How do you get your back end in

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penzo

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First go on my new boat today ( its a 94 sealine 240).Very nervous but played around in the marina for 4 hours and managed to bearth it without causing any damage so chuffed with that. I did have problems however when practicing coming alongside the pontoons in bringing my stern inn. I did a powereboat level 2 course a few month back which was in a rib. The instructor told me to steer towards the pontoon slowly at around 30 to 40 degrees and select neutral when about a boat length away. Then turn the wheel hard over towards the pontoon and briefly engage astern which pulls the stern into the pontoon.

This did work on the rib which had an outboard which on full lock turned nearly 90 degrees to the stern. On my sterndrive sealine the full turning lock seems to be only around 30 degrees from the straight ahead position. Hence when i try to dock alongside as i was taught, when reverse is engaged, iinstead bringing the stern in the boat moves away from the pontoon to much with the stern very slightly coming around.

Can anyone tell me if the small turning lock on outdrives is normal or could i have a steering problem. Im back to the marina on friday for some more practice before i attempt the lock,
where there is always lots of spectators waiting for someone to entertain them, so any advice would be appreciated.

Penzo
 
A lot will depend on the hand of the screw, if the taught method does not work then improvise, try for instance the same approach, but instead of reverse and pulling, try the helm away from the pontoon and a nudge in forward, to push the stern in. As long as you keep things slowly slowly you should not come any harm, if at first you don't succeed back off and try again. We have all had to learn, and even then get out of shape on occasion.
 
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I am fairly new to this game too! I had an expert colleague who crewed me up from Plymouth to Torquay on her maiden voyage, and we did a lot of turning practice out in the bay before attempting the berthing at the marina. Seeing what the boat does in various speeds and directions beats all the theory!
 
lock is similar to outboards, and the effect is the same.

possible issues -

1. application of the power to slow/turn the heavier (than a rib) boat will be for longer, which tends to have the effect of twisting the whole boat rather than nudging in the stern - paradoxically you may find less lock works better for what you are trying.
2. handed drives - if you have only one prop the application of power in astern will produce a sideways force, as well as a braking one. If you are coming in one way this will help this maneuver, coming in the other way it will work against you. With a duo-prop arrangement it will be neutral.
3. tied in with 1 above the amount of power, period of application and angle will all make a difference to what happens 'next'.
4. contrary to what some people would believe the outdrive does act as a rudder (in neutral) as well as vectored thrust when in gear. To use this effectively in the context you have outlined I start as you, go to neutral, turn slightly away from the pontoon first to control the bows and then, as speed is dropping off etc, spin the wheel the other way and go into reverse. This combination controls both bow and stern and avoids the situation of the bows tightening their angle of attack as the wheel is first turned - then spinning out as reverse is applied, or, if reverse is applied first and then the wheel is turned, you end up reversing out the way you came and straightening out 10ft off, but parallel to, your berth!

All this ignores wind and currents...
 
Check the direction your prop(s) turn, have a good think about what to do & what you think will happen (using info above) Then try it & see what actually happens. If you are lucky & get it right you will know a lot more about your boat! If you get it wrong try to figure out why that may be & modify your approach accordingly That way, you will know even more about your boat!

It's known as the Kolb Learning cycle; PLAN - DO - REVIEW

Every iteration will teach you more. At slow speeds, Tides & wind will affect you more, ideally eliminate them initially by choosing calm weather & slack water.
 
1/ practice practice practice. Start with a buoy, far away from other boats. Practice parking next to it. Move on to an empty pontoon and practice there.

2/ watch how ferry men do it. Mind they had sense to get a boat that behaved and dont park in marinas.

3/ Accept you've got a badly designed boat as far as parking is concirned. So watch the wind and tide. Half the time the wind will blow you where you want to go. But if the wind is blowing hard off, you've no chance. So concider other options.

4/ You dont say if you have a crew?? If you have and have some sort of forward deck and a crew. You could use THe Mucky Farter tried and tested method for all circumstances. Mind MF has twin screws and handles like a dream.

Buy a big round fender and stick it at your bows. Find the right place, that works at most angles. Drive up to the pontoon and cleat, in whatever angle you have to. Crew on fore deck lassoos cleat with a big loop of rope. Quite easy really.

Now you can either go forwards, turning away from the pontoon, pulling against the rope. The back end will come in. Else you can go in reverse and stear into the pontoon. Hold the boat next to the pontoon, whilst crew walks off.

5/ Leaning against the boat next door is quite acceptable if well fendered.
 
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We have an 03 S23 which is basically the model on from yours with a similar set up. Single engine duo props. The only advise we can give is keep practicing it will click eventually and maybe get some tuition on your own boat. All boats handle differently.
 
As HLB says, some boats are just harder. Nothing wrong with using some ropes, as he suggests. Its not a big boat, so while you could secure the bow and reverse the stern in, if you can get a line at both ends, you can just pull the boat in by hand. It might not win you any berthing awards, but with a new boat,to you, you want to get your confidence. Nothing worse than coming back and worrying about berthing, so whatever gets you tied up safely...plenty of time to learn, and get to know the boat's foibles.
With the season drawing to an end, you might find more empty berths and pontoons about, so there should be opportunities for a bit of safe practice. Its a good idea not just to be able to berth on your own pontoon too !
Oh, and there is nothing wrong with asking someone on the pontoon to help for a minute or two taking a line. No one minds. When you are brilliant at it, you may find you prefer people not to take a line, but that's for next year, perhaps.
 
The boat is a single engine duo prop, my crew is the wife and unfortunately on this boat access to the foredeck is a bit risky. Tying off at the bow is too awkward and dodgy a task for her to attempt when coming alongside.Any initial rope work has to be done from the cockpit, hence the need for me to master the act of bringing my stern in alongside.
Thanks for the advice,i suppose i am just being impatient and will keep practicing until it clicks.
As I mentioned earlier, the turning lock on the outdrive is only around 30degs either side of central position, can anyone confirm if this is normal?

Thanks, Penzo
 
Don't worry, berthing does get easier with practice, as everyone else has indicated. You will find that wind plays a much greater part with your Sealine, than the rib, plus a gentle nerf in a rib matters not, in your own boat, it always produces a serious "ouch" moment. Our second season with Rafiki has been much calmer than our first, and SWMBO and I have really cracked parking etc this year.
 
The drive on ours only turns about 30 degrees from centre either way as well so i dont think that is a problem. I think you just need to practise more, it will come with time dont worry.

As others have said the wind and/or tide will have a big effect on your boat as well. If the wind is blowing hard try to use it to your advantage not fight it. For example if the wind is blowing you onto your mooring turn early and let the wnd blow you onto your mooring. If it is blowing you off your mooring, fender up well and lie against the adjacent boat/berth then use your lines to pull her across. We often use this technique during the winter when the wind has switched more Northerly which blows us off our pontoon. We lie against the adjacent boat, take the stern line nearest our pontoon ashore, tie it securely to the rear most cleat on the pontoon then gently put the boat in forwards gear which pulls her across to the pontoon.

A friend of ours has a S240 and they have found access to the foredeck a struggle. His crew now use the toof hatch to access the bow area. On our S23 we have walkways that reach all the way to the cockpit so it isnt such a concern.
 
penzo said:
As I mentioned earlier, the turning lock on the outdrive is only around 30degs either side of central position, can anyone confirm if this is normal?
Click to expand...
It is. By design, sterndrives can't go anywhere near the steering angle allowed by outboards.
 
CX54WEK said:
If the wind is blowing hard try to use it to your advantage not fight it. If it is blowing you off your mooring, fender up well and lie against the adjacent boat/berth then use your lines to pull her across.
Click to expand...

That seems to be what happens when I return to our home berth (parallel to the prevailing wind) even though I don't start out that way :( However, someone has just berthed a large yaught next to me so that is no longer an option. :eek:
 
If you have enough room, use the forward motion to turn the stern in. Approach slowly, at a shallow angle, as the bow gets close, turn hard way from the pontoon. As the bow turns away, the stern will get closer. Then, helm hard the other way and engage reverse.

You also don't have to come neatly alongside. If it's tight, or wind/tide are making it difficult, just reverse a stern corner is as best you can, to allow someone to hop off onto the pontoon with a line. Quickly tie the line to the pontoon cleat that would be farthest from the stern of the boat when you are on the mooring, a quick couple of turns is enough, nothing fancy. Then just engage forward gear, with the helm dead ahead and she'll pull back tight onto the mooring. You can leave her in gear as long as it takes to get a bow line to the crew, she'll sit there neatly all day if you want. You might find this is a technique that the wife will like, as she can stand on the bathing platform and step off when close enough, rather than leaping over the gunwhales.

The suggestions of going and and spending some time practising are good ones.
 
Seahope said:
That seems to be what happens when I return to our home berth (parallel to the prevailing wind) even though I don't start out that way :( However, someone has just berthed a large yaught next to me so that is no longer an option. :eek:
Click to expand...

Our berth is parallel to the prevailing wind in summer, i.e South (ish) so we use the wind to blow us onto our mooring, turning early so the wind blows us into the pontoon. However during the winter months the winds usually switch to North (ish) and blow us off our mooring into the Norman next door. As long as we are well fendered down that side we just let the wind blow us into the Norman then i get off across the bow of that boat and take a stern line with me. I tie the rope off on the rear pontoon cleat, the OH puts the boat into forwards gently and the rope pulls the boat across onto her own pontoon.

So long as you dont damage the boat next door there is nothing wrong with lying against it for a moment.
 
My last boat had a stern drive with duo prop.

As others have said practice and more practice is the principal route to sucess... if possible get a more experienced person to give you some tuition.

However IMHO the most vital thing is to have a bow spring line prepared running from the bow pillar to the cockpit (around the outside of the rails!) with a good loop to enable you to lasso the pontoon cleat... once you have this on and your stern is blowing/drifting away from the pontoon, turn the helm away from the pontoon and apply a little forward power... your stern will then come straight back alongside.

Worked for me every time (sterndrive or shaft) and I'm always single handed.
 
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