out in the ocean???? That takes all the high stakes fun out of it......No, your first time needs to be like mine - 25 kt winds blowing across the bow with maybe 30 feet of width with one motor running like crap and the other one not running. Good running motors make such a difference. Who'd of thought????

Seriously, practice does make perfect - or at least better in my case. After a decade of practice, I finally come in gracefully. Watching others is downright entertaining.

Want real fun? Come in at night in the rain/snow and wind. Now that is memorable.....
 
My 2 cents worth, :wink: . Hope you don't want change :oops: .

Yes, as it has been said in many ways; Practice, Practice and more Practice.

Try to duplicate your docking situation in a safe area, or even in a less used area of the marina.

Polish your "seaman's eye" by watching and feeling how the current and wind interact at different combinations with different loads in your boat.

With such a tight maneuvering situation as you described, you may even try to get relocated to a more favorable location, for your safety and that of other boats.

Where I have to dock at the marina's floating finger piers (spaced abt 16' apart) there is always a cross current that tracks with the tides. My tide tables give a heads up as to what to expect.

If the winds are opposite the tidal currents, I really have my hands full. The windage and lack of draft forward can force the bow around, if there is another boat within the opening between docks it can be very exciting; especially, if it sticks out into the channel 6' -10'+. I might add that the creek that the marina is located is in the form of a valley which enhances the wind affect.

All of the above reasons added to my decision to go with the 4 blade props, for better low end torque, and the twin 90s when I setup the rigging. The line (bow, mid and aft) placements are all brought to the cockpit for the mate to have available.

The results of my practice for when the finger piers have been clear has helped me from getting any hull marks. I always make my approach very slow, going in reverse into the tidal current. When the chosen finger pier is abt midship I use the outboard engine to pull me around the pier end and use inboard engine to check my speed, in forward, and adjust as needed; allowing the current to pull the OBS in between the docks.The position of the bow is controlled with the two throttles as needed as I enter the opening. The current will gently bring me against the dock.

I have tried to use the helm, but I find that by keeping them centered from the time I start my approach in reverse I have had greater success and less distraction of the helm's position. The only time I have used the helm along with the 2 throttles is when I was forced to off-set the wind forces.

All this means is you are forced to refine the method necessary for your 'home' dock setup's approach. The more you practice, the more it will become second nature to you and regardless of where you travel you won't have any situation that you can not figure out. You and your boat will be one.

Art
 
T.R. Bauer":3ocs4w5o said:
Good running motors make such a difference. Who'd of thought??
Click to expand...

SO TRUE!

Just a note on that subject - the Volvo in my new Stingray is the smoothest shifting, Smoothest idling/running and quietest marine engine I have ever owned. And YES it does make a difference - greatly increases your confidence. This is especially true in a pilothouse like the C Dory because of the constrictions it places on moving quickly to all 4 corners of the boat to fend off/ tend lines, etc.

P.S. no I don't work for Volvo! :lol:

Regards, Rob
 
Would you turn off your car and coast into a parking space? So why would you even consider it in a boat?

I have seen this technique many times at docks all over the country and just dont get it. I try not to use ropes to stop or control the boat if possible ( some times the wind and current makes that impossible) . I park the boat and then get out and tie it up. If you set this as you goal you will be a better boat handler. Dont always achieve this goal but I shoot for it.
 
starcrafttom":1zy2xzfs said:
Would you turn off your car and coast into a parking space? So why would you even consider it in a boat?

I have seen this technique many times at docks all over the country and just dont get it. I try not to use ropes to stop or control the boat if possible ( some times the wind and current makes that impossible) . I park the boat and then get out and tie it up. If you set this as you goal you will be a better boat handler. Dont always achieve this goal but I shoot for it.
Click to expand...
I have turned off my car prior to pulling into a parking space - I used to do it all the time when I was sneaking in late as a teenager. I'd get a good head of speed up the road from my house, shut off the lights and ignition and slowly coast into the driveway. Worked like a charm with the tiny little Vega I had at the time. Then one night I was driving my dad's 1/2ton Dodge van home and tried the same trick. About 1/3 of the way into the turn, the assist from the power steering went away and if I hadn't slammed on the brakes I would have run over our mailbox! :oops: Had to start the van back up, put it in reverse and re-enter the driveway and I haven't tried that "trick" since then. Fortunately, even with all the racket I made, the folks slept through it and I was still able to sneak in late.
 
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