[C320-list] Backing into slip

[Rod Boer]

Yes it is a bit harsh but we all seem to manage.  Our group of C320s have 
come up with a rating system.  On a reasonably calm day around maybe 5 kts 
or so, we get a 100 if we bring the boat to its final position with no help 
from crew, the Captain hasn't touched a pier, the boat hasn't touched a 
pier, directly into the final position and stopped.  Push off a piling, get 
help from the crew, or a boat touches the piling then points come off.  It 
is just a for fun thing but there is nothing like a little competion to 
improve skills.

When the wind pipes up we do what we have to do such a warping the boat in, 
but in 8 years I have never gone into my slip forwards; however, when 
traveling we almost never back in.  I am not exactly sure why.  Maybe we are 
not as social at a new marina.

Rod
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dennis Harris" <dharris02 at embarqmail.com>
To: "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip


>> So if you don't back in you are considered either unsociable or don't 
>> have good boat handling skills.
>
>
> Seems to be a bit harsh....
>
> Rod Boer wrote:
>
>> Hi Adam,
>>
>> There are other reasons to back into the slip.  At our marina, 
>> approximately 270 boats, the tradition is to back the boat into the slip. 
>> It indicates that you are a social person which the marina encourages. 
>> So if you don't back in you are considered either unsociable or don't 
>> have good boat handling skills. In fact the town of Rock Hall, where are 
>> marina is located, has boat docking contests every year which consists of 
>> a boat exiting a small waterway traversing as fast as possible towards 
>> the slip,stopping in front of the slip and backing into the slip.  Just 
>> to add to the stress there is several hundred of people are watching.
>>
>> Rod
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Adam Weiner" 
>> <esquirecatering at rcn.com>
>> To: "'C320-List'" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 8:19 PM
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip
>>
>>
>>> Yes, well the best part of my slip is that it can be used 12 months of
>>> the year.  I will bite.  What water conditions require backing in?
>>>
>>> Adam
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
>>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Jeffrey Hare
>>> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 7:01 AM
>>> To: 'C320-List'
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip
>>>
>>>
>>> Oh, how easy it would be if we all had slips just like Adam's.
>>> Unfortunately, slips come in all kinds of configurations.  :)
>>>
>>> Re: #1 Marina conditions frequently determine how you "park".  :) 30% of
>>> the slips in my marina require back-in approach due to water currents.
>>>
>>> I also come in slowly enough to make the dock hands start to pace when
>>> possible.
>>> That's good advice, but you have to have enough speed to maintain
>>> steerage to counter wind and currents, which isn't always as slowly as
>>> you'd like.
>>>
>>> It's "docking" when I dock it.  It's "parking" when my wife docks it.
>>> Occasionally we call it "Crashing".
>>> After all, whoever has the helm chooses the terms.
>>>
>>> -Cheers
>>> -J
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
>>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Adam Weiner
>>> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:00 PM
>>> To: 'C320-List'
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip
>>>
>>> Number one:  Why do you back into the dock?  Why do you make life
>>> difficult for yourself.  It is easier to dock bow in and then back up
>>> into the fairway.
>>>
>>> Number two: I come into my dock so slowly that you can feel the
>>> slime growing on the bottom.  This isn't a speed race.  My crew jokes
>>> that they can read a Harry Potter book in the time it takes me to dock,
>>> but hey I don't have fenders down and I dock have any scrapes on the
>>> boat.
>>>
>>> Number three:  I put my boat into neutral anywhere from 20 yards to 200
>>> yards from the slip depending on head wind.
>>>
>>> Number four:  If you want to practice drop a couple of fenders connected
>>> to light anchors in an empty spot of water and practice docking between
>>> the fenders.
>>>
>>> Number five:  It is called docking not parking.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
>>> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Randy Averill
>>> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 7:42 PM
>>> To: 'C320-List'
>>> 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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