So, how long before comfortable with slip in/egress

[BandB]

One thing we wanted to point out is that you can build the comfort and practice away from the dock too. Do it with an imaginary dock but practice the various maneuvers in different wind and current conditions. Get practice in slow and tight maneuvering. Get used to exactly how various moves impact things.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by BandB

... Get practice in slow and tight maneuvering. Get used to exactly how various moves impact things.

Gots to question yer choice of verbs.

[sailorchic34]

Gee I don't use fenders docking anymore. When you can do that, its pretty relaxing. Mind you it helps that my gel coat is 42 years old.

I really don't worry about it. OK sometimes I need to move quick with a boat hook.


OK Once I did a 180 degree turn at pier 1-1/2 in San Francisco without touching the opposite pier that was all of 33' away from the floating dock. (click on the photo below) Between the current, wind and the prop walk, the only way to get the bloody thing to the dock single handed, was to flip my 34' boat around. Actually the current through there is quite swift. Between the wind and current the bow was heading to the pilings. Only thing I could do was continue the turn.

Had to fit the bow between two pillings at pier 1 with the tip of the bow under the pier and the tip of the stern was above the dock. My boat has a stern overhang. Now that was a little exciting. Pity no one saw it. Lots O back in fill then and prop walk. That one almost got away from me.


Here's a photo of the spot. The police boats were tied on the up tide/current side, at the time. The smaller finger pier was closed due to surge damage. Oddly enough I've not been back there....

[klmmicro]

Hehehe, some of these grammatical observations are hilarious!