mjf
Well-Known Member
Some good ones here.
Mine is this year.
On the hard for the annual A/F etc and thought i would check the rudder angles against the F/B and main helm indicators as was never 100% convinced midships was actually mid-ships.
Anyway played about a bit.
Then come to relaunch - everything fine into the 'ogin and I give kick stern to get clear of the slings and need to move clear of a boat awaiting lift out on the waiting pontoon. Apply throttle to bring stern around but handling all to pieces bow swinging all wrong. Apply bow thruster but forgot to have this already switched on and start to panic as SHMBO deploys roving fender to prevent hard contact - start applying helm (something I resist when manovering) and still cannot control the bow properly. Just kicking astern so no 'real' power. Then! it occurs to me that the helm is applied the opposte way I had wanted.........
Yep - i had somehow left the steering on autopilot and the system was attempting to restore my 'carpark' heading.
Funny but when you are on a pontoon all the proper checks are made normally. Once the boats ashore and the blokes pitch up to re-launch you somehow rush and the boat is onto the a trailer and off to the hoist in no time then its being lowered to the water and you step aboard waving thanks etc and behave like a complete novice!
Mine is this year.
On the hard for the annual A/F etc and thought i would check the rudder angles against the F/B and main helm indicators as was never 100% convinced midships was actually mid-ships.
Anyway played about a bit.
Then come to relaunch - everything fine into the 'ogin and I give kick stern to get clear of the slings and need to move clear of a boat awaiting lift out on the waiting pontoon. Apply throttle to bring stern around but handling all to pieces bow swinging all wrong. Apply bow thruster but forgot to have this already switched on and start to panic as SHMBO deploys roving fender to prevent hard contact - start applying helm (something I resist when manovering) and still cannot control the bow properly. Just kicking astern so no 'real' power. Then! it occurs to me that the helm is applied the opposte way I had wanted.........
Yep - i had somehow left the steering on autopilot and the system was attempting to restore my 'carpark' heading.
Funny but when you are on a pontoon all the proper checks are made normally. Once the boats ashore and the blokes pitch up to re-launch you somehow rush and the boat is onto the a trailer and off to the hoist in no time then its being lowered to the water and you step aboard waving thanks etc and behave like a complete novice!