How to dock your Albin

[jcollins]

Rob Crow posted this one. Very good read and very helpful. Thanks Rob!

Mike,

I have a 1987 Albin 36 and have never really needed a bow thruster. I will admit there have been a couple of times one would have come in handy and given me a little 'finesse' but never seemed worth the $8-10K to have a bow thruster installed. When I first got my boat (about 5 years ago), I discovered this web site created by Bryant Vann, who shall be ever referred to as "Saint Bryant". Here's the URL: http://www.his.com/~vann/KrgStuff/Krognidx.htm scroll down about 3/4 of the site to 'section 9'. Article 9.5 really helped me (along with the other docking articles). You will learn about 'goosing' and a 'magic stick' amongst other really helpful techniques.

Once you get these techniques down, you will really 'wow' the other captains that not only have two engines but a bow and possibly stern thruster.

Good luck,
Rob

Ka'Why Knot
Rob & Sharon Crow
1987 36' Double Cabin

[mjohnh]

I am a new Albin owner and my dock has current from starboard and usually wind from starboard.....here most boats are docked "bow in". I have had a very hard time as the wind/current carries the stern away from the dock.....I have a starboard tie on ......so the stern is carried away from the dock. I think that most boats are docked bow in due to water depth, but I think I have enough to dock stern in and will try it the next time......I have just read Ric's primer on docking and it may be that "stern in' would be much easier....any thoughts or comments on this would be greatly appreciated.

[schorert]

Reading all I can pending the purchase of a 28 TE. Decades of experience with outboards, reading these posts has me downright terrified. where the hell am I going to find a place to practice this??

lots of good info here, and it looks like a great boat!

[Tree]

Reading all I can pending the purchase of a 28 TE. Decades of experience with outboards, reading these posts has me downright terrified. where the hell am I going to find a place to practice this??

lots of good info here, and it looks like a great boat!

I wouldn't worry - I went from a boat with a volvo duoprop outdrive you could turn on its length to the Albin that i now dock astern in any weather without issue.

Its just a new learning curve and something different - maybe for practice, a couple of danbuoys on a shot line a bit more than the beam of the boat in open water?

[Nancy]

Reading all I can pending the purchase of a 28 TE. Decades of experience with outboards, reading these posts has me downright terrified. where the hell am I going to find a place to practice this??

lots of good info here, and it looks like a great boat!

See if you can find a 28TE owner to spend some time with you. I'm thinking that shouldn't be too tough on the Cape. Next choice would be someone with lots of boat handling experience. Our marina manager did dock practice with me a few times. He is absolutely unflappable and a great coach.

Good luck and have fun. I know you'll figure it out.

[Serenity]

[quote="schorert"]Reading all I can pending the purchase of a 28 TE. Decades of experience with outboards, reading these posts has me downright terrified. where the hell am I going to find a place to practice this??lots of good info here, and it looks like a great boat![/quote

My 28 docks stern in, bow facing north on a dead end canal. I usually don't bother going out on a strong east wind because my bow will swing west and I am unable to bring her back unless I want to go broadside to the boats that are pointing east at the end of the canal. On Sunday there was a 15-20 knot NW wind and this time my bow was pushed over to the east and I had issues getting her back into her crib. All in all it comes down to experience, practice, don't panic, go slow and if you have to pull, out and do it again. I actually did a you tube video on backing in, Go you tube, under search put in "28 Albin backing stern in." It will give you and idea of how small an area I have to work with. Patience, Good Luck.

[Nancy]

I actually did a you tube video on backing in, Go you tube, under search put in "28 Albin backing stern in." It will give you and idea of how small an area I have to work with. Patience, Good Luck.

That search didn't produce any relevant results. How about a link?

[RobS]

I actually did a you tube video on backing in, Go you tube, under search put in "28 Albin backing stern in." It will give you and idea of how small an area I have to work with. Patience, Good Luck.

That search didn't produce any relevant results. How about a link?

https://youtu.be/ZYT0Ei1M020

[Nancy's Promise]

I just bought an Albin 28. The guys in my marina asked me how am I going back into the slip. I told them I watched a YouTube video. They all laughed. I put the boat in the slip on my first shot on my maiden voyage. I takes practice but it's not bad. In reverse turn the wheel left and forget it.

[Pitou]

I just bought an Albin 28. The guys in my marina asked me how am I going back into the slip. I told them I watched a YouTube video. They all laughed. I put the boat in the slip on my first shot on my maiden voyage. I takes practice but it's not bad. In reverse turn the wheel left and forget it.

Especially with a starboard side tie up.

[RobS]

Especially with a starboard side tie up.

Whenever getting fueled up or pumped out I always thanked Albin for the starboard side fuel fill and and waste cap

[bigbackhoe]

You need to know left from right hand prop. For LH prop, boat only rotates CCW, therefore its nice to have a starboard side slip. Don't rely on your bow thruster to save the day.
Allowing for wind and current, stop forward movement- turn wheel full left and pop throttle forward/back- as you get your turn to about 80 degrees back boat close to port side pilings and put it in. Your transom door needs to be open to see piling and swim platform.
If you have strong winds/current start rotation early to allow for time to rotate

[JimCoughlin]

After a 40 mile trip to the new home of our 97 Albin 28 on Cape Cod we did a pretty good job of backing her into our slip. 45 minutes of pathetic practice in our outer harbor around vacant mooring balls was extremely helpful. The posts on this thread gave us a roadmap to follow that made a huge difference for us. Thanks to all for your experience and wisdom.

[DesertAlbin736]

Yeah, we use a lot of JCollins' technique with our A25. Except the Yanmar engine we have is right hand turning prop, unlike left hand propped Volvos, so prop walk astern is to port. But I digress from my reason for dropping in on the TE forum. We're visiting Fisherman's Bay on Lopez Island, WA & spotted a 28 TE docked in the Islander Resort Marina. Anyone know who that is?

[Hartbeast]

The 28TE can definitely act as a sail on a windy day docking. I always turn clockwise into the wind when docking which acts as a brake when lining up the slip. Going down wind just pushes you out of position at an accelerated pace.