Eisboch wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
...

Harry,
Maybe you didn't see my quotes around "secret". As I said, the marina
showed it to all new boaters and I see it used by people up and down my
dock, so it was a very well known "secret", but there are some
(obvioulsly JimH if could not back his boat into the slip) who don't
know it. When I see someone having trouble docking their boat, I always
suggest they try it, and it always seems to solve the problem for them.
I think you might be so upset because you didn't know about it
either. That is ok, even a boatless fool like me can teach you some
stuff, so just keep reading all of my posts.



The marina is smart to encourage "bumping" from neutral to reverse and back
while docking. The boat moves slowly and causes little or no damage when
it hits something.

It's a good technique, but not for the reasons you gave (outdrive acts like
a rudder).
Not at a slow speed and particularly going backwards. The short bumps of
vectored thrust is what is moving the stern on an I/O or outboard.

Sometimes, slowly backing into a slip using the "bumping" method isn't a
good idea.
When we had the Egg Harbor, we would often go out fishing on windy, stormy
days that normally I would pass on. Backing into the slip in 35 kt
crosswinds is not something you do slowly and casually.

Eisboch



When I kept my 25' Parker up at the Deale boatel, I had to back down a
narrow corridor of boats on each side, maybe 5' of clearance on each
side, a corridor a couple of hundred feet long, in order to get into
position for the forklift. There was no way to spin the boat around
anywhere along that route.

I did not "bump" the throttle to get to the forklift. It was important
that I maintain full control at all times. Never had a close call.

Because of crosswinds, the ramp I mostly use these days requires
deliberate forward motion and control at all times.

Methinks Reggie is a bathtub boater.