There are times that you wished you had more fenders. This is one of them.
Fenders
- Thread starter Ted
- Start date
On an airplane that's called "pilot induced oscillation". At least I think that's what is going on here.
Ken
Ken
That's a tough one. Not sure I would do any better. The solution may be to come in very hot. Full speed to get max rudder effectiveness.
That might work. I’d be tempted to match wave speed settling with the stern in the trough and the bow riding high. Prop and rudder get a better bite perhaps. Dang though, that is a narrow channel!
I was going to ask that question. What is the general consensus? I usually operate under the auspices of... "don't go at a speed any faster than you are willing to hit the dock"
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Thats hard to watch. I think alot of that is PIO also. Fending off equals broken body parts.
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That can not be a regularly used channel can it? what a horrible place to attempt a clean passage.
I'd heave to offshore for a while, the incoming tide or storm surge is too fast, later at slack or outgoing you'd have steerage. I think he was coming in full throttle to try to get some steerage, note the prop wash in his wake.
You see a bunch of people lining the channel with cameras don't you think "Hmm, wonder what they're looking at ?"
You see a bunch of people lining the channel with cameras don't you think "Hmm, wonder what they're looking at ?"
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You're a very lucky man if you can live your entire sailing life without thinking about the possibly that that might not work in the situation that is presenting itself.
That's good only when approaching the dock! Something we joking advise newbies of; i.e., Momentum = mass x velocity.
This fender arrangement would have been so much more appropriate.
..... and in this situation, would you throttle up?
Ohhh I've hit a dock or two. But I try not to. The worst landing I ever had was at Tangier Island about 5 years ago.
I took on some bad gas right before I left and as I started my outboard coming into the marina, I sucked some crud into the engine. It would not idle and would only stay running at about 2/3 throttle. My slip was pointed straight into a strong headwind. I slammed it into gear.. and tried to time cutting the engine to coast in... only to miss over and over. Then I'd drift out of the slip towards some other boats... while I frantically tugged on the starter rope. Circle around and try again. It was a suuuuucky landing. I eventually got into the slip with a BANG. Since then, I never leave port without long spring lines ready to deploy. In hindsight, I could have walked my boat into the slip by snagging a pillar with a spring line as passed laterally to the slip.
Actually, I used a spring line to leave the next day ... I slid out with a spring line around the pillar, and as the boat turned perpendicular to the wind, I let go of the spring line, and unrolled the head sail and sailed out.
It does look like it is a regularly used passage. If you notice, the wooden fenders on the concrete seem to be broken in some spots. I wonder where it is?
The only time I've had a similar experience was in Torres Straits. The following current was so strong it was taking shipping channel buoys underwater, completely! You only saw the water passing over them like rocks in a river. Under full sail and with the engine going flat out we slid and slipped through, but it was honestly only by shear luck that we got through without hitting one, and that wasn't anywhere near as narrow as the one in the video, being a channel for ships.
I'd have to go with anchoring and awaiting slack water or nearly so. Certainly an area where local knowledge AND a good cruising guide are absolutely essential!
The only time I've had a similar experience was in Torres Straits. The following current was so strong it was taking shipping channel buoys underwater, completely! You only saw the water passing over them like rocks in a river. Under full sail and with the engine going flat out we slid and slipped through, but it was honestly only by shear luck that we got through without hitting one, and that wasn't anywhere near as narrow as the one in the video, being a channel for ships.
I'd have to go with anchoring and awaiting slack water or nearly so. Certainly an area where local knowledge AND a good cruising guide are absolutely essential!
I wonder why he attempted it right then. Maybe he was late for supper. Or his wife was expected home that night. I can’t think of any other reason that makes any sense at all.
I think the helmsman did as good as it could be expected; he came in hot to have some kind of steerage and it was not until the end that he scraped the starboard side some. Don't know how deep that channel was but here in FLA you also have to be careful of dropping off the waves and hitting bottom.
Inside the harbor, just beyond that narrow channel, would be a great location for a fiberglass repair shop. I suspect that this is a regular spectator outing given the number of folks along the channel. Ouch...that was hard to watch!
I'm in the wait for slack tide camp. But, are we assuming this is tide induced? Could it be a lake outlet? Does someone know that channel?
If I had to do it the way that captain did and I was familiar with how his attempt went, I might try and let the current carry me while using shoremen on a bow line and a stern line, just to keep me straight. If I were going at it cold, I would do exactly what he did. Do you think dragging an anchor might help keep her from yawing?
- Will (Dragonfly)
If I had to do it the way that captain did and I was familiar with how his attempt went, I might try and let the current carry me while using shoremen on a bow line and a stern line, just to keep me straight. If I were going at it cold, I would do exactly what he did. Do you think dragging an anchor might help keep her from yawing?
- Will (Dragonfly)