How hard is it to dock a 270 FV?

luvinlife

Some of you know by my previous posts that this spring will be our first year in a marina. We moved up from a 22 foot sports cruiser to a  270. I always drive the boat and my wife tends the lines. She is VERY nervous about us being able to dock our 270 unassisted. Our Marina is well protected but some wind will surely play a part most days. The slips feature a dock on one side of each "stern in" boat with another boat on the other side. We haven't yet been assigned a slip but I hope to get one with the dock on the starboard side so I can help more with the lines. I have been a boater my whole life and feel I am pretty competent, but this is a lot more boat.
My question is - how hard is it to back a 270 into a slip?  Did you get it down quickly?  Tricks or tips? The marina will send dock hands to assist if you radio them when coming in but I don't want to make a habit out of that 

reneechris14

No wind no current piece of cake,but that won't happen.I would leave a bow line tied back to the arch,so when she stepped of the swim platform she could keep the bow from bumping the nieghbor.more practice more better well sometimes

diggin2day1

If I try to dock my FV270 with the bimini and sides up... it's a total s**t show!!! With the canvas down I find it to be MUCH easier than docking my previous boat(Maxum 2400SCR... 24' long and sat high out of the water... caught way too much wind).  

luvinlife

Reneechris the biwline idea is a good one. If I can get a starboard side dock then I may be able to throw the line over a cleat. 

Cableguy Greg

I feel for you... I went from a 232 cuddy with an Alpha drive to my current 280EC with a Bravo 3 drive. I always backed my 232 in, and I was all over the place with it. I still back the 280 in and it docks like a dream. If you have a Bravo 3 or the VP duo prop, you will be fine. It will take some practice, but you will find it to be just as easy, if not easier than your smaller boat. Diggin is correct, with the canvas up, it can get crazy and fast. I always have my bimini up, but no curtains at all.

J3ff

It's probably one of the more challenging boats to dock...not sure if the counter-rotating prop is a good thing or not with docking...I usually use the wind and current to the advantage... rather than fight it. 

luvinlife

I have a Volvo DP. 

bazza

I have 280 EC docking stern in is easy with no wind or current but if you have a strong wind or current the bow will tend to fall away with it, sometimes it's better to start your run in with the stern into the wind pick up some speed in reverse and power turn into your berth, pre prepair the corners of your berthing finger with fenders, bow thruster would help in these tricky situations, good luck and practice on quiet days.
Bazza.

Goods28

i bow thruster is the answer to easy docking. well worth the money and total control over bow. Also after securing the stearn you can hold the bow with the thruster until your wife gets on the dock to secure a bow line or get a remote and do it yourself
 

AdrianPP

This might sound crazy but after a bad park (not damage to the boat luckily but it was a circus of a park) In 25-30 knot winds that were blowing sideways I decided to do an intentional practice session with a trainer. I was parking a boat that's a little larger (a 44 foot) but it was definitely well worth it and got rid of the nerves that follow a park going wrong. I found myself feeling physical stress symptoms when coming in for parks after the bad one. You might want to put fenders over the side with another boat and not the dock side, and as they said have a rope ready on the back you can throw to someone on the marina.. and have that person on the marina. Then just go in and out 10-15 times. Even though it won't simulate the different wind conditions it will definitely remove the majority of the stress. The golden rule is if you are going to have something go bad and hit a boat or the dock try and do it as slowly as possible. Many expensive lessons have been learned by people in the boat club I am in who have accelerated too hard. Perhaps not as expensive a lesson as the clown who sunk a boat a few months back on the rocks but still an unnecessary way to ruin the day compared to being more careful to control speed!

randy56

If your trying to back the 9 ft boat in a 12 ft hole, it seem's like a small hole, I all-way's have 2 bumper's out on both sides, and 2 line's out on both side's.  It helps the first time to have a couple guy's on each side of you on the dock. Dock friends, neighbors, each time gets easier. And dito what all the others said. I do not use side curtain's at all. 

rasbury

You will get it, just get as much practice as you can under favorable conditions..and its learning to use the wind and current to your advantage and not fight it- does not work all the time!

rasbury

And getting help at the dock is never a bad thing- better than crashing into someone!

luvinlife

I will keep a stash of 5s on my boat for the dock hands. 

skennelly

I found backing in our 270 is the easiest method. Chicago harbors stuff as many boats as possible into the smallest spaces.  Going into our 3rd season and the wife and I are pretty good.  I agree the bravo 3 provides excellent steering when backing in.  When it's really windy good dock friends are good to have.

All it takes is time and practice..It will be stressful at first but trust me you will get good at it.

J3ff

the main thing that I've noticed is that keeping it in N while making drastic changes the position of the out drive works best. 

Keeping it in R or F while going from full right to full left causes problems., This is just a general boating thing I've seen in all boats though. 

laureniac1

I have the same boat and same fears lol. Some days it's easy and then some days hard with the wind. Bottom line you will be fine. And never listen to someone that has two engines about docking because they will say it's easy. Having a single engine is ALWAYS harder to dock but again you will be fine. Just practice and don't let the wind scare you from not going out 

BellevilleMXZ

J3ff said:

the main thing that I've noticed is that keeping it in N while making drastic changes the position of the out drive works best. 

Keeping it in R or F while going from full right to full left causes problems., This is just a general boating thing I've seen in all boats though. 

VERY good tip......And I will say ALWAYS pull all the glass off if windy, makes a HUGE difference. This is one of the bigger boats with a single screw, so that makes it harder. No wind....easy.....if nervous and there is a wind, radio in for a hand. Ive finally started to do this, and it greatly reduces the stress. And as you new to the marina scene, get to know your neighbors, most are more then happy to lend a hand, and come out, without asking if they are around.  

J3ff

BellevilleMXZ said:

J3ff said:

the main thing that I've noticed is that keeping it in N while making drastic changes the position of the out drive works best. 

Keeping it in R or F while going from full right to full left causes problems., This is just a general boating thing I've seen in all boats though. 

VERY good tip......And I will say ALWAYS pull all the glass off if windy, makes a HUGE difference. This is one of the bigger boats with a single screw, so that makes it harder. No wind....easy.....if nervous and there is a wind, radio in for a hand. Ive finally started to do this, and it greatly reduces the stress. And as you new to the marina scene, get to know your neighbors, most are more then happy to lend a hand, and come out, without asking if they are around.  

Also when going full right to full left I give a short pulse of power as it goes into gear... to kind of get the boat to do what I want it to do.  I NEVER dock fast, always nice and easy, but with a big boat and a single engine, it's a lot of gear changes, in N while moving the wheel drastically followed up with a pulse of power and then back down to idle 

Lake_Bum

A couple of boats ago, I had a 25' Chaparral cruiser, that is more like 27. Single engine 7.4, with the Volvo DP props. That was one of the BEST handling boats I've ever owned when it came to tight situations around the dock! 

It was my biggest boat I had owned, and I was a bit nervous, but only the first time. I really liked how responsive that Volvo DP drive was. I could park that boat on a dime.....

Trashman

This works for me....   Im in a slip with a boat on my port side(3ft space in between)  and a finger pier on starboard.   I purchased a corner dock wheel and attached to the corner of the finger pier. BEST MONEY SPENT. I throw out a few bumpers on the port side.  I have a STEERING WHEEL KNOB!  It works wonders.  The space between the wheel and seat is tight and your often looking back.  It eliminates a lot of confusion and frees a hand to work the shifter and i can spin the wheel right to left in seconds without fumbling. .  Took about 4 or 5 times to get my system down but you'd think I'm a pro.  

planesailing

I have a 242 and although it's slightly smaller than the 270 it handles the same way. I agree with all the above tips. Definitely remove all the side covers as this makes it much easier to dock even in really light wind! And take it slow with short bursts of power and you'll be fine. Use opposite lock and opposite gear to correct any over or understeer! Can't wait for spring to get mine back out!!!

reneechris14

After listening to all you guys smashing to the docks,I'm really missing the water.I always help when I see someone coming in.best way to make friends.

luvinlife

Great advice from everyone. I have been reading what I can find on single screw handling too. One of the most helpful hints and what I hear you guys saying is to move the outdrive while in neutral then short burst in gear. One article also says remember the stern moves first not the bow. I also like the steering wheel knob idea 

J3ff

luvinlife said:

Great advice from everyone. I have been reading what I can find on single screw handling too. One of the most helpful hints and what I hear you guys saying is to move the outdrive while in neutral then short burst in gear. One article also says remember the stern moves first not the bow. I also like the steering wheel know idea. 

that's actually the same for outboards as well... I think it's just amplified when you have a big boat like the 270 and a duo prop... the only time I end up screwed is if I'm backing into a space and the wind comes over the bow diagonally from either side and pushes the boat diagonal to where I'm backing into.. at that point it's important to have fenders out because you will be rubbing either the boat next to yours or the dock... in that situation I'll do my best to keep the forward or reverse movement as close to 0 as possible to avoid scratching anything and let it gently kiss whatever it's going to hit, of course with the fenders out. 

06Rinker270

To answer your question, its not hard with practice and confidence.  I have gotten tons of little tips from this forum.  Having the duo prop, which helps eliminate prop walk, is fantastic.  I have been docking this boat for two full seasons now and still make mistakes.  I love the challenge of docking.  Sometimes the weather is bad and it is stressful, but as they say "a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor." 

As @bazza said, I always have stern into the wind.  If I go with the wind, when I pivot, it throws by bow.  Short burst and I crawl.  As you said, moving the drive and then shifting into gear.  This way you know exactly which way our drive is turned.  I often have the difficulty of remembering which way my drive is turned and then have to hastily adjust if I am gear.   If I know I am not going to make it, I slowly pull out and try again. 

I do 90% of my docking solo and my lines are set up for this.   I leave my docking lines at the dock with the eye easily available to throw over the cleat in a hurry.  No more guessing how much line you need to leave and no more wasted time properly attaching the line to the cleat.  I keep the lines connected to a bike hook at an accessible point to throw over cleat.
  
Many days I have just practiced docking.  And when its windy, I take advantage and do more practice.  I reward myself with ice cold beer once completed. 

If I have people on board, I make stay seated and shut up.  Nothing gets me wound up more than having someone on board verbally trying to help me.  

More info than you probably need but hope it helps.

TonyWalker

I post this often, maybe some new will see it.  West Marine sells a rudder position indicator that sticks to the center of the steering wheel with a piece of sticky material.  Once I stuck one of these clever gadgets on, my docking improved by an order of magnitude.   

rasbury

Tony- you are so correct- if you lose track of where your outdrive is pointing you done. I will check this out. I'm doing pretty well with mine and if you read earlier posts of mine I for sure had the same concerns. I have been to places that being unprotected and bad conditions that I just did not bother. Not sure it that is me being a wheeny or being smart but I sure don't want to smack into a dock or worse, someone else's boat. As long as conditions are reasonable I'm finding with a couple of years under my belt I'm doing ok. Great tip though and I will check that out...!

TonyWalker

On the subject of unsolicited advice, I forbid it.  However if someone wants to point something they see out to me, I welcome that.  It might be something I missed.  Now if someone is experienced and wants to give me advice, that is a different matter.  A couple of times that really came in handy.

rasbury

I always go stern into the wind by the way...

06Rinker270

Now that you brought it up again @TonyWalker I have seen that post about the rudder position.  I certainly will look into that.

And agreed on the unsolicited advice versus experienced help.  I am mostly referring to those "there is a piling right there!"  No sh$$.  I love getting experienced boaters on board, I ask lots of questions.  

A story I often tell when talking about docking is when I bought my first boat with twin engines.  I had three people on the dock yelling various things to me while backing in.  It was doing me more harm than good at the point in time.  My wife calmly summarizes all of their advice, most of which was good, and relays it slowly back to me.  Works like a charm when everyone is calm.  I learned a lot that day.