Wow what a day!

Gman

Gman

New Member
Oct 15, 2006
42
Austin, Texas
Well today was quite a day!

It started with taking delivery of "Big Blue" our new 320 DA. The boat is unbelievable in every way. We took the boat out for a spin. Quite a HUGE difference in driving the 320 vs. our previous 182 BR!!! I still need a tremendous amount of practice trying to get the boat in the slip. If our salesman was not telling me exactly what to do I am not sure I could have ever gotten her in the slip.

The day came to an abrupt halt after about my third practice try of getting the boat into the slip when my wife was out on the swim platform trying to keep the boat from bumping the sides of the slip. The platform was wet from our cruise and she slipped and fell hard. She dislocated her finger bad! It was sticking out at a 45 degree ange from the knuckle. It was not a pretty site.

So my day ended with a trip to the emergency room, where we found that she didn't break anything, but they think she might need surgery because she has torn ligaments.

I am just so thankful that she didn't go into the drink and was not seriously hurt!!

So, does anyone have any recommendations for boat shoes with good traction even on a wet swim platform or bow?
 
Congratulations on the new boat. :thumbsup: Very sorry to hear of your wife's injury. I hope your wife has a speedy recovery :smt009

Docksiders are a great brand.

Safety is always something to be taken seriously and I won't presume to dissect the reasons behind your wife's mishap. Having said that, I personally think being on the swim platform while the boat is in motion is not a good idea in any set of circumstances. Trying to stand on a swim platform and fend off a small boat is dangerous enough, but to try and push off a 320 is a no no. Wood and Boat fiberglass don't give, peoples, feet and hands will break instead. :smt009
 
Glad to hear you are enjoying the new boat. Real sorry to hear about your wife's finger.

I also agree with STIHlBOLTS about being on the swim platform. It's just not a good idea. I don't know exactly what your slip is like but if you can get the dealer (or a Captain) to spend some time with you you will get the hang of things real quickly. Going very slowly is one of the keys to docking without mishaps. But I understand where you are comming from. I went from a 240SD to my 260DA and I felt like a fool the first dozen times I tried to back the thing into my slip. A twin screw boat like yours is actually must easier to manuever than my single I/O is. I finally got the hang of it and now I can dock like a pro. But I was always told never go any faster than you want to run into something. :smt089 It's excellent advice. I also make everyone sit still in their seats too until I am backed into the slip.
 
GMAN, nice boat!! :thumbsup: And I too am sorry to hear your wife took a spill.

Now I know and I've been told that "Crocs" are ugly shoes, and I too thought they were. BUT MAN O MAN are the comfortable and the do a good job of slip resistance. They sell them all over and online but I would not get one of the "look a like" brands, they aren't made of the same material.

Here's a link you can take a look at: www.crocs.com I went with the "beach" model, but they have others.

Enjoy and good luck!
 
Our whole family wears Keens - great shoes, really comfortable, don't smell when you wear them all day, and although they have what some might consider an ugly toe area --- it super protects your toes from breaking when you trip on a cleat or something!

We love them and they are funky boaty chic!! (to some :wink: )

http://www.keenfootwear.com/
 
Gman,
Congratulations on your new boat, and I wish your wife a speedy recovery. :smt038
I have to agree with the others, in that the swim platform is no place to be while the boat is running, for the outdrives are only a couple of feet away. Nobody is allowed on mine until the boat is completely in the slip, and the engines are turned off.
Count your blessings, and enjoy your new boat... :thumbsup:
 
Sorry to hear about your wife but you are right it could have been alot worse.

Wesley
 
Congrats on your new boat and so sorry to hear about your wifes injury. The best boat shoes in the world wont keep you safe from the dangers on that swimplatform with the drives engaged and the boat moving though. I carry a few extra bumpers with long lines that can be placed between the boat and the spot its going to hit to help keep people from going in unsafe spots on the boat. I shudder to think what could have happened if she fell in the water instead.

Speedy recovery for your wife and best of luck with your new boat! :)
 
Thanks for all the well wishes for my wife! I will certainly pass them along.

Just to clear a few things up. It was about 40 degrees outside yesterday, so we had the full canvas up. The boat was about half-way in the slip and the engines were on, but the transmission was in neutral. We had some slight momentum still moving us backwards.

I know she was out on the platform only because the canvas was on and she couldn't stay in the boat and still push off the sides. I am not really sure if our salesman had instructed her to push off or not, but she said she was trying to "help".

We have had the discussion before on our 182 BR about trying to push off or keep the boat from bumping while it is in motion! :smt018 It seems like we need to have this discussion again (especially since our new boat is more than 3 times bigger in terms of weight). I have told her safety is the most important thing, not the boat!!!!

As for the shoes...thanks for the recommendations! We will be shopping for some shoes first thing this morning.

Kathy-- I have a pair of keens myself and I LOVE them. I wear them practically the entire summer. I probably would have been wearing them yesterday, but it was so cold, that I thought my feet would freeze.

Slac-- funny you should mention the crocs. I too have thought they were ugly shoes, but every single nurse, and doctor at the Emergency Room last night was wearing them! The doctor said they were great shoes and he loved them. He said they even worked well for not slipping in blood. :smt009
 
No need for me to pile on the safety issue.
Before you pull into the slip, stop the boat a safe distance from the dock. Take in consideration wind speed and current. Now mentaly visualize a game plan. Go as slow as possible. Did I mention go as slow as possible. When you need to stop forward motion and start reversing, the slower you are going the easier it will be. Now once you have commited yourself into your slip dont chicken out. A few well placed bumpers will give you a cusion if you misjudge it a few times.
 
Sperry makes some of he best boat shoes. The soles are razor cut at an angle that makes them very slip resistant. We keep a pair on the boat for for each of us. They wear out too quickly if used for walking around the ports we visit, plus they get dirty so they stay on the boat at all times. We keep our "street shoes" in a locker for times when we are not on the boat.
 
Gman,
Congratulations on your new boat. You bought a good one, and I hope you and your family get a lot of use out of it. As you get comfortable with the bigger boat you will find that it is really very responsive with twins. All it takes is practice. On my 320, and now with the 420, whenever I reverse the boat I stand up, turn about and face the transom, with the shifters in the small of my back. Port shifter in my right hand, starboard shifter in my left. I then ease them in and out of gear until I am lined up and in the slip. If confronted with difficult wind and current, I ask a guest to use the extendable boat hook to fend me off pilings or whatever is too close for comfort. This effort is always done from inside the cockpit, never the platform; but honestly, it is rarely necessary because the boat is pretty maneuverable; besides, the likelihood of a guest being able to fend off 14 tons of Sea Ray is pretty remote. You control big boats with the shifters, and all it takes is practice. I really like backing down the boat in this manner because it gives me superb visibility in the direction the boat is heading, without having to crank my neck around to see the stern. I always take my aft canvas partially down to back into the slip; I find that with a lilttle practice now I can judge my location by having visibility over one aft corner of the boat. Keep practicing, and as many have said here, don't approach anything (dock, raft up, fuel dock, etc) any faster than you are willing to hit it.
I hope your wife heals quickly, and that you enjoy that beautiful Sea Ray.
regards
Skip
 
Good rule to follow when entering or leaving your slip. ALL passengers seated with hands to themselves and mouths closed. NO reaching out to fend off or worse yet, to poke or pull with a boat hook. Learn how to dock your boat safely and slowly with no physical assistance from any one with the possible exception of tossing a line to to someone competent waiting on the dock. It might sound harsh but it is near impossible to get anyone hurt this way. Practice.
 
That's one scary story. Lucky it was just a finger. Yikes!
 
I wish your wife well. She was trying to help. But - I have a rule I learned from my Dad - if I hit the dock that is okay. He told me that is what rub rails are for - don't be afraid to use them. We just bought our 320 this week. Here's to good stories going forward. :thumbsup:
 
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