Docking tips

craigswardmtb

This is my first twin screw and I had a couple questions. What is your guys method for keeping the boat pinned to the dock when the tide and wind is not in your favor? When pulling into a fuel dock what angle are you approaching at and what is your method for swinging the stern against the dock on the quick? I am typically leaving the drives straight and using the controls as if i were operating a tank but it doesn't usually work well for the above scenarios. This is all so different than my single screw 270. Although getting into slips is a lot easier with the twin. I have some lessons in June but always appreciate your guys intel.

TonyWalker

On your first question, this is a book length subject because there are so many situations.  How about posing one of them and someone, maybe me will try to give some suggestions.

On your second question I find that approaching the dock at roughly a 30 degree angle is about optimum.  If you do most of your power input (going forward) with the outside engine and point the bow where you want it with the wheel, you will get the result you want.  If you need to slow down the forward motion, do it with the inside engine and turn the wheel all the way toward the dock.

Using the engines in this manner, you will be vectored slightly sideways toward the dock because the engines are not on the centerline of the boat.

To get the stern in, give both engines a short burst of reverse with the wheel turned toward the dock.  This will pull that end of the boat right in without moving the bow much.

I am sure there will be lots of posts.  This is an interesting subject.  I always have a shot of adrenalin in my system when I dock my boat.  Maybe the only exception is at my home dock.

Tony

Salt Shaker 342   

craigswardmtb

Thx Tony. On the first question I have a slip that is in a channel. The dock space is pretty much the length of my boat with one boat in front of me. It's a great slip but every time I come back it seems the current and wind are against me pulling me back away from the dock. The admiral is not too quick with getting off the boat and fastening lines so I find myself having to hold position with throttle and it isn't easy the way I'm doing it. I have no room to move forward or rear so I find myself having to back off and reapproach hoping she's quicker before the current pulls the stern or bow back away.

Rocketman

I centre my drives and dock totally by using my drives, never touching the wheel. Slow and steady and use drives in forward and reverse to position the boat as wanted.

Black_Diamond

The wind / current will always work against you. Or so it seems. Endless topic I think, but always nice to get other ideas.

brianluck

This is my second season with a twin screw not alot of docking experience before that time, I try not to use my wheel at all and do all movements with the throttles. I usually approach at low speed on a very low angle bumping I and out of gear drives straight once my
Bow is close to the dock my my inshore drive goes to neutral or stays in fwd and my outside drive goes into revers to swig the stern in, I too am the sole captin and first mate as most my company is pretty clueless and just gets in my way. So I try to have my lines handy and get my stern tied up first then if the boat drifts they toss me the bow line since that's all they are
Capable of, so needless to say I try not to boat under high wind conditions or I'm sol. Cheers and good luck

brianluck

Just a thought, if you leave your lines attached to the pilings and had your wife snag them with a hook and attach would that help. I try to keep my docklines all ready set up so it cuts out time and effort.

gslpro

   We bought our 290 at the end of 2011, and it was the first time I ever piloted a twin drive.  As easy as it seems in videos and books, it really is all about experience.  I personally went out to open water next to a channel marker that was not marking rocks or shallows, and practiced all sorts of things on it.  Thank goodness it moves in the water.  :-$  

   We had a stern-in dock with only two poles on the bow at first.  The issue with this was two big ole open areas with nice expensive boats on either side.  Made me pucker every time I swung that boat back into the slip.  This, for me, was the perfect throttle-only scenario because I had to go beyond the docking space, then back around the anchor of another boat and squeeze my stern in without hitting the anchor, and without swinging my anchor into the boat that was in front of us all.  Ummm...yeah it was that bad.  hehe.  Couldn't wait to get another dock, which was worse when I listened to everyone's advice.  They commentated, "You need to come down, put the port side of the bow on the right side of the piling, and then use that to push off of to push your stern around 180 degrees while backing out and then pivoting your bow to the starboard while still backing your stern in to your port side towards the dock."  Really??  Seriously??  I had to find my own way to pull in, which was much easier than their way.  The attached pic is my marina, with #1 being the old space, #2 being the current.  Not a lot of room.  (That isn't my boat in the pic either.)  And, no, you can't back down.  Too much current from the dam around the corner.

   The one thing I want to point out is that the throttle-only and the wheel-use each have a purpose.  When I want to pull my stern in without altering my bow position, I will turn the drives towards the dock and reverse.  It just seems to react better.  Also, a point to this long-winded post, is that Alpha drives require a LOT more finessing than twin-blade props.  Especially in reverse.  I have to throttle up quite a bit sometimes to get a quick response.  practice, practice, practice....where it won't hurt to bump something.  

gslpro

A quick comment about lines though...look at shurhold's website for the expandable pole that has switchable tops.  One of the I think is a loop grabber to help grab your dock cleats or pilings with your lines.  You wife could secure the line from the boat, without having to get off.  I personally use one set on the dock that is tied to the uprights, and another set on the boat.  When I dock, my wife just has to take the loop and drop it on the cleat that is on the boat, which stops me within 8 inches of where I want to be.  I can then properly loop it afterwards.  The front I use the bow line to wrap to a cleat I installed, which she can just wrap quickly.  It speeds things up that way.

Shaun

gslpro , I have had the Shurhold pole with the hook and the three brushes for four years now. They have been well worth the money. I use at least one attachment every single time I am at the boat.

gslpro

The piece I was thinking about was this...DockaReni.  Stupid name, but cool idea for $10.

Black_Diamond

All nice ideas...I always have my lines set at the dock, ready to easily grab a spring line and a stern line.  Between myself and my 12 y/o son we easily pull in..most days.  I have the 'never jump off the boat while docking' rule.  

TonyWalker

Most don't know how effective this is in the right situation.  I keep a 4 foot bungee cord hanging from the bimini rod nearest the helm where it connects to the side windshield.  When I arrive at my home dock, I loop it around the adjacent piling back to the bimini rod.  Keeps the boat in place while I am tying up the lines.  Obviously the winds and currents are insignificant allowing this technique to work so well with no undue forces on the side windshield.  And I dock on the starboard side which helps. 

Tony

Salt Shaker 342

:ar!

BreadRunner

Glad I don't have a slip like that.  That is some tight maneuvering there buddy. 

TonyWalker

Yes I would say that GLSPRO's marina Is tight.  Why they even have a boat on the roof! 

Tony

Salt Shaker 342

:ar!

gslpro

TonyWalker said:

Yes I would say that GLSPRO's marina Is tight.  Why they even have a boat on the roof! 

Tony

Salt Shaker 342

:ar!

 

Yeah, that is what I use to guide people to my marina.  Just look for the big Formula Boat on the roof...I am underneath it!  Old fire-gutted boat.  Redid the paint and used it as an eye-grabbing advertisement. 

gslpro

BreadRunner said:

Glad I don't have a slip like that.  That is some tight maneuvering there buddy. 

And what is funny that is in that pic, there are three boats missing.  Usually there are a 35' Formula, 33' Formula, and Rnker 280 in those spots.  Makes it much tighter with those big boats in there.  I used to have my 24' Four Winns in that corner slot between #1 and #2 where the little outboard boat is pictured in there.  Single engine navigating in and out was not too fun either, but the marina is so nice, that I really don't want to go anywhere else.  Cheapest gas on the lake, bog deck to entertain our guests. screen house with dining area, storage boxes on the L-return and a grill on the dock.  Cleanest bathrooms around, shower head pressure to remove just about anything.  Great staff.  Worth the pucker-factor!!