[C320-list] Backing into slip

[Adam Weiner]

Anyone remember the movie Boatnicks where Buddy Hackett docks the power
boat in Newport Beach?

Adam

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of
Orlando.Duran at AveryDennison.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 10:44 AM
To: C320-List
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip


All of this advice reminds me of the scene in 'Son of Paleface' with Bob
Hope...in the scene, Bob is about to have a gun duel with a villain on
the streets of the town....as the clock winds down to noon, he keeps
getting all sorts of advice from most of the townsfolk--'He leans to the
left so shoot to the right', 'the suns in the east so aim to the west',
'he stands on his toes so shoot from below', etc....unfortunately, as
he's walking out to the actual duel, he tries to remember all of the
advice.."He shoots from below so shoot to the east', 'he leans to the
left so shoot at his toes', 'shoot to the east cuz the sun's in his
eyes'....I hope as you're going down to your dock area, this doesn't
happen to you... :)

cl 3


 

             Bill Culbertson

             <billculb_a2 at yah

             oo.com>
To 
             Sent by:                 C320-List

             c320-list-bounce         <c320-list at catalina320.com>

             s at catalina320.or
cc 
             g

 
Subject 
                                      Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip

             10/30/2007 10:20

             AM

 

 

              Please respond

                    to

                C320-List

             <c320-list at catal

               ina320.org>

 

 





I've seen a lot of great advice so far - all to be used.  One thing I've
not seen yet is mention of momentum after the 90d turn into the slip.

Boats keep going in the direction they were going after you turn.  When
you have full steerage you can easily counteract this.  But for your
final 90d turn into the slip, you are intentionally bleeding off speed
and losing steerage.  One common newbie error is having significant
speed down the fairway AND turning late enough to line yourself up
exactly with the slip.  If you do this, the momentum will carry you
down-fairway which is now sideslipping given your new direction.  You
will overshoot the slip.

If there is no wind, you can just slow yourself down enough that this is
a non-issue, line up exactly and head in perfectly.  But if there is
wind of any kind such that you have to increase the speed to maintain
steerage, then this momentum will be a factor.  So you must start your
turn sooner and rely on the momentum to side-slip you such that you line
up after side-slipping.  How much sooner you turn depends directly on
how much faster than normal you are going.

While I'm on the subject of when to turn, the other factor which affects
this is cross breeze.  If you are traveling down the fairway into a
headwind it will become a cross-breeze after you turn into the slip.  In
this case turn late and keep pointing the bow toward the far side
(upwind
side) of the slip as much as you
can without hitting anything.   The breeze will blow the bow down to
line
you up.  Likewise, if you are
heading down the fairway with a tailwind, you want to turn early and
point the bow toward the near side (again the upwind side) of the slip
letting the wind blow the bow down to finish lining you up.

One other hint I've found very helpful is to steer the mast or main
cabin hatch. That is, time your steering and execute your steering such
that the mast or cabin hatch follows the track that you want the boat to
follow.  Once you have that on track, you can pivot the bow/stern into
position at the proverbial last minute with rudder action and goosing
the throttle if needed.  But you can't easily reposition the mast/hatch
area of the boat with any last minute rudder/throttle.

And as everyone has said, practice, practice, practice.  I get better
every year.  Breezes that used to give me a cold sweat and a racing
heart don't bug me anymore.

 -bill

----- Original Message ----
From: Randy Averill <randy at averillnet.com>
To: C320-List <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 10:42:12 PM
Subject: [C320-list] Backing into slip

Another new owner question.

I've had my 320 for less than a month and my biggest problem right now
is parking.  My previous boat was much smaller and lighter, and I
learned to maneuver it into the slip rather easily with its outboard
motor and tiller. Now I would greatly appreciate the voice of experience
helping me out.

I approached my first couple times into the new slip with the 320 with
great caution.  This boat can coast a long way and I can't afford to
overshoot my slip (I'm at the end of the runway) so I slowed to a crawl.
I used a "Y" approach in that I came forward down the runway to my slip,
turned hard to port (away from the slip), and then backed in after
completing a 90 degree turn to port.  I actually parked fairly well, but
it took forever because I was going so slowly.

Last time out was my first problem because there was some wind blowing
me into the dock.  I think if I came in faster the wind would have less
effect (i.e., it would have less time to blow me around), but I don't
know how fast is too fast.  Does anybody have a rule of thumb you could
offer?  If you're
coming in a idle, how early do you put your transmission in neutral?
How
much time to stop the boat with reverse?  Any good way to get a better
feel for this on open water?  I'm not sure I trust my ability to
transfer the open water experience to the marina because it's so tight.
Any good stories to make me laugh and relax?


Randy Averill
Tesoro (#29)

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