Biggest Boat you can handle alone?

timemachine said:
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.
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That is great advice.....:smt038
 
I run by myself frequently enough.... All any assistance on board is doing is stringing fenders and lines. They don't assist in docking the boat. If single handed, I approach my spot and then back off until I have got all fenders and lines at the ready.

Now with that being said... if the current and or wind is moving like a mo-fu and I cannot find a way to USE the wind and or current to my advantage...

Then I will request on dock assistance to lash the stern line to a dock cleat before I leave the controls.
 
Even though it seems counter-intuitive, it's much easier to back a boat in than go bow-in. Driving a car all the time fools us into thinking bow-in is simpler. But the bow is damn near impossible to control without a thruster.

After a near-death experience docking after first getting this boat, I went out and spent an afternoon backing down on no-wake buoys in the river. Made a huge difference!

Oh yeah, and like Mark above said, wind CAN be your friend, if you can harness it's power for good, not evil.
 
billnpat said:
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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I do not regularly go stern in, as I have a dinghy and davit system on the swim platform, but I have done this. Bow or stern in to the slip can be single handed. If going stern in, go extra slow and don't be afraid to stop short of being completely in, run back and check how close you are and then gently slip her in and out of gear once or twice to put her in her final position. Once she is in position, I secure the lines. In a slip, this isn't to hard, as I have a platform on both sides. If side tying to a fuel dock, you have to be able to approach with slightly more momentum (but still under control) and stick the boat to the dock. I keep a bow and stern line in the cleats. Hop off and secure the stern ASAP (not worried about it being perfect, just hitched), the run to the bow and grab the line available there. Once she is under control I secure her properly.

As others have mentioned, it is all about repetition and practice. And keep in mind that even the most experienced people sometimes have to take more than one run at getting it slipped especially in high winds or current.
 
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mmcguire2002 said:
I do not regularly go stern in, as I have a dinghy and davit system on the swim platform, but I have done this. Bow or stern in to the slip can be single handed. If going stern in, go extra slow and don't be afraid to stop short of being completely in, run back and check how close you are and then gently slip her in and out of gear once or twice to put her in her final position.

As others have mentioned, it is all about repetition and practice. And keep in mind that even the most experienced people sometimes have to take more than one run at getting it slipped especially in high winds or current.
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Thanks Mike.....:smt001
 
WOW! Some of you can handle 40+ solo without a walk through windshield, who secures the bow lines while your at the helm??
 
:smt024I leave preset springlines on pier Always!..so assisted or unassisted my Brake lines are readily available....Go out by myself whenever i can:grin:NO Worries
 
Great thread...
My 26' Tollycraft single shaft was very difficult to dock in the wind if it was working against me... but easy when it was with me of course! My 290 / bravos isn't bad... my buds 340 / shafts is easier. My unc's 34 Meridian is easy as pie with its joystick control...
I don't think the size matters as much as the conditions, boat options and your familiararity with the marina. Practice makes perfect.
 
I'm fairly new to boating and cruise frequently by myself, I have a 330 Dundancer. I was worried about going alone but with practice it's easy. The last line I untie and the first line attached when I return is the forward spring line. That will make sure you don't drift too far back in the slip and you have a line to position the boat. There are times when it's a bit of a Chinese fire drill but that's half the fun. As one of the more experienced boaters in my marina told me, "you gotta learn somehow".
 
I think the elephant in this post is why? What makes boats fun is having people on them... Sometimes it is harder to handle a boat with a lot of people than solo... I went out with my dog on my 250 DA and got distracted for 1 second and hit a day maker... I prefer to always go out the the boat with my first mate... Extra eyes are always helpful...
 
I went out with my dog on my 250 DA and got distracted for 1 second and hit a day maker
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God love you Rod, you never cease to crack me up :smt043!
 
I drove my Sundancer 290 home on Saturday on a 3.5 hour journey alone. I had no problems. One thing I made sure of was to switch off the engines before putting the fenders in and taking them out. That way if I fell off the boat I knew I could get back on!
 
Jacqueline said:
I drove my Sundancer 290 home on Saturday on a 3.5 hour journey alone. I had no problems. One thing I made sure of was to switch off the engines before putting the fenders in and taking them out. That way if I fell off the boat I knew I could get back on!
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Very smart to shut your engine off... My brother fell off this boat in Keys, 3 miles off shore and the boat kept going... He swam lobster pot to lobster pot in 65 degree water unit he reached shore 6 hours later... The Marine police found the boat the next day grounded with the engine running... he was not wearing a PFD, he does now... And he carries a water proof remote cut off when he goes out by himself...
 
I often single hand the 58 - somethimes the dog comes along to help. One of the trickiest aspects is when I have to use the head while underway. The only option is to bring the boat to a dead stop. In open water, I just drift. In tighter quarters I find a spot to anchor. The other adaptation is to do the same when I have to prepare lines and fenders for docking.

Of course, adverse conditons, heavy fog, night, etc. are more problematic when navigating alone.
 
rcknecht said:
Very smart to shut your engine off... My brother fell off this boat in Keys, 3 miles off shore and the boat kept going... He swam lobster pot to lobster pot in 65 degree water unit he reached shore 6 hours later... The Marine police found the boat the next day grounded with the engine running... he was not wearing a PFD, he does now... And he carries a water proof remote cut off when he goes out by himself...
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Was the boat damaged badly???
 
billnpat said:
Was the boat damaged badly???
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his boat is 25 CC with a single Merc outboard... I believe the lower end was rebuilt and there was some glass repair... The total cost was about $10K... Fortunately he was not finned for the boat going into the mangroves, which can be very costly... BTW, it happened in the winter, that is why the water was only 65 degrees... There are quite a few stories of people falling off there boats, when they were by themselves, it is not that uncommon... So be extra carefuly if you decide to take your boat our by yourself, no matter how big it is...
 
rcknecht said:
his boat is 25 CC with a single Merc outboard... I believe the lower end was rebuilt and there was some glass repair... The total cost was about $10K... Fortunately he was not finned for the boat going into the mangroves, which can be very costly... BTW, it happened in the winter, that is why the water was only 65 degrees... There are quite a few stories of people falling off there boats, when they were by themselves, it is not that uncommon... So be extra carefuly if you decide to take your boat our by yourself, no matter how big it is...
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Thanks Rod..:thumbsup:
 
rcknecht said:
Very smart to shut your engine off... My brother fell off this boat in Keys, 3 miles off shore and the boat kept going... He swam lobster pot to lobster pot in 65 degree water unit he reached shore 6 hours later... The Marine police found the boat the next day grounded with the engine running... he was not wearing a PFD, he does now... And he carries a water proof remote cut off when he goes out by himself...
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WOW.. The same thing nearly happened to me many years ago. I was taking my 260 sunndancer north up the NJ coast back to NY harbor. I needed to pee and decided to leave the boat in gear to maintain direction against the waves and pee off the swim platform. When I pulled down my fly I nearly fell in. At that moment I realized what a stupid move that was. I wasn't wearing a PFD either.

Now, I don't leave the helm unless the boat is in neutral and I use the bathroom in the cabin :grin:. My old 260 had a porta potti that needed to be removed from the boat and poured down a toilet. It was a fun experience when it splashed back in your face.
 
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