Biggest Boat you can handle alone?

E

emlevins

New Member
Sep 27, 2009
77
Lake Erie
Boat Info
2000 260DA
Engines
7.4 w/Bravo III
Hi Folks,
I do alot of boating by myself. I just upgraded to a 260DA (from a 23' Seaswirl) and was concerned about my ability to handle the boat - particularly during docking maneuvers - by myself. I queried folks here on the 260 thread and was assured that - with practice - I could manage. Right they were! I can - and much more easily than I had expected. It's always a challenge and never very pretty - but I have been able to get the job done safely.

So - now I am curious as to how big a DA I could expect to be able to handle by myself - with sufficient practice - particularly during docking.

Opinions - mostly based on experience :wink: - are welcome.

Thanks all.
 
Depends on what you are doing. I regularly take my 340 out on my own. Getting on the fuel dock or back in the slip is not a problem. I do need another person to get on a mooring in tight quarters. Overall, I feel very confident in single handling the boat.
 
I have a 340 sundancer and take her in and out alone all the time. Thing is that I know that at the beginning and end of the year there's less boats to block the wind where I am at and therefore more cautious during those times. My last boat was a 29 footer and again no issues. The one bit of advicce I can offer is practice, practice, practice... With both my last two boats the first nice calm morning I went in and out of my slip about 20 times when I first brought them home.
 
Several people on my dock take their 33-38 Sundancers out by themselves with no problem. My 280 is a breeze to drive/dock solo most days.
 
I am confident I could take out any size Searay alone......not to try to impress you, just impress upon you that it can be done.......
 
Wow! And get those big boats into the slip and secured with lines without any assistance? Man - you all are good. At least with my 260, if the wind begins to drift it away from the slip, I can pull it back with my lines. I wouldn't imagine you can do that with the bigger DAs though, correct?
 
Bigger the boat, the more likely it is to stay put where it is...
 
sure, heavier boats are harder to push around by hand, but they are also harder for the WIND to push around!

I think bigger boats are generally easier to handle, unless they're under-powered or have compromised visibility etc.
 
I've done a few trips over to the gas dock or down the river to the other gas dock. For me, wind has to be either non-existent or blowing just right. I have no qualms abt getting into a slip. Side-to docking with the wind blowing me away from the dock (is that windward or leeward???) is a problem for me. This boat is VERY reactive to wind and by the time I get down from the bridge, I could be blown 3' off the dock while the gas dock monkey stands with a line in his hand looking dumbfounded. Conditions are the key. Sometimes you need to be smart enough to know when to stay in your berth!
 
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At the age of 15 I could handle a 40 ft. Mathews , single screw. This stuff is not rocket science. You can work your way up in size slowly or make a big jump and get some one with experience in the big boat to instruct you....After that its just a matter of practice , practice, practice.....Gaining experience in various conditions (Weather) and locations.
 
rondds said:
This boat is VERY reactive to wind and by the time I get down from the bridge, I could be blown 3' off the dock while the gas dock monkey stands with a line in his hand looking dumbfounded. Conditions are the key. Sometimes you need to be smart enough to know when to stay in your berth!
Click to expand...

Amen to that! I stayed home today for just that reason. An East wind blows me away from my pier (it is to port)- but if I turn the boat around and approach the dock into that wind, I can get in OK and get the stern turned toward the pier in time to get off (smetimes it is easier to do that regardless of the wind)- but if it is too strong - I have trouble securing the boat before she is blowing toward my dockmate.

So today was a no-go.

Well this has been very instructive - thanks for all of the comments - and so quickly no less. I would never have thought that the bigger boats - being heavier - would be less reactive to the wind and somewhat easier to maneuver and secure during docking. In fact, I specifically asked someone this when I was purchasing my 260 (as compared to my Seaswirl 220SWL) and was told that the 260 would be more reactive to the wind because of it's greater height, and size.

Now - I assume that the larger boats may be easier as well because they are equipped with twins?
 
Pretty much any size express is no problem single-handing to the dock unless there's really tough wind or tide conditions; but in that case you'd likely need help with even a 30 footer...

Bridge boats are a different animal. More windage, and the time it takes to climb down from the bridge adds to the difficulty.

Been discussed before, try a search.
 
Don't think twice about taking mine out by myself, and backing it back in the slip as well. Heck most of the time my wife is down below and doesn't bother even asking anymore if I need help.

But most of us saying this also have a distinct advantage, inboards vs your I/O's. A large boat with inboards is much easier to drive than a smaller one without.

Funny but my wife usually didn't help when we had one the them either :)
 
EM
That bravo3 is gonna be a BIG help in terms of backing up straight. I used to back my Crownline out of all sorts of tough spots like a car. Tried that with this boat the first time I went to a long gas dock that ran parallel to the fairway. Good thing the fairway was wide cuz I wound up spinning around completely and going out forward, and it was not b/c I was trying. This boat does not go straight in reverse, even with the rudders amidships. Weird.
 
I singlehanded my 330 a lot, even taking it through the locks by myself. It requires a bit more pre-planning, giving consideration to what wind and currents will do to you (or for you) and taking that into consideration in your approach. Like was mentioned above, it's all about managing your momentum.

PA130132_2.JPG
 
When I maneuver the boat, I always do it by myself. If I have a crew, they may install fenders and lines. But it is up to me to get it docked, help always messes me up. We had 60 mph winds a few weeks ago when I was trying to dock our boat to get into the slip. I was doing fine until someone on the dock went to grab me which threw everything off. I ended up scuffing up the rub rail on the swim platform because it made the front of the boat start turning in the wind - no big deal - frustrated me because it took my boat toward another boat - fortunately no fiberglass. But a bigger boat is easier. You just have to learn the nuances of the boat. On mine in high wind - I have to give both engines a little gas to start my spin, to get the props to bite.
 
mmcguire2002 said:
Depends on what you are doing. I regularly take my 340 out on my own. Getting on the fuel dock or back in the slip is not a problem. I do need another person to get on a mooring in tight quarters. Overall, I feel very confident in single handling the boat.
Click to expand...

Mike...do you stern into your slip ??, if so, how do you manage the lines alone???

this is a great thread :thumbsup:
 
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