Berthing (badly) with an audience!!!

[dog]

I am just wondering if I am getting worse at berthing or im just going through a bad patch!

I have been getting on and off my berth for the last 2 years with just myself and girlfriend with no major dramas. Recently I have come to know a number of the other boaters in our marina- which is really good. The situation now occurs that I often have a shore based landing party on my return, for which I am very grateful. It just seems lately I have lost the technique that I had back in the spring and end up sideways accross the berth or leave the boat in reverse and turn a perfect landing into a c**k up at the last minute!!

Am I going to become a gelcoat cruncher?- or is it just performing in front of others that does it? I could not get back in my berth without a major struggle yesterday- V embarrasing. I REALLY hate being crap at things!!!!!!

Please reasure me fellow boaters that I am not alone!!!

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[powerskipper]

You are not alone, there are days when the boat just doe's not do what is expected, or the left hands forgets what the right is doing, we all have days or even weeks like that. I think that is also why boats are female!!!!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie

 

[Renegade_Master]

Two things, are you taking wind and current into consideration enough? If unsure on approach stop the boat in middle of channel approaching your berth, see what the elements are doing to the stationary boat, i.e. which way she moves.

Secondly dont hesitate to abort an approach and start again theres no shame in doing just that, its better to get the second approach right than cock up the first just cos you think the audience might expect you to do it in one. CGN



<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>

 

[ccscott49]

There's never an audience when you do it first time! Only when you make a balls up of it! Then they bring deck chairs!

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[gosouth]

Me too, your not the only one!! I've had the same problem since not using the boat regulary!! It's a good excuse to use the boat more!!

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[ballena]

Our berth at Southsea is right below the bar terrace, so plenty of spectators, the great thing is the southerly winds that just allow us to drift into place when going astern.

I have thought about selling tickets.

<hr width=100% size=1>V8's rule!

 

[dog]

Hi, thanks for the advice. I do take wind/tide into consideration, and always try to come up to my berth using the stronger force as a brake. I guess its just good old fashioned nerves playing me up!!!!

Thanks all!

B

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[c_j]

I always recall my worst ever berthing moment being at Lymington as newbies, attempting to get between the mooring buoys off Town Quay in our V40.

The handle fell off the boat hook as SWMBO was attempting to snag said buoy and as we "discussed the matter" whilst drifting around, a crowd had assembled on the Town quay which I have always likened to that scene from the movie "Zulu"; you know, the one where all the Zulu's appear at the top of the hill.

Anyway between adjacent piles was one of those old salt types complete with beard and converted(not much) trawler, and his exasperation was audible as he let dinghy into water and retrieved our boat hook and then proceeded to direct us between piles, all the time huffing and puffing about bloody amatuars and sterndrives and bow thrusters and ..................

I said thanks to him at the time but I did not mean it because I think in boating, if you cannot help with good grace then dont help.

I looked back to the quay and the crowd had gone. Deserted. Now whenever I go up to Town Quay although we are not allowed to berth at 50ft without prior permission, I still go up to do a couple of pirouettes (how do you spell that?) just to show off!

Sun_coast has it of course but wind and tide is such a big factor and if you can get yourself up into the wind especially the stern then it gives you more time and more room.

I love positioning the boat in such a way that one is blown onto your intended berth.
How often do you see people being blown on to their intended berth but still the throtlles are being tweaked and in and out of gear, bit of bow thruster, and I
am dying to say, leave the bloody thing alone and just wait for a minute!

<hr width=100% size=1>CJ
cjs@stone.uk.com


<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.stone.uk.com>http://www.stone.uk.com</A>

 

[peterandjeanette]

I hear what you say - can you please talk to my boat.
Reversing the F33 into her river marina berth goes extrememly well until the last 6 ft when the bow always swings to starboard. No bowthruster - that would be too easy. Tried telling her off, need someone else to tell her.

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[milltech]

I used to berth at PHYCM or Salterns or whatever it may b called now. At 90 degrees to me was a 40 foot MS with an American couple (slowly) getting ready for long term cruising.

Each weekend I would come in single handed and do it OK. As I walked past his boat to the car he would usually compliment me on my boat handling.

Comes the day he's almost ready to leave and having a cocktail party on deck, 20 odd people smartly dressed, booze in hand. I see him point at me and I imagine him saying, "Watch this guy handle his boat" (think Amercian accent). I got it every which way, everything that could go wrong did go wrong, he and a couple of his guests eventually rescued me.

Life is like that.


<hr width=100% size=1>John
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.allgadgets.co.uk>http://www.allgadgets.co.uk</A>

 

[Oldhand]

It sounds as though you are:

a) Allowing helpers to distract you from your plan.
b) Allowing helpers to take a bow line, which they then pull on and as the bow is pulled in the stern swings out.

Perhaps your helpers need instruction?

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[Renegade_Master]

CJ

"I love positioning the boat in such a way that one is blown onto your intended berth"

Spot on CJ always use the elements to your advantage, fine example tother day leaving Marina Bay in Gib with some guests on board moored alongside pontoon tight between two boats, and needing to turn 90 degrees once out with little room.

Got guests to release bow and stern, and waited, they then looked up at me with furrowed brows, as they heard no action from the engines, "just wait" was my reply and low and behold the boat slowly moved off sideways due to the wind then once far enough away spun the boat round seasy. Opposite effect to which you speak but equally relevant.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.suncoastmarine.co.uk>Sun Coast Sea School & Charter</A>

 

[kazbaz2]

im glad that its not just me swmbo dives for cover as we near our finger, with wind and stron current as soon as a turn starts shes (the boat) is off , now try and time it for flat tide and admit to not going out if breeze is strong or journey isnt going to be a full one, some say i should have an alongside berth that would be easier but i hate to give up on what should be a standard berth

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[hlb]

A big problem that the inexperienced tend to overlook is. Now how shall Iput it. Well. You have never seen a traditional harbour, or fishing port designed like a marina. No one in there right mind would invent one. Then theres the modern outdrive plastic tub. It took the whole of the Bin-sea- liner design team to engineer the most imposible sea boat imaginable. Couple the two together and stir in the average family crew of sea men that insists on parking this way because of the view, sun or just plain Nosieness and you have invented the worst nightmare for disaster at sea. Add to this coldron of dispair, the rule that two boats should never touch and thou shalt not put marks on the gell coat.

Now to ilustrate my point. Where have you ever seen a little ferry, water taxi or any other comercial boat, designed like a plastic fantastic and drop his passengers off by backing onto a finger pontoon.

So the first part of good helmsmanship and avoiding helmsmanshit!! is this.

1/ Cajole, beg, or what ever it takes, to get the marina to find you a desent berth. (Might take a year or two.)

2/ Buy a boat where at least some attempt has been made to make it steerable, walk roundable, cleatable. No stupid desgner labled go faster cleats. Proper ones. Avoid at all costs the Oh dont it look prity, imposible shaped, requires Sir Edmond Hillery and a team of trained monkeys to negotiate it.

3/ When you come to moor. Take note of wind and tide and which would be the best method of aproch.Take no notice of Sun, view or just plain nosieness.

When you have achieved all this. You can then attempt berthing with an audience with a..... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif



<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn