Shafts v Drives

[Hurricane]

Now now - children.

Our berth is up the river (Hamble).
Nearly always a tide (or current) flowing.
I've always found it easier to drive forward down the fairway at about 2knotts.
Then the opposite engine in reverse at exactly half the boat length past the berth.
This neatly puts us stern to.
Then use the truster to keep her straight until safely tied up.

However, with the winter on us I wanted the bow on to the prevailing winds so she is now bow in.
She is 51' - 5" long and we can just get off the bathing platform onto the pontoon.
Don't forget - the bow overhangs at the front as well - so for the few moments that you are actually arriving you can go a little further in - thus saving the jump over the rails.
SWIMBO doesnt jump - not that far anwyay.

Oh - by the way - we have a stern thruster as well !!!!
And they are remote controlled so I can adjust her from the pontoon on my own.

 

[compie1]

hlb,
It is not about lecturing, if i want to get into my place i have to backout 120 metres with on each side <1metre spare,i feel more confident to do it astern, it is just a choise you make wich way you feel best (in my case astern) but dont force anone in one or another way for mooring.

But there is another point wich nobody spoke about, i always change my way of mooring in an other harbour, always stern as South as possible so if we have sun we can have it a bit longer!

Wich means both ways of mooring are good bow or stern practice both as much as you can (and keep us all happy on the forum...)

 

[Mike21]

Stern first, makes it easier to get a line on, especially with a 50 footer.

Why would you need a bow thruster to get the bow in????/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif..............
....................................................................
When you.ve go two perfectly serviceable engines /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Not a great deal of difference in manouvering a boat on shafts or drives once you get the hang off it, getting used to the size takes a bit off time

 

[hlb]

Well. If we had had a clue as to what he was trying to do, rather than just general stuff about mooring. Then the thread may have gone some what different.

A bow thruster is necassary cos the UK marina berth system is some what stupid and with a cross wind/current, there is no other way of holding the bows, whilst the arse end is out of service, being hemmed in between other boat and finger. short of dropping the anchor, which though quite normal some places, seems to be frowned upon.

Mind. I find none of these things an issue. If I backed in, my dinghy would totally block the pontoon and I cant get off the back anyway.!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[adrianm]

I've got a bow thruster and stern thruster and I've been told many a time that I don't need them.

Maybe I don't, but I go boating for fun and relaxation and anything that makes it easier is fine by me.

After all I used to drive cars with no power steering, no servo assisted brakes etc etc.

 

[Mike21]

Sorry , don't agree, thrusters make life easier if you have them, but aren't necessary, you can hold the bow on quite easily with twin shafts once you have a stern line on

 

[Mike21]

Not going to argue on that, point was you don't need thrusters to hold the bow.
As you said bit like powersteering on a car, you don't need it to drive the car, but.............. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

No thrusters and only one shaft. Can't easily board over the stern due to centre cockpit. I must be doing something really wrong...

 

[David_Jersey]

[ QUOTE ]
No thrusters and only one shaft. Can't easily board over the stern due to centre cockpit. I must be doing something really wrong...

[/ QUOTE ]

Same me, but............. I raise you:-

A long deepish keel and seperate gear and throttle levers.
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

(but only 30 foot)

 

[Mike21]

[ QUOTE ]
No thrusters and only one shaft. Can't easily board over the stern due to centre cockpit. I must be doing something really wrong...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, if you can't remember where you left the other shaft /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif



Was talking about twin shaft planing mobo, displacement singles are a different ball game completely

 

[Callisto]

My instructor on the day skipper course told me that there are three correct ways to leave an alongside berth. Astern...Astern and Astern. Right as usual HLB!!

I used to try going off ahead in my early boat handling days with the little boat and caught the bathing platform occasionally if I misjudged it. Since then, always astern unless there is a hoofing great rugby team on the pontoon pushng me off into the tideway (possible with a small boat!).

Stern out first, roll the bow around a fender and then back out. Even got my incompetant crew well versed in when to slip the bow line. Still come in stern to in the marina though. The old boat was bows in cos the finger was long enough but this one overhangs and I cant get off safely if bows in. does leave my bow vulnerable in a cross wind though and I aint got a thruster./forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JH

 

[adrianm]

Nah, push both the joysticks the same way and when you've moved sideways far enough throttle forward and away you go! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Callisto]

Ah but you 're cheating cos you got bow and stern thrusters. If I had a bow thruster...which i don't, I could go sideways too with one engine ahead, one astern and counteract the turning movement with the thruster. Looks really professional! But ...as I'm only poor and cant afford such luxuries, its just two motors and a rope! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

JH

 

[hlb]

Thank you kind sir. Bloody amazing that I've never even met an instructor.

Seem to remember having a go at stern on mooring earlier this, year. Cant remember where. There was a bit of a wind blowing. Gave up to it eventually and did it the proper way round.

 

[Renegade_Master]

I have to put my stern in first got no choice really.

 

[whisper]

Don't talk to me about "poor", I can only afford one engine !!
My method of leaving an alongside berth (unless being blown on to it) is to use a short midship slip line. After letting go all others, I release it and give the boat a good shove off the wall/pontoon. It is then usually possible to drive off ahead or astern whichever takes your fancy. Don't do any of this rolling off fenders etc - far too complicated and only practiced by the owners of Gin Palaces /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Probably should mention that the boat only weighs about 3 tons and has an outdrive.
We do also have a bow thruster but I always seem to forget that we have it as I was brought up on charter yachts and little outboard powered fishing boats.- again demonstrating how impoverished I really am.