It Happened! Hit another boat!

spimik

spimik

New Member
Jul 26, 2008
155
1000 Islands
Boat Info
2008 SeaRay 330
Engines
496
Well, today was my day! I knew it was coming from reading other threads.

First time out with the new camper top- strong and gusty winds at the dock today and the bow thruster could not overcome it.

Lost the bow and it 'touched' the anchor of the 31 Searay in the slip next to me. Two small but irratiating marks just under the port navigation light.

12-16 people on the dock watching- wife not impressed.

My ego is still in pain. My heart is broken. My 'baby' has her first war wound. Already emailed service at the marina for a full buff, compound and wax to remove the surface mark.

My son said "Let's sue the marina Dad- they shouldn't put anyone next to us". LOL.

All my fault. Should have taken more time with the camper top before I tried to dock under these tougher conditions today. I need to find the new pivot point and I now know that the bow thruster can NOT overcome wind like today.

Chalk this up as another chapter in the learning curve.

Hope everyone had an incident free weekend.
 
Don't beat yourself up to hard, this advice coming from one who is inclined to beat himself up also, just get back out there and boat again. I still go out and practice with an experienced person from time to time.

:thumbsup:
 
Happens to the best of us!

Several years ago while parking in our new-to-us slip in our new-to-us 280 we kissed the anchor of a new Sea Ray parallel parked in front of us. My mate missed the cleat, the wind got me, and I figured out later that my 40' slip only had about 34' to park in with the neighbors hanging over from both sides.

My welcome to the marina was a bunch of stares with the dockmaster running over to me. When I complained about the boat hanging way into my spot at the rear, he told me it was his. All is well that ends well.
 
You only hit it once?

Pffft. Doesn't make the radar until you the same boat 5 times on the same docking attempt. Or the boat you hit sinks.
 
Thanks All! Rough day. Means alot to hear other experiences.

It is a heartbreaker, but I understand that it does happen.

I appreciate the feedback.
 
Somebody said:

" If you don't have a few dings on your boat it means you don't use it."



I'd beg to differ on a couple of counts. There are a lot of us who have boated for years and remain scratch free. I've had my present boat for 12+ years and you won't find a blemish on it.

Second, to accept that theory means you are just accepting whatever happens. I believe that we should continue to strive for improvement and learn from each set of circumstances thrown at us, so we go boating and do no damage. Every day out is a day to practice and to learn. Learn to anticipate winds and currents, learn to dock without a thruster, learn to handle your boat on one engine, learn where the birds walk at low tide, etc.

I'll bet you "spimik" goes to sleep tonite and the next several nights thinking "what could I have done differently/better/sooner/or not at all..........and in the final analysis, he will learn from his close encounter with the anchor.
 
Spimik, I was pulling into Compass Cay last year on a beautifull day but i came in on a changing tide. Marina told me to come on in and they would help. Just as i got about 5 feet
backing in a GREAT gust caught me. The dockmaster kid thru the rope down instead of cleating it off. BOOM, TURN, TWIST, CLING, CLANG, BOMM AGAIN, Then end up against a hugh pole. Scared the "pooooooooooop" out of us. Luck was on our side as we misssed a multi milliom dollar yacht and a brand new SR 44DA. We then pivioted around pole and into slip. Hit the pole and dock and another pole pretty good. Every body came and helped us rope off. I dont drink but i sure thought it might be a good time to start. Like everybody has said these things do happen. As frankW suggest practice and think every move ahead and it will get better in those cases. I learned more from that docking than all the good ones we have made in over two summers in the Bahamas. Good luck, JC
 
fwebster said:
Somebody said:

" If you don't have a few dings on your boat it means you don't use it."



I'd beg to differ on a couple of counts. There are a lot of us who have boated for years and remain scratch free. I've had my present boat for 12+ years and you won't find a blemish on it.

Second, to accept that theory means you are just accepting whatever happens. I believe that we should continue to strive for improvement and learn from each set of circumstances thrown at us, so we go boating and do no damage. Every day out is a day to practice and to learn. Learn to anticipate winds and currents, learn to dock without a thruster, learn to handle your boat on one engine, learn where the birds walk at low tide, etc.

I'll bet you "spimik" goes to sleep tonite and the next several nights thinking "what could I have done differently/better/sooner/or not at all..........and in the final analysis, he will learn from his close encounter with the anchor.
Click to expand...

While I completely empathize with Spimik, sorry man, I completelty agree with Frank.

I don't accept the "it's going go happen" theory as a "free pass" or "Oh sorry" when someone wings there door into your's at the grocery store. I have 3 battle scars on my boat from the PO, and I can only wonder how they got there.

I strive to make sure I can handle my boat so as to not endanger anyone, or risk anyone else boat, then mine in that order. The meneuvers that we're not sure if we can handle or have done before are the ones that can get us in trouble.

I'm sorry to hear the wind got the best of you and I hear you on the injured ego. It didn't sound too major, so I'm glad to hear you got off easy this time.
 
(quote)
I'll bet you "spimik" goes to sleep tonite and the next several nights thinking "what could I have done differently/better/sooner/or not at all..........and in the final analysis, he will learn from his close encounter with the anchor.[/quote]

Absolutley! This was a tough lesson. Good news is no-one was hurt and the "damage" is almost non-existent. The wife could not even see it.

However, I will think and rethink the mistake(s) I made. It was absolutley may fault.

Congrats on 12+ years of blemish free boating. That is an impressive track record.
 
Nehalennia said:
While I completely empathize with Spimik, sorry man, I completelty agree with Frank.

I don't accept the "it's going go happen" theory as a "free pass" or "Oh sorry" when someone wings there door into your's at the grocery store. I have 3 battle scars on my boat from the PO, and I can only wonder how they got there.

I strive to make sure I can handle my boat so as to not endanger anyone, or risk anyone else boat, then mine in that order. The meneuvers that we're not sure if we can handle or have done before are the ones that can get us in trouble.

I'm sorry to hear the wind got the best of you and I hear you on the injured ego. It didn't sound too major, so I'm glad to hear you got off easy this time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice- I too strive to make sure I can handle my boat. There was nothing going on here outside of a normal landing in our slip. I was working against a couple of challenges. Firstly, the new camper top caught much more wind than anticipated, we had strong gusts that were swirling, very hard to nail down a firm direction and find a head wind, plus it was the years first landing. All in all, a disaster, but an honest one. My fault, but a true accident.

I grew up driving boats in your size range with no issues. When I stepped up to the 30+ range last summer, and added in the changes that a boat this size+ has, it was a learning experience for sure.

I appreciate your comments and will learn from today.
 
SPIMIK Unless you have a co detector (and even if you do) I'd be real careful running the boat with the full camper . Ric
 
JC3 said:
Spimik, I was pulling into Compass Cay last year on a beautifull day but i came in on a changing tide. Marina told me to come on in and they would help. Just as i got about 5 feet
backing in a GREAT gust caught me. The dockmaster kid thru the rope down instead of cleating it off. BOOM, TURN, TWIST, CLING, CLANG, BOMM AGAIN, Then end up against a hugh pole. Scared the "pooooooooooop" out of us. Luck was on our side as we misssed a multi milliom dollar yacht and a brand new SR 44DA. We then pivioted around pole and into slip. Hit the pole and dock and another pole pretty good. Every body came and helped us rope off. I dont drink but i sure thought it might be a good time to start. Like everybody has said these things do happen. As frankW suggest practice and think every move ahead and it will get better in those cases. I learned more from that docking than all the good ones we have made in over two summers in the Bahamas. Good luck, JC
Click to expand...

Thanks JC- Was there much damage to your boat, or did the rub rails take most of the beating?
 
When anyone asks how I can best describe my experience in nearly 40 years at sea, I merely say, uneventful. Of course there have been winter gales, and storms and fog the like, but in all my experience, I have never been in any accident of any sort worth speaking about. ...... I never saw a wreck and never have been wrecked, nor was I ever in any predicament that threatened to end in disaster of any sort. You see, I am not very good material for a story
Click to expand...
Captain Smith, Commander of Titanic
 
katricol said:
SPIMIK Unless you have a co detector (and even if you do) I'd be real careful running the boat with the full camper . Ric
Click to expand...

Thanks Ric- great point. I added two TPI 770 hand held detectors to the boat this winter on the advice of this forum. A great point. We had removed a section of the back by the walk-thru and had the window open on the windshield to ensure proper ventilation. No reading on either of the detectors.

A super point. Thanks.
 
Judge the wind and current. Put all your fenders on the leeward side, then switch them later after you are in the slip. There is no way to avoid drifting into my slip neighbor with any wind or current.
 
fwebster said:
I've had my present boat for 12+ years and you won't find a blemish on it.
Click to expand...

I sure hope the gods aren't reading this forum. haha!

I'm just kidding around, but I do read these posts hoping to learn and be better, so at the least, this post is a reminder to be careful - even if it was just a tiny "nose rub".

The are old captains and bold captains, but there are no old bold captains!
 
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Spimik Becareful the pivot point of the boat has not chaged because of the camper top, but the sail area has and that is what you have to take into account when docking a t slow speeds.
 
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