Remote control for docking, thoughts?

[PuttingDoctor]

If single handing and docking why not use the VHF...... Call and ask for a dock hand. Has worked for me. That said I do like bow thrusters.

[akprb]

This is the right answer. Learn your boat. I've been moving cats for 15 years. Take it out and practice. Move in all conditions with crew and as your muscle memory improves less and less crew. Stage your lines and fenders consistently and predictably. You don't need bow and stern thrusters. Control your boat, love her, but let her know you're in charge.

[Valmika]

I have used the Yachtmaster system on the Nordlund and found it to be very helpful when bring it in single handed. It allows me to control the boat from anywhere on the boat so my view can be picked by me depending on the situation (wind , tide, etc) I have had it fail once but the issue was not with the yachmaster itself but the linkage to the transmission. Made for some pretty intense moments as I had one engine stuck in reverse and now bow thruster. You just need to be prepared for this type of scenario. This is on a 75 foot power boat with bow and stern thrusters. But I do think it would be helpful with a cat. The other great thing was anchoring single handed. You could go to the bow and do it all yourself.

[ontherocks83]

Wow I've seen threads devolve quickly but this was really quick. The poor OP just asked if anyone had experience with one of these devices and their boat handling ability immediately got put on the chopping block

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

mmm . . . .first, why do you assume the OP has no boat handling skill/knowledge? He may well just be looking for some technological help, like I am sure you use GPS, but know how to boat handle without it.

second, Do you really have the 'back up' skill and all the necessary tools (rated time piece and sextant) and books (current almanac, tables, work sheet) on board to actually take an accurate sight? And when was the last time you took an accurate sight - 38 years ago, or 1995 or more recently? My question is an honest but blunt one - could you really actually take an accurate sight if your nav system crashed (with your current honest skill level and knowledge and the equipment currently on your boat) or are you just remembering you could sometime in the past?

The last 'for real' sight I took was around 1995 - it was a 4 star sight in french Polynesia. I would not count on my ability to take a sight today. And I don't have a rated clock on board - I might be able to get a time check from the radio, but if the gps is down that might also be down so I would be **** out of luck.

I remember well when I was a few miles out from New York heading south close to the coastline. The sun had just gone down and so did my navigation electronics including my compass. I was single handing a cabin cruiser on my way to Atlantic City. It was a clear star filled night sky. The only chart I had was what was in my memory from looking at home at a map of the coastline.

All was OK while the lights of civilization on my starboard side could be seen. But then it happened. No lights on land at all. Pitch black. From memory I realized I was now offshore from the National or State Park.

Using the stars as visual reference I made my way. Headed west to get further away from the coast and then headed South.

I was able to bring my boat directly off of Atlantic City. Wasn't hard to see with all of its lights. And I made my way safely into the marina.

Just saying that I've done a bit without all that fancy electrical stuff.

What I'm talking about is bringing into to dock a boat at least 60' in length and most likely 3 stories tall while everyone one else on board wouldn't know one end of a line from another. Any aid that would make doing so easier is something I'm going to sign up for.

Yes I'm going to be putting a bow thruster. The unit I was looking at us used in the yacht industry with bow and stern thrusters. I need to check with the manufacturer if I can have it set up for the cats rear 2 engines and a single thruster up front.

This gizmo could bring in a passenger liner safely. I love the flexibility of where I can stand to observe and also being able to be on the deck to easily jump and tie off.

And if I had a mallfinction. I'd pray out loud while hauling myself like lightening to my fixed helm. :-)

Regards all,
Chaya.

PS : I'm a girl.

[ontherocks83]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

I remember well when I was a few miles out from New York heading south close to the coastline. The sun had just gone down and so did my navigation electronics including my compass. I was single handing a cabin cruiser on my way to Atlantic City. It was a clear star filled night sky. The only chart I had was what was in my memory from looking at home at a map of the coastline.

All was OK while the lights of civilization on my starboard side could be seen. But then it happened. No lights on land at all. Pitch black. From memory I realized I was now offshore from the National or State Park.

Using the stars as visual reference I made my way. Headed west to get further away from the coast and then headed South.

I was able to bring my boat directly off of Atlantic City. Wasn't hard to see with all of its lights. And I made my way safely into the marina.

Just saying that I've done a bit without all that fancy electrical stuff.

What I'm talking about is bringing into to dock a boat at least 60' in length and most likely 3 stories tall while everyone one else on board wouldn't know one end of a line from another. Any aid that would make doing so easier is something I'm going to sign up for.

Yes I'm going to be putting a bow thruster. The unit I was looking at us used in the yacht industry with bow and stern thrusters. I need to check with the manufacturer if I can have it set up for the cats rear 2 engines and a single thruster up front.

This gizmo could bring in a passenger liner safely. I love the flexibility of where I can stand to observe and also being able to be on the deck to easily jump and tie off.

And if I had a mallfinction. I'd pray out loud while hauling myself like lightening to my fixed helm. :-)

Regards all,
Chaya.

PS : I'm a girl.

HA Love it

[Chrisgo]

I think they make a self docking system, but it requires you to pull it the same slip every time. It may be based on sensors located on the dock, somewhat similar to how self parking cars work.

I (sort of), saw a custom Hinckley (owned by George Cohon of Mcdonald's), pull into his slip here in Toronto with one. Someone next to me who was paying more attention, said the boat "just docked itself!" and that the wheel was turning on it's own.

Then again, maybe the boat has two wheels, lol.

Can you teach your guests to use a Docking Stick?

[akprb]

I looked at the controller. Having sailed (a lot of it single handed) a 50' cat all over the Caribbean and Pacific I have to agree with those who argue for boat handling skills.

I just returned from a 48 hr trip to and from the Bahamas with the owner of a new to him custom 55' cat. It really is too much boat for an inexperienced operator, that being said my advice was practice, practice, practice. Start with slack tide, no wind and a safe slip. Work up from there. No substitute as you build confidence and muscle memory.

Buckets of money and you want these kind of things go for it, why not. Personally, I just like to keep it as simple as possible and focus on the adventure more than the boat. Plus big cats are simple to maneuver as is with two engines.

All the best!

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by PuttingDoctor

If single handing and docking why not use the VHF...... Call and ask for a dock hand. Has worked for me. That said I do like bow thrusters.

Wow. Didn't know I could use a portable VHF to control the engines. Sorry it's late and I could help kidding. :-)

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by akprb

This is the right answer. Learn your boat. I've been moving cats for 15 years. Take it out and practice. Move in all conditions with crew and as your muscle memory improves less and less crew. Stage your lines and fenders consistently and predictably. You don't need bow and stern thrusters. Control your boat, love her, but let her know you're in charge.

Thanks you. Very sound advise. Thanks.

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by Mark Killam

I have used the Yachtmaster system on the Nordlund and found it to be very helpful when bring it in single handed. It allows me to control the boat from anywhere on the boat so my view can be picked by me depending on the situation (wind , tide, etc) I have had it fail once but the issue was not with the yachmaster itself but the linkage to the transmission. Made for some pretty intense moments as I had one engine stuck in reverse and now bow thruster. You just need to be prepared for this type of scenario. This is on a 75 foot power boat with bow and stern thrusters. But I do think it would be helpful with a cat. The other great thing was anchoring single handed. You could go to the bow and do it all yourself.

Great feedback thanks. Now just imagine what would be the comments if I said I was wanting to be able to single hand a 75 footer.

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by akprb

I looked at the controller. Having sailed (a lot of it single handed) a 50' cat all over the Caribbean and Pacific I have to agree with those who argue for boat handling skills.

I just returned from a 48 hr trip to and from the Bahamas with the owner of a new to him custom 55' cat. It really is too much boat for an inexperienced operator, that being said my advice was practice, practice, practice. Start with slack tide, no wind and a safe slip. Work up from there. No substitute as you build confidence and muscle memory.

Buckets of money and you want these kind of things go for it, why not. Personally, I just like to keep it as simple as possible and focus on the adventure more than the boat. Plus big cats are simple to maneuver as is with two engines.

All the best!

Thanks AKPRB. Great advise and exactly what I was thinking. I kind of looking at learning to drive a big rig truck in tight quarters. Needs lots and lots of practice but can be learned.

Thanks,
Chaya

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by GoingWalkabout

I'm looking at the best options for single handing docking and came accross this remote control device. I know it's made for large power boats but when my sails are down my large cat becomes a large powerboat in its own right.

I'd be interested in thoughts of this device and would love to hear from anyone who has experience with this or similar.

https://youtu.be/q4wRmsXVNuw

Dual Band Yacht Controller - Remote Control for Your Yacht



Thanks,
Chaya

The video talk mentions thrusters (in plural!) more than once.
To dock the catamaran, be it with joystick or remote, you will need at least one bowthruster to gain control of the bows and possibly additional sternthruster to allow for a sideways movement of the vessel.
The twin stern props will not suffice as the move the boat in straight direction (forward/reverse) and allow movement around a fixed mid point (or in a curve) but not a lateral movement of the whole vessel.

[zeehag]

learn your boat and figger out how to dock without making like a parallel parking beemer driving sloth. one pass, kill engine. done.
once into slip, the dockhands or yourself can pull boat to wherever ye want it. it isnt rocket science--folks have been docking sailboats without electronical magic for centuries. aint a big deal, unless ye kill someone else's boat in the process...
drive into marina, find slip, turn into it, kill engine. done.
with wind-- midships line and ta daa... magic. yes i have freeboard. sometimes there is wind. use it to your advantage. aint so difficult.
remotes make distractions you do not need when docking.

[GoingWalkabout]

Originally Posted by meirriba

The video talk mentions thrusters (in plural!) more than once.
To dock the catamaran, be it with joystick or remote, you will need at least one bowthruster to gain control of the bows and possibly additional sternthruster to allow for a sideways movement of the vessel.
The twin stern props will not suffice as the move the boat in straight direction (forward/reverse) and allow movement around a fixed mid point (or in a curve) but not a lateral movement of the whole vessel.

Merriba. Thanks. I had the same thoughts after seeing the video. I need to discuss this with the manufacturer. If I need both bow and stern thrusters do I need 2 or 4?

I'll report back with their comments.

Regards,
Chaya