Not a great day
- Thread starter lisilou
- Start date
boguing
Well-Known Member
This is spot on, works for us on the dark side too.
Picture it from above. Your prop is the 'anchor' the wind will blow the bow straight downwind. Leave it at idle and just click in/out of gear. The only place you go is where the tide may be taking you.
Once sussed as HLB and I have, you'll laugh at the utter simplicity.
thejonesey
Well-Known Member
Me too!
Sorry to hear of your trials Lisa but as has been said, it's all a learning experience. We too had a few problems today...
Sitting on the beach at Studland when I saw a boat like mine on the move... Yes the anchor had dragged. You have never seen me move so fast. Once on board things went from bad to worse... The windlass packed up so I couldn't get it up easily to reset. Luckily a kind chap came across and helped me pull up the anchor and tie onto a spare mooring, allowing me to go back and collect the family.
No point returning to the Hamble so we went through the "iconic" twin sails bridge... All rather less of an issue than I feared, and then squeezed into the tightest berth in Cobbs Quay. (About a foot each side and on a 6m finger.) Brilliant support from other berth holders who helped us tie up and gave distances etc.... Thanks!
So.... more lessons learned and a reminder that boaters are a great and supportive bunch.
Sorry to hear of your trials Lisa but as has been said, it's all a learning experience. We too had a few problems today...
Sitting on the beach at Studland when I saw a boat like mine on the move... Yes the anchor had dragged. You have never seen me move so fast. Once on board things went from bad to worse... The windlass packed up so I couldn't get it up easily to reset. Luckily a kind chap came across and helped me pull up the anchor and tie onto a spare mooring, allowing me to go back and collect the family.
No point returning to the Hamble so we went through the "iconic" twin sails bridge... All rather less of an issue than I feared, and then squeezed into the tightest berth in Cobbs Quay. (About a foot each side and on a 6m finger.) Brilliant support from other berth holders who helped us tie up and gave distances etc.... Thanks!
So.... more lessons learned and a reminder that boaters are a great and supportive bunch.
lisilou
Well-Known Member
lisilou
Well-Known Member
Thanks both. Funny enough, this is exactly what P/Skipper said to me today after I texted her to vent my frustration.
L
hlb
RIP
Thanks both. Funny enough, this is exactly what P/Skipper said to me today after I texted her to vent my frustration.
L
Watch the little ferry/ taxi boats for a while. They have no bow thruchers, but hardly ever make a mistake. Thats because they are reacting to what the boat wants to do, not to whatever your wims are. Drive in, back out, anything else will cause problems.
Croc
Well-Known Member
I am sure that we have all made major cock-ups mooring and leaving pontoons at sometime.
Several times just after I bought the SC35 I wondered if I had made a mistake... after a lifetime as a yachtie I could not believe it was so difficult.
Sailing boats even racing dinghies go where you point them and I rarely have problems mooring even in a blow.... or is that because after 50 years sailing I have some idea of what I should be doing?
Because of that boating experience I thought motor boating would be easy...is it hell.
Moving round a tight marina in a swell and cross-wind is bloody difficult and I have not got to the stage where it comes second nature. If I am able to use the boat regularly I improve and can make a reasonable fist of it but work, weather and family mean there sometimes are several weeks before I can go out again....and spectators,narrow berths and prominent anchors, an anxious wife all add to the stress.... and just when you think you have the hang of it another force and a half of wind puts you back in class one again.
Kind friends say thing like " That's what rubbing strakes are for" as I contemplate another minor disaster....and I have made new friends amongst the fibre glassing tradesmen as they greet me with great warmth and calculate how much I am likely to contribute to their pension fund....so cheer up you are not alone.
Several times just after I bought the SC35 I wondered if I had made a mistake... after a lifetime as a yachtie I could not believe it was so difficult.
Sailing boats even racing dinghies go where you point them and I rarely have problems mooring even in a blow.... or is that because after 50 years sailing I have some idea of what I should be doing?
Because of that boating experience I thought motor boating would be easy...is it hell.
Moving round a tight marina in a swell and cross-wind is bloody difficult and I have not got to the stage where it comes second nature. If I am able to use the boat regularly I improve and can make a reasonable fist of it but work, weather and family mean there sometimes are several weeks before I can go out again....and spectators,narrow berths and prominent anchors, an anxious wife all add to the stress.... and just when you think you have the hang of it another force and a half of wind puts you back in class one again.
Kind friends say thing like " That's what rubbing strakes are for" as I contemplate another minor disaster....and I have made new friends amongst the fibre glassing tradesmen as they greet me with great warmth and calculate how much I am likely to contribute to their pension fund....so cheer up you are not alone.
hlb
RIP
Some problems. One, your probably trying to sail a mobo like a yacht, it's not.
Second problem, is. Many mobo's are built like a caravan. Maximum inside space, sod what the handling is like. Sealine are very guilty of this.
Third. Egg whisks on the back, cos it's cheaper for the builder and also helps to make an even bigger caravan.
Forth. Marinas making berths far to short, so you have to back in, which is just the thing boats dont like doing. So you need a bow thrucher, which dont make things all that better, but it's about the only way you will get in.
So basically, boaters tend to do things arse about face. Boat builders know this, so build boats to suit wives, the skipper just thinks, he's got it wrong, but along comes the marina man and makes it more difficult still.
To get an idea of what I'm talking about. Lets say, we are all driving cars and we all, when finding a space at the side of the road, drive in forwards.
That just leaves the arse end stuck out.
Ford/Volvo whoever invents the trolley jack, with instructions. Remove from boot. Place trolley jack under back axle, lift and push back end of car in.
Would you seriously think of getting a bow/stern thruster for your car?? No, you learn to do it the right way. With a boat, you've just become the next mug.
Croc
Well-Known Member
Thanks ..you have just made me feel a little better... although feeling a victim is not that much better than feeling incompetent but there are many points in your mail that ring true. The layout and general design of the SC35 is brilliant.The finish and attention to detail leave little to be desired and the handling is probably similar to other in its class.
The bow thruster is great in flat water but cannot cope with a strong cross-wind in that bluff bow. Another 25% on the marina berths and wide aisles would make matters much more comfortable but we all know why that does not happen....c'est la vie.
All of which explains why often there are two or three year old boats on the market with less than 100 hours on the clock.
The bow thruster is great in flat water but cannot cope with a strong cross-wind in that bluff bow. Another 25% on the marina berths and wide aisles would make matters much more comfortable but we all know why that does not happen....c'est la vie.
All of which explains why often there are two or three year old boats on the market with less than 100 hours on the clock.
[2068]
...
Same problem at Sparkes: anything much more than an F5-6 coming in the wrong direction, and you'll be so "sideways" up the main channel that you will be simultaneously bashing all the other boats with both the anchor and your stern. Makes no difference if Sealine, Fairline, or thumping great Semi-D thing, there are limits to what you can do in a narrow space when it gets windy.
tinkicker0
Well-Known Member
A planing mobo, especially a single sterndrive one in a sidewind is akin to pushing a shopping trolley across a slope using one finger on the handle.
Yes it is a bit of a sod at times and you will find that as you cruise leisurely down the fairway on a calm day, as soon as you sight your berth finger, the wind will start rippling the water and all the covers on neighbouring boats will suddenly be thrown back and amused eyes watch your progress over the top of a wine glass.
hlb
RIP
In about thirty years of serious boating, I only ever came across three or four berths, that I had to back into. Even then, they would not hold the boat right, 40 ft of boat on about a 20 ft pontoon.
Many of the problems, you can solve your self. First buy a boat on twin shafts, dont bother with BT's. Only accept a berth that you can drive into, reject the rest. I've never had a problem finding a suitable long term berth, only the odd time when visiting.
As a rule, I never backed into a berth, the boat was never happy with it and even less happy when coming out.
Go with the flow, your never going to change what the boat wants to do.
So easyer to do it that way.
OAF
Well-Known Member
Lisa don't worry, we have all been there and got it wrong some time, just learn from it, and don't be put off going out in less than favourable weather, it's what's makes you a better boater in the end
rafiki_
Well-Known Member
Haydn, the main difference with a car is when you stop and put the brakes on, the car stays stopped. Not the same in a boat. Whoever invents the "handbrake" for a boat will be onto a winner. Bowthruster also makes a big difference for me, especially in a lock with other boats.
U4
Well-Known Member
FWIW, I think that a bow thruster is a very useful addition to my boat!!
burgundyben
Well-Known Member
The key thing is to know what the boat will do when stopped, how will she lie, that tells you what you need to do to get her parked.
dharl
Well-Known Member
the RNLI have BT fitted to their twin stick Tamar class boats. When I first heard this I was surprised..then saw a Tamar being backed on to a slipway to be hauled out and it makes a lot more sense.....
hlb
RIP
In 30 years of boating, I've never had a BT.
The only time you need one, is to back into a finger berth, but I only ever backed in to one about five times in my life. That was because the finger was far to short.
rafiki_
Well-Known Member
Yep, Rafiki is parked backwards onto a finger pontoon. The 'thruster is invaluable to me, especially with any breeze.
ARA
Well-Known Member
IMHO on a MOBO less than 40' in normal conditions with Twin Engines + use of the Bow thruster= 
However I must admit there have been occasions in very high winds when I might argue with my statement, use only when really needed or when you have cocked up. So many times that I have entered a lock in calm conditions do I hear the BT being used more than the engines. Why don't people practice & learn the skill of controlling their boat properly without the BT. High winds fine
However I must admit there have been occasions in very high winds when I might argue with my statement, use only when really needed or when you have cocked up. So many times that I have entered a lock in calm conditions do I hear the BT being used more than the engines. Why don't people practice & learn the skill of controlling their boat properly without the BT. High winds fine
