Left mooring fine, getting back was a whole different story!

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HONEYMOMMY

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We finished doing a bit of work on the boat and it was still light so as we are taking her out for our first trip tomorrow we thought it was a good idea to have a practice going out and back into the marina.

Going out, gently does it no problems. had a little tootle round the island and back in towards the marina entrance.

Had a little trouble get her straight on to get into the marina but once in no problems until :eek:

We reached our pontoon knowing it was tight, but had no idea how bad it would be.

Basically we spent half the time in the trees, or heading towards the wrong part of the finger. The area was so tight it was really difficult to get into a good enough position to then reverse back. At one point the boat was side on in the corner on the shoreline then trying to get out the starboard engine cut out from chewing up the tree roots and wouldn't restart..
I at that point was allready on the finger having stepped off earlier on a previously failed attempt watching and keeping my mouth shut unless in imminent danger. :D

Hubby stayed calm while son panicked and I while screaming inside managed to make the appropriate noises such as..... NOOOOOOOO GO FORWARD!!!! NO BACK!!!!!!! OH GOD NO!!!!!!!!:D

Eventually we managed to get into a postition where son could throw me a rope he had tied to a spare fender to add length enough to reach me so I could pull the boat back enough to grap the davit and line it up enough to get the boat back into the mooring space...

Needless to say.... We need a different mooring....:D

So I expect there will be many forumites from Bray checking out if the space next to them is free and panicking we may be their new neighbours.... Hahahaha:p

I will say though, if they think they can get the boat in our mooring and its just our poor boating skills, they are welcome to come over to I pontoon tomorrow to show us how easy it is... :D

We are still going out tomorrow, engines are fine.... Just not sure about getting back in..... If the office is open we may be able to get a different mooring space.
 
Twin outdrives on a small flybridge is possibly the hardest boat in the known universe to master so don't feel too bad about it:) we all have our moments;)
 
Chris_d said:
Twin outdrives on a small flybridge is possibly the hardest boat in the known universe to master so don't feel too bad about it:) we all have our moments;)
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The engineer that did the work on the boat did say it was a really tight mooring, he is very calm and added we should be allright if we take it slow and going forward we can't hit anyone at least, just go into the trees... :eek:
 
Suggest you get out into a quiet bit of the river - just downstream of the island should be pretty quiet at this time of the year. Then practice using the engines and steering so that you get a feel for how the boat behaves.
As ChrisD said, twin outdrives are a pretty challenging setup and you need to take it slowly while you find out how to move the boat ahead and astern under control - the wheel and the outdrives can be used to great co-operative effect or actually work against each other.
Theres a great inclination to rev too hard and you don't have to use both engines simultaneously. Softly softly and you'll gradually gain confidence in making the boat behave the way you want it to.
Trying to do this at the same time as trying to actually berth is not a good idea so I'm not surprised you had a few problems today - but, hey, you got there in the end.
I'm sure there's someone in the club that would be happy to spend an hour or two with you if you'd like a little help.
 
Welcome to boating. We have ALL been there.Just a note of reassurance,please do not be under the illusion that it gets any easier, :):):)
 
boatone said:
Suggest you get out into a quiet bit of the river - just downstream of the island should be pretty quiet at this time of the year. Then practice using the engines and steering so that you get a feel for how the boat behaves.
As ChrisD said, twin outdrives are a pretty challenging setup and you need to take it slowly while you find out how to move the boat ahead and astern under control - the wheel and the outdrives can be used to great co-operative effect or actually work against each other.
Theres a great inclination to rev too hard and you don't have to use both engines simultaneously. Softly softly and you'll gradually gain confidence in making the boat behave the way you want it to.
Trying to do this at the same time as trying to actually berth is not a good idea so I'm not surprised you had a few problems today - but, hey, you got there in the end.
I'm sure there's someone in the club that would be happy to spend an hour or two with you if you'd like a little help.
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Totally agree with your comments. tomorrow we get to have a good practise and it should be quiet on the river.

The mooring is definately tight though. :( Rather worried about our return tomorrow....
 
Deefor said:
Was that your choice or one given to you by MDL :rolleyes:
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It was our choice but with the question would it be a tight fit. Have had general comments of it should be ok and we can move if we want. Other comments that it a good spot as its sheltered.. The engineer said it was really tight which was a worry....

It's noones fault... Just wondering if we should see how tomorrow goes or just try to move to another pontoon asap...

I did say... if we can moor on this spot well we will be able to moor anywhere... :D
 
We are up and ready for another day of crashing.. Sorry practise. ;)

Have to check the filters first to see how much mulch we picked up yesterday...

I am hoping the marina office is open to change berths today..

Wish us luck... :eek:
 
Think hard before wimping out.

"I did say... if we can moor on this spot well we will be able to moor anywhere..."



Spot On.




If you start to avoid difficult situations,your boating days are going to be brief and you will end up doing nothing .

Maybe stick with that berth,at least for a bit boating is supposed to be fun but with a bit of a challenge as well.
So you make a pigs ear of it,it is all good experience and will stand you in good stead later.
Think i know the berth you mean,its a real pain.:) but maybe spending half an hour going the few yards in/out the berth when no one is around if it makes you happier.
IMHO.
 
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Remember to look at other boats pennants, to keep an eye on the wind direction.

Try and place the boat so the wind helps you in, not the other way round!! :D

Anticipate what effect the wind will have, and overestimate it by a factor of three, then you'll be able to go in real gently.

Sometimes a good decisive kick of a throttle or two is good too...
 
If you think your berth on I pontoon is awkward, then spare a thought for me on H. It looks line a lot of room, but I have about 4ft clear at the stern to manoeuvre.

Stick with it - as others say - if you wimp out this early in your career you'll never get to grips with it.

We find getting a line onto a cleat / bollard sometimes helps, so learn some ropemanship. There's a fine line between proceeding slowly under control and going so slowly that you get blown about. It's the wind that's mostly the problem.

After all it's the skills that you pick up by dint of hard work and occasional damp underwear that will set you apart from "lesser folk". There's something about gliding into a mooring or lock seemingly effortlessly and getting your lines ashore that will give you pleasure - and the gongoozlers as well....
 
... following on from which, Never step ashore unless you have a line in your hand, once ashore with the line, don't pull it unless instructed by the skipper.
 
Well..... We have had a play. The mooring is a nightmare for us but we have one temporarily on the other side. Had a practise on it and it's a he'll of a lot better. No screaming at all :)

Hopefully we will be able to stay where we are on the other side. Will know by Thursday.
Just passed through Romney lock without any problems. Lovely lock keeper at the one before. The temporary bridge was interesting.... Had only 3" spare from the top of the light. :eek:

Now pooteling along looking at the scenery. :)


Update. Returning.... Passing Windsor town noticed we had about 2ft of water on board. Engine water filter lid loose and we hadn't noticed... No handle for the bilge pump but the automatic one has done enough for now.

Another lesson learned... :)
 
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Perfect!

Welcome to the river :-)

As a newbie myself just last May I can assure you: you'll soon be looking back laughing...... Till it happens agin :-)

Worst bit is on a lovely sunny Saturday when the river bank is packed with families out for a walk..... All lined up along the lock watching those lucky people with boats..... As you glide gracefully in then miss BOTH bollards with the lines and have also switched off too soon so drift into the middle in a red- faced mess.


Never happened to me, of course, nope.... Never.... Not once ;)
 
Keep at it - I learned how to handle boats on a Sealine 255, twin outdrives (but admitedly no fly bridge..) and spent a fair amount of time sitting broadside across the bows of my neighbours boat trying to work out which engine needed to be in which direction with steering pointing where??

Eventually it clicks (mostly..I still get caught out seven years later. Anyone who says they get it right everytime is a liar:) ) and anything else then becomes easy.

Moving up to a twin shaft 38 footer was a dream - the time you spend cutting your teeth doing it the hard way is soooooo worth it :)

And remember, SLOW and well fendered, whats the worst you can do? ;)
 
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