Boaters are a funny bunch. Once they learn how to properly handle their vessels they instantly forget about the learning curve they themselves went through to get there. They become condescending, arrogant and judgmental. I have been boating for 30 years and 90% of that time is alone without help. I see some really aggravating stuff from new boaters but I always try to remind myself that, in time, they will get the hang of it and join the ranks of the experienced, etiquette biding boater world. And hopefully they remember the slack they were afforded when they come across a new boat owner struggling to do something.
Your right, but its also a bit like doing an apprenticeship, you cop shit till you know what your doing, then you get to fling shit. I'm not one to subscribe to the whole boating ( especially sailing ) niche, snobbish culture, ( especially twilight racers, of which I'm one, why do we people protest handicaps, starts etc on the booze cruise?). However I am not wealthy, that boat is my life, your inexperience doesn't fill that huge fuckin hole in my hull that I gotta fix, because you couldn't be bothered to do a day course at the marina or watch some you tubes. If you owned a vintage Ferrari, and it got dinged every time you took it out because every time some person who couldn't drive managed to back their latest model toyota into your irreplaceable hand made antique vehicle....
My experience here in northern Europe (mainly Baltic Sea) is very different: The more experienced sailor, the more willing to help, and the less judgemental. Everyone tries to help the boater moor safely. It is not the right time or place to become judgemental, or ridicule someone.
@@sadenuttie2234 alot of EU countries require a license in order to operate fast and big ships in mainland water. You technically don’t need a license at sea but in order to get there you need a coastal water one on top of the basic one. Things you have to learn in mainland: lighting at night, priority in the water, steering and wheel effect, bridge height. The second one requires you to learn how tides and weather effect the water and using that knowledge for manual navigation at sea with a proper seamap. Learning both at the moment. Its not that we are more polite we just know the last priority rule is that we are responsible for collisions even if we had priority because even with priority you still have to avoid dangerous situations even if someone else creates them.
Simple rules: Never approach or depart a dock faster than you want to hit it. Never approach or depart a dock without everyone knowing their duties and all lines and fenders visually verified and ready. Never approach or depart a dock with a “cold” engine. If you don’t like how things are going, get a safe distance and re-dock. Drink or Captain, never both. Never be embarrassed to ask for help Before entering the dock. Harbor Masters will respect you if you ask. Don’t forget to tip them. Always have a Plan B and Plan C. I have docked many racing sailboats (and small single engine powerboats) by myself but whenever I am not comfortable, I will not enter a slip till I have help and have given them clear instructions as to what I want them to do. Fun videos. Thank you.
Muskietime so much this. Also, always check conditions and plan accordingly. Like where will the wind push you, are there any waves, whats around you/your intended docking space? And if you dont feel comfortable docking in the conditions you face, simply dont unless you absolutly have to. Find another spot, wait for the wind to die down, etc. The last one is even more important when undocking: if you wouldnt feel comfortable docking your boat in the given conditions, dont even think about undocking in the first place.
Also just as important: NATURE tells you what to do, not the other way around. Learn the Beaufort wind scale and it'll help you in the long run. Also, that little nagging voice in the back of your head? Listen to it. If you have that creepy mild chill running down your spine, maybe you should call it quits and head back to port before it gets bad...
I would add to this: if you are not confident in which slip you are going to, the current conditions, or any part of the docking situation--circle around, communicate, and dock on a T-head or fuel dock to figure it out.
When I’m on my approach I spend most of the time in neutral and bump in and out to gently move the boat the directions I need. I’m a paraplegic and have a 43’ Searay. I Captain it 80% of the time by myself. I’ve learned how to make the boat do the work. No bow or stern thrusters. Just a lot of practice and I put it wherever it needs to be. I have 6” on each side when I back into my slip and rarely ever touch when going in backwards. Point is the boats are capable to do most anything when docking it takes practice especially learning to deal with current and wind.
my family ended up wanting to rent a boat for their first time recently, and no one took any safety courses or read any of the water traffic rules or anything but me, so all fingers pointed to me when they asked whod be driving. i was definitely.worried about docking the boat, but luckily i knew to go in super slow, but still bumped the dock because no one else helped on the boat by throwing out bumpers or anything. i definitely wish i had seen these videos/comments before i went out if i knew I'd be captain 😒. hopefully i can get the confidence to take a boat out again because i love being out on the water
I like the "dont do this and why" format. I was on boats alot as a kid. Now going on 40 and realizing I need this back in my life, unfortunately I cant remember everything I learned back then and I know I didn't learn all there is to know on it. This is helpful for refreshing myself and learning some new stuff before getting back on the water. Thanks bunches!
Another thing to consider is when it looks like what you planned is not working, it might be better to power back out to open wager and re-group. Most boats are easier to control when they are under way, instead of drifting or moving very slowly.
People just need to play with their boats and have fun with em. Instead of being scared find some protected waters and have a day of articulating. Just go around pulling up to bulkheads and docks where no one is watching you, be careful and have fun. You’ll get it, just keep trying
My grandfather has been boating for 50+ years. And he makes it look so easy in his 55ft pluckebaum. He was coming in one day with a strong wind he lined up about 3 slips down put it in gear and by the time he reached the dock we was perfectly aligned to his slip
Bennett Wilke that’s hella experience, once u get that concept of speed timing and angles ur golden ! The captains here in the caribbean could drive with the conditions we have to deal with
hippo4g93 yea up here in western my there’s mood flat bottoms and pleasure boats then sail boats. But I’m always amazed when my grandfather ties up with a boat or docks that big ass boat without thrusters and when you have a boat that big made of aluminum once it’s going one direction it’s not stopping
We really enjoy and appreciate your telling us what went wrong and more important, how to correct it. Please publish more like this to help us all improve!
Nice video. I am a skipper and I break a sweat big time *every time* I come into a marina. I like that you explain the mistake and the solution. Good job!
I have always had boats in my family except for the last 10+ years. Your video is a good refresher for someone getting back into boating or new to boating.
Remember: Neutral is your friend! Also, suddenly losing power while docking there is no time for dropping an anchor as you're drifting into another boat. If the current and/or winds are bad always have fenders ready to deploy. Telling us to drop an anchor in that situation is ridiculous and bad advice. It takes several minutes drop anchor and there's no telling that it will actually catch.
I'm thinking about getting a sailboat to live on fairly large 40 to 65 feet. I came across your comment and was pretty legit I drive a ski boat you know their ridiculously hard to dock but I'm a pro at it. Do you think it would be difficult for me to dock a large boat? Personally i wouldn't try it in the marina i would go out and how to maneuver the boat in open water before i came to the docks . How long do you think it would take me to learn to dock my boat properly?
@@apollomorris9920 Its hard to say. Will the boat have gas or diesel motor(one or two?)? Diesel will give you more low torque which makes docking easier than gas motors. Going from a ski boat to a 40+ foot sail boat is a big leap but you have the right attitude. Practice makes perfect and as you know always take it slow so you can make corrections without the fear of a collision. Bumping the throttle from neutral then into gear and back to neutral and then back into gear etc is most important when docking a large vessel.
@@treydrier3169 thanks for your reply Trey Drier I'll keep in mind what you said here. Yes it is quite a step up in size and I will have that learning curve but I just need to be patient and I think I'll be ok. I really don't want to be that guy that's bumping other people's boats , i see it has very disrespectful and low seamanship ability. All have a lot to learn but i think i'm capable.
When docking a vessel of any size it’s usually customary to have the anchor at short stay. Meaning the anchor could be deployed in a matter of seconds. If ever in a situation like this where the Coast Guard is involved and a MMA license at stake, one of the first questions you would be asked is “why did you not deploy the anchor immediately following the lose of power?” Whether it would have prevented damage is the. The question is did the Captain use all available means and equipment to avoid the collision/allision? If the answer is no, that will result in an increase in percentage of liability. Your advice to not deploy the anchor sound like it’s based upon amateur mariner skills and knowledge.
@@timothyboone5003 It's based on 25 yrs experience. What you fail to understand in your know-it-all response is that you may be too close to deploy an anchor while docking. If you are in a channel then deploying an anchor is the correct action. Also the anchor will likely not catch so you will continue drifting. Think it all the way through next time. (And, no, the Coast Guard will not ask you why you didn't deploy an anchor while docking.)
Good tips except for the anchor tip, I've never seen anyone have time to use an anchor before they were into another boat or pier. Time honored tradition of never coming in faster than you want to hit something, if the current is too fast, find another place to dock
I'm going to agree with Scott. In addition to the limited time, even if the'd been ready to drop anchor and did so as soon they were aware of the developing situation, it's doubtful they'd have gotten enough line in the water to get the anchor to set and hold before running out of room.
I was definitely a boneheaded boater when it came to docking.... I tried my best but provided live entertainment for many a dock bobber just sitting on their boat in their slip enjoying their drinks.
I spent a good ten minutes trying to get the boat tied down before coming upon the realisation that I definitely didn't have enough rope to actually pull it off. Hopefully provided some of the spectators entertainment lol
Thanks for adding the "Why" that was super helpful. I've been watching everything I can about boats as I am planning to buy one. While I am learning a lot, I haven't learnt what questions I am meant to ask once I take a class. Again, this was super helpful!
As a licensed captain, all of these are very good points. I'd like to add a few more. 1) Most people find it easier to bow in than back in, the boat is the hardest to control in the wind if you do not have a bow thruster 2) If you buy a boat from a reputable dealer, ask for lessons. 3) Do not rely on technology, such as thrusters, Mercury Zeus or Axius, or Volvo IPS, practice in an open area if an engine were to go down. I've had this happen to me, it was an embarrassing docking as a pro captain. 4) Call the marina for them to send staff for help if no body is around on a week day, this is really common on the great lakes.
I used to race 40’+ sailboats. I would get them off their mornings and put in dock slips. If wind, current or if I felt a little “”off” I would have someone at the slip to assist. Lines and fenders would always be setup ahead. I am never too proud to “abort” a maneuver. Backing in was always easier and how Folks like to see their boat. You just had to know how the prop behaves in reverse.
Just brought up another good point. Sailboats and powerboats do not handle at all the same while docking. Powerboats steer and slide from the stern, the bigger vessels (except for sight lines) actually handle better. Sailboats steer from the middle but don’t have the power to stop. Yes you are correct, if you have a sailboat know your prop, I would always test stop before docking aka folding/feathering props not being greased. Biggest boat I ever captained for a client was a 100’ Hatteras. We did the loop on that. Never actually took a trip more than 30 miles to deliver a sailboat, that was a Catalina 30. That had a folding prop so you had to get ready aim and fire it in reverse for anything to happen.
@@high_tide330 Doing the Great Loop in a Hatteras? That would be amazing…..except for the shifting mud and sand bars. What wore the most from that Adventure? My perception are the props but that is only a guess.
We had a crew of four along with a family. My wife gets a free ride and cooks (she’s Italian and an amazing cook). A full time detailer, engineer and myself. The Mississippi was definitely the hardest, I also hate locks because barges really don’t care about scratching the boat. Hatteras are also painted so it’s not like mixing and matching gel coat. With the big props it’s honestly hard to feel anything. We made it to Florida and I suggested we have the boat hauled out for inspection since they have so many places capable of doing so and we had a bent rudder and prop. The engineer didn’t notice anything wrong (never worked with him before) but the auto pilot was slowly working port constantly on a calm day so I figured something was off. I’m fairly young for a captain (36) but I own a Tiara Coronet on Lake Michigan and work as a deck hand on a 72ft Viking in the Keys for a few months in winter so the Great Lakes, Keys, and Atlantic Coast I wasn’t too worried about.
@@high_tide330 So cool. Thank you for sharing. Wife having to cook really is a full-time job. I have a bassboat so Locks are not a problem but wrestling with a 100’ yacht in a Lock is a whole different level. Time on a Viking must have been thrilling. I fish the Keys in the Winter (inshore with my bassboat) and it is nothing like the open Ocean and the big ass plegics you were probably hunting! Be well.
My boat is small.... 18 foot open skiff..... currently I can control it, hoping old age and senility don’t change that until the senility makes it so I won’t know and my kids have mutinied and assigned me to quietly sit amidship.....
I love this format. Ive only had my boat for 3 months. Ive learned allot of what not to do on bone headed boaters and on this video I learned what to do. Keep it up. Love your channel!
Docking a 23 to 40 foot boat takes practice - most in this category don’t have a bow thruster. After a few embarrassing docking incidents as a new skipper, a friendly old salt gave me the following advice. 1. Plan ahead with lines and fenders 2. Go slow! 3. Go around if it starts to go bad
I single handed a 28' sailboat for six years on Chesapeake Bay. Got so used to doing it that when I had family or friends on board, I just had them sit where they were while I cast off and docked. It was just easier for me that way.
@Karl Juice I've sailed in several countries including the U.S and have always and only heard them called Fenders. I'm British so I think I know the Queens English quite well.
Hello Just wondering, I see all these videos and before I went out for the first time in my boat I have learned the hard way s as bf by watching these videos. Question is have you ever seen anyone use their trolling motor to dock. It has helped me tremendously in docking into slips etc.
My first docking of our "new" boat about 12 years ago was with pretty tough winds while docking at our marina about 20 miles by water. Good thing the other boat in our 2 boat horseshoe twin berth slip was out when we pulled in with about 15+ knot winds! We made it with bruised ego, and probably a scrape or two on the hull. Always plan your departure and arrival maneuvers beforehand with your crew! Practice docking in empty slips. I did get pretty good with our 31 foot boat, even complimented a few years running after backing into this one fairway, backing around a corner between boulders on one side and the dock in 16-20 knot winds! Learn your boat's center or pivot point and how it handles in various current and wind directions. If winds are too high, ignore "get-there-itis" and go another day! Better safe than make the news as an idiot or a fatality!
Helpful tips here. I plan on owning a boat sooner or later, I'm currently a PWC guy so all my experiences are there. PWC helping my wife learn about the water. I've been a free diver my whole life so I understand the ocean but not any vessel larger than a rental pontoon :)
Guess comments say it all, take some lessons, practice practice practice coming in slow and steady. Always plan your approach well ahead of time and talk it over with your crew (even if the instruction is stay out of the way).
My Sea & Anchor detail job in the Navy was standing by the port anchor when docking or undocking a destroyer. In case of engine failure, I was to clout the pelican hook & drop the anchor to stop the ship from drifting into anything. It works for 6,000 ton warships & it'll work for a 10 ton pleasure craft.
Actually, not really, proportions are different, With small craft docking you may have only couple of meters or less to another boats while still having few meters of deptths. Dropping the anchor (and typically you do not have quick drop facility either) will take time to set and will have larger swing than the gap you are trying to fit in.
Every boat steers differently, especially astern. Look carefully, anticipate every force, where possible let them work for you, usually by holding you away so you can power into position. Some docking scenarios are just plain difficult, consider your options and think it through. Easier said than done as you will experience pressure to act, real or imagined. Read books on docking and discuss it with other skippers. We have all had better and worse days. Anyone you see making it look easy has usually spent a lot of time and thought on making it look easy. Don't be embarrassed to take the time to learn.
Really like this kind of video. I helps learn what to do when you have a wind and current situation. Please keep these coming you are having laughs but teaching us too.
Exactly! I said the same thing. That was as stupid a statement as I've heard and terrible advice. Always have fenders ready in bad winds and currents when docking.
Probably the number one failure that leads to the majority of dock and ramp accidents is lack of patience. Even a novice boater can do very well if they take time to observe the conditions, have the right gear out, and plan on having a back up plan.
Just do all manouvres slowly and hang your bumpers out, if needed all around the boat. Slowly can mean you have to give it some throttle when there are currents and/or wind. And if possible always dock right into the wind that will give you more control. And do not start by driving a big boat. You learn on a smaller boat.
Ok the comment about the anchor, really? First of all you’re not going to get the anchor ready when docking anticipating engine problems and even if you did, by the time the anchor might grab it’s too late anyway
If you've got limited or no experience boating it's a good idea to get used to how your boat maneuvers in a area safe to do so. Most boats do not steer in rev and have reduced thrust. Throttle back early dump momentum set bumpers get lines ready and go slow on approach. If you are unlucky and have a engine failure on final remember you have steerage as long as you have momentum try to avoid a head on with the pointy bit go for a glancing blow. To try and drop,set and tie off a anchor in the final 20feet is improbable. Check weather! And remember the best bilge pump is a scared man an a bucket.
A lot of boaters don't know how to deal with currents. Another thing is just because the current is flowing in a certain direction doesn't mean that is the direction it's flowing where you are docking. There is a boat launch I use on a regular basis and I watch boat after boat get messed up by that back current. Hell it even messes with me sometimes and I have to adjust and take another shot at it.
Why the freak is it not a requirement to take a measly two hours of boating class before you can get on the water? I'm not saying we have to license people but just have them show a diploma stating that they have learned the very basics of navigating through harbors, judging the waters and how to get the boat on/off the trailer at the ramp.
I had a 36' sportsfisherman with a single engine that had to be backed into the slip. Lesson one always be aware of wind direction; lesson two go slow!
Good idea to get some lessons from the retailer where you purchase them both on how to dock it best? Every vessel is unique to its own Dynamics and I think if you buy from a reputable place they should be able to give you best practices
These are great teaching aids. You may want to mention Chapman’s small boat handling book. Good reading on seamanship and the art of navigation. My wife used to put it on the trailer and it was always take your time, read the currents, and if it doesn’t feel good, go around and try again. Out of twenty loadings, only one go around. Some bilge sucker was blipping the throttle on one of those Fontaine speed boats and started insulting her. She just gave me the sign and like dingy boy load out first.
Jim Pikul never heard of a Fontaine but I have heard of Fountain, I own a 38 Lightening. I have absolutely no clue what your last sentence meant and I’ve been boating since 1965 I’m in hopes that sentence was just a huge typo, for your sake, if not, it sounds like you were being a bonehead and in the way and your wife paid for it.
Randy Carlisle yup, a bit of a typo. But no, I wasn’t in the way. I was dropped off, got the trailer in the ramp and was waiting for her to come in. You are correct with the Fountain. I think that was the idiot was coming in hot and being a bigger bonehead.
The next time I meet a boater that drops anchor in that situation will be the first time I meet a boater that drops anchor in that situation. I can see if you're drifting towards a break wall in a rough current but to drop while juggling the docking attempt I've honestly never considered.
I like these types of videos. It’s a combo of how to and BHB. Some day I’ll have a boat and definitely don’t want to see my self on here. If I do screw up and it’s caught in film I’ll be the one to send it, not joe blow on the dock laughing at me
Enjoy these videos allot..............in this one the sailboat Tropical Breeze (don't know it or the owner) but is in Kemah and recognize the marina as Waterford harbor, don't see too many from Galveston bay area!
I’ve been boating since 1965 at which time I was barely out of diapers. This is what we call a “ why not video” i.e. why not to buy a 30-40+ft boat as your first or second boat, because you’re a googin and you don’t have a freakin clue what you’re doing. It’s a great way to get your ass kicked too.
U are so very right on the getting ur #ss kicked part I try to avoid crowded docks I have a little aluminum boat Star Craft 18 offshore so it's pretty easy to handle
I love your work always get a reply thanx! Love your channel it would be hard to be cool around sometimes I do try my best I hope I don't ever wind up on the channel where guy looses his cool thanx for response Smokey Wilson
I always dock sailboats bow to unless it’s absolutely necessary to back in. I much prefer having power and rudder behind me to back out if the slip. Twin screw powerboat? You can put it wherever you want it lol. But those dock condominiums do have an awful lot of windage Cheers
I was a happier boater before I started watching all these "Broncos Guru" videos. Now I'm scared to death of my boat! His Boat Launch/Ramp Fails videos finally convinced me put my boat in a slip permanently, even though I've never had a mishap at the ramp, thank God! - I guess in a way he's helped make me a safer captain and made sure I haven't shown up on "Boneheaded Boaters of the Week"...yet!
Another good technique is to come in hot, really hot, yank the emergency brake and power slide into the slip. Oh...........wait..........boats don't have emergency brakes.......or tires. Oh well, works pretty sweet in the car. Seriously, excellent tips. Thanks for the content.
Actually works quite well using the propeller walk ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propeller_walk ) of the boat. Issue is though that you need a big margin and need to know the boat really really well, especially regarding which speed to use, but the advantage is that you are working against your speed reducing windage effects. I usually do it by kicking it in reverse, waiting until the perfect time and then revving up to time it so you just slightly bounce of a well placed fender while someone jumps a shore with a fore spring. Happens all the time on more traditional small passenger vessels without bow thrusters!
I consider a day of boating to be hours and hours of bliss bookended by the stress of coming into and out of the slip. All you can do is be as prepared and ready as you can be and then sometimes things still don't wind up right. Wind and current love playing tricks on you. You either are watching the show or you ARE the show. That and I never approach a dock or another boat any faster than I'm willing to hit it.
I knew I forgot to mention something and that was it. Don't approach the dock faster then you are willing to hit it. Thanks for watching and the comment.
3:14 an anchor is not a brake. Have you ever used one? Unless you're referring to something that happened 5 minutes before the video started then no this is definitely not a suitable time to be deploying an anchor. It takes a long time for the crew to get it ready, a long time to sink, a long time to run out enough rode for it to be effective, and then a long time for it to dig into the sea/river bed, and depending on the type of bed etc it might still not come to a complete stop. You'd at best be wasting one of your crew and distracting your skipper, and at worse it could get itself tangled up on something such as another mooring line or the prop, and then you have an additional problem.
Exactly correct, in that situation throwing the hook wasn’t a realistic option, not even close, also throwing the hook 10ft away from the dock is probably illegal, who knows what types of underwater infrastructure are present, you could damage sewer or power lines, just a stupid bit of advice that will only get you in more trouble than you are all ready in
only when in a river or a lake or something could describe the anchor as a emergency brake. If your engine fails on a river or lake deploy the anchor, hope its grabs good and that should ive you time to find out what is wrong or for help to arrive before you run in to something you dont want to. But near the docks its allready too late. Your time is better spend trying to restart the engine or whatever and having people grab as many fenders they can to protect your boat and the boats of people around. Also make VERY clear to people on other boats you are in trouble so they can come out and help or atleast grab some of their own fender to protect their boat.
I have a 50ft twin screw and always my girl is on the back deck ready to cleat my aft just in case. I can always power back into the dock after that. I have no bow thrusters so it is all approach, speed and screw management. This is my second boat. The first was a 40ft sail boat, totally different beasts
Love it I only do beach landings or tie offs next to a boat ramp pls do a section on easy rope knots I know 6 how many dose a new boat owner know cause a secured rope will save u than unsecured also the right knot is easier to release when u are alone fighting current or wind
Peter Pringle bowline and flat/reef knot and ya good to go , I’ve seen ppl confuse themselves trying to learn too many I was guilty of this in my teens
3:14 an anchor is not a brake. Have you ever used one?Unless you're referring to something that happened 5 minutes before the video started then no this is definitely not a suitable time to be deploying an anchor. It takes a long time for the crew to get it ready, a long time to sink, and then a long time to run out enough rode for it to be effective, and then a long time for it to dig into the sea/river bed, and depending on the type of bed it might still not come to a stop.
I have been sailing since I was a kid, but most of that was dinghies…. I still get super nervous when I’m docking on a “real” boat, and mine are really small! Just watching this video gives me a nervous stomach! Something in me wishes I could be so brave as to buy a 40ft boat with no experience and just go out for a day on the water! I’d be a wreck! So nice to see at least a few people here offering help and encouragement. Sadly - although I am a sailer - I find the sailing community to be judgmental and unfriendly. Even asking for advice will generally get you a lecture. BTW - I’ve never yet actually damaged either my boat or someone else’s, so I’m not an idiot boater I guess.
Biggest mistake some of these made was mooring with the wind as opposed to against the wind. You can’t easily maintain proper control when you’re at the mercy of the wind. When you are into wind, if something’s not right it’s easy to start over.
Good video about what NOT to do when docking. One thing that I must point out is the incorrect terminology used for the cushiony devices used to fend off other objects and prevent damage. They are called FENDERS not bumpers. If the goal of this video is to teach and instruct, proper seamanship terminology must be used. Thank you.
Single engine boat with out drive, when pulling up to the dock don’t keep it in drive go in and out to keep just enough speed to creep forward then when ur halfway in the dock turn wheel to whatever side the dock is and put in reverse just long enough to stop the boat this will also pull the back of the boat towards the dock. If there is a current you have to compensate and Bigger boats will get pushed from wind but this is the basic’s. Most people make the mistake of leaving in drive and pulling in too fast.
1:50 For this one I would say rule #1 is go slow... Sure paying attention is important too, no doubt. But he was going much too fast... even if he were to make iit into that slip he was aiming for, he would have smacked the back unless he really gunned it forward at the last minute and parked it like a stunt driver :P If he was going 1/3rd the speed he was at, he would have turned around, saw he wasn't lined up and been able to correct or have been able stop before hitting the dock.... It would have been really hard for him to do what he just did, going 1/3rd the speed... it would have been an austin powers moment.
In general yes. But sometimes you just need to maneuver decisively. When there is strong wind and current, for example. You can't just stop like a car. And if you have an outboard you can pretty much only steer when you have some speed.
he wasnt going to fast, if he was to slow the water isnt moving over the foils enough to have directional control. This guy just couldnt steer his boat. I had a similar sized sailboat with large rudder and fin keep and would back in at about 4 knots due to winds but i could STEER my boat. while still using momentum in reverse id shift back to forward so all id have to do is goose the throttle to stop the boat in its slip. Never as issue even in gusty winds. slow in reverse is a good way to get blown around.
@@hippo4g93 Dude chill. There was no sarcasm intended or implied at all, in my first reply. No I dont know what a spring line is. I do now, perhaps I should have just googled instead of replied. Have a beer and a deep breath bro, it's not all bad in the world.
3:14 - Location: Milna, Brač island, Croatia - I suspect the exact location would be - 43.3269342 N 16.4481928 E. The sailboat is drifting due to wind not current. Visible from the fact that the sailboat is listing slightly to starboard. The engine is running - as you can see from th water being ejected on the port side from the coolant loop. Strong SE wind, locally known as Jugo (pronounced "yugo") can sometimes mess with your docking in this side of the harbour. Dropping anchor is not an option because all it would do in this spot is turn the boat into the wind. What they are doing wrong is that they left too much room and they let the wind push them down into the other boat. In this case what you really need to do is have one person get ready with a stern line, another one with a hook to grab the harbour mooring line and then just reverse with a bit more power about 2-3ft away from the boat to starboard. Once you are about 3-4ft from shore put the engine into forward gear to stop the boat dead in the water. The person with the stern line throws it to the harbour Master, they will tie you off and now you can control the distance with hmthe engine. The other person needs to grab the mooring line and tie it off to the bow. The wind will now gently start pushing you towards starboard on to the other boat's fenders - there are typically no docks between the boats in the Mediterranean so mooring fender to fender is the norm. The two guys with ICI on their shirts are harbour employees and they could help but they seem to be more re interested in watching the captain mess up.
when docking let the wind & tide help you when possible. EZ does it, it ain't a race. When backing, point the rudder the direction you want to go. When docking shift to "N" for a second or two, while correcting the wheel / rudder direction & / or going from forward to reverse
Hi,seems like you know quit a bit,and I love your videos,but I'd like to say just onne thing that drives me nuts,you keep calling fenders " bumpers" please,please,please refer to fenders as fenders,NOT BUMPERS,lol,sorry,it just drives me nuts,lolthank you for the awesome vids
in the first one the picot line woulda worked if he used less power and had the bow line on the opposite cleat. but pivots are definitely better from the stern no doubt about it.
What I did was put my boat in at a ramp that wasn't busy, I practiced multiple different scenarios and maneuvers... Too many people feel like operating a boat isnt much different than a car... Anyways y'all be safe
Pivot lines are called spring lines. “Bumpers” are used in bumper boats, precisely what you are trying to avoid. Proper term is fenders. Don’t mean to get all grammary, but there’s a long history of nautical terminology that should be used correctly so that we all can agree on what we’re talking about. The use of incorrect terms detracts from your credibility on the topic.
The yacht in Greece (03:16) seems to be doing a classic ‘med mooring stern-to’. Here you drop the anchor, motor back, attach each rear quarter to the dock and then by tightening the ancho, gain a 3-point mooring. Consequently the anchor would (should!) have already been down. The issue is they didn’t get onto the quay quickly enough, didn’t motor the stern into the wind and likely had the anchor dumped, meaning it was doing nothing other that paying out. Presuming they were aiming to park next to the yacht on the right, they needed to drop their anchor to the left of its likely anchor location, then motor back _into the wind_, get back onto the dock, warps ashore and then _walk_ the stern back to other yacht, hopefully straightening up with their anchor. Easy to say, not always so easy to execute. Anyway, his anchor would have been (should have been!) down and should have been snubbed to stop them going around the bow of the parked yacht
Banging and bumping into boats is perfectly normal when docking , if you are worried about causing too much damage you could always tie old tires to the side of the boat to cushion any impact :-)
Take it from me - docking can be dangerous and not just for the boat operator. I fell going from boat to dock & ended up breaking 4 ribs & chipped my L1 wingspan. Ended up with a collapsed lung. Never will I try to go from boat to dock until boat is completely off!!
The lag time for steering combined with wind is in fact too much for some brains - add current to the equation, and they have no chance. The bigger the boat, the harder it can be to gauge, and minimum speed to have steering varies from craft to craft. But for most, there are classes the coast guard offers on small craft/boat saftey - it's a very good investment of time. I've watched some harbor maneuvers of big ships, and it approaches art: they may engage propulsion for a few seconds with no apparent vessel movement then throttle off... and then they're moving. They sneak up on a pier, not cruise to it.
One would think with the size boats and money needed...they's do some practice runs with trailers in a parking lot...empty trailer....empty parking lot. As to driving a boat , practice at sea, run against a current, do circles to see effects, back up and maneuver, and maybe the most important...stay sober and have a more experienced boater work with you....at least till you get it figured out.
When you want to comment on other people, make sure you know the correct terminology. It’s not pivot line, it’s spring ling and it’s not bumpers it’s called fender.
He sounds like the guy who stands on the Pier using the correct terminology but not lifting a finger to help you park on that wooden thing you rope your boat to!
Actually it is called a pivot line. If your using it while secured to the vessel and the dock ,for maneuvering. A spring line is fixed and keeps the vessel from moving forward and backwards after docked and tie up at all points. And as for terminology there’s well over a thousand years of boat terminology ,nobody knows it all. Much of it changes periodically example : The word Port , 100 years ago was known as Larboard. But in a storm yelling Larboard and Starboard sounded to similar. Larboard stood for “loading board “ or “loading side “ Starboard for “steering board” or rudder side. (Early vessels had the rudder lashed to the starboard side of the craft , it’s why they always docked to the port side so as not to damage the rudder against the dock ) So when needing to change to a less phonetically equal word they used the other term for a dock the word “Port” TOW BOATS US KEMAH TX.
Diamond Lou There's a huge olde sea dog vocabulary in the English language. Britain is primarily an island nation. Didn't she rule the waves,at one time.
G MC yes , but not before many others. Phoenicians , Mesopotamians , and I think the southern Indians (India ) were a huge ocean going culture. Not to mention the Chinese , and Polynesians. Who may have been some of the first to cross the Pacific Ocean. So yes the language vocabulary is very large and long winded but in the last 100 years it’s been quite a bit refined.
dropping anchor in a marina not a good idea at all. you clearly don't know how an anchor works. leave it to the guy with the ski boat image on his channel he is clearly a professional
If you have a windless like mine I can drop it from pilot house...... but! I wouldn't even try that in a close quarters emergency. That shit would just drag and grab others lines
