Docking - back in or just pull in

I actually had to do this single handed today when I relocated our boat from its summer to winter slip. As long as wind and current is not an issue its very doable. I was able to untie get on board pull out and pull into new slip and tie her up by myself with no issue. All stern in. once again a bit of wind or current could make you doubt yourself but doing this a few times you will get a good sense of your pivot point and how quickly she responds to your inputs. I would suggest getting used to putting your back to the bow and handling the shifters behind you.It takes away the few second it takes your brain to think in reverse if you're facing the bow. This works well for me when docking stern in.
 
HUMPH said:
At our slip, we bow in 95% of the time just because we would rather view the water than the dock and levee. When we go to visit other marinas or and other docks we stern in .
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Ditto.
 
Off topic but, does anyone ever practice coming in on one engine? I believe it's a good idea to try a couple of times a year so you have the confidence to do it when it becomes necessary.
 
I went from a 21' Sea Ray Monaco to a 340 Sundancer. The boat boat got delivered from Tennessee and the driver backed it into the water, I got the engines started, backed off the trailer and the driver simply drove off. So there I was, floating backwards away from the ramp piers, no ropes.... So I simply turned her around and went out of the marina out on Lake Michigan. Played with the throttles, drove her around in circles to get a feel for her. Stopped and started several times and also put her reverse.. Put her neutral, found ropes and prepared to dock. Took her into the actual marina (Where I had never been before) found my fairway and headed to my slip. AS I headed towards the slip, a couple of sailboaters noticed I was by myself and hollered out asking if I needed help. I replied "Yes. And this should be interesting". "Why"? I responded - "I have docked a twin engine boat before"!

Got to the slip, took a deep breath, and thought about something I read here - "Only go as fast as you are willing to hit something"... and I thought about the shifters. I have the curved shift levers. The direction of the curve is the direction either the bow or stern will go if a single engine is in gear.

Spun her right around, gave her a little reverse and backed her right in like I had been doing this for years.

I love my twin V drives...
 
Before I got a lift I always did stern in. They wanted an extra $1000 to set the lift up that way so its bow in for us now. Since we have a Sundeck there are steps at the bow for boarding. If I had something with limited bow access I would have paid the extra grand to make boarding easier.
 
Haven't practiced this but the one time I had to the bow thruster came in very handy.
HUMPH said:
Off topic but, does anyone ever practice coming in on one engine? I believe it's a good idea to try a couple of times a year so you have the confidence to do it when it becomes necessary.
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Irie308 said:
Haven't practiced this but the one time I had to the bow thruster came in very handy.
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I had an impeller fail on spring start up after being launched and had to drive around our marina and into my slip (in a breeze) on one engine. It was not fun, but I made it in with a few dicey moments. Luckily the marina slips were not completely full yet. I am not sure I need to practice it, but it was good to know its possible. Interestingly the 330 handled with one engine almost as well as my prior boat with a single I/O. Less movement in the wind due to more mass I think.
 
I always back her in, easier boarding on and off of swim platform.
 
Oh yeah, forgot one thing...
DO NOT touch the steering wheel while backing in. Use shifts and throttles. Tiny little SeaRay rudders are useless in reverse. Leave them amidships once you get into your closed quarters area.​


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Size of the rudders has nothing to do with it in reverse. The reason they don't work is that you are pushing water towards your bow away from them.

romanservices said:
I think you just nailed it here for me, I was trying to use the twins and the rudder at the same time in reverse and that's when it all went wrong. Thanks for all the great advice, especially about not worrying about the ego
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The suggestions are not entirely accurate. For many circumstances the rudders are not needed but in many others the rudders are quite effective at setting stern and bow attitude especially with cross winds and currents. The rudders are short but the props wash a lot of water over them making them another tool to position the boat.
 
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What's the big deal? :huh:
I back in to the pier in the wind on a river, no sweat. :grin:
And I only have one engine! :grin:


Sissies. :smt043


I'm teasing, really! It is kind of funny though - As officer of the deck on a twin screw destroyer, I could spin that puppy on a dime, then later I was assigned a single screw frigate, a completely different animal indeed. Was so happy to get back to a twin screw ship!
My point is, it all seems hard until you do it a few times. The truly hard part is to not get cocky!
 
I backed mine in for the first time a few weeks ago to work on the tender engine. I do not like to back in since we cannot launch the tender faced that way. We also face the Queen Mary so being bow in has its view!

It does seems to be easier maneuvering while backing in and I did it the first time.

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Terrific! :thumbsup:
 
romanservices said:
My first attempt ever at backing in (actually first time docking the boat) took be 3 tries to get lined up, didn't hit anything.
I was aiming for the starboard finger pier but ended up docking on the port side, I will say that with a 14' beam if there was another boat in the on the port pier
I would have bumped it.
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Always completely check your forward momentum before you start your pivot. If you're dealing with a current, you may actually have to add some opposite momentum before you pivot. But if you're still drifting forward, even slightly, when you start to spin, then you'll miss your mark every time (unless you're using that momentum to your advantage with a captain-friendly approach).
 
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