Elessar
Well-Known Member
Went to Gunwharf yesterday after a quick trip to Cowes. Single handed and it was a bit windy, so I asked for a berth being blown on.
Port side to I was told, port is easiest on my boat single handed so I decided to go in forwards, unusual for me.
I put a nose in to have a look, I had to go between 2 boats about 20ft apart to a dead end, then go sideways to port in front of the one boat on the left. There were 2 boats on the right, filling that finger. It looked a bit tight, no possibility of turning round so I nipped back out to fender up my starboard side in case I blew over.
Got the forward fender on before I was blown too close to the wall, back to the helm for a bit if sea room and I could see the harbour chap there waiting to help so I didn't bother with the aft starboard fender.
Down the gap, bows to a RIB which was across the dead end in front of me. Marina chap took my forward line so I could get the stern in, but with my bow overhanging the rib I was still overlapping the boat on my port side - I wasn't going to fit.
I asked the marina guy to move the RIB forward so I would fit, he did so but let go of my forward warp to do so. It was all a bit gusty and lots of wake coming in too to add to the excitement. I did drift over to the right and touched the yacht alongside me, it was the second on the right. The RIB was moved and by now more rope handlers had arrived to help, and I was in. Even without the RIB I had only about 2 ft behind me and I was overlapping the pontoon with my bows.
I wish I'd put the rear fender out but it was very gentle, i didn't think I'd done any damage, but I mentioned it to the marina guy - he agreed there was no damage but I wanted to leave my name anyway just in case. Wife and friends arrived by car and we had a nice evening.
Doing my checks in the engine bay this morning, a knock on the boat - Hi skipper you hit my boat. Yes sorry, I was about to say, and he said the damage was at least £2000 which raised my awareness. Then he said the boat name - the first one on the right as I went in. And I definately hadn't touched it. The chap was friendly not agressive but definately assertive - he was having none of it, I'd hit his boat. The balance of evidence was against me he said. After a long conversation I think he believed me. The fact that I'd left my name for the boat in front helped I think. And yes I did touch the boat in front but I don't make a habit of hitting things, but whilst that's true I couldn't really say that could I? The damage to his boat was indeed substantial, the rear pushpit had been hit hard and was out of shape. No way whoever did it did it unknowingly.
Leaving this morning, it was still a bit windy and my wife was with me now, so I asked her to have a roaming fender in case the bows blew. I fendered the bow so I could get the stern out, then go forward on the left engine to get the bow out, astern starboard etc until I juggle out to the middle then straight astern. It would take a few goes as I could only go forward and back about 4 feet. I always check forward in reverse on both engines before casting off as those who have been with me will testify.
So astern on starboard engine, the stern came out, getting close to the boat behind so, neutral on starboard, forward on port - the bows came out, but faster than planned or expected. Still getting closer to the boat behind so neutral on port, forward on starboard to stop the swing of the bows to starboard. Still going back the wind must be stronger than I thought, give it some revs on starboard forward and crunch hit the boat behind hard.
The pin had come out of the gear selector on the starboard engine and it was stuck in gear astern. Thus my corrective action made me accelerate in the direction I didn't want to go. The boat behind was a dolphin nose sealine like mine so has a rub rail round the bows. It has a mark the size of a 5p on the rub rail but I have damage down to the matting sadly. And I now have a SE INE according to the badge on the back
And yes I left my name.......
Port side to I was told, port is easiest on my boat single handed so I decided to go in forwards, unusual for me.
I put a nose in to have a look, I had to go between 2 boats about 20ft apart to a dead end, then go sideways to port in front of the one boat on the left. There were 2 boats on the right, filling that finger. It looked a bit tight, no possibility of turning round so I nipped back out to fender up my starboard side in case I blew over.
Got the forward fender on before I was blown too close to the wall, back to the helm for a bit if sea room and I could see the harbour chap there waiting to help so I didn't bother with the aft starboard fender.
Down the gap, bows to a RIB which was across the dead end in front of me. Marina chap took my forward line so I could get the stern in, but with my bow overhanging the rib I was still overlapping the boat on my port side - I wasn't going to fit.
I asked the marina guy to move the RIB forward so I would fit, he did so but let go of my forward warp to do so. It was all a bit gusty and lots of wake coming in too to add to the excitement. I did drift over to the right and touched the yacht alongside me, it was the second on the right. The RIB was moved and by now more rope handlers had arrived to help, and I was in. Even without the RIB I had only about 2 ft behind me and I was overlapping the pontoon with my bows.
I wish I'd put the rear fender out but it was very gentle, i didn't think I'd done any damage, but I mentioned it to the marina guy - he agreed there was no damage but I wanted to leave my name anyway just in case. Wife and friends arrived by car and we had a nice evening.
Doing my checks in the engine bay this morning, a knock on the boat - Hi skipper you hit my boat. Yes sorry, I was about to say, and he said the damage was at least £2000 which raised my awareness. Then he said the boat name - the first one on the right as I went in. And I definately hadn't touched it. The chap was friendly not agressive but definately assertive - he was having none of it, I'd hit his boat. The balance of evidence was against me he said. After a long conversation I think he believed me. The fact that I'd left my name for the boat in front helped I think. And yes I did touch the boat in front but I don't make a habit of hitting things, but whilst that's true I couldn't really say that could I? The damage to his boat was indeed substantial, the rear pushpit had been hit hard and was out of shape. No way whoever did it did it unknowingly.
Leaving this morning, it was still a bit windy and my wife was with me now, so I asked her to have a roaming fender in case the bows blew. I fendered the bow so I could get the stern out, then go forward on the left engine to get the bow out, astern starboard etc until I juggle out to the middle then straight astern. It would take a few goes as I could only go forward and back about 4 feet. I always check forward in reverse on both engines before casting off as those who have been with me will testify.
So astern on starboard engine, the stern came out, getting close to the boat behind so, neutral on starboard, forward on port - the bows came out, but faster than planned or expected. Still getting closer to the boat behind so neutral on port, forward on starboard to stop the swing of the bows to starboard. Still going back the wind must be stronger than I thought, give it some revs on starboard forward and crunch hit the boat behind hard.
The pin had come out of the gear selector on the starboard engine and it was stuck in gear astern. Thus my corrective action made me accelerate in the direction I didn't want to go. The boat behind was a dolphin nose sealine like mine so has a rub rail round the bows. It has a mark the size of a 5p on the rub rail but I have damage down to the matting sadly. And I now have a SE INE according to the badge on the back
And yes I left my name.......
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