Joe wrote:
Do you have a current were you dock?

When your docking your boat do you like a little current or not?

I loved one marina I lived in because it had a 3-7 knot current that
ran parellel to the dock. It was great having the current to work
against. Always made arrival and departure smooth as a feather.

Only bad point was marine life grew on the hull faster and we were
affected by wakes more often.

Here in the marina I'm at now we have still water and its 2 tight left
turns
into the slip. Windage is a bitch, and I have a left hand wheel and
dock bow in
port side to always throwing the stern away from the docking side
while backing, and I usually have to back some because of the speed
needed to make it in the slip without being blown down. If I stay here
much longer Im going to have to get a right hand wheel.

Joe
MSV RedCloud

I frequently have to make stbd side too dockings with right hand props.
As I'm approaching the dock, I try to be in a slow left turn, so that
when I back to stop for position, the prop walk stops my swing and I'm
flat alongside. If possible for your situation, same would apply, in
reverse.

otn

otnmbrd wrote in message hlink.net...
Joe wrote:
Do you have a current were you dock?

When your docking your boat do you like a little current or not?

I loved one marina I lived in because it had a 3-7 knot current that
ran parellel to the dock. It was great having the current to work
against. Always made arrival and departure smooth as a feather.

Only bad point was marine life grew on the hull faster and we were
affected by wakes more often.

Here in the marina I'm at now we have still water and its 2 tight left
turns
into the slip. Windage is a bitch, and I have a left hand wheel and
dock bow in
port side to always throwing the stern away from the docking side
while backing, and I usually have to back some because of the speed
needed to make it in the slip without being blown down. If I stay here
much longer Im going to have to get a right hand wheel.

Joe
MSV RedCloud

I frequently have to make stbd side too dockings with right hand props.
As I'm approaching the dock, I try to be in a slow left turn, so that
when I back to stop for position, the prop walk stops my swing and I'm
flat alongside. If possible for your situation, same would apply, in
reverse.

otn

I do not have room to make a slow right hand turn, it's left turn
left tuen and no room for a S turn. And the way the winds channels
between the building here slow is usually not an option. But I know
what your saying.

Joe

120VAC. Whether or not it flows is up to me.
Scout

"Joe" wrote in message
om...
Do you have a current were you dock?

Joe wrote:

Do you have a current were you dock?

Not where we are these days, no.



When your docking your boat do you like a little current or not?

Define "a little." Usually a little current isn't a problem, in fact if
you can gauge it right, it can help swing the boat the way you want it. A
current from right on the nose can be very helpful.



I loved one marina I lived in because it had a 3-7 knot current that
ran parellel to the dock. It was great having the current to work
against. Always made arrival and departure smooth as a feather.

Was this on the river? Usually tides go the other way for at least part of
the time



Only bad point was marine life grew on the hull faster and we were
affected by wakes more often.

I didn't realize that moving water encouraged marine growth.



Here in the marina I'm at now we have still water and its 2 tight left
turns
into the slip. Windage is a bitch, and I have a left hand wheel and
dock bow in
port side to always throwing the stern away from the docking side
while backing, and I usually have to back some because of the speed
needed to make it in the slip without being blown down. If I stay here
much longer Im going to have to get a right hand wheel.

Or a bow thruster.

I had a big ungainly racing sloop for a while that we brought in to the
dock with a dinghy & outboard lashed alongside. We also sailed it up to
the dock but there were some times when that was not a viable option.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote in message ...
Joe wrote:

Do you have a current were you dock?

Not where we are these days, no.



When your docking your boat do you like a little current or not?

Define "a little." Usually a little current isn't a problem, in fact if
you can gauge it right, it can help swing the boat the way you want it. A
current from right on the nose can be very helpful.



I loved one marina I lived in because it had a 3-7 knot current that
ran parellel to the dock. It was great having the current to work
against. Always made arrival and departure smooth as a feather.

Was this on the river? Usually tides go the other way for at least part of
the time

Not a river, it was a flood control canal that leads from Clear Lake
to Galveston bay. And your right, it would change directions daily.





Only bad point was marine life grew on the hull faster and we were
affected by wakes more often.

I didn't realize that moving water encouraged marine growth.

Well I did not think so either, but it does. Mostly filter feeders
like barnicles.





Here in the marina I'm at now we have still water and its 2 tight left
turns
into the slip. Windage is a bitch, and I have a left hand wheel and
dock bow in
port side to always throwing the stern away from the docking side
while backing, and I usually have to back some because of the speed
needed to make it in the slip without being blown down. If I stay here
much longer Im going to have to get a right hand wheel.

Or a bow thruster.

Stern thruster you mean? Bows Ok every time, just backing down make
the stern kick out from the dock.



I had a big ungainly racing sloop for a while that we brought in to the
dock with a dinghy & outboard lashed alongside. We also sailed it up to
the dock but there were some times when that was not a viable option.

Getting into the slip not a problem, I just hate fiddleing around.
Witha right hand wheel I could just backdown kick over to the dock and
drop the lines. Not a biggy just for convience I wish I had a RH
wheel.

Joe



Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I didn't realize that moving water encouraged marine growth.

Joe wrote:
Well I did not think so either, but it does. Mostly filter feeders
like barnicles.


OK, that makes sense... the current brings them more food than they'd get in still water.



Or a bow thruster.

Stern thruster you mean? Bows Ok every time, just backing down make
the stern kick out from the dock.

Maybe if you ease into reverse sooner & more gently so as not to get so much kick?

One thing I worry about is our tranny linkage. I tend to shift in and out of gear often,
using busrts of forward against the rudder to put the stern where I want it. I also check
the linakge every day, but I still think about it. It's difficult to keep the boat out of
situations where a linkage failure could lead to trouble.

Given a choice between stern or bow thruster, I'd take one at the bow. If you can swing
the bow where you want it, independently, you're not nearly so dependent on forward speed
to steer and can use the rudder & prop walk to bring the stern where you want it. Just
MHO....

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

DSK wrote in message ...
I didn't realize that moving water encouraged marine growth.

Joe wrote:
Well I did not think so either, but it does. Mostly filter feeders
like barnicles.


OK, that makes sense... the current brings them more food than they'd get in still water.



Or a bow thruster.

Stern thruster you mean? Bows Ok every time, just backing down make
the stern kick out from the dock.

Maybe if you ease into reverse sooner & more gently so as not to get so much kick?

That would be OK if I did not ram the dock. Guess you have to see
were I dock, wind is funneled between the building that hols the cigar
boats up in slings. So on most spring and summer days we have 10-15
kts wind blowing thru. Hits me broadside going into the slip. The slip
is 45 foot and the boat is 42. My boats a ketch with a 55ft main mast
and a 40 ft mizzen mast so I have lots of windage
to deal with. If I could just coast in and easily stop it would not be
as much an issue.

One thing I worry about is our tranny linkage. I tend to shift in and out of gear often,
using busrts of forward against the rudder to put the stern where I want it.

Yeah one of my worst FU was when I first bought RedCloud. Painted the
bottom and was putting in back in the water. Backing out of the lift
slip my linkage came off the trannie and stuck in reverse. Ended up
backing into a 60 foot wooden chris craft that had just been restored,
only took out a few planks but felt real bad about it. When the
linkage jumped off I tried to rev up and go forward but that just made
me back faster, and my crew was to wimpy to jump inbetween the boats
to stop me. There was a pregnant lady aboard and she started crying
saying her husband was going to blow his top. I told her to not worry
about it I would pay to have it fixed and gave her my number....the
boat was gone the nexr day and I never heard from them again.

I also check
the linakge every day, but I still think about it. It's difficult to keep the boat out of
situations where a linkage failure could lead to trouble.

Yeah I check my linkage all the time now and make sure the cotter pin
is still there, and I check my shaft coupler and shaft retaining bolt
before I kick off. Had my shaft back out of the coupler once and thats
just as bad. Ended up blowing down here in the marina, The cigerboat
guys get kind of nervious when
a steel boat is blowing toward their bows that hang out from the
lifts. But its usually them that are screwing up here. I got some
great pictures this fall of a guy with one engine tryong to get in a
slip here on a 45 ft scarab. He got a running backwards start to his
slip missed his slip and went in underneath a boat hanging in the slip
next to his, wiped out his little windsheld and dash. Had to get
another boat to pull him out, he was lucky he did not get killed. Went
and got my camera after his first 4 or 5 tries and knew something
interesting was going to happen.

Given a choice between stern or bow thruster, I'd take one at the bow. If you can swing
the bow where you want it, independently, you're not nearly so dependent on forward speed
to steer and can use the rudder & prop walk to bring the stern where you want it. Just
MHO....

Well in MHO bow thruster do not belong on anything under 220 foot. I
ran some supply boats that had bow thrusters and hated listening to
the MF scream and rattle for hours on end as we offloaded.

Is your trawler a single or double screw?


Joe MSV RedCloud


Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Joe wrote:

.....Guess you have to see
were I dock, wind is funneled between the building that hols the cigar
boats up in slings. So on most spring and summer days we have 10-15
kts wind blowing thru. Hits me broadside going into the slip. The slip
is 45 foot and the boat is 42. My boats a ketch with a 55ft main mast
and a 40 ft mizzen mast so I have lots of windage
to deal with. If I could just coast in and easily stop it would not be
as much an issue.

A sudden gust of wind, especially when it's swirling around buildings or trees, can be pretty
bad. Gives you that "Siezed By A Giant Hand" helpless feeling! One thing I like about the
tugboat is it does not have much windage, but it does have a big skeg, so it does not blow
around easily.


.... I got some
great pictures this fall of a guy with one engine tryong to get in a
slip here on a 45 ft scarab. He got a running backwards start to his
slip missed his slip and went in underneath a boat hanging in the slip
next to his, wiped out his little windsheld and dash. Had to get
another boat to pull him out, he was lucky he did not get killed. Went
and got my camera after his first 4 or 5 tries and knew something
interesting was going to happen.

The guys with the penis boats are almost always funny whenever there is some skill needed... if
they had a clue, they wouldn't want one of those kinds of boats!


Well in MHO bow thruster do not belong on anything under 220 foot. I
ran some supply boats that had bow thrusters and hated listening to
the MF scream and rattle for hours on end as we offloaded.

Is your trawler a single or double screw?

Single. I prefer the fuel economy & lower maintenance, plus there's a lot more room down in the
engine room.

We don't *need* a bow thruster, but if we had one, we would have a wider range of possibilities
with regard to getting in & out of slips and other tight spaces. Right now, I spend some time
looking over the upcoming maneuver carefully, and if it looks too tight (ie a 50% chance or
greater of smacking into a really nice expensive boat) then we turn around and go back to the
T-pier

I had one embarassing moment, when I was turning the boat around in a relatively tight basin,
to come alongside the end of a dock to pick up friends. There was a big expensive yacht
alongside the opposide wall, and a nice lady on board with a British accent watching us
nervously. I figured the wind would blow us away from this big expensive yacht, since it was
from that direction, and to keep from getting hung up on the dock head, I favored the yacht
side a little too much.... there was a swirl of wind that almost pulled us right against that
yacht's gleaming topsides. But we weren't quite into the point of no return, I managed to pick
up our friends with no scrapes or thuds.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

"Joe" wrote in message
om...

That would be OK if I did not ram the dock. Guess you have to see
were I dock, wind is funneled between the building that hols the cigar
boats up in slings. So on most spring and summer days we have 10-15
kts wind blowing thru. Hits me broadside going into the slip. The slip
is 45 foot and the boat is 42. My boats a ketch with a 55ft main mast
and a 40 ft mizzen mast so I have lots of windage
to deal with. If I could just coast in and easily stop it would not be
as much an issue.

Jeeeeze. I had assumed that you had a motor boat.

Your boat has a keel, fer cripes sake! It may have windage, but the keel
will resist the windage.

I often see clumsy oafs, like you, in our marina. They engage full
forward, and then full reverse. They seem to have no feel for the boat's
handling at all.

As it happens, I have a berth that might be similiar to your's. I'm at the
end of the fairway, and the prevailing wind blows my bow off. I never have
any problem at all, because I take it slowly. I used to have a power boat,
and in those days I had to worry about the things that you describe.

Now, we put the engine into neutral about 100 yards from the slip, and just
glide in. The engine is rarely used at all after that, apart from the final
burst astern.

When my younger son was only 9 years old he was able to do it to perfection.
Maybe you should get some lessons???

Really, Joe, you are an embarrassement to real sailors. You are trying to
park your boat as if it was a big powerboat.



Regards


Donal
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