stage fright

M

mj hassell

New member
greetings from the land of enchantment. i was relieved to see comments from old salts in the lands of the big waters say they were very nervous when mooring their boat. me, i am terrified and it always seems there are lots of onlookers just waiting to watch me do a really bad job. i can imagine some of them saying -gosh what is that guy doing with such a nice boat? nice to know i am not alone in the terror zone.
 
Are you referring to securing to a mooring or docking? One person or two?

The best advice is to get on the lee side of the mooring, that is approach the mooring heading straight into the wind. Approach slowly and have your "crew" provide final directions when you loose site of it. Back down slowly (so as not to throw your crew overboard) and come to a stop. Your crew should have a hook to grab the pennant lines.

When I grab my mooring I'm always alone and I look like one of the Dukes of Hazzard sliding over my bow to grab the pennant lines. He he - I will use other techniques when I have another boat.
 
matt_unique":xwn37riz said:
Are you referring to securing to a mooring or docking? One person or two?

The best advice is to get on the lee side of the mooring, that is approach the mooring heading straight into the wind. Approach slowly and have your "crew" provide final directions when you loose site of it. Back down slowly (so as not to throw your crew overboard) and come to a stop. Your crew should have a hook to grab the pennant lines.

When I grab my mooring I'm always alone and I look like one of the Dukes of Hazzard sliding over my bow to grab the pennant lines. He he - I will use other techniques when I have another boat.
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Code: 
[b][/b][quote][list=][img][/img][/list][/quote][u]actually i was refering to getting into and tying up at my slip and i usually am alone unless my rat terrier could qualify as "crew" if he does qualify he isn't much help. i think he joins in the snickring[/u]
 
Addendum: One of the most important pieces of advice I received about docking is that it's not a mark of shame to ask for help. People generally are very willing to drop what they're doing and give you a hand with your lines. Boaters are a friendly and helpful lot, particularly up here in the PNW.

Warren
 
No, MJ, you're certainly not alone. I've made great strides in docking our 2005 CD22 this season but it's still a challenge when you're single-handing. These flat-bottom boats really like to slide around, especially with any windage or current. I've been most successful when docking with the wind pushing us into the dock, it's virtually impossible to dock on the windward side with the wind pushing you away from the dock. Despite any advances in skill, our boat still seems to collect black marks & scratches on the gelcoat on a yearly basis. :cry Oh well.
 
mj,

Hopefully some of those onlookers will come to pick up a line from you!

One thing that really helps in docking is to make a "dry run" practice rehearsal while still out in open water. Stop your boat and see what the wind does to it. I try to keep a small pennant on the bow rail so I can see what the wind is trying to do to the boat.

Practice bringing the boat to a complete standstill against the wind and tide. Practice coming up to a floating ring, log or buoy. Practice going as slow as you can and still have some control. Practice slipping the motor in and out of gear and gently coasting in between.

Approaching an upwind float where the wind is coming directly at you off the float is the most difficult. The marina helper guys just say to head straight for the dock and have someone grab the bowrail. You could try very slowly backing a corner of the boat up to such a float, then throw off a line, or gently step off with some lines (fore and aft lines best). If you can get a long parallel run at such a dock, practice to see how fast the wind will blow your bow off and compensate for that.

If the wind is blowing you into the float, your practice at holding the boat still using the engine in reverse will pay off. Just line up so the wind will blow you to the desired spot and keep the engine going just enough to almost hold still against it.

Slow is good.

Anyway, don't worry about it. As soon as I get really proud of my docking procedures, something happens to throw a bit of pie in my face! Main thing, it is not a sin to abort a questionable approach and start again. Practice away from the dock to see what the wind and current are going to do to your boat on your final approach.

Good luck,

John
 
Lori Ann said:
Addendum: One of the most important pieces of advice I received about docking is that it's not a mark of shame to ask for help. People generally are very willing to drop what they're doing and give you a hand with your lines. Boaters are a friendly and helpful lot, particularly up here in the PNW.

Warren,thanks to you for the advice. i think you are right and if they are helping they can't be laughing. had a ranger bass boat for years and pulling up and hauling it out was a simple matter. i have a lot to learn.
mj
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When my wife and I were taking the intro USPS course last year the instructor suggested going to the launching ramp and just watching. He described this as one of his favorite outings, and said to notice that at most ramps there will be a park bench or two near by. This is because watching boats being launched and retrieved is a spectator sport!

He also made the point that it is a good idea to avoid yelling at each other during either process, and he wonders how many divorces arise as a result.

We've heard for years that building a new house, or doing a major remodel, is a common cause for divorce. Having bought a new house a few months ago, and still in the process of remodeling and selling the old one, I can now sympathize! LOL . . . We're actually surviving OK (so far), but each person has their own ideas on quality and expenses. What is 'necessary' for one is often 'too expensive' for the other, and vice versa.

For example, I found it 'necessary' to buy the Festool plunge saw, table, shop vac, and random orbital sander, some of which have been described on this forum. (Router and jig saw to follow.) Also a Senco 'hot dog' compressor and Ridgid brad nailer. OTOH, I was able to put down a laminated cork floor and new kitchen counters, and remodel two bathrooms. I'm getting ready to (carefully) buff out the fiberglass shower stall, intended to be good practice for future C-Dory maintenance.

Oops, I digress . . this was about docking the boat, wasn't it?

iggy
 
I ASKED A FRIEND WHO HAD JUST PURCHASED A 78' HOUSE BOAT, WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HIM TO OPERATE THE BOAT BACK INTO HIS SLIP. HE SIMPLY STATED, I KEPT TELLING MYSELF, IT'S GOT TO GO INTO THE SLIP, IT'S GOT TO GO INTO THE SLIP!

I HAVE FOUND, SLOW IS GOOD, AND SLOWER IS BETTER.
WIND AND CURRENT CAN MAKE THE MOST CONFIDENT CAPTAIN, HUMBLE.
MANY TIMES I WILL JUST POP IT INTO GEAR AND IMMEDIATELY TAKE IT OUT, JUST TO SEE HOW THE BOAT WILL ADJUST TO A GIVEN MANEUVER.
PRIOR TO DOCKING I INSTRUCT MY GUESTS TO SIT TIGHT AND INSTRUCT MY FIRSTMATE TO EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO.
ALL IN ALL, WORKS JUST FINE, BUT ON OCCASSION, I'LL ABANDON MY APPROACH, GO BACK AROUND AND START OVER, WORKS BETTER THAT WAY, RATHER THAN FORCING A BAD APPROACH.
YOU CAN TELL A GOOD DOCKING HAS OCCURRED WHEN ALL MATES ARE SAFE AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE EXIST.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, SO TAKE AN AFTERNOON, WHEN THE MARINA IS VOID OF BOATERS AND JUST APPROACH THE SLIP FROM SEVERAL DIRECTIONS, KEEP BACKING IN UNTIL YOU FEEL REASONABLY CONFIDENT.
HOPE THIS HELPS.
BEST REGARDS
PAT
 
capt. patrick campbell":1e0d4pvg said:
I ASKED A FRIEND WHO HAD JUST PURCHASED A 78' HOUSE BOAT, WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HIM TO OPERATE THE BOAT BACK INTO HIS SLIP. HE SIMPLY STATED, I KEPT TELLING MYSELF, IT'S GOT TO GO INTO THE SLIP, IT'S GOT TO GO INTO THE SLIP!

I HAVE FOUND, SLOW IS GOOD, AND SLOWER IS BETTER.
WIND AND CURRENT CAN MAKE THE MOST CONFIDENT CAPTAIN, HUMBLE.
MANY TIMES I WILL JUST POP IT INTO GEAR AND IMMEDIATELY TAKE IT OUT, JUST TO SEE HOW THE BOAT WILL ADJUST TO A GIVEN MANEUVER.
PRIOR TO DOCKING I INSTRUCT MY GUESTS TO SIT TIGHT AND INSTRUCT MY FIRSTMATE TO EXACTLY WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO.
ALL IN ALL, WORKS JUST FINE, BUT ON OCCASSION, I'LL ABANDON MY APPROACH, GO BACK AROUND AND START OVER, WORKS BETTER THAT WAY, RATHER THAN FORCING A BAD APPROACH.
YOU CAN TELL A GOOD DOCKING HAS OCCURRED WHEN ALL MATES ARE SAFE AND NO PROPERTY DAMAGE EXIST.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, SO TAKE AN AFTERNOON, WHEN THE MARINA IS VOID OF BOATERS AND JUST APPROACH THE SLIP FROM SEVERAL DIRECTIONS, KEEP BACKING IN UNTIL YOU FEEL REASONABLY CONFIDENT.
HOPE THIS HELPS.
BEST REGARDS
PAT
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thanks pat i think the advice is right on. me and cooter need to practice mj
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iggy":xwdcxhx3 said:
When my wife and I were taking the intro USPS course last year the instructor suggested going to the launching ramp and just watching. He described this as one of his favorite outings, and said to notice that at most ramps there will be a park bench or two near by. This is because watching boats being launched and retrieved is a spectator sport!

He also made the point that it is a good idea to avoid yelling at each other during either process, and he wonders how many divorces arise as a result.

We've heard for years that building a new house, or doing a major remodel, is a common cause for divorce. Having bought a new house a few months ago, and still in the process of remodeling and selling the old one, I can now sympathize! LOL . . . We're actually surviving OK (so far), but each person has their own ideas on quality and expenses. What is 'necessary' for one is often 'too expensive' for the other, and vice versa.

For example, I found it 'necessary' to buy the Festool plunge saw, table, shop vac, and random orbital sander, some of which have been described on this forum. (Router and jig saw to follow.) Also a Senco 'hot dog' compressor and Ridgid brad nailer. OTOH, I was able to put down a laminated cork floor and new kitchen counters, and remodel two bathrooms. I'm getting ready to (carefully) buff out the fiberglass shower stall, intended to be good practice for future C-Dory maintenance.

Oops, I digress . . this was about docking the boat, wasn't it?

iggy
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iggy, sounds to like you are making the best out of a tough situation. i recently did a remodel and also had to buy all of those toys. i believe the part about boats and buildig putting a strain on otherwise blissful relationships. my wife loved to fish until she passed away but even with the bass boat there were a few pretty cold and silent rides home. mj
 
Hi MJ,

When we first picked up our C-Dory, we were able to spend a few days in a relatively quiet marina (far from home - where nobody knew us 8) ) where I spent quite a few hours honing my docking skills. There were many options for empty slips, so we were able to practice upwind, downwind, and crosswind. It was a real learning experience, especially coming from sailboats... that continue to have steering even when the power is off!

One thing that can help when docking singlehanded is to have one dockline that goes from the bow cleat, out around the bow pulpit, and led back to an aft cleat. With this, when you get off, you can have control of bow and stern with one hand. Drop that line over a cleat and you have a somewhat controlled boat and time to get other lines on.

When approaching a mooring ball, I find it's easier/safer to snag the mooring from the cockpit. Again, run a line from the bow cleat. Bring the boat alongside the mooring ball, go to the cockpit and retrieve the mooring by just reaching over (instead of trying to reach it from the bow). Loop the bow line on and take it back to the bow at your convenience.

Back in my flying days, it was said that you could bring a plane through some rough stuff and as long as you greased on the landing, the passengers would say, "Nice job." I think the same thing applies to boating. :wink: Practice may not make perfect, but it sure helps... no one would expect a new driver to parallel park perfectly without practice, but most folks think this docking stuff with a boat is easy. :roll:

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
JamesTXSD":2ba0i039 said:
One thing that can help when docking singlehanded is to have one dockline that goes from the bow cleat, out around the bow pulpit, and led back to an aft cleat. With this, when you get off, you can have control of bow and stern with one hand. Drop that line over a cleat and you have a somewhat controlled boat and time to get other lines on.
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Having difficulty visualizing this. Do you mean going from the bow cleat (in the middle of the bow) port to the aft end of the pulpit, around the front of the pulpit and down the starboard side to the cockpit (or vice-versa)?

Thanks,
Warren
 
MJ,

You are certainly not alone in having "Stage Fright". My most memorable "docking by Braille" experiences have come when there is an SRO crowd. Its even worse when some C-Brats are there, they are most helpful and solicitous but my face is red enough to serve as a nunbuoy when I go through one of my less-than-perfect attempts. We all do it and, I think, none of us ever master docking. Think of it like golf. Nobody ever masters golf. The best piece of advice I've gotten comes from Dusty: Never approach a dock at a speed greater than you are willing to hit that dock.
 
Warren-

I'll let Jim explain his line system to you, but add this to the thread:

I find it extremely useful to always have two bow lines and stern lines attached to the boat on the ready.

A single line about 40 feet in length is tied to the bow cleat in the middle and led back both sides of the boat to the cockpit where two separate cleats right next to the bulkhead on the gunnel* allow the ends to be cleated.

From the bow cleat, I keep the bowlines inside the bow pulpit and laying inside the mid-gunnel cleats.

The line length on these bow lines is purposely short enough that if dropped overboard, they cannot get back to the prop.

The stern lines are attached to the stern cleats and simply dropped into buckets at the aft corners of the cockpit at the ready, no other cleats involved.

Having a bow line and stern line at the ready on both sides of the boat means that you don't have to think, then stop and rig the lines before you dock.

* On my older "87 Cruiser, there's a raised portion of the gunnel right along side the bulkhead that diverts water moving along the gunnel overboard. It's a perfect platform to mount a small cleat on. I'll add a photo momentarily.

Joe.
 
Lori Ann":kf51qr5f said:
JamesTXSD":kf51qr5f said:
One thing that can help when docking singlehanded is to have one dockline that goes from the bow cleat, out around the bow pulpit, and led back to an aft cleat. With this, when you get off, you can have control of bow and stern with one hand. Drop that line over a cleat and you have a somewhat controlled boat and time to get other lines on.
Click to expand...

Having difficulty visualizing this. Do you mean going from the bow cleat (in the middle of the bow) port to the aft end of the pulpit, around the front of the pulpit and down the starboard side to the cockpit (or vice-versa)?

Thanks,
Warren
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Huh? :crook

Tie a long dock line to the bow cleat. Run it forward, just outside the bow pulpit (as in: to either side of the bow roller). Run it back to an aft cleat and tie it off. This gives you one line that runs nearly the length of the boat... tied off fore and aft, it can't get in the prop. With the line led nearly bow to stern, you have the "leverage" to easily pull in either end.

I don't singlehand that often, but when I do, I use this type of line for docking. If the wind is blowing the bow off, you can control that as soon as you step out of the cockpit (with line in hand).

It worked great with our trimaran, where there was a bit of a "sprint" from the helm, out of the cockpit, across the net, and to the dock. Not that different from the helm of our boats, through the cabin, and into the cockpit. Whew, I'm outta breath just from writing all that. :wink:

You can certainly run the line any ol' way you want from bow cleat to an aft cleat... I just find the physics of it better if it is outside the pulpit.

Since Joan handles lines while I run the helm, she usually steps off with fore and aft lines in hand, allowing her the same control. If it is really blowing us off the dock, I will put the bow on the dock (she is on the bow), she steps off and gets a line on something; that gives me the control to pull the stern in with the motor, and I have a line ready in the cockpit. We do discuss what we plan to do each time we come in, so we both know what to expect.

Your mileage may vary. No eelgrass was harmed in the writing of this post. Void where prohibited by law. If you appear to be under 40, we may ask for ID. This forum's owners, families, heirs, and advertisers take no responsibility for the information contained in this post. :wink

Best wishes,
Jim
 
Sea Wolf":zk7oitps said:
...I find it extremely useful to always have two bow lines and stern lines attached to the boat on the ready...

Joe.
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If there is any question about a docking situation, we will have fenders and lines on both sides of the boat deployed. That way when you come in with a plan of: bow in, starboard tie, and wind up with: stern in, port tie, you can always say, "Yeah, I meant to do that."* :mrgreen:




* That happened to us this last time at Roche when the kid on the dock switched where we were to tie off at the last moment. It was no big deal, 'cause we were prepared.
 
Here's a photo of the added cleats at the end of the cabin bulkhead to tie off the "at the ready" bowlines!

They set on the raised portion of the gunnel that diverts water overboard on my '87 Cruiser.

IM003161.jpg

Joe.
 
IN GENERAL TERMS, IF YOU'RE HAVING ONE OF THOSE DIFFICULT DOCKINGS, AND AN OTHERWISE WELL MEANING DOCK CAPTAIN BEGINS BARKING OUT INSTRUCTIONS, IF YOU ACCEPT HIS COMMANDS, YOU IN ESSENCES SURRENDER YOUR HELM TO HIS CONTROL.
CAN'T DO THAT! BLOCK OUT OUTSIDE NOISE, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU MUST DO TO BRING TO BOAT INTO THE SLIP. AGAIN, TAKE YOUR TIME, IT'S NOT A SPRINT IT'S A MARATHON. YOUR GUEST SHOULD REMAIN QUITE, YOUR FIRSTMATE SHOULD BE ASSISTING BUT NOT DIRECTING YOU. YOU ARE THE CAPTAIN, NO ONE KNOWS YOUR VESSEL BETTER THAN YOU. OK, MAYBE THAT'S NOT EXACTLY CORRECT, BUT THAT'S THE ATTITUDE YOU SHOULD ADOPT.
I'LL SHARE A QUICK STORY, I WAS BRINGING A BOAT INTO A TIGHT MARINA, WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND I BEGAN TO FEEL MY STOMACH TIGHTEN, RIGHT THEN AND THERE I BEGAN TELLING MYSELF, I'M THE BEST PERSON TO DOCK THIS BOAT, I AM TERRIFIC AT WHAT I DO, I AM THE BEST, I AM THE BEST. WELL, I WAS SO PUMPED UP, THE BOAT WENT RIGHT INTO THE SLIP, YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I'D DONE THAT 100 TIMES.
WIND, CURRENT, DEBRIS, INEXPERIENCED BOATERS PULLING IN FRONT OF YOU, PWC, (NOW THEY DRIVE ME NUTS) CAN ALL CONTRIBUTE TO DOCKING PROBLEMS. ALWAYS REMAIN CALM, (DON'T LET THEM SEE YA SWEAT) SLOW DOWN, REGAIN COMPOSURE AND PUT THE BOAT IN THE SLIP. (I SEE THE BALL, I HIT THE BALL)
PERFECT IS A RELATIVE TERM, WEATHER CONDITIONS MAY DICTATE
A FORCED DOCKING. YOU MAY ABSOLUTELY KNOW THE BOATS GOING TO GET A LITTLE BANGED UP BUT BECAUSE OF YOUR ABILITIES YOU EXERCISE AS MUCH CONTROL AS POSSIBLE AND MINIMIZE DAMAGED TO THE BOAT. IT COULD BE SAID THAT YOU WERE PERFECT IN YOUR DOCKING EVER THOUGH DAMAGED OCCURRED. BETTER TO REPAIR A SCRATCH THAN CALL SALVAGE TO RAISE THE BOAT.
INTERESTING SUBJECT.
BEST REGARDS
PAT
 
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