Hard Landing - Confession

[Hampton]

I had a slightly hard docking the other day. Winds were off the bow at about 15 knots. While backing in, I had one in forward and one in reverse and was bringing the bow into the wind as I eaked back into my slip. I needed a little more back, but I pushed up the forward side a little.

My reaction was to pull that throttle back and advance the other. The boat rotated quicker than desired and I tagged the floating dock with the port stern corner - no damage, at first. I really was disappointed in myself, but no big deal.

The next day, upon closer inspection, I found that I had broken the trim tab off of its actuator. The link between the tab bracket and the hydraulic actuator was broken.

Long story short. I put on a scuba mask and snorkle, crawled down the ladder, wrapped myself around the ladder, and pulled the bent-up pin out. I straightened the pin, backed one of the bracket bolts out, re-fit the actuator to the bracket, re-inserted the pin, and re-tightened the bracket bolt.

Now, it's as good as new. It was really cool to work under water like that. There was a large school of small fish hovering beneath me the whole time. I liked that because I've seen what they do when a predator comes along. As long as they were in my periphery, I felt safe. We have 2 alligators in our marina, and there's plenty of sharks out there as well.

 

[Skip]

We have all done this at least once, in some form or fashion. I appreciate your candor in posting this "after action review" (to use an Army term). I guess the only thing I will add is that it might be useful to keep an eye on the bolts that mount your tabs and actuator to the boat. On the 420, and I suspect on the 340, these are thru bolted and sealed. As I learned with my exhaust bolt emergency haul out fun-fest, a little moisture can become a big deal. Unlikely, but you may have bumped the tab enough to knock a through hull fastener out of position and allow water to enter. Not much water, but enough to cause trouble.

best regards
Skip

 

[RiverRat]

Long story short. I put on a scuba mask and snorkle, crawled down the ladder, wrapped myself around the ladder, and pulled the bent-up pin out. I straightened the pin, backed one of the bracket bolts out, re-fit the actuator to the bracket, re-inserted the pin, and re-tightened the bracket bolt.

Now, it's as good as new. It was really cool to work under water like that. There was a large school of small fish hovering beneath me the whole time. I liked that because I've seen what they do when a predator comes along. As long as they were in my periphery, I felt safe. We have 2 alligators in our marina, and there's plenty of sharks out there as well.

You don't think those "small fish" were around you due to the fact that you would have been the better meal and they felt safe around you do you??? :smt017

 

[lorenbennett]

Been there. Docking in 40mph gust at bullfrog at lake powell I had to park it like a sports car hard and fast with 4 people there to catch me if I messed up Luckily it went pretty well just scoof marks. But it does scare the Cr#p out of you every time. Glad you could get it fixed quickly with out haul out. :thumbsup:

 

[Hampton]

You don't think those "small fish" were around you due to the fact that you would have been the better meal and they felt safe around you do you??? :smt017

:huh: :smt017 :wow:

 

[Hampton]

Thanks to all for the feedback. I docked really well this past weekend - twice. You would have thought I was stuck in the mud because I moved soooo slowly.

 

[jg300da]

There is no such thing as too slow when you are docking.

 

[Morpheus]

Sounds like you got off pretty easy. I had a similar misshap unfortunatly :smt089

Same types of conditions windy trying to dock a boat on a concrete dock with only 3 poles with old rubber protection on the poles only and nothing on the concrete dock itself. Had the nose of the boat on the pole and a gust of wind blew the nose off and into the concrete tried to get it in reverse before it rubbed but I was just not quick enough and rubbed the front of the boat on the concrete dock. Now I'll have to get it fixed hopefully just a buffing maybe a little paint. Agravating thing was I did fine the first and second day was the third day this happened and it didn't happen on the 4th day.