Basically Starting from scratch

sbw1 said:

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This is a good way to become proficient. After a while you can dock in just about any conditions assuming you stay within the limits of the equipment. Many folks go out only in calm conditions, and never really learn how to handle their boats.

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Do set limits at first, and then push the envelope a little now and then. When I started, I would go out on only fairly calm days, but it took me a while to understand that the current had a greater effect than the wind. (I kept my boat on a tidal creek with the dock perpendicular to the flow, but the slip was parallel to the flow.)

It took me even longer to figure out that if the current was moving in the desired direction of travel, I DID NOT need to apply ANY thrust! (Embarrassingly pushed against some pilings a time or two, but no damage).

You do need to be able to handle with winds due to the fact it can be nearly dead calm upon departure, but winds coming up while you are out. Find a marine forecast that you can trust in your area and realize that they are wrong sometimes too.

Jaybeaux said:

After having jet skis for years, I moved up to my first boat: a 2004 Sea Ray 420. Yes, I'm that guy. I hired a licensed captain, as was required by my insurance company, and completed 20 hours of supervised operation. When completed, he signed off on me by sending a letter of competency to the insurance company.

I'll never forget the thrill and sheer panic the first time I engaged the transmissions and felt 22,500 pounds respond to my inputs. It truly is a great feeling. Now, here comes the point that I wanted to suggest to you. Warning: NO LAUGHING. It sounds trite, but I assure you that it was VERY helpful in learning how to maneuver my boat in close quarters. If you have ever driven a zero-turn lawn mower, you will adapt readily and easily. Quit laughing! The inputs are essentially identical.

So this winter, if you or a buddy has one of these mowers, my suggestion is to set up an obstacle course and practice, practice, practice.

Jaybeaux

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Lol thats tooo funny because that has been my business my entire life. Landscape maintenance and installation. Ive driven every mower and bobcat on the planet.. so it looks like Ive got a good thing going for me Thank you all for the great words of wisdom!

dtfeld said:

Take your time and take baby steps. Start with clear and calm, and build your confidence. It will become second nature.

This was my first big twin boat, so I hired a Captain for the first couple of times out, but about an hour was enough for me to feel pretty comfortable. After that I set limits on tides and winds, and gradually built up to the point, after about 30 hours, we went out it 20knots gusting to 37, and I put her right back in the slip no problem, and felt confident doing it.

Learning all the systems is another challenge, but CSR is perfect for that. Somebody has owned your exact boat and knows what needs to be done and how to fix it DIY.

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Good advice about picking your times based on conditions.
The only thing I can add is to practice without any passengers, then practice more without any passengers aboard if possible.
Early weekday mornings and weekday evenings are usually the best times during the summer to get some practice time in.

JVM225 said:

Good advice about picking your times based on conditions.
The only thing I can add is to practice without any passengers, then practice more without any passengers aboard if possible.
Early weekday mornings and weekday evenings are usually the best times during the summer to get some practice time in.

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I will take everyones advice. Since I will be on her 24/7 Ill have all the time in the world to practice

Wardy549 said:

I will take everyones advice. Since I will be on her 24/7 Ill have all the time in the world to practice

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Yeah, bunch of good suggestions here.

When I was first starting out, I was honestly terrified of coming back in to dock. We're in a pretty tight area at our marina.



After coming through the main channel from the lake, it's then a left into the smaller channel (green line) toward our dock. 2 years ago, my dock was the red spot (now I'm at the blue spot). Green line is one boat wide, then in make a right, then another right to get my stern facing the gas dock (lower right), and then back into my slip. Adding to the abject terror is that on weekends, the restaurant (far right building) is always packed, there are bands playing, activity at the gas dock, friends partying on our dock, often a long boat between the red and blue, and so on. I would literally be soaked with my own sweat, especially if there were cross winds. Once I got tied up, and plugged in, I would drop down in the cabin, sit in the AC for a while, and have 2-3 tequila shots.

So I had some rules during this learning period
- stereo off
- would not attempt docking if there was a boat at the gas dock
- all passengers were told in no uncertain terms to sit the F down and shut the F up
- fenders down

By the end of the 2017 season, I was reasonably confident, but not all the way there. I asked my marina owner to leave me in for an extra week before haul out. I went down there when the place was dead, and most slips were empty, and did everything single-handed. I must have docked at 2 dozen different docks, bow in, stern in, windy day, calm day. Yep, I rubbed some pilings, but nothing to leave a mark. By the time haulout happened, I was in damn good shape.

2018 season was amazing. I actually looked forward to coming in with an audience, stereo on, blasting Geto Boys Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta. I still asked my people to keep a seat, since there really weren't any jobs for them to do. That practice time is key to getting over the worry.

Bracketracer brings up some more good points.
One especially important one.
Helpful passengers are only helpful if they are acting on your explicit directions.
If not, have them stay seated in a place that is safely out of the way and doesn’t block your vision.

Yeah, I don't necessarily recommend multiple tequila shots for really anything.

I have 3 thoughts.

Don’t go faster then you are willing to hit something.

Have another person on the bow with a fender. This will give you enormous comfort, and if you get close they simply drop the fender between your boat and whatever you are about to hit.

Don’t be scared to use a dock or piling to pivot. It is a needed skill and you should practice. When the current or wind is strong you must use this technique so get comfortable with it.

Jaybeaux said:

After having jet skis for years, I moved up to my first boat: a 2004 Sea Ray 420. Yes, I'm that guy. I hired a licensed captain, as was required by my insurance company, and completed 20 hours of supervised operation. When completed, he signed off on me by sending a letter of competency to the insurance company.

I'll never forget the thrill and sheer panic the first time I engaged the transmissions and felt 22,500 pounds respond to my inputs. It truly is a great feeling. Now, here comes the point that I wanted to suggest to you. Warning: NO LAUGHING. It sounds trite, but I assure you that it was VERY helpful in learning how to maneuver my boat in close quarters. If you have ever driven a zero-turn lawn mower, you will adapt readily and easily. Quit laughing! The inputs are essentially identical.

So this winter, if you or a buddy has one of these mowers, my suggestion is to set up an obstacle course and practice, practice, practice.

Jaybeaux

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And a Bobcat loader...

MM

Wardy549 said:

Lol thats tooo funny because that has been my business my entire life. Landscape maintenance and installation. Ive driven every mower and bobcat on the planet.. so it looks like Ive got a good thing going for me Thank you all for the great words of wisdom!

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Sounds like you have he Bobcat thing down. LOL

MM

Wardy549....

The cool thing is that your new vessel was built just up the road in the Merritt Island plant of Sea Ray Boats, the proof being your HIN will start out with the SERF indicator numbers. I know this boat as it would have been I that sprayed the gel coat on the deck on hull. Your 345 was a challenge because the deck required two sprays, one being white, then coming back and spraying the gray strip around the bottom of the deck top. The mold was inverted when I sprayed it so the gray was at the top. After laminating it, we then would have flipped it over and after some assembly, it was then placed on top of the hull, creating a complete boat. We probably still have some engineering drawings for her but who knows what has been done since it left the factory in '88. Cool boat, not many built so you can call it a classic!

Capt. Rusty

Good stuff here ^^^^^^^^^^^

MonacoMike said:

Sounds like you have he Bobcat thing down. LOL

MM

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Lol you already know

Capt. Rusty Higgins said:

Wardy549....

The cool thing is that your new vessel was built just up the road in the Merritt Island plant of Sea Ray Boats, the proof being your HIN will start out with the SERF indicator numbers. I know this boat as it would have been I that sprayed the gel coat on the deck on hull. Your 345 was a challenge because the deck required two sprays, one being white, then coming back and spraying the gray strip around the bottom of the deck top. The mold was inverted when I sprayed it so the gray was at the top. After laminating it, we then would have flipped it over and after some assembly, it was then placed on top of the hull, creating a complete boat. We probably still have some engineering drawings for her but who knows what has been done since it left the factory in '88. Cool boat, not many built so you can call it a classic!

Capt. Rusty

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Heck yeh Capt. Rusty! I appreciate that little input on the manufacturing aspect for this beauty. Some do not like her because of the “wing” and the kinda stubby look of the cockpit. But I feel otherwise. I think she a hottie from the 80’s just like old times lol. I love her lines, colors and layout inside. These Sea Rays have been my favorite since inception. So thanks again for the knowledge. If you have anymore stories or literally anything associated with the development of this model Id love to hear it or see. Thanks again!! My son and I

Wardy549 said:

Heck yeh Capt. Rusty! I appreciate that little input on the manufacturing aspect for this beauty. Some do not like her because of the “wing” and the kinda stubby look of the cockpit. But I feel otherwise. I think she a hottie from the 80’s just like old times lol. I love her lines, colors and layout inside. These Sea Rays have been my favorite since inception. So thanks again for the knowledge. If you have anymore stories or literally anything associated with the development of this model Id love to hear it or see. Thanks again!! My son and I

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What cause the pictures to go sideways?

bracketracer said:

Yeah, bunch of good suggestions here.

SNIP.....

I would literally be soaked with my own sweat, especially if there were cross winds. Once I got tied up, and plugged in, I would drop down in the cabin, sit in the AC for a while, and have 2-3 tequila shots.

...SNIP

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This had me bustin' up, belly laughing.

There's a nice cool breeze from the A/C vent blowing at the quarter berth, that is also out of view from anyone who happens to be standing on the dock. It's where I go to calm down and cool off after I get my boat slipped and properly moored. I understand the crosswinds and even have to be concerned with strong tidal currents and less clearance than is shown in your pic!!!! After two seasons on this boat, I now don't always have to hide down there after tying up! And my heart rate is not as high as it used to be!

Boating is fun, right?

Jaybeaux said:

After having jet skis for years, I moved up to my first boat: a 2004 Sea Ray 420. Yes, I'm that guy. I hired a licensed captain, as was required by my insurance company, and completed 20 hours of supervised operation. When completed, he signed off on me by sending a letter of competency to the insurance company.

I'll never forget the thrill and sheer panic the first time I engaged the transmissions and felt 22,500 pounds respond to my inputs. It truly is a great feeling. Now, here comes the point that I wanted to suggest to you. Warning: NO LAUGHING. It sounds trite, but I assure you that it was VERY helpful in learning how to maneuver my boat in close quarters. If you have ever driven a zero-turn lawn mower, you will adapt readily and easily. Quit laughing! The inputs are essentially identical.

So this winter, if you or a buddy has one of these mowers, my suggestion is to set up an obstacle course and practice, practice, practice.

Jaybeaux

Click to expand...

I offer my lawn as a training ground. Your skills will be at a high level after just 3 or 4 months.

Bracketracer you had me busting out laughing as well. We've all been there.

My boat is often the one our dock takes to go out to restaurants, etc. Not uncommon to have 14-20 people on the boat. When pulling up in front of a packed restaurant on a windy day, with the entire patio watching, even after 28 years of twin engine boat ownership I get a bit anxious. Not so much because of the folks on the patio, but more because of the boatload of smart-**ses I have on board and the never ending cr*p I'll catch if it goes wrong.