In reading the great singlehanded topic responses, I have a qustion: WHY do those of you who do so BACK your boats into your slips? Stu
Backing Into Slips
- Thread starter Stu Jackson
- Start date
- Status
backing in.
Stu - I don't currently back in, but used to with my old boat. Reason combination of current, prevailing wind and prop walk, made it easy enough to back in, and a heck of a lot easier to get out (i.e., prop walk and other factors made it hard to back out, easy to pull out).
Stu - I don't currently back in, but used to with my old boat. Reason combination of current, prevailing wind and prop walk, made it easy enough to back in, and a heck of a lot easier to get out (i.e., prop walk and other factors made it hard to back out, easy to pull out).
small slip
The slip I'm in is great; very sheltered from the weather, close to my home and not too pricey. The only problem is that it's a little short. I used to pull in, but it was hard to tie up properly - if I left my stern lines loose enough to allow for the tide to go up and down, I ran the risk of banging my bow pulpit and nav lights into a piling. If I back in, it allows me to leave the bow hanging a little bit out of the slip. I also now have spring lines running to the stern, so that neither the short slip nor the tides give me any more trouble. I've also discovered that if my docking skills fail me and I come into the slip too fast, it's easier for my prop to spin forward and stop a boat moving backwards than it is for me to put the motor in reverse and stop the boat from moving forward. Likewise, if my aim is bad while backing into the slip, it is easy to reach out with my hand and fend off the piling, instead of watching my bow bang off the piling while I'm in the cockpit and can't do much about it. Plus, backing the boat in impresses my passengers/crew, if I do it right!
The slip I'm in is great; very sheltered from the weather, close to my home and not too pricey. The only problem is that it's a little short. I used to pull in, but it was hard to tie up properly - if I left my stern lines loose enough to allow for the tide to go up and down, I ran the risk of banging my bow pulpit and nav lights into a piling. If I back in, it allows me to leave the bow hanging a little bit out of the slip. I also now have spring lines running to the stern, so that neither the short slip nor the tides give me any more trouble. I've also discovered that if my docking skills fail me and I come into the slip too fast, it's easier for my prop to spin forward and stop a boat moving backwards than it is for me to put the motor in reverse and stop the boat from moving forward. Likewise, if my aim is bad while backing into the slip, it is easy to reach out with my hand and fend off the piling, instead of watching my bow bang off the piling while I'm in the cockpit and can't do much about it. Plus, backing the boat in impresses my passengers/crew, if I do it right!
Prop Walk
I do it because my c34 has a horrible propwalk and the slip my boat is in the finger Pier is to port and that is the direction of my propwalk so when we go out on the boat it takes a few minutes to turn if I'm lucky. Last weekend i wound up doing a complete circle before i was able to head out.. there comes a time when you say the heck with pride and just want to get out. that is why i back in.. it is allot easier to back it in then to back it out..
I do it because my c34 has a horrible propwalk and the slip my boat is in the finger Pier is to port and that is the direction of my propwalk so when we go out on the boat it takes a few minutes to turn if I'm lucky. Last weekend i wound up doing a complete circle before i was able to head out.. there comes a time when you say the heck with pride and just want to get out. that is why i back in.. it is allot easier to back it in then to back it out..
Short finger pier.
The end of my finger pier only reaches the front of the cockpit when backed in. I have no lifeline gates on the bow so it is very difficult to board when tied bow in.
The end of my finger pier only reaches the front of the cockpit when backed in. I have no lifeline gates on the bow so it is very difficult to board when tied bow in.
Backing In
This past Summer the "Docking Gods" smiled upon me as I swung my boat stern-to and slightly offset from the sea wall & pilings at Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, and backed my 11ft 9inch beam through a pair of pilings 12ft 3inches apart on the first pass. My crew, the dockhand, and bystanders were really impressed (and I was flabbergasteded -- probably won't repeat that maneuver in 100 trys!). Seriously, one major reason for backing in to a dock (or to pick up a mooring) is to minimize windage effects on the bow. Much less reduced in reverse. The trick is to understand and work with the prop walk and how much way your boat needs in order to get effective steerage. Also, for "Med Style" docking, most boats seem to have their electrical hookup outlets at the stern, so stern-in makes for a shorter run to the shore power outlet. And, boarding is easier at the stern (vice climbing over a bow pulpit, around the forestay & jib, and over your anchor). --RonD
This past Summer the "Docking Gods" smiled upon me as I swung my boat stern-to and slightly offset from the sea wall & pilings at Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard, and backed my 11ft 9inch beam through a pair of pilings 12ft 3inches apart on the first pass. My crew, the dockhand, and bystanders were really impressed (and I was flabbergasteded -- probably won't repeat that maneuver in 100 trys!). Seriously, one major reason for backing in to a dock (or to pick up a mooring) is to minimize windage effects on the bow. Much less reduced in reverse. The trick is to understand and work with the prop walk and how much way your boat needs in order to get effective steerage. Also, for "Med Style" docking, most boats seem to have their electrical hookup outlets at the stern, so stern-in makes for a shorter run to the shore power outlet. And, boarding is easier at the stern (vice climbing over a bow pulpit, around the forestay & jib, and over your anchor). --RonD
Back in? Because I can!
Because I can is the smartass answer however as most people indicated it is ease of boarding and heading out.
Because I can is the smartass answer however as most people indicated it is ease of boarding and heading out.
- Status