(re)Gaining Confidence

[Bluey]

Need words of wisdom/advice. How have any out there (re)gained confidence in their boating skills? Situation: new boater, new (to me) boat, spent more than I should have on it, most expensive thing by far I ever bought so I don't want to wreck it. Not confident in boat handling, so had lessons from broker & former owner, and professional captain allied with a boating school. Read every post/webpage I could find on docking. Took boat out OK; but the slip is perpendicular to strong currents and couldn't get the boat back in the slip. Finally, after 30 minutes and help from two people on shore, the boat's back. Was going to take it out on Saturday, but became petrified about the thought of docking and am seriously thinking of selling. To that end, we've already removed most of our stuff from the boat and we didn't say "good by" when we left on Saturday, feeling the boat was no longer a friend or mine. So how to (re)gain confidence. Yeah, I know, nothing builds confidence like success, and you can't have success if you don't try, and you won't try unless you have confidence. One of the oxymorons of life. Should I surrender and take up macrame?

[jcollins]

Bluey,
Taking up macrame will be easier but far less fulfilling than boating. Purchasing an single inboard as your first boat is daunting but certainly not a mistake.
You mention that you searched around here? You are not the first or the last to ask this question.
Go to the marina on a slow day and practice. Take the boat out to a calm creek nearby and practice backing down. Be careful, go slow, and take someone with you. Try to stay calm and never start yelling at those trying to help you.
if you have already hired a captain and you are still not comfortable, call him/her up. Ask for a do-over.
We have members in your area that I really think would be more than happy to help you out.
I'm on Seneca Creek. If you want to bring the boat over to the Western shore I'd be more than happy to lend a hand.
Don't be afraid to use the bow thruster. According to my manual (older model) I can run 2-3 minutes before it warns about over heating. Just remember when switching from one direction to another (right-left or left-right) to allow the prop to stop spinning.
I know that the current in there can make things tough. But, once you can dock around there, docking anywhere else will be easy.

Read this post from Ric Murray. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3015
It really works.

By the way, no one wants to wreck a new boat. But, you will bump once in awhile. It's a boat. That's why we have a rub-rail and fenders. Never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it. Don't let the "pros" hanging around the dock intimidate you. If they are so good at docking on a windy day, why are they there?

[Carl]

It sounds like you are on the eastern shore side from Johns comments. Where are you, at Kent Narrows?? I will be over there this weekend, and may be able to help. Let me know. One thing that might help, ask the marina if they have any other slips that might not be in the current as bad.

[Cape Codder]

The best advice I can give....
Always....always...always...try and dock with the dock to your right (the starboard side). The boat is VERY predictable, and quite easy to control, even in a current. Your steering will work fine whan you are in forward, and the aft end will ALWAYS back to the right when in reverse. The thruster can assist on the rest.

The last time I docked in a very tight situation, I kept the dock to my right, headed in with the bow pointed at an angle toward the dock(slowly) and applied reverse, (aft moved left) , rudder turned left, and gently went back and forth, forward, then reverse, tucking the aft end into the dock about 2-4 ft ahead of the boat already there, and about 2-3 ft. behind the boat in front. (whew!)
The commercial fisherman in the boat ahead was watching VERY closely.....he finally got off his boat and yelled, "I gotta meet this Cpatain!!"

He walked over an said, "Wow, that was one hell of a job docking that baby.....I'm impressed......most pretty boats don't know what the hell their doin'...."

.....I guessed I passed the test! 8>)

Docking with the dock to the left is more difficult...it can be done....and well....but needs more practice and thruster finesse.....and balancing the throttle.
Practice makes perfect......NEVER SURRENDER!

[jleonard]

How have any out there (re)gained confidence in their boating skills

Easy, the same way you get to Carnegie Hall....practise, practise, practise.
I started oout on a single screw 20 years ago and never looked back. Yes I've been layed up against a piling or two until I got smart enough to let the boat do what it had to and adjusted from there.
Wait for a calm day, get someone from the dock to go with you, preferebly a single screw owner, and practise.
Read single screw handling in Chapmans...every single engine inboard boat I have ever been on does exactly as described in Chapmans. (some just take longer to move).
If you were local to me I could have you docking like a pro in a few hours. No sweat.

[loubennett]

Don't surrender. Mastering boat handling in tight quarters takes a lot of practice but it's very rewarding when you get it right. I expect learning macrame takes time too. I bought Quest in February, 2009. It was my first inboard, single engine power boat although I've been driving boats, both power and sail, for over 50 years. By the end of last summer I felt very confident handling her in all situations and routinely cruise alone. One way to learn how the boat reacts to various throttle and rudder inputs is to find an anchored float (a crab pot float works well) and maneuver close to it. It gives you a fixed reference so you can see what's happening and if you bump it, no damage. Read the suggested articles and try the techniques on the water. One other tip is learnto handle the boat in calm (both wind and current) conditions first, then tackle the more difficult situations. I know it's generally preferable to dock stern in (unless you have full length finger piers), but before you get so frustrated you want to sell the boat, turn around and go bow in. Then go have a beer and try stern in another day. I live in Annapolis and you can add me to the list of those willing to give you some help.

[jcollins]

but before you get so frustrated you want to sell the boat, turn around and go bow in.

Thanks Lou,
I forgot to mention that Bluey. There is no shame in bow first. I have done it before when coming into a different marina. Sometimes you just don't feel comfortable. Maryland seems to be a stern-to state. Many other places I've been the boats are bow-in. It does help if there's a long finger pier for boarding but when your learning it doesn't matter.

[RobS]

Is it possible to keep the boat at a different marina? At least until you log more hours? Someplace with less wind and current. I can put my boat anywhere, but some slips can be down-right nasty...

[JackK]

Boy do I remember those feelings. I bought my Albin in '03 and only had to move it from the dealer to my marina across the river. The marina is very tight and being a Saturday afternoon it became a spectator sport watching the new guy try to dock his pretty new boat. My slip mate had a very wide sailboat and stood by with a boat pole and was dropping fenders like they were going out of style. This made the entire operation terrifying. Not only did I not want to wreck my boat, I was scared to death of damaging someone else's.

After what felt like an hour, I managed to put her in the slip with no damage ... other than my pride. Everyone stood around giving me advice on what I did wrong, etc. I was demoralized. I turned to my brother and said "I think I've just made the most expensive mistake of my life. I'm never taking this thing out of slip again." For the next few outings, everything would be great all day long and then I would begin to panic on the trip home. I dreaded the thought of docking this b#tch again.

On a quiet Sunday afternoon I was sitting on the boat watching the world go by. An old timer from the marina stopped by and started talking. His advice, "never approach anything faster than you are willing to hit it and let the wind and current work for you not against you." He told me to take the boat out to the mooring field when the current was running strong and practice trying to back in beside a mooring ball. I talked to the dealer and he came over and taught me how to handle the boat with less (or no) bow thruster.

Docking has become a pleasure rather than a dread. Stick with it, it's not rocket science. It just takes practice and a little patience to learn it. The biggest problem I had was my own nerves. It took quite a few good dockings to overcome the fear and relax. The other problem I had was the cheering squad that seemed to enjoy watching me melt down. After a few good dockings, they loose interest and leave you to your business.

Find a quiet time when the docks are relatively quiet, with little wind and slack tide. Then just practice taking her in and out of the slip until you get back a little of that confidence. Remember Neutral is your friend. Shift to neutral and let things develop slowly. Over-correction with the throttles or bow thruster just makes things go from bad to worse. It gets much easier over time. Watch the other boats docking. It helped me to see them struggle once in awhile

Jack

[jillsusan]

Ditto -- Jack is right on!

[Richard]

I saw Bluey yesterday so I know where you dock. I have docked there several times and know your pain. Kent Narrows near the bridge is a Bear when the current is running. Wakes from all the boat traffic and wind can make it a lot worse. I know several people who dock there that wait for slack tide to make the job easier. At least while you are learning I suggest you practice at periods of mimimum current until you gain more confidence. Then work on docking in faster currents. The NOAA current tables (http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/get_pr ... &footnote=) indicate maximum current velocities and times for slack tide for every day of the year (for example, today the current is zero at about 9 AM and 1:30 PM) of course times change every day so you have to consult the tables to know the best times. Actually, many of the chart plotters have the tide and current tables built in and by pushing a few buttons you get get the information right on your boat (you may already have that feature). I am sure that there are people at the club that dock there on a regular basis who would be willing to give you help and some pointers as well. Don't be afraid to ask and don't give up. It may take a while, but you will master it and when you do, docking anywhere else will be a piece of cake.

[Richard]

Correction to my previous post: I was reading the current tables for July, not August. Today's (Aug 18) slack tides for Kent Karrows are at 11:00AM and 3:35PM (as well as two more times at night)....... Did not want to confuse things if someone was trying to follow my post and read the tables.

[Bluey]

Thank you to everyone who took a few minutes to respond. I now have hope again. Jack described my feelings exactly! So I'm not alone in this. Whew. To sum what everyone said: try it when the tide/traffic/marina is slack, practice on a mooring field, use the bow thruster if necessary, check for a better slip or marina, get help from another single screw owner, if all else fails go bow in, and don't get nervous. If the rain lets up, I'll try it again on Sunday, wanted to try tomorrow but the weather can't decide what it's doing. If after this weekend I need help, I'll give a shout to John, Carl, Lou, or Richard. Thanks all!

[DougSea]

That's the spirit Maurice!

The guys above covered pretty much any advice I could give. There is a learning curve but once you get over it you too will have the knowledge and experience to put those whom watch and squawk to shame!

I spent years on a mooring so I didn't have much chance to practice slip landings. When we moved into one this year I read Ric's "how to" over and over. And guess what? It works! These boats move in a very consistent manner and once you get the feel for it (and as Ric points out you accept that there are ways they will NOT move) you're golden.

I felt liked I'd earned my diploma when it came time to back in at Essex for the NE AOG rendezvous. In the slip next to Ric! With Rob and Matt standing on the dock and a current running!

Slipped it in like butter!

It's a great feeling and I'm sure it will be yours soon

Good luck!

[jprohan]

Hey Columbus got across the Atlantic, and he didn't even have a bow thruster....although I'm sure he had a rechargeable makita drill. DON'T give up. All the other posts were right on re: practice. Pretty soon you'll be so good, you'll only use your thruster occasionally. On my boat, in a good blow the thruster is semi useless. Good advice Re: don't approach any faster than you are willing to hit...but they call them rub rails for a reason.