Further to Downunders post, when we bought the boat it was generously fitted with all kinds of extras.
These include a 'Raymarine' reversing
camera and a 'Swing-thruster' bow thruster, these items make docking quite easy BUT i don't like using the
camera, it tends to focus your attention to a
screen rather than the peripheral
environment around you, HATE IT.
So i'm moving the
interior helm to outside Port corner, this safely allows me to move the boat on my own or with ease two of us. We never sit inside motoring, once again it's too enclosed for me.
Upper helm spot, fair enough those that haven't used it see it as too high etc and this is argued ad nauseum. The thing to remember with
boats is 'form follows function'. The function of this class of boat is "comfort" hence the form in some peoples eyes suffers.
As i've said before we have been in 50knots the mono's around us were laid over and pounding to windward motoring, we too were motoring with our two under 6 grandchildren (in life jackets) eating toasted sanga's (ham, cheese and onion from memory) my wife bought them too us she then went below to tidy the galley!
Simply put you gotta try one of these
boats to "get it", one other point, to buy one of these for single handing is not really smart, why have 3 to 4 to 5 staterooms on your own? There are better choices for that use.
So cameras may be an easy solution at around $700 each connected into your plotter and a thruster gives the sideways ability BECAUSE the newer boats suffer windeage. Forget the 'tosser' comments regarding seamanship and lack of skills using thrusters, most ships have them it's YOUR responsibility to manoeuvre safely.
On a calm day all cat owners should have a go at berthing on one
engine alone, very very hard and gets tougher with
current or breeze. A thruster makes coping with a
lost engine a snap. Most yachts in the
Med have Thrusters.
Cheers Frank
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