Wind gave me fits docking my 39 EC today.

[Larry&Leisa]

Don't they have "categories" for Oklahoma breezes?

My bad that day.. I didn't check the 8' logging chain to see which way it was flapping...

I will admit to getting a lil 'locked up' right about then in my situation. Neighbor said that's when you need a crew member to step in.. slap you cross the forehead and tell you to 'just do something'!

Another day I'll admit to, was coming into the gas dock. Not the one we normally use... and on an evening when a front was coming thru just then.. I was doing soooo good.. the crowd was impressed as my planned approach drifted us right in perfectly.. until I shut the engines down ... about a foot too early... needless to say I learned another good lesson :smt009. Took me at least 3 tries after that. :lol:

 

[carterchapman]

Had a problem like that before, when the tensions got high I got excited and called my wife by my ex wife’s name, old habit. I tell you, docking the boat was the least of my worries at that point.:smt009

ROFLMAO!

My sweet 85 year old Mother has called Sue by my ex's name 3 times now - D@mn - I hate being around when that happens!

 

[fwebster]

What use of rudders? On this particular boat, the late 80's 390EC, the props are in full pockets and are smallish. As a result, not much water flows over the rudders unless the boat is making way, so they are pretty much useless around a dock

 

[Skeetobite]

15 to 20 knots of wind is a lot for my boat. The bridge acts like a big sail and I get pushed all over the place. The diesels and big props help, but there's a point where it's too much to look like a pro. I often find myself adding a "micro burst" of power and things go much smoother.

I make it a habit to pivot off poles and the dock itself, especially in gusty winds. Steady winds are much less of a problem.

I've watched tons of boats come and go in windy conditions and can tell you that nearly every time I've heard an engine rev while docking, it was quickly followed by the sickening crunch of fiberglass. If you're going to add power, be sure you know how much is enough and how your boat is going to react.

On days with winds above 15 knots, I always stop outside the marina and see how the boat is going to behave at slow/no speed before going in. Since we're on a river that dumps into Tampa Bay, I also check the tide state on approach since we can have ripping currents through the marina with the outgoing tide. While rare, these currents have actually pushed my boat up wind more than once.

I guess it's different every time...

 

[Skuza]

Its amazing how tense things can get when the boat isn't cooperating! I had a problem pulling away from a waterfront bar one time. The wind was coming straight at the sea wall and I could NOT for the life of me get the bow to pivot into the wind and was not able to swing the stern out due to rafted boats. I was moving to let a guy out with an 90's 500DA who started yelling at me to get out of the way. Him along with the entire bar crowd made it even more fun! We've all had fun times and it teaches us things and prepares you better for the next "situation".

 

[sbw1]

If you can do it, handing a spring line on the upwind side of the boat (with wind blowing you off the dock) to a competent dock hand makes things lots easier in a blow. The line just needs to be loose around a pile or cleat so that it can move with the boat and not pull the helper into the water. Once the line is established, the engines do all of the work. Both people need to understand what's going on, but I've found that you can tell them to loosen up or put a little tension on it and they get the idea pretty quickly if they do not know already.

 

[npcrx]

I just had a lewmar bowthruster installed on my boat, I handle it pretty well, but I want to encourage my 3 sons to use the boat. They are 24-21-17 yo. It should give them a lot more confidence, and I am sure I will appreciate it on days like you mentioned. I know I am a wuss!

 

[Asureyez]

Hi Frank, You know why I asked.

Having spent 18000 miles and nine years with a 30,000 lbs of sail boat on single screw w/ 75HP of muscle, rudders are IT.

Holding a bow up to the wind can sometimes be overcome with rudder and quick punches of throttle on the windward screw with rudders hard over to wind, while the leward is backing. The technique is quick punches of the throttle maybe 2X idle or more for no more than a two or three count with lots of revs. The leward screw will be unaffected by rudder, but the windward should torque the bow up... then a pause and as the bow comes up, back both screws down and get momentum into the slip.

Or get a bow thruster!

 

[sprink56]

Hi Frank, You know why I asked.

Having spent 18000 miles and nine years with a 30,000 lbs of sail boat on single screw w/ 75HP of muscle, rudders are IT.

Holding a bow up to the wind can sometimes be overcome with rudder and quick punches of throttle on the windward screw with rudders hard over to wind, while the leward is backing. The technique is quick punches of the throttle maybe 2X idle or more for no more than a two or three count with lots of revs. The leward screw will be unaffected by rudder, but the windward should torque the bow up... then a pause and as the bow comes up, back both screws down and get momentum into the slip.

Or get a bow thruster!

In doing a "post mortem" on this event and reading your post, I can see benefit from rudders and throttle. I guess that I have become so accustomed to the boat responding favorable to transmission/prop work only on calm days that I did not consider using the rudders.:smt021

I am resistant in using throttle in the marina because of fear of to much sudden boat movement. My boat is not very responsive to rudder movement/positioning unless I am underway. Truthfully, when I leave my slip I dont use my rudders at all until I get out of the marina into the ICW.

Frank has been in my marina and can attest as to how tight it is when it's full.

 

[Alex F]

I am resistant in using throttle in the marina because of fear of to much sudden boat movement. My boat is not very responsive to rudder movement/positioning unless I am underway. Truthfully, when I leave my slip I dont use my rudders at all until I get out of the marina into the ICW.

sprink56,
I've learned that using combination of both throttles and rudders makes a big difference mostly going forward. I'm not sure how tight your spot is, but mine is not a parking lot either. So, I found that when pulling out of my slip (to get out I need to make sharp turn to my port side) I need several shifts forward/revers and some help of throttles if I don't use the rudders. However, it's a lot easier when I turn the wheal sharp to port and strbrd engine in forward, the boat turns much faster, I need to shift my port engine in revers just to hold the boat in position for a moment.

Anyway, I think you should experiment and get the feel on how your boat responds to change in methods. The critical part is to know how to ensure the rudders are back in the position you desire. This is where rudder angle guage is helpful. On a rare occasion I wish I had one.

 

[sbw1]

I used to use the rudders on my 37. Our slip has a cross wind all the time and so you needed to come in hot, crabbed into the wind, while adjusting throttles and rudders. This made for a very active docking process. It became second nature. Above 25 knots of cross wind I did not attempt it. This boat is much easier to dock-it has a keel, plus much bigger rudders and wheels.

 

[Alex F]

This boat is much easier to dock-it has a keel, plus much bigger rudders and wheels.

sbw1,
Did I get it right, your tiara has keel? Inever herd a power boat with a keel.
why, for extra stability? how does it help in cross winds?

 

[Bajan]

Mike,

When I pulled in I knew it was going to be tough..the wind was at my back. I pulled just past my slip like i always do...port engine forward, starboard reverse....quick burst back and forth. Just as the stern would turn to back in...here comes another wind gust and throws me off completely!!! I went thru this 5 times and finally told my wife that I was putting the starboard/stern corner against a piling that we have to starboard that I have my stern spring line on and pivot against it. That worked and we got a line on and pulled it in by hand. It wears me out just to go thru the whole scenario again.:smt024:smt021

I was at the boat today cleaning some stuff that I didn't do last night. A guy came in with a newer 38 DA and I heard him screaming and yelling from about 5 slips down...he Ef'd up about 6 feet of rub rail on one of the pilings trying to back in. I went down and got a line to him and helped him in. He looked at me with a frazzled look...I said hold that thought ...I'll be right back. I ran back to the 39 and came back with a couple of beers and we talked about it.:thumbsup:

I think this crap happens to all of us at some point.

As is said " When I gets my money right"..I swear I'm getting a boat with Zeus Drives:thumbsup:

Zeus drives and sky hook:lol:

 

[sb in gp]

If you can do it, handing a spring line on the upwind side of the boat (with wind blowing you off the dock) to a competent dock hand makes things lots easier in a blow. The line just needs to be loose around a pile or cleat so that it can move with the boat and not pull the helper into the water. Once the line is established, the engines do all of the work. Both people need to understand what's going on, but I've found that you can tell them to loosen up or put a little tension on it and they get the idea pretty quickly if they do not know already.

I thought he said that the wind was blowing toward the dock? This is similar to a problem that I experienced a couple of weeks ago when I launched, and I'd be interested in getting advice. The boat was tied off to a wall with a 15-20 MPH wind blowing the boat against the wall (see picture). I had my buddy try giving the bow a good shove, but the wind just pushed it back and also drove the aft into the wall. We then tried pushing the aft off while applying reverse port power and were able to get off the wall by having my buddy walk along the bow and keep the bow from repeatedly banging, but it was not pretty. Is there a better way to do this with a spring line? I have a boat full of girls, and they are not as agile as my buddy.

 

[CAMELLA]

I thought he said that the wind was blowing toward the dock? This is similar to a problem that I experienced a couple of weeks ago when I launched, and I'd be interested in getting advice. The boat was tied off to a wall with a 15-20 MPH wind blowing the boat against the wall (see picture). I had my buddy try giving the bow a good shove, but the wind just pushed it back and also drove the aft into the wall. We then tried pushing the aft off while applying reverse port power and were able to get off the wall by having my buddy walk along the bow and keep the bow from repeatedly banging, but it was not pretty. Is there a better way to do this with a spring line? I have a boat full of girls, and they are not as agile as my buddy.[/quote]

Tie the port stern to the dock, put the starboard engine in forward and the bow will turn into the wind. I was in the same situation last week.

 

[sprink56]

I thought he said that the wind was blowing toward the dock? This is similar to a problem that I experienced a couple of weeks ago when I launched, and I'd be interested in getting advice. The boat was tied off to a wall with a 15-20 MPH wind blowing the boat against the wall (see picture). I had my buddy try giving the bow a good shove, but the wind just pushed it back and also drove the aft into the wall. We then tried pushing the aft off while applying reverse port power and were able to get off the wall by having my buddy walk along the bow and keep the bow from repeatedly banging, but it was not pretty. Is there a better way to do this with a spring line? I have a boat full of girls, and they are not as agile as my buddy.

Tie the port stern to the dock, put the starboard engine in forward and the bow will turn into the wind. I was in the same situation last week.[/quote]

Makes sense. I dug out the bible of boating, "Chapmans Piloting and Seamanship". There is a whole chapter dedicated to all of this.

 

[fwebster]

Boats with keels?

Take a look at the wide body 330/370EC and 340AJ. They all have keels and handle a lot differently than the usual DA or EC. The best feature is that they track like they are on rails and the low profile makes then handle in a wind in a much more predictable manner.

On the spring line approach to docking in a cross wind, if you can get close enough to a piling to attach a spring line, then you you should be able to stick a stern corner on the same piling, and hold it there while you pivot into the slip.........wouldn't ya think?

 

[rondds]

came back with a couple of beers and we talked about it.:thumbsup:

Ah, the concept of the "Docking Beer!"

On my spinnaker of a boat, I open up all the canvas, make certain the rudders are amidships and NEVER TOUCH THE WHEEL. Shifting and small bursts of throttle - drive it like a Bobcat. Take advantage of the wind and plan your approach knowing you can use a cross wind as a bow thruster. In real severe wind conditions, just concentrate on getting the stern gunwales inside the pilings and "pinball" the rest of the way in.

 

[Chris R]

Ditto on the Sky Hook comment

 

[fwebster]

How would Skyhook do anything helpful in this situation?

Joystick control may de-skill handling to some degree, but I can't see how holding position would do anything helpful given that you still have to relocate the boat to get it into a slip and that Skyhook is limited to the accuracy limits inherent in the GPS system. Plus or minus 3 ft. (assuming WAAS or Differential) has the potential to get you into as much trouble as the wind causes.

Technology isn't always the answer.......we still have to make the boat go where we need it to be.