Single Engine Maneuvering vs Alternatives

L

Lidokey

New Member
Apr 14, 2013
82
Florida
Boat Info
260 Sundeck, 2012
Engines
5.0L Bravo III
I am totally comfortable to admit that as a first time boat owner, (18 months ownership, 60 hours on the clock) I am still a newbie. Have a SR 2012 260 SD and as a seasonal FL guy, I still have much to learn about docking, maneuvering. Have read that a single engine i/o is the most difficult to handle. Is a single engine outboard significantly easier? What about twin outboards? And easiest yet, one of the newer joystick controlled twin outboard boats? I see from the forums that so many of you have owned a series of boats and know you'll be able to comment knowledgeably about this.
I know I need more practice but I suffer from anxiety every time I dock at a waterside restaurant or a fuel dock or marina with (or without!) everyone watching. Moreover, while I love the SR 260 SD, I'd really like something that is fishing friendly without losing the deckboat attributes of the SD. So that suggests one of the rapidly expanding choices of dual consoles. A single engine Dual console will fit within my budget but the twins put me a bit above that and the ~$10K/engine joystick premium is a complete budget buster. I'd really appreciate comments about the relative ease of maneuvering with twin OB's vs a single OB.
Thanks in advance for any comments, advice.
 
First it depends on the I/0. Single prop I/os handle like outboards. Unless you have a pair with one clockwise and the other counter clockwise rotation the boat will tend to drift to one side. If you are talking about a Merc bravo III, or Volvo duo prop with two counter rotating props then the problem is mitigated.

Twin obs are no benefit either. I've spent a lot of time on a buddy's 28' center console with twin 225s. It is the worst boat I have ever encountered for docking. The engines are two close together to get any benefit from using differing engine speeds to maneuver, and despite having opposing rotation it will not back down in a straight line.

Henry

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
With a relativity light boat - there are 2 (sometimes 3) things that are important.

Rule no 1: take it SLOW really SLOW.... Make a long approach - and no sudden gear shifts. You should go so slow that a single low rpm shift "1 sec" in reverse stops the boat completely. In stronger head winds you might need a little more power but not a lot.

Rule no 2: Before docking - check where the wind is coming from. The wind will push your nose of your boat to drift more than the stern. So compensate slightly and try to make a long "straight" approach so you have a lot of distance to dial in the compensation - and remember to go slow... Better to cycle between fwd and neutral than heading in only in fwd gear only.

Rule no 3: if you have current - check the direction. With a light boat like the 2012 260 - wind will probably be a bigger issue than current - but current will still try and move your stern more than your bow as your running gear is more in the way of the current.

As you have Bravo 3 drive with dual propellers - you will have less issues than the single propeller boats as the B3 is much better at keeping you in the direction you are steering as there is not to much sideways torque from the propeller.

Approach angle should be around 45 degrees towards the target like a fuel dock, +/- the wind correction. So if the wind is blowing you towards the target - you can use a smaller angle and let the wind push you in place. If wind is blowing away from the dock apply a higher angle and remember to turn :) before your stern hits the dock. The forward momentum will push you towards the dock - so again - go slow.

It is not hard to learn to dock and after a while it becomes easy. But if you go slow - you look more like an expert :) who can really control his boat.

I live in a Harbour - and every day I see people who still after 3 years - have not learned to go slow. But the "moron" who drove like an idiot last year - have now learned to go slow. So this year he have not dropped any of his passengers in the water (yes he dropped his girlfriend in the water by excessive manoeuvring last year) - so now he actually looks like an expert. The 3-4 guys with no patience - still bash their boats on every docking attempt - only because they don't go slow.
 
ups got sidetracked a bit :)

anyway - if a boat is long and slim - twins are close together and does not give as much benefit as if the boat is wider and engines are further apart. Wind will be a bigger factor as well. But in general twins are easier than singles to operate. And with twins you can always "limp" home on one engine if the other passes out.
 
All good advice especially Kaz. Slow is best. I have seen Captains of ships tear out half a dock because they got caught by wind or current and approached too fast. But the main thing is to practice, practice, practice. Go out and drop a buoy in the water and practice approaching the buoy. do it over and over again. Pretty soon you will be able to move right up to the buoy and stop just before hitting it, without running it over, or going too far past it and then going sideways over it. This is also great practice for picking up a buoy to tie up to, or retrieving someone in the water. It all sounds simple but it is much harder to do than you may think. I had to learn this in a sail boat. No engine to put in reverse. My I/O is particularly hard to maneuver. I once knocked my wife off the boat and she fell face down on the dock. Let me tell you I still hear about that.
 
To add to Ike and everyone else, slow is good, practice away from the pier with a float and learn to spin the boat in basically it's own length. With very little fore or aft movement, you should be able to make that boat spin with the B3 in either direction. This will give you the confidence to approach slowly since you can turn without any speed.

Bryan
 
I dock my boat at what I call "Ramming Speed". To clarify: I never approach a dock at a speed that is faster than what I am willing to ram that dock at.
Generally when docking, I repeatedly shift between neutral and either forward or reverse, depending on which way I am trying to maneuver, and only keep it in gear long enough to get the momentum I need to get where I want to be as I am approaching the dock.
Other than a really strong wind, or wicked current, I see no reason to add any type of throttle to the mix.
Throttle around the dock almost never has a happy ending.
I'm still far from an expert when it comes to docking (I know few who truly are experts), but I am competent enough to get in and out of slips, or alongside bulkheads, without crashing the boat, or crushing someone.
 
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Lidokey said:
I am totally comfortable to admit that as a first time boat owner, (18 months ownership, 60 hours on the clock) I am still a newbie. Have a SR 2012 260 SD and as a seasonal FL guy, I still have much to learn about docking, maneuvering. Have read that a single engine i/o is the most difficult to handle.
Ppfffftt, i/o is cake!

I recently bought a "single screw inboard"! Now, on with the challenge! That boat goes where it wants, specially in reverse!

I can put the 240da anywhere I want, in most any condition. But the Chris Craft is a learning curve for sure. I keep wanting to use the helm or another engine and there isn't one to help me. haha

Keep practicing, you'll figure it out!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thanks to everyone who has responded, everyone has been supportive. My net takeaway is that there is no inexpensive alternative to practice, practice, practice. Even if I traded for twins, without the joystick option, the skill required to dock still has to be acquired, not bought. Answer is to keep practicing and hope that one day my angst about docking when others are watching will fade away as I get more confidence. THanks all!
 
Just laugh with them. Don't take it so seriously.

You understand how tough it can be to dock a boat, and everyone else does to. People like to watch because it is tough. I use the pilings to "rub" against to get into my slip. I say that is why the rubber edging around your boat is called a "rub rail"! haha
 
When approaching a restaurant pretend the crowd does not exist.
As state above go slow take your time and if you feel you are uncomfortable with your approach abort and try again - and yet again if needed.
Your goal is to dock the boat safely,not impress anyone.
We have all been there.

Axius joystick does make the process a piece of cake - I love it.
 
The other side of this is the two engines of a large cat where they can be 20 feet apart. An exercise I do with crew is, while using only the engine controls - not touching the wheel, to back down from a buoy, turn 90 degrees and go to directly downwind of another buoy, turn 90 degrees and approach that buoy to a point you could pick it up. Every one screws it up the first few times, except one 20-something who nailed it the first time. As I was congratulating him I asked how he was able to do that. He said it was easy - just like a video game!
 
Many small twins can be walked. Rudders over opposite the direction you want to go, outboard engine ahead, inboard engine astern. The astern engine will require quite a bit more power. Boat will move toward the inboard side. Of course don't try this at a dock without practicing in open water. Not all small boats will do this but many will.
 
Took the Chris out for a run today. You should have been at the dock to see my "landing"! I missed approach two times, and then finally just grabbed the dock piling and pulled myself into the slip! haha
I never miss with the Sea Ray and make it look so easy. My friends never even get out of their seats when I dock the 240. Not so much with the Chris. I can't help laughing at myself though. How could I suck so bad with the Chris?

I keep telling myself, reverse and fill, reverse and fill......doesn't work! for me....yet! haha

I'm going to strap a trolling motor to the swim platform untill I figure out how to dock this boat.
 
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