lpbp,
Re: your 11/20/09 post, I believe Ric Murray's bloviation about maneuvering is concise and definitive:
"Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:12 am
I have written about this here before, but as the topic has come up again I'll free to bloviate further. I have found that the trick to handling these boats is to separate (at least mentally) rotational force and momentum from forward and backward force and momentum. I never use the wheel when docking, turn the helm hard to port and leave it alone. When you want counter clockwise rotation, a kick with the throttle forward will start the boat moving forward and rotating counter clockwise around it's center of gravity (the engine). A brief burst of reverse will counter the forward motion, but not kill the rotation as the rudder is useless when moving backward through the water, and the prop walk will pull the stern to starboard, slightly re-enforcing the counter clockwise rotation. Once you get the hang of this you can turn the boat 180 or 360 degrees in a little more than her own length, just by nicking it carefully back and forth from forward to reverse, IF the tide and the wind are not carrying you. What about if you want to go clockwise? Don't bother trying, it don't happen. Plan your docking maneuvers to involve only counter clockwise rotation, even if it involves a 90, 180, or 270, to get lined up. Add the bow thruster to the above equation, pushing the bow to port with bursts and you can rotate this boat in a way that will make all other captains envious.
Once you have the boat sort of lined up with the slip, start applying reverse in short bursts. Reverse will kill the rotational momentum and the boat should move backward in a more or less straight line. If you keep reverse engaged you will indeed get prop walk to starboard, which is why I just kick it into reverse for a second or two then back to neutral. If the prop ain't turning, it won't walk. Neutral is your friend. Anxiety and the need to "get this over with" is your enemy. Xanax can help (you or the admiral). There is never a reason to have the boat in gear and the thruster running at the same time. Use the thruster and forward (with the helm hard to port) to achieve rotation, then reverse to kill rotation and slide, stern gracefully, into your slip. Forward or reverse motion negates the effect of the bow thruster. Use the thruster to get lined up, then power to move the boat forward or back.
Docking a single screw boat is a mental exercise above all others. Physics, psychology, sociology, all wrapped up together.
For inspiration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdI3-LHiCng "
I tie up starboard side to, within three feet of my neighbor and bow in. After two summers of practice I understand both what Ric is saying and why I can neither nose in easily nor back out predictably. Everything about this position is wrong. However I learn more each time I practice and some day I will be able to perform these evolutions confidently even in a light breeze. First of all, don't be in a hurry. Second, never imagine your boat will steer when going astern. Third, don't expect help from the thruster, learn to do it the old way. Fourth, spring lines are always helpful if your crew understands physics. Last, never go faster than the speed you want to hit something.
Best wishes and good luck.