It’s a very, very, rare occasion that requires surging the throttle back and forth from low to high to low to high to … (I’m sure you get the idea.)\u00a0 Sadly, you see it all of the time.\u00a0 For example, while pulling into a slip, too much throttle is applied in reverse bringing\u00a0the boat to a stop with only a third of the boat in the slip.\u00a0 To correct,\u00a0a burst of throttle in forward gets the boat moving again, only to realize things are going too fast and\u00a0a burst of throttle in reverse is needed to get the boat to a stop!\u00a0 Wouldn’t it be much easier to know how much throttle is required to smoothly bring that particular boat to a stop in a specified distance from a given speed?\u00a0 Here are\u00a0some great practice exercises to help you gain the transmission and throttle control to make docking appear effortless.<\/p>\n
Following the rule of always learning new skills in the safely of open water, the first\u00a0exercise uses the practice buoys set up inside Marina Bay.\u00a0 At a speed you would use to approach a slip during docking, set up on a course to pass five to ten feet away from the buoy.\u00a0 When you are about a boat length away from the buoy, shift into reverse, leaving the throttle at idle.\u00a0 Now sit back and see how far it takes to bring the boat to a stop.\u00a0 The goal is to stop with the buoy directly beside you and the helmsperson.\u00a0 If you stop too soon, try\u00a0shifting a little later\u00a0the next time.\u00a0 If you slid past the buoy, a bit of throttle or an earlier shift to reverse should help.\u00a0 By using an object in the water, you are much more likely to be able to tell when the boat reaches\u00a0that point of being fully stopped and not yet beginning to back up.<\/p>\n
Once comfortable bringing the boat to a smooth stop in open water, move to a side tie.\u00a0 The “D Dock” pump out station is a perfect spot.\u00a0 Again establish a good fairway speed.\u00a0 Set yourself up to travel parallel to and five or ten feet off the dock, and try to stop directly beside pre-chosen spot on the dock, such as the second cleat.\u00a0 Do this exercise on the leeward side of the dock and\u00a0the wind will help you depart so you can come around and try it again.<\/p>\n
Move back out to the practice buoy. \u00a0 Pretend it’s the end of a dock finger.\u00a0 Set up on a course to pass the buoy 25 or 30 feet away (about the distance from the dock in a normal fairway approach to a slip).\u00a0 Make a 90 degree turn “into the slip” represented by the buoy, and smoothly bring the boat to a stop with the transom directly beside the buoy.\u00a0 If you have been making your turns into an upwind “slip,” try several times approaching from the other side,\u00a0turning into a “downwind slip”.\u00a0 When you feel you have it nailed, transition to the same maneuver down a fairway and into a real slip.<\/p>\n
Once you are feeling good about your skills, repeat all of the above while operating astern propulsion … that’s boat talk for backing up.<\/p>\n
Try\u00a0different variables … e.g. different boat speeds and\/or wind conditions.\u00a0 Practice and experimentation will show you the best combination of shift timing and throttle control to smoothly dock in any set of conditions.\u00a0 No more transmission crunching, jerky, hair raising revs of the motor!<\/p>\n
Note from Matt: Speed control is critical and covered very well by Don in this article. Here’s another tip to help you with that perfect docking when you return: Before removing any lines from the boat, while it is resting in it’s slip, get a point of reference for your return. Is the cleat on the dock lined up directly with a stanchion, a boat cleat, or a bimini frame? Getting this reference point before you leave will help you when you return, so that you know exactly where to stop the boat in the slip. Object to your side are much easier to see and use as references than points out in front of the boat.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It’s a very, very, rare occasion that requires surging the throttle back and forth from low to high to low to high to … (I’m sure you get the idea.)\u00a0 Sadly, you see it all of the time.\u00a0 For example, … Continue reading