I didn't know it was supposed to be hard
Last month when we moved our newly purchased F285 from Forked River NJ to the Chesapeake, we overnighted at Utsch's in Cape May. As I wheeled into the narrow channel to start my back-in move for the slip, I heard a two-sheets-to-the-wind fellow pronounce loudly for the marina, "If he does this, he qualifies as a power boater." He saw I was in earnest (all the other sailboats within sight were bow in)and ran across the dock hailing everyone in earshot to observe the maniac from Alabama (boat registration visible) in high gear for destruction. All I could hear as I gathered lines for tie up was, "Hey, Hey, is that how they do it in Alabama?" I said, "It is if you liked it; otherwise, we're from Georgia." It got me a free single malt. You just factor in the wind before you get stern-to; position yourself for the prop to kick the stern to starboard; and back - slowly. The key in my mind is patience and moving under control. Shifting into neutral once you're moving eliminates the prop kick. And, finally, just like in the airplane business; "go around" if you don't like the way things are shaping up. Happy backing.
