Wing mirrors

[lustyd]

Has anyone considered fitting some kind of wing mirrors on the pushpit? It just occured to me that on relatively fat boats it might be an easy way to see how close the pontoon is when coming alongside. It certainly might ease the nerves for the first few months on a new boat, and might help people not used to the boat too. Obviously the RYA answer is a competent crew shouting almost arbitary numbers back to the cockpit, but I've found that those numbers are relative to crew experience rather than pontoons!

 

[dunedin]

Has anyone considered fitting some kind of wing mirrors on the pushpit? It just occured to me that on relatively fat boats it might be an easy way to see how close the pontoon is when coming alongside. It certainly might ease the nerves for the first few months on a new boat, and might help people not used to the boat too. Obviously the RYA answer is a competent crew shouting almost arbitary numbers back to the cockpit, but I've found that those numbers are relative to crew experience rather than pontoons!

Nah, you just need twin wheels to improve visibility

 

[RichardS]

My eldest was calling the numbers as I came alongside in Venice but I hadn't realised that a signorina had hoven into view and that is why he had stopped counting down ... until we hit the quayside.

Richard

 

[V1701]

My old physics teacher had wing mirrors mounted on either side of the blackboard at the front of the class. For a while we thought he really did have eyes in the back of his head...

 

[[3889]]

My old physics teacher had wing mirrors mounted on either side of the blackboard at the front of the class. For a while we thought he really did have eyes in the back of his head...

Surely only to demonstrate how the angle of incidence= the angle of reflection, though?

 

[Gary Fox]

What about reversing sensors, as found on most cars? The scrapyards must be full of them and they work on 12v.
An original article in PBO, 'How to avoid crunching the pontoon for £7.50, full details inside'.

 

[newtothis]

My old physics teacher had wing mirrors mounted on either side of the blackboard at the front of the class. For a while we thought he really did have eyes in the back of his head...

My mother, as a child, would try and find the eyes in the back of my grandmother's head, when grandmother was washing her hair ( done in a sink in pre-shower days in rural NZ in the 1930s).
Turns out grandmother had a small makeup mirror perched on a kitchen shelf above child height but giving full view of what children were up to behind her.

 

[Adios]

What about reversing sensors, as found on most cars? The scrapyards must be full of them and they work on 12v.
An original article in PBO, 'How to avoid crunching the pontoon for £7.50, full details inside'.

electromagnetic parking sensors work through fibreglass... Come on someone, before the Chinese do it please

 

[Adios]

What would also be good is reversing lights on the stern. For busy places with locks and bridges to wait for. Maybe indicators too while we're at it.

 

[Gary Fox]

What would also be good is reversing lights on the stern. For busy places with locks and bridges to wait for. Maybe indicators too while we're at it.

If you have indicators, you have hazard warning lights for heaving-to as well.

 

[mjcoon]

My eldest was calling the numbers as I came alongside in Venice but I hadn't realised that a signorina had hoven into view and that is why he had stopped counting down ... until we hit the quayside.

Richard

I don't suppose she was impressed either!

 

[claymore]

Bit of a wussy kind of idea, I think.
Much greater fun to see boats bouncing in off!

 

[capnsensible]

April the first has come early this year, it seems.

 

[johnalison]

April the first has come early this year, it seems.

I don’t think so. What he really needs is a camera on each quarter.

 

[capnsensible]

I don’t think so. What he really needs is a camera on each quarter.

Actually moving about a bit so you can see what's going on works for most people.....

 

[lustyd]

Moving away from the helm while docking is a genius idea. I’ll let the boat steer and control the throttle while heading towards a pontoon ?

 

[LadyInBed]

If you have crew, I thought a crew member with a roving fender should do the job.

 

[LadyInBed]

Moving away from the helm while docking is a genius idea. I’ll let the boat steer and control the throttle while heading towards a pontoon ?

That's how I do it solo.

 

[LittleSister]

When was the last time you saw a car that had its wing mirrors mounted on its wings?

 

[RobbieW]

Spatial awareness, thought to be a left brain activity, and practice. Lines on all corners and lots of fenders. Not dissimilar to standing the other side of the wheel to reverse till you get used to it. It's different again with a centre cockpit