Association Forum - Entering/Exiting the slip

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Entering/Exiting the slip

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Bladeswell
Captain

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USA
490 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/12/2016 : 16:50:53

Hello Again,

Having entered and exited my slip about six times now, I believe I have mastered the entry. From about 4 or 5 slips away I engage neutral and let momentum do the rest. The last two times, she came to a full stop in her slip without even a little bump to the bow or either side. So I think I have entry down. Now if I could just figure out what's going on when I try to get out. The first time out, all went perfectly. I just wish I could remember what I did so that I could repeat that process. Sense neutral has been my good friend for entry, I have been giving her a little reverse gear then slipping her back into neutral once she had some way on. But what happens is she seems to loose steerage. When backing out of the slip, do I need to leave reverse gear engaged ? Maybe that's what I did the first time out when all went well. I just don't remember. Thanks, and yes I can hear you laughing.

Bladeswell

C25 TR FK Hull #973 1979 L-Dinette. So.Cal.

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2016 : 17:15:07

Steering works as you'd expect it however the turning force lessens significantly when you slow down. There's also no magic formula: if there's no wind, your boat will come to a stop as you've found.
But add a tailwind and rather than slowing down, you'll actually accelerate. If you engage the reverse gear, you won't get much stopping power but you will get prop walk. This'll rotate the boat clockwise. Then you'll slow down.
Add a headwind and you stop sooner than you'd like. Port or starboard breeze will push you either way.
Current, if any, will affect movement.
So it's a function of vector sum of forces acting on your boat.
Practice in a variety of conditions. Make sure you have good fenders to cover most conditions.
Use good judgment and a good eye. Get a Randy "Dock-O-Matic" to catch the dock cleat and in the immortal words of Dave Stinkpotter, "never approach the dock any faster than you want to crash into it!"

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2016 : 18:04:43

When reversing out of my slip I have it in gear and steer the boat with the motor and the rudder in unison. Using both the motor and the rudder you can practically pivot the boat.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

WesAllen
Navigator

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USA
222 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2016 : 18:45:46

I agree with Scott. That is why I don't tie the motor down from turning. It is a breeze with both rudder and motor turning. But if it is not a tight turn then I just leave the motor in reverse until I get clear. The boat must move a little faster to steer in reverse is my experience.

The Merc that I have has a lever to tighten the turning so it is rather simple.

Wesley Allen
"Breaking Wind"
1982 C-25 SR/TR/SK #2773
Hemlock, MI

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2016 : 20:16:07

Turning the motor and rudder together in a tight situation is a good technique. Another thing to remember when in neutral is that the windage on the boat is mostly forward, mostly due to the mast.

The "prop-walk" Bruce refers to is a little tricky at first, but can be used to advantage when you get it. In forward gear at low or no speed, a burst of the throttle will push the stern to starboard, turning the boat to port. In reverse, it's sort of the opposite--pulling the stern to port and thus turning it to port (unless you're moving forward, in which case it tends to pivot the boat to starboard). Throttling way down greatly reduces prop-walk; shifting to neutral, of course, eliminates it. But understanding that dynamic and experimenting with it a little can help you a lot around a dock. I don't mean to brag, but I've amazed some boaters when I've approached my slip and used prop-walk to simultaneously stop my boat and pivot it on its axis to enter. And to me, those maneuvers were a lot easier in my C-25 with the fin keel than in my $+!nkp*+ that slips and slides all over!

Remember the Ps: In forward, the Prop-walk Pushes the bow to Port. In reverse, it Pulls the stern to Port. With an outboard, you can modify that by turning the motor, but the prop-walk forces are still at work, and will either help or hinder what you are trying to do--especially with any significant power at a low boat speed.

Maybe that helps--maybe not...

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/12/2016 20:22:28

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2016 : 09:08:51

Another tip you might find useful: When backing out of a slip, it isn't like backing your car out of your garage. When you back out of your garage and turn a car's steering wheel and start moving forward, the front end of the car immediately follows the tires. With a boat, the bow doesn't start to turn until the boat has gained steerage way. Thus, when you back out of a slip, the boat will move forward several feet before the bow will start to turn. So, you need to back out far enough to allow for that extra distance. If the wind is abeam, and you will be turning into the wind, you'll need to back out even further, because the wind will make the boat even slower to respond to the helm. You should, of course, check the wind direction and strength before you attempt to leave a slip.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2016 : 18:04:49

This is all good advice and bottom line docking is extremely dynamic and with differing conditions. The really bedeviling part is that your logical and well thought out actions will frequently lead to unpredictable results. But practice makes perfect.
I learned to dock on a tidal river with 2-3kt currents running upstream or downstream depending on time and tide. If you can make it there you'll make it anywhere!

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Bladeswell
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
490 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2016 : 19:55:29

Hello Again Everyone,

And thanks again for all of your input and advice. I will make good use of it. Practice, practice, practice. I will get it down.

Bladeswell