Docking paranoia. (yes they ARE watching)

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by sailhog

When I watch porn, I don't laugh and say, "I could have done THAT better."

There's a good reason for that...

[teshannon]

It used to make me nervous when people watched me dock but no more. There are big power cruisers in my marina with twin screws that bounce off the pilings more than I do. I back in and if I get the stern past the outermost pilings life is good. Rubrails take over from there.

[joeybkcmo]

My slip neighbor seems to think more of my docking abilities than I do. Came into the slip this weekend with a strong crosswind. He was floating on a raft in the fairway, watched me line up, but didnt move. Guess he figured that I could just bump him out of the way if needed.

[Azeotrope]

The premiere qualification for being a boat handling instructor at any maritime school is the ability to dock a keel boat, especially a full keel boat. If you can do that they automatically know you can handle any of their powerboats, even if you tell them you've never done it. Keep that in mind next time "Admiral Power" critiques your landing.

[Gillfowdy]

Coming into the marina the other day I noticed the water level was about 18" lower than normal. As we kept motoring in I noticed the water swirling around all the boats in their slips. I know now that as we had 2 days of off shore wind, the river had been sucked down in water level. The swirling was water rushing back into the river! Well I noticed the boat was moving faster than normal during docking and I lost control of the boat as I tried to make the turn into our slip. (I have to make a righthand turn, then a quick left turn and stop along a retaining wall). My wife on the bow jumped off onto the stern of a power boat just as we slid sideways into it. Only scratches to our hull and no other damage. I was shaken and very glad we didn't cause more damage. O ya. Just as we stopped, a truck pulled up, the window rolled down and someone took a picture of us. Guess people like to see others having a hard time.

Phil

[CapnHand]

It's good that people watch us. It encourages good seamanship. Watching others was how I learned. I had both good and bad examples.

We had a problem at the start of the summer coming into our slip, it was just my wife and I. Can't remember all the details and there was no damage, it was just clumsy. Two things I do remember: a) it was all my fault b) there was no one watching (yes!) c) There wasn't any shouting, we just worked together to get it straightened away. I was more happy about c than b.

[Sapperwhite]

One fine weekend I was at Pussers on ego alley gettin my drink on when a nasty T-storm rolled in. An elderly couple were coming in to tie up and had a hell of a time getting their 40ft. boat up against the wall. Some of us ran into the rain to grab lines, others laughed and pointed. The harbor master helped by pushing them up with his tender.

One A-hole in particular was very loud in exclaiming to his buds what a wreck that landing was, within earshot of the couple. I was sort-of loaded, so I asked him what he would have done that would have been so much a smoother landing if it were his boat. He didn't have an answer.

I try to grab a line, because one day I'll need someone to grab a line for me.

One time I was having a bad time getting in myself. The usual marina queen weekend drunks were looking and pointing. None came to help. My old buddy on the Westsail 32 ran over to grab a line and pull me in.....he knows full keel trouble more than anyone. A few weeks later, one of the guys on his marina queen with 6' fin keel finally got out on the water for the first time this year. He tried to come back in at low tide and got stuck in the mud right in front of his slip..... I didn't help that time. I've got enough in my Karma kitty to look past that one.

[SEMIJim]

First time we docked our new-to-us boat was at a marina where we were over-nighting when we were bringing her home. Of course there was a bunch of power-boaters at the end of the row of slips opposite of where we were to tie up. We yelled-out "New boat! First time!" and two of 'em rushed down and back up to our side to give us a hand. When we succeeded in getting lines around a pair of pilings, the others, watching from the other side, all good-naturedly cheered, applauded and yelled-out things like "Well done!" I stood on the foredeck and bowed .

As for docking, now, in our home slip: We're too busy making sure we get her in as cleanly as possible, w/o damaging anything, to worry about whether anybody's watching. It's easier for us than many, being as our slip is at the end of a canal. Unless there's wind pushing her around, it's just the boats motion we have to deal with. So slow and easy is the order of the day.

Jim

[Sailormann]

Used to worry about what people thought a long time ago. Then I grew up.

Now - have two concerns a) Don't hit anyone else's boat. b) Don't bang up my own boat.

If there are people on the dock that are offering to help when I/we come in - I ask them to do specific things. And if we don't need any help, we say so politely.

[SimonV]

What I have noticed is when the skipper starts shouting and swearing at the crew, it is time to stop listening and take care of self preservation. He is not yelling at me or calling me names he is mad at himself because he has done the wrong thing and is in no position to remedy it.