Questions moving to covered moorage

Tom,
I knew that eventually I would be kicked out of dry storage. When the old yellow forklift dies or is retired (maybe 1 year?) there is no way to lift my boat. The forks on the new lifts are not tapered and with the configuration of the wood supports (that the boats rest on) and the flat bottom of the C-dorys there's not enough clearance to get under the boat.

Anyway, I knew my days were numbered so I got on the moorage list. The spot came up on D dock so I took it. I really liked dry storage, but I'm also very excited to have the freedom to come and go when I please. In dry storage I had to worry about being in on time to get pull out before they close; or come back late with no dock space availble. Now I forsee a lot of evening cruises.

Sarge,
On Saturday I arranged to have the slip tricked out. Got the dock wheel, full bumper strip all around (unfortunately there were none prior), cable clips, etc. Your information was very helpful.
Thanks
 
We are on the south side of E dock at Edmonds - red ranger tug next to Sarge. Give us a yell, if you see us. We are often down hanging out on the tug. Have yet to meet Sarge, but sure enjoy him as a slip mate.

Nancy and Kerry
 
Two Lucky Fish here, we're at the outboard end of P dock, uncovered. I raise the engine out of the water and rinse it with fresh water every time I leave. I use a dilute solution of Simple Green to get gunk off the boat. I own a trailer, but don't have a place to store it. I go fetch it from my buddy's lot when it's time to pull the boat for maintenance.

My boat's 3.5 years old, and it's about time for new bottom paint. The aluminum trim tabs look like a lab experiment. I'm hoping to find a yard that goes through enough $300-a-gallon bottom paint for aluminum that they can spare a few tablespoons for my trim tabs while they paint the rest of the hull.

I left my little electric heater on during December, due to some cabin flooding that was drying out. But I'm not going to keep it on this month...I want to see what the difference is.

Zincs: They still look fine to me, so I leave them as-is. Of course, with the motor up, there is very little metal in the water...mostly those dang trim tabs!

Let me know if you want to go out and practice docking. I'm sure Sarge and I can help you put a few new dings in your gelcoat :-) Seriously, you can practice on the guest docks, where you have a little more room. Perhaps I can explain my "Asteroids" theory of C-Dory maneuvering.

I was really intimidated by docking at first, but not anymore. I don't claim to be any sort of expert, but I seem to be able to get the boat into the slip, which is only 9" wide on the north side of P-dock, without causing damage to the boat, the dock, or my neighbor. So far. Knock on wood.
 
Nancy and Kerry,
I keep an eye out for you guys. I've seen your boat from afar many time- looks great, but not up close since my dry storage key won't work on E.

Tim,
Thanks for the offer of docking help. I may take you up on it. I've gotten pretty good (or so I think) at starboard side docking, where I pull close enough to toss my line and catch a cleat out the driver window, even in a little wind. However now I have a port side tie, at least when going bow in. School is starting over now. I got to figure out how to accomplish the same thing on the port side. Do I open the port window, pull in close, disengage the engine, and run over and toss out the port window? Or is there a better way? I want to figure out a way to do this comfortably single-handed. Any advice is appreciated.
 
Chris,

I dock port side also.

You're lucky because the way you'll be coming in (from the east) and docking facing south on the port side, if you have too much speed it'll just carry you into the dock. I'm just the opposite...too much speed and I hit Trinity :disgust :cry - That's why I wanted such a wide slip...to avoid even coming close!!!

At first I was intimidated about docking to port, but now it's not a big deal. I keep both windows open and the rear door open so I can move in any direction necessary quickly. I fender up on both sides regardless and I also keep the hook nearby.

You shouldn't have a problem. When coming in fender up before entering the marina, let the boat keep a little speed and it'll help you steer, then turn into your slip and let the momentum gently push you to the dock. From there just walk out the back door, and grab the bow and stern docking lines and tie her up.

I think the key is to have her ropes set for single-handed use. I run a bow line down both sides of the boat and tie them with a loose knot to the hand rail at the end of the cabin. When you climb out of the boat, simply grab this line and it'll help you to control the bow and the stern. I also keep the stern line handy so I can just grab it as I exit the boat.

As you know, the boats are bowed, so if you pull too hard on the bow the stern moves away form the dock and of course if you pull on the stern too much the bow pulls away. Having the bow line loosely tied to the hand rail on the back of the cabin keeps this from happening.

If you come in with too much speed and bounce off the dock (Lord knows that has NEVER happened to me :wink ) then having the port window open and the hook handy, you can just reach out and grab a cleat and gently pull yourself to the dock.

You'll do fine. After a few weeks you'll be giving me advice, which is ALWAYS WELCOME.
 
Seems like this thread caused all the C-Dory owners in Edmonds to speak up, so I'll chime in as well. I'm over on B dock now and am just getting things situated. With the south-easterlies that have been blowing over the past week I've been figuring out how to tie the boat up and not have too much riding on the fenders.

I'm on an 'inside' slip as well, so after a few tries where I slid too far away from the finger I ended up overshooting the slip, spinning and docking on the outside, which seemed to work better.
 
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