[C320-list] Backing into slip

[Robert Seastream]

I seldom back with my 320.  The prop (3 blade) walk is immediate no 
matter what I try.  It surprised me once (Belfast, ME past summer) by 
going to starboard although that might have been the breeze.  I have 
the wing keel and think a fin might back straighter, at the expense of 
increased draft (though it might point better upwind).
In other news, 'Intuition' was hauled yesterday.  Tomorrow I go to 
winterize her and bring the dinghy (Pipsqueak) home.

Bob Seastream
Intuition # 906


On Oct 30, 2007, at 3:43 PM, SYC wrote:

> The person who rented the slip before I did set up a bridle using 
> docklines.
> Granted, this works much better when going into the slip forward 
> (because it
> creates a natural V-shape). Quite a few people at the marina take one 
> look
> and then go and make one for themselves. All you really need to do is 
> get
> the nose of the boat into the slip, going at idle speed, and the bridle
> guides the boat right in. It takes awhile to get the rope lengths just 
> right
> but it is very nice once it is set. Mine uses 3 lines: the first is 
> hung
> from 2 hooks that are attached to the "front" - landside - part of the 
> slip.
> The other 2 lines (long ones!) are spliced to the center of the first 
> line,
> then they are attached to the pilings at the outer ends of the slip. I 
> guess
> it helps to have a center piling between slips. There is enough slack 
> in the
> first line so that the other lines pull it out about 3 ft. from the 
> wall.
> The end result is a bridle with a built-in "V", attached at 4 points 
> (2 in
> the front wall, 1 on each end piling). This is really hard to describe
> without pictures!
>
> Joan
> C320 #90 Persistence
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com
> [mailto:c320-list-bounces at catalina320.com] On Behalf Of Irving Grunes
> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 1:40 PM
> To: 'C320-List'
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Backing into slip
>
> A really good way to practice backing is to do figure eights using at 
> least
> one buoy to practice on.  Then you can practice using all the 
> different wind
> directions to see how the boat reacts to each of them.
> Good Luck
> Irv Grunes #851
>
> -----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 10:01 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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