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Ferry Gliding

3K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  JohnRPollard 
#1 ·
The attached page from Good Old Boat talks about ferry gliding.
It makes sense in open water but will the current really run consistently in among the finger piers?

You can't read the text in the attached page but the picture sort of explains it.

The concept is that if you are in strong current you just put your nose toward the current and adjust your power until you have a sog of 0.

Now you can move sideways, forward or back just by minor adjustments of throttle or helm.
So even with strong current you can move very slowly in perfect control into a slip.

This must be an open water situation where the docks are purely surface setup and the current flows freely. In LIS where I sail I'm pretty sure the current flow every which way depending on what the shore line is doing.
 

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#2 ·
This is a technique that is well established in white water canoeing and the activity is tempered by changes in currents and tucking behind boulders. Yes, it is a tactic that we employ when manuvering to a dock in strong current, as well as backing into a slip when the current is hard set onto the mouth of the slip. When backing by low idle forward and occassional neutral it's easy to have the bow drift off the set an turn you off your destination. You can't afford to drift broadside, so you have to be ready to bail out in forward and re-position. This is very easy to practice and develop your skill by manuvering around a lobster/crab float or mooring ball in strong current. The diagram posted above would likely have minimum current after entering the breakwater with the cut out of the shoreline to the left, but for sure, you would need to "crab" or "ferry" into the entrance to the basin. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew
 
#3 ·
The finger piers create a lot of turbulence but tend not to cause eddies of any real size so the technique will still work but not as well as in open water. If you have something solid like a bulkhead, it will create a large eddy and this will not work. Your boat will be affected differently depending on its draft(floats only disturb the water's surface).

When used correctly, a steady current can sometimes allow you to maneuver your boat more easily.
 
#5 ·
Yes & no! I think it's like the first time you put on skates. Very difficult until you get a feel for it. That's why helmsmen should practice this skill away from obstacles. I think another huge factor is the underwater profile. With my full keel contiguous with the rudder, I track very well into the current, but I can't back down a fairway in a marina like those fin keel boats. I would suspect that fin keel boats that have that quick turning axis might have much more difficultly ferrying. 'take care and joy, aythya crew
 
#7 ·
I have used this numerous times to crab sideways into a slip. Having the motors nearly 20ft. apart makes it all that much easier to make adjustments........i2f
I had not included multi-hulls in comparing underwater profiles and the ease of ferrying & backing a distance down a fairway. I understand your ability to ferry with the cat, but tell us more. Do you also find good control at backing a fair distance in a confined space. I suspect you have the best of both when it comes to this manuvering. 'take care and joy, Aythya crew
 
#8 ·
I've done it, but only with the current nose on. In the courses I had, we were also shown to use a transit to help pull sideways onto a pontoon (dock). For example, line up a post on the dock with a tree on the shore behind, and keep them in alignment as you slide the boat sideways across the current. That will help you use the throttle to keep the boat perfectly parallel to where you want to go.

I will admit, but a bit of embarrassment, that I think this was called "fairy gliding" until I read this post... :)
 
#9 ·
Because I have a limited view of the strbrd bow, and practically zero of the port. I find it easiest to back into nearly every situation. I can keep a straigh track foir as long as I wish when backing up. The funny :laugher thing is that when I first bought the boat, the size had me a wee bit intimidated. Immediatley I realized how easy she was to handle in all situations.........i2f
 
#12 ·
I've a fair amount of doing the "ferry" when on canoes trips. I can honestly say I've used the current in the river here (tidal Delaware riv) to easily move my O30 across the river. under sail or power it works well. I don't know about in tight quarters however although I've used it a few times to pull into finger slips by turn the boat 90* port or starboard and with a slight turn to the current the boat would ease very slowly in and against the finger slip.
 
#13 ·
worked great with the almost flat bottomed chris craft of my youth, but not so easy with a keel boat... I don't know why and haven't the energy to figure out the geometry in my head... but somehow a keel seems to make it more difficult...
 
#16 ·
Me too, I've heard of 'para vaning' which may be an aero term. I last used it to tie up along a ship to refuel (near Cape York). The ship paravaned to turn around in a channel its own length. It was a great bit of seamanship and I photographed it.

I still maintain its easy without eddies or breeze - unfortunately, always have a bit of both and 17+tonnes.
Happy NY guys
 
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