Dylan, you were right.

I hope you have a great time cruising.

I am grateful for your concern but I was pitching my reply at my interpretation of the Forum's interests.

We will start our three months cruise with three dozen bottles of wine, which we (2)will just about finish when we get home. The bottle of rum will be about 3/4 full and the whisky hardly touched. So that's a bottle of wine between two, every three days, with a bit of help from a VacuVin to spread it out. I don't think this comes under most people's definition of problem-drinking.
 
Nathan,

I agree with you and Dylan re FUN !

I once mistakenly sold my Anderson 22, but found even a fairly rapid Carter 30 was simply not so much fun and not so rewarding, while being built to considerably lower standards so a constant worry.

My father had bought a Centaur but didn't get on with her, a very good functional cruiser but no feel, no fun.

I sold the Carter and bought my original A22 back, a bonus was that she'd been stored ashore so was dry for gelshielding, also she was out of the way during the October 1987 Hurricane which decimated our club boats.

Now even when I win the lottery the Anderson stays, as flagship of a little fleet when that lottery thing happens.
 
I have a Co32 which has similar handling characteristics as you Nic.

Reference mooring - practice, practice, practice!

I used to have the fear. With some practice I am now happy to single hand into a marina in any conditions. Last year I did that in the dark, about a F7 with tide. Previously i would have bottled out. I was quite chuffed.

So, set a day to practice what you think is your weakness to gain confidence, it will pay back.
 
There's a lot to be said for reversing into marina berths - as the bow pays off downwind - but maybe practice first.

Even on my A22 I have a sticker on the vertical part of the main hatch right in front of me showing prop throw, with arrows to starboard if in ahead gear, port if going astern, as an aide memoire when under pressure.

I was reminded of this when on a friends' Centaur the other day, even in ahead gear at a touch more than idle the ' paddlewheel effect ' of the big 3 blade prop made berthing awkward for the owner on his first trip.
 
There's a lot to be said for reversing into marina berths - as the bow pays off downwind - but maybe practice first.

Even on my A22 I have a sticker on the vertical part of the main hatch right in front of me showing prop throw, with arrows to starboard if in ahead gear, port if going astern, as an aide memoire when under pressure.

I was reminded of this when on a friends' Centaur the other day, even in ahead gear at a touch more than idle the ' paddlewheel effect ' of the big 3 blade prop made berthing awkward for the owner on his first trip.

Thanks, tip now copied.
 
There's a lot to be said for reversing into marina berths - as the bow pays off downwind - but maybe practice first.

Done this three or four times. In the spirit of any landing you walk away from is a successful one - they were successful, but only because there wasn't another boat next to me, and because I jumped ashore and warped her in. Basically, all three times I totally messed it up. Actually, to be completely honest, I don't think I've tried going in forward yet. Perhaps that's the key. I intend to do lots of practising this weekend... in a big empty berth, pre filled with copious fenderage.
 
I have a Co32 which has similar handling characteristics as you Nic.

I am sorry to contradict but the handling of a longish fin such as a Contessa 32 and true long keel as on a Nic 32 / Cutlass and many others is not similar. Having sailed Co32s in my 20s I never had any worry of handling under power. Yes there is prop walk of course but that can be your friend. Not tried a Nic under power but as the underwater lines are very similar to my Cutlass I expect it is the same - you get prop walk but then once you have way on you do not get steerage astern. Stern weathercocks to wind and if there is any current that will take the keel. So unless your berth is upwind I wouldn't try going in astern. The only way to get any directional control is bursts of ahead to turn to starboard.

Going in ahead is easy, as slow as you can to maintain steerage - just limited stopping power so be ready with midships line.

However I agree with practice, practice, practice and lots of fenders both sides and lines both sides so you have flexibility!
 
I have on occasions used the weather mud bank as a convenient place to set sail, then when ready helm over, pull in main, heel a bit and off you go. You can do it!

Haha. Far too cocky. I like it.

I must say, you've all been exceptionally decent on this thread. I thought I was going to get ripped in to a bit, but it's been remarkably useful, and confident building to hear a lot of you have suffered the same worries at one point.
 
Done this three or four times. In the spirit of any landing you walk away from is a successful one - they were successful, but only because there wasn't another boat next to me, and because I jumped ashore and warped her in. Basically, all three times I totally messed it up. Actually, to be completely honest, I don't think I've tried going in forward yet. Perhaps that's the key. I intend to do lots of practising this weekend... in a big empty berth, pre filled with copious fenderage.

When I first started and I saw the next berth was full I usually made a hash of things trying to get into my berth. I soon learnt it was far better to come alongside my neighbour in a planned way (with fenders etc.) and then warp in. My neighbour was present one time and appreciated that I did things deliberately using his boat rather than risk some damage when I missed a cleat.

You soon start to realise that you make decisions based on risk of balls-up, which sometimes means you do things unconventionally. I once approached a pontoon stern first, dropped the stern line over a pontoon cleat and then in my own speed warped the bow round and in. People looked at me strangely (like what is he doing?), but afterwards said how easy it looked.
 
A friend of mine put a 6 horse outboard on the stern of his Vega. Solved the marina problem and provided an emergency motor to complement the tiller
Its all womens fault.Back in the 60s a 32 footer was a big boat something toaspire to.The rank and file had 22 footers and then 26 footers.Where did it all go wrong....women wanting showers and proper kitchens;that coupled with people having more credit boats grew bigger.I had a little engineless 27 footer then having met my now wife I ended up with a 40 foot schooner which was ok for living on but akward for a little sail round the bay and so much work.Now we are back to a little Vega that so far needs little work I am having to invent some!The downside is it doesnt go backwards which some may say is not important but in these days of marina berths going backwards ins everything.
 
A friend of mine put a 6 horse outboard on the stern of his Vega. Solved the marina problem and provided an emergency motor to complement the tiller

BUT it would be useless in waves with the prop pitching out of the water, dangerous to refuel - if internal tank - weight in the wrong place, prop thrust aft of the rudder so no help and when rafted an attraction for shore line warps to whip off any protruding bits like choke and throttle !
 
Nathan,

if singlehanded the spring line from bow ( hopefully fairlead aft of that ) and cleat on the pontoon will be helpfull along with a boathook but at as a slow speed so as not your bringiing the bow in.

Though at places like the otherwise lovely Emsworth marina people trundle into the very narrow berths and get surprised - with microscopic finger pontoons and a ring on the end not a cleat, unless there's a boat tied the other side it's a very wobbly crawling job, - seriousy, like ' it's a Knockout ' it's worth a prize if one can make it to the end to take a line - so in places like that there will only be disappointment followed by a crash landing if hoping to loop a line over a cleat on the way in, the boathook is always a friend.
 
Last edited:
Top