There is no pride lost captain, it takes guts to show what you showed with you in the video all the way, could see the stress and anxiety in your face and the rapid throttle and wheel use as a result. I have yet to see a boater who said his first docking was smooth - we wouldn’t have all the stories around the bar table otherwise. 😜
Thanks for watching and the kind comment. Unfortunately, this was far from my first docking. In fact, I was starting to get a little overconfident in my docking skills. But the wind and tidal current off my starboard beem humbled me that day. I did not have good situational awareness. The more things went wrong, the higher my stress and the worse I performed.
And this was far from my first. That was part of the problem. I had become overconfident and wasn't paying much attention to the situation... and it bit me. 😄
Thank you for sharing. Do you have to back in at that marina? I've only docked my boat three times. I get anxiety thinking about it. It lessens the more I do it. Carrying spring lines now.
I do not have to back in but I prefer to back in. My boat backs very well, I have a walk through transom so boarding is easier, the cockpit view is better. And I have better access to lines when departing and returning, I can do everything solo more easily.
Thank you for sharing this. No matter how many times we dock or leave the slip, situations like this are inevitable. I love how you have made this a valuable training tool for everyone. My heart always pounds whenever we dock! Fair winds to you sir!
Thanks for watching and especially the understanding comment. The funny thing is that I was getting a little overconfident, not paying attention. I debated posting a long time. But decided that it may be helpful to others. And that I would more likely remember the lessons learned! 😄
Best part about this video is when you told your crew "you did good." You didn't get flustered, you didn't yell and you eventually got it done. Bridge resource management 101 👍🏾
As a sailor with 33 years of experience, I can see one egregious error that it took me a long time to learn. When backing, you shouldn’t turn the rudder to extreme angles. Turning requires decent water flow over the rudder, and turning the rudder to the stops actually acts as a brake due to extreme drag. A far better strategy is to give yourself plenty of room, back very slowly, and use minimum rudder angle… doing so will provide faster turning and better control.
Thank you for your kind comment. My stress level and heart rate were up there that day. Basically, over confidence led to poor situational awareness. That resulted in putting my boat and wife in a bad situation. I was humbled quickly. I am most proud that I did raise my voice at my wife. She literally had nothing to do with getting us into the situation and could do nothing about it.
Hey Chuck. Good for you demonstrating it can go pear shaped for even the most experience sailor. I'm seen skippers with 30+ years make same or similar mistakes. As they say you learn more from your mistakes than when it goes perfectly well. In my opinion, 2 big lessons here 1. you kept calm throughout, even when it wasn't going to plan. 2. you didn't get ego or bravado get the better of you. You knew when to abort and didn't damage yours or another boat. Both pride & fender smudges are easily fixed. This video is a must watch for anyone who docks on a finger / catwalk berth. Well done.
Thank you, sir! Not only for watching but for your kind comments! It took me a while to post this video. But I hoped it may help others. I started making docking videos videos to see what I was doing well and not so well. I have a hard time watching this one. 😄
Ton of truth there. I know a gazillion racers, cruisers, crew members that are incredible in the open water but panic in close quarters. Its an acquired skill for sure that can only come with practice. Most people only come to the boat for a fun day on the water. I always suggest dedicated practice days with a predetermined list of drills. Back and fill and reverse drills being the most valuable.
It was painful for me to watch this video as well. Not because of what you did, but because I saw myself doing the same on several occasions. When I did it, there was no TH-cam to watch and learn from. Without you posting your experience, many boaters (newbies and old timers alike) would unknowingly find themselves in the same situation. There is no telling how many dings you have prevented. It is commendable that you swallowed your pride and posted the video. I have over 40 years experience with a considerable amount in the inside passage and Alaska where there are high tides with lots of current and wind. It has taught me (and you reminded me again) that situational awareness is extremely important along with knowing how your boat will behave in such conditions. Then make a plan before you are in tight quarters. There are times when it is appropriate to go out and drop the hook until conditions improve. Practice, practice, practice. Good job and Thanks so much!!
Thank you for watching and your very kind comments. Most of the feedback has been positive. But not all. I remind myself that was to be expected, and my skin is fairly thick, lol. Complacency is a big concern for me. Especially as I have been learning and giving myself pats on the back for progressing. This day taught me 🙂
I docked my sailboat countless of times, and so often one or more things went wrong. I wished I filmed it like you did. We all learn from our mistakes. It's hard to see in the video, but you either have current, or your propwalk moves your stern to starboard when going astern (left turning prop). Hats off for staying calm and moving slowly.
Yep. I had tidal current and wind off my starboard as I was slowly coming down the farway toward and past my slip. I wasn't paying attention and did not realize how far to my port they had pushed my boat! So close that with the wind and current I couldn't the bow to come around before I was into the pilings.
2 ปีที่แล้ว +4
As a novice sailor, these kind of videos really help me build up strength confidence for my upcoming obstacles. Lesson learned! Great job, and thank you captain! 🙏🥰
Been there, done that - got the fender smudges to prove it... Thank you for sharing your learning experience. I'm still new to sailing, so I can relate - and this video with a demonstration of how to come up with "plan B" when "Plan A" fails helps me so much more than watching short videos of "perfect docking".
Thanks so much for watching and the kind comment. In fact, your comment is exactly why I posted this video. Believe me, I thought long and hard before making it public. I do have a couple of videos of my better docking attempts 😊
Whew! Bet you’re glad that’s over! A few folks have suggested keeping your boat to windward and using a slower approach… you obviously have learned the perils of going too fast AND not being on the windward side of the alley. I would add putting the boat in neutral several feet before your backing turn with reverse helps the boat glide to her sweet spot & saves your transmission. Biggest suggestions: go slower, stay to windward, don’t go past your slip before turning. Let the prop walk be your friend. Oh… never try to pivot on a piling… too many opportunities for damaging your boat or someone else’s. You figured out the errors (& we’ve all made them!) and I’m sure you’ll remember the feel when it’s all “right”…. You’re a real gentleman for sharing this.
I'm also still learning and I think the final maneuver was beautiful. The boat was yours and you executed once you understood the conditions better. It's an abstract feeling that I've felt when doing more difficult dockings, and this is the best way I can currently describe it. That's what I saw in that final maneuver. Well done sir. O7
Thank you! Also good to know I am not alone. I debated long and hard before posting. Hopefully those days are few and far between for both of us going forward!!
Thankfully we don't have these box moorings in the UK. Always good to see somebody being honest and showing how it can go wrong and why. Speed and abusing your transmission. An instructor taught me you have three gears: forward, neutral and reverse just take it slowly it should be like watching paint dry. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for sharing, brave and honest. It's a useful video. Sooner or later all skippers are going to get caught out close quarter manouvering in strong winds, and sometimes more than once. It's an embarressing and potentially costly situation, which is why most of us conveniently forget about our own nightmare day. I bet you learned a lot from it!
I love that you shared this! You didn't hit any other boats and eventually made it in, so...win! Most of us have been there and anyone who says they haven't is probably lying. On my 1st attempt at stern-to docking on a larger sailboat it took me 4 frustrating attempts, then a stop at a mooring ball to regroup and calm down, then finally made it in. As you discovered, you can't overcome the force of the wind on the bow if you don't have enough speed, and getting that bow into the wind is critical with that wind direction. I'm sure you've got it all figured out by now! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. I know what it's like when the boat is not behaving as expected. This year I almost have mastered using prop-wash to swing the the bow around, and what a difference that has made
Well done and courageous to show your mistakes - as a friend tells me “You’re only as good as the last time you docked!” And there’s never anyone watching when it’s perfect but there’s always a crowd when you stuff up.
Thanks for putting this out there. I’m 6months in to docking a 35.1, it ain’t easy. Thanks for the lessons and sharing your experience and knowledge. It helps others.
thanks for watching and your kind comment. I started making docking videos so I could review and learn. I posted them on TH-cam hoping others may find them useful too. so thanks for your comment!
Been there and done that. Full marks for showing it and the stress you experienced. Docking in wind is hard. I’ve used young dock crew who move the boats to get me in. Always amazed at how much power they use to get it done. Well done skipper, you’ve earned a beer.
It is immensely pleasing to see a video about the trials of berthing in windy conditions. Far, far too many videos only show it being done in mill pond conditions. Thank you.
thank you. You can see in the video how much way I made to the port coming g down the fairway. Unfortunately, I just didn't have good situational awareness that day.
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck we have all been there at one time or another Chuck. As has been said by someone else, no pride lost in what you did. As I mentioned, whilst it is important to have videos on berthing in calm conditions, it is far more important to have those, like yours, that deal with demanding conditions. They is a whole lot of difference between the two!! I believe the really important message from your video was that one should stop and start again and don't be afraid to do so. Cheers.
Nobody injured, no damage to anyone else’s property, just a couple marks you can buff out? That’s a successful docking maneuver. No room for egos at the dock, just get your crew and your boat tied up safely.
Thanks for having the guts to post this. We've all been there to some degree and you can't get better at boating without having this kind of experience. One of the things I love and respect about sailing is it takes anyone who comes at it with pomp and pride and CRUSHES those!
Thanks for watching and your positive comment. I hope that it may be helpful for other new(er) sailors out there. I learn something new every time i leave the dock. That really means; I make another mistake. And hopefully I dont forget it.
I find docking to be the most stressful time of a day on the water. It's great to have this point of view video, it enables me to think through what I would be doing in each moment of the manoeuvre. Well done for not losing your cool. I've been in situations like this when it just doesn't seem to work even though what you are doing seems to be the right thing. No two attempts are ever the same, it's just a matter of getting to know the boat and the conditions. I have hopes to be as good as you are one day.
thanks for watching and the kind comments. I hope the video is helpful to other sailors, especially those with less experience like me. It helps me to review what I did wrong and right!
Hey Chuck! Nice work for posting such a video. Shows humility which can be in short supply in boating! We'll give it our best detect & correct. Here goes: 1. Once in reverse, you need a boatlength or so before the boat settles down. So give yourself time for that; 2. The first point is the reason why forward-reverse-forward-reverse doesn't work well for boats like it does for cars. It is best to start on a reverse course and keep it there until the very end; 3. These boats have their rudder behind the propeller, so the rudder is basically useless in reverse until you reach around half a knot speed. So unlike cars, a multi-point turn doesn't really work for boats (unless you are actively using prop walk, which deserves its own point); 4. Use that prop walk. It can be your friend; 5. Use the whole width of the corridor, not just the center. Favour the opposite side, esp if it is the upwind side like this example. Have fun! You'll get it. 👍
Thanks for watching and the kind comments and very helpful insights! In this situation a very stiff breeze and out going tidal current off my starboard beam caught me off guard. My situational awareness was terrible this day and I didnt realize how much lee way I was making; especially between the time I took boat out of forward, then into nuetral and then into reverse. then my stress went way up and my decision making skills way down! :-) docking on a good day: th-cam.com/video/MWas4D5roBE/w-d-xo.html
I am in my year two of my sailing and I am still learning to learn to dock flawlessly. Thanks for sharing that these things happen to most experienced people too and that gives me more confidence!
I did a lot of debating with myself before posting this video. But I hope it may be helpful to newer sailors like I was. Most comments have been positive and many offer insightful tips.
A great educational video . There is no point in showing how to do it in no wind . In my opinion there shouldn't be any scars to your pride. You worked out pretty quickly what and how to change it , during the whole process you kept your calm, no panic, no shouting. Thank you.
Chuck, I tip my cap to you for posting this video. Years ago we owned a Catalina 30, wheel steering. We kept the boat at a marina similar to yours, and required back in only. Sailboats are not made to back in a slip, and many times I had the same challenges you showed. I continue to this day to feel a panic attack when I think about docking that boat, or watching your video. Thank you sharing with everyone.
Thanks for watching. That video is hard for me to watch, too. I see so many things I could easily have done differently, and should have. But I have learned from it!
Respect, we’ve all been there and still learning. Why it succeeded the last time? In windy conditions dock backward with a loooong run in reverse on the luff side, and know the center turningpoint of your boat (usualy 1 meter behind the mast)…and be easy on the throttle. And remember; Any docking you can walk away from is a good docking. 😉
Thank you for sharing this. Just got my first boat which is much bigger than what I learned on. About to go through a bunch of lessons now on docking it. Props for not panicking when things weren’t going your way 👍
Better your pride damaged than anything else. But to me your pride is intact, you kept calm, did not panic by trying to over powering it (which causes more problems and you hit things harder), you persevered and you got there. You kept your crew calm, no shouting, no blaming, all very calm and collected, I would crew for you. Thank you for sharing.
Been there, done that! I had a similar Hunter, a 2005 38. Also a Variprop that had quite an aggressive pitch in reverse. The stern moves to port in reverse, especially when you put the boat in reverse to slowdown and change to moving the boat backwards. In this case, that and the wind blowing the bow also to port is why your boat just crabbed to port. I learned the thing to do is to turn the boat out in an open space and back in from somewhere with enough room to turn around, however far from your slip that is. With room the boat will spin in its own length as long as you turn to starboard. Engine into neutral, slow down to dead slow, wheel hard over for a starboard turn. Now into forward and a blast of gas to push water over the rudder, back into neutral. As the boat turns and starts to come to a stop , into reverse and a bit of gas to use the propwalk to keep the boat turning, then again as the turn slows a little bit of forward. Always plan to spin the boat to starboard. But hey. What you did worked and that's all that matters. It's always possible to go find a space to sit with the boat stern to the wind and take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan a different approach. We live and hopefully learn.
I have a 45' Hunter and I have had many days like this one. You did an excellent job...you didn't hit anything, you kept your cool and you knew when to abort and try again. My boat does not handle well with any wind on the beam greater than 9 or 10mph and it always seems like a good gust hits me at the worst possible time. That said I've never hit another boat and have not caused any damage to my own or to the dock.
thanks for the encouraging comments and watching. this is my 3rd season with In-Tuition. Before that I had a Catalina 27 with an outboard offset on the transom which I docked bow first. so my experience is limited. Although, I thought I had mastered the docking thing. however the wind and outgoing tide on my starboard beam humbled me that day!
I've never sailed a boat (yet) much less docked one but I've been a truck driver many years. One of the first lessons I learned (the hard way) driving and backing, is to not try to force a bad situation. If you get the set up wrong just suck it up, move back to a safe place and take a moment to evaluate the situation and think of a plan. Rinse and repeat. In my early days I could easily take multiple attempts to back that trailer in places that should have been easy. Experience and patience are key. All these years later and I'm still learning lessons the hard way. Just a few weeks ago I had to have a wrecker pull my trailer out of a ditch because I tried to make a turn off a busy highway onto a narrow business entrance with dirches on both sides. Instead of being patient and waiting for traffic to clear, I didn't want to hold up the cars behind me so I went ahead and tried to make the turn.... $1500 wrecker bill later and another lesson on patience learned. My wife and I are taking the ASA 101 in July and it looks like I have a new huge learning curve to overcome. Thank you for posting this, it's truly educational!
Thank you so much for posting this. I have so much docking anxiety as I haven't done it yet. Watching it go poorly and seeing the abort and recovery is very helpful.
thank you fornthe kind comment. it usually goes much better. one thing I learn from those with more experience is to not rush and start over if you need to and can. I hope you enjoy sonenof my other "happier" videos!
@@adam6806 I debated a long time about to post it or not. I finally decided that I would hoping that folks might find it helpful. Thanks again for the kind comment!
I had almost the exact scenario a few weeks ago. Was feeling pretty confident in our new slip and that over confidence got the best of me. The worst moments are when you decide to abort but end up so close to the neighboring boats and turning away will likely swing one end or the other into them. You did a great job maintaining your composure (on the outside as we all know what we're feeling on the inside!). As long as it is a learning experience without significant damage or injury, all is good and it makes us better sailors. Thanks for sharing as it makes us realize we're all in the same boat so to speak.
thanks for the kind words and insight. Hearing your story helps! I definitely had some pucker moments. 😊 I think trying to assure my wife that she did good and did nothing wrong, and she didn't, was the best thing I did. the next time out, we had very similar conditions again and I did much better. I did sort of a pivot in front of my slip and the wind pushed us in. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera set up. 😔
thank you for showing all the video and your experience. I find these types of video much more valuable tot just the "here is how to do it and how easy it is". I find most people get nervous if oath are judging and that creates m ore issues still. Awesome again to see how you guys worked as team, encouragement and providing these window into your learnings so outré can learn too !
Thanks for the positive feedback! I thought I had the docking thing down pat; then this episode. Wind, current, nerves and relative inexperience all conspired against me. Fortunately, no harm to anyone or any boat; just my pride. I thought long and hard before making this video public. But I did, hoping others may benefit from it. So I really do appreciate your comments.
Well done that man. As a newby, I have had some shockers entering and leaving, and sometimes my nerves are absolutely shot. It's reassuring to see even the most experienced can have a bad day. I like how you kept your composure despite the pressure and close quarters manoeuvring. Thank you.
We all have to learn... The first day I took my 20ft yacht out under power the weather was still, the water smooth as glass, I went from the launch pond to the finger mooring perfectly, the marine hand taking me to my new slip said it was perfect. The second time out, still calm but not like glass this time it took me two attempts to get out of the finger pontoon and about three attempts to get into the mooring finger, even with a novice deckhand assisting with the lines. The third time out, on my own, with high ripples and a gentle breeze from the starboard and quite a strong current from the bow, and it easily took me several attempts to dock on my own, and some of those were 'oh poop' moments where I needed to react quickly to sudden gusts... I learnt a lot more that day then on the days when things went smoothly... I've not read the comments, but I bet there is more praise for you showing us this 'bad day' video than there would be had you shown us how you do it perfectly. You've just made a lot of novice boaters feel right at home...
thanks for watching and sharing your experiences. I think all of the comments have been positive and those videos where I struggle generally get more views than when things go well. Although my 2nd most viewed video was a pretty text book docking.
I watch these time and time again. 3 things need to be in your favour, wind, tide and prop walk. And, never stop the boat if you have to deal with any of these two, you’re dead in the water. Well done for persevering, everyone has their mooring hells!
Thanks for the kind comment and watching... 2 high stress moments for me. 1 - starting the engine to come back in. 2 - docking. But that glorious time under sail makes it all worthwhile and every penny !
Thank you for posting this. Sometimes it's not apparent how difficult this can be. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of errors to get better. But just about the time you think you've done it all, you'll get another lesson :)
The bow is much more influenced by wind than the stern. You might have sharpened your angle to minimize the wind, I was happy to see you figured out for yourself. Based on what I saw, on this day and doing it the way you started out doing it, the bow was never going to come around. You needed to turn your bow to stbd when your bow was just short of your slip. 80-85 degrees would be a good suggestion, but depends on wind. You tried to go way past your slip and then go into reverse, get up a head of steam and be able to steer it in with the rudder. However the wind was keeping the bow from coming around. It also appeared to me that you were trying to "kick" the stern to port by turning to port and giving the motor a quick blast forward. That was never going to work. You should have turned the wheel all the way to stbd, and a quick kick forward. Even this might not have worked because you started out running perpendicular to your slip. As you were approaching your slip, and as your bow came just short of your first piling, you would want to turn to stbd. until you were, as I said earlier about 80 degrees to your slip. Then with your boat in reverse, your prop walk (not wash) would pull the stern to port and the bow would go to stbd. and you could have backed straight in. Remember "Neutral is Your Friend". After initiating a "kick" go back to neutral and see what the boat is doing. Typically It will continue rotating in which ever way the prop and rudder were utilized. Check out this video to see how this organization teaches students to back to a slip. You only need to modify what they are teaching, based on wind. It's rather long, you can skip ahead if you already feel comfortable with the first half. th-cam.com/video/PoGMAEjiHmU/w-d-xo.html Good luck and keep practicing!
thx for the great feedback! very helpful. my problem right from the start was that I did not recognize how much the wind and outgoing tide were affecting my boat; both from the starboard side. Buy the time I had enough steerage and control over the bow I was too far to the port. I agree 100% that in these conditions I should have turned the bow into the wind! Thanks for the helpful comments!
Good reminder prior to purchasing, size up the previous owner as much as the boat! Nice progress and admire your humility. I had a heck of a time docking head in to my slip in a good blow turning the same direction as my prop walk. Super light boat with a big prominent bow area. Don't know that i ever got the hang of it having moved to another marina where my turn is now opposite.
Thank you for sharing. We have put ourselves in almost identical situations and ended up with similarly injured pride. I seem to find it easier to advise sailors on TH-cam than to execute a tricky docking manoeuvre in the heat of the moment. I hope I learn as much from my misadventures as you do from yours! Thanks again, fair winds to you.
I felt your pain when I watched your relentless tries and it reminded me of how I found a solution for my problem. Chuck, most posters responded with support and kind words. Some provided solutions that are helpful. I would like to add mine as this maneuver is not suggested. Come down the fairway as you do and as you get close to your slip reduce your speed to 2 Knots or less. Then when you are one boat width close to your port boat, which is docked to your starboard dock, turn hard to starboard as if you are trying to dock in the slip just to your starboard slip. Put in revese and turn hard to port at idle. This will make your stern move towards your slip and your boat should be parallel to your slip. After the stern enters the slip straighten the rudder and let it slide into the slip. You will have to practice as how to move back into the slip. I always back in with my Catalina 36. If I go in with bow first - whn I pull out the wind blows the bow down to starboard and I then have to back up all the way on the fairway. Going forward out of the slip gives me more control.
In this situation it would be better to pass your slip much more to the starboard side of the passage (right from the centre, nearer the opposite side boats), then reverse with more speed into your slip. Being too near the port side with the wind from the starboard will always push you onto the obstacles on your left and limit your manoeuvring. The wind will pivot your bow to port, especially with lower boat speeds. You can't control the bow directly (without the bow thruster) - only the stern, and even that only when the boat is in significant motion.
That took a LOT of humility to post! Kudos! As they say, any landing you can walk away from without blood or a dollar sign attached is a success. And it's slways easy for others to arm chair quarterback. You didn't loose your cool or yell at your first mate. You both held it together. 👍
Thanks I have been working on more of a pivot in those conditions. And when I watched the video, I was very happy to see that I had not yelled at the first mate! There was certainly no reason to... it was all me 😊
thanks for the kind words. I started making videos of docking and leaving the slip to see what I could do better and what I was doing wrong I have made a bunch because I am still learning. I usually sail solo so I had to learn to do it all myself. and it really isn't too bad. I thought had pretty much mastered docking until this day when both a strong breeze and outgoing tide off my starboard beam got me. my advice is get out there and do it and plan ahead as much as possible. And have fun!
Very good captain Chuck, It challenging for sure when the wind or current is affecting the you and your boat, I think you did a great job at not getting frustrated and cussing like many do. Keeping a level head studying the wind current and how your boat maneuvers is best practice every time. My suggestion is to slow down a bit more and be gentle on the forward and reverse. It all takes practice. Empty docks and slips are a great place to practice if you can find one. They offer more relaxed practice as there is no other boat to hit. Jim Rodgers
I got here from your Catalina 27 video. I just bought my first boat and it's a 1988 Cat 27. Thanks for posting your experiences! I'm trying to learn as much as I can and this is really helpful. Fair winds!
Thank you for watching and the kind comment. I loved my C27. It sailed great. I would still have Adelaar, but my wife wanted a bigger boat and a/c for overnight trips on the bay. I have a friend who is a retired Coast Guard captain with a lot of sailing experience. He says the C27 is one of the best sailing boats there is. Enjoy your boat. AndI hope you enjoy my c27 videos; I have several.
Thanks for sharing. We all went through this. I also recorded and watched my own videos of docking/sailing. I found there are lots of details in these videos that help me find where to improve. I think the steerage is the key in docking especially in the windy condition. In your successful attempt, I noticed the boat actually had the steerage all the way into the slip. Without the steerage, you have to put the boat in the precise position to compensate the effect of wind, current and prop walk.
The good about the Hunter Is all the interior volume, the bad is that is comes with a lot of freeboard and catches the wind. You got it done, strong work. Never stop learning!
Thanks for sharing this video. It's a matter of practice and age. I'm sixty now and still everything under control. Plenty of practice. My harbor neighbor is 84 now and he's a risk for others and himself. Everything has it's time.
Thank you sir. it was hard to share. I almost didn't. But learning from my experiences was one of my primary reasons for making my videos. Although, I do have some good docking and sailing videos too. Those are for my really old age. 🙂
It is essential to go in reverse two or three lengths, so that you feel that the rudder responds even at low speed. You never have to stop the boat to rectify the maneuver, you will lose all control. And place the boat in the center of the canal. Pride? One day I had to abort 7 times. Good wind.
I thought you did really well … and YOU DID! 👏👏 I teach docking and undocking all over the country - got my first skippers job 40 years ago on a 58 footer in Spain….then I joined the Royal Navy and drove warships around the world … so I really know what I m talking about 🤙 You know your key to success on your 3 rd attempt …?!! Speed ! More speed 👏👏 the number 1 reason for docking fails is going too slowly , but you must use ALL of your 28 hp to stop … lol Plus…. you gave yourself a tad more room with your Jilt to the far side as you were backing up …. 👍 Just to be helpful … once you were in your dock I saw you do what ALL my clients do until I ve coached them….. you were looking forwards while going backwards and not looking how far off your stern was. So…. Really well done - you stayed “in the fight” -I coach that ….. just look backwards or sideways to see your stopping point in your dock 🙂👍 👏👏👏👏👏👏🥂
Thank you for the very helpful feedback ! My problems started because I didnt realize how much lee way I made to my port as I was coming in. So like you said I didn't have the speed or room to bring the bow around.
it happens all the time..same docksailers told me..every manover you should do in idle..works easyer..but thanks for your experience..had that difficulty and I think you gave me a great help...enjoy your time..
Don’t focus on what you did bad but what you did good instead. You did good on the last try because you went front the start in reverse. Don’t having to change direction of motion help a lot avoiding to work with the prop walk. So starting from far away by reversing into the slip help if you can make a wide turn just before entering the slip. If the harbor and the space allow it consider doing the entire maneuver in reverse avoiding to stop the backward momentum. With my boat, especially if I don’t know the marina I enter backwards all the way to the slip. Other than that great job going slow and avoiding all the other boats. You still have a great control of the boat. Just need to work on the approach.
You made your day. No damages no injury's. Maybe spend some dollar for a bow truster that makes live easier after a nice sailing. Thanks for the video.
thank you for watching and the kind comment. Unfortunately my sailing budget doesn't include a bow thruster. 😕..... new main, new batteries and solar panels higher on the list 😄
Immediately, I hear the wind - tide and current to me unknown. Proper job fella. We start, learn and get better in life from failing. Not getting it right every time. 👍
I have to reverse my big bellied 1974 S&S Skeg Hung rudder shaft drive (with hideous port prop walk) 38ft yacht through about 1200ft in an S shape to starboard and around this annoying bow sprit from a big race yacht into a tiny pocket berth in front of all these terrace restauarants in wind and tide. No times have ever been alike and I barely breathe in any of them.. I’m not sure it ever gets easier but our ability to bail out at the right time does get better :). Thanks for sharing!
thanks for watching and the positive comment! Even though I don't dock in front of resturants, it seems there are always folks watching when things go wrong. 😊
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck Yeah always! I was interested in how you move back and forth to adjust yourself to face the direction of your boat.. I can’t do that on mine due to the gear lever location and a giant wheel, but it looks like it really works when you do it - and you look practiced at it :)
Nice video, it is a nice demonstration of what does not work and what does work. I am not sure about your debrief: "I should have made a strong pivot into the wind and and let it help blow me back into slip." In this case, you need to use your backward speed to throw your bow against the wind (so exactly what you did in the last attempt). To me, the last maneuver definitely was *the* way to do it. One could perfect it, but I wouldn't try another way. With more wind, just use more backward speed and be more assertive when you point stern into the slip, this gives you momentum to throw your bow against the wind. Then, the bow just follows the stern. One other cool thing that you did is the forward left turn using prop wash at 7:46; it anticipates and counters the prop walk when you engage the engine backward.
Thanks for watching and your helpful comments! This day I did not appreciate how quickly out going tide and wind from the starboard were sweeping me to the port... and to close to my slip to make the turn. and it also kept the bow from swing around.
Thanks for sharing! I just finished my ASA 118 docking class, but unfortunately in calm winds. Our instructor kept saying "If it was windy you'd do this...". At least I know prop walk/wash and how to do a standing turn, proper fairway positioning to give you maximum abort options, etc. Nothing like getting actual experience in a stiff breeze by yourself though!
Thanks for watching and commenting. My biggest and first mistake in this video was my poor situational awareness. I just did not appreciate how much leeway I was making due to both the wind and current off my starboard beam.
Thanks for sharing. I recently rented a 34 ft sailboat in Greece and before entering the port, I practiced just outside the port multiple times backing up into a slip. There was a piece of driftwood that I used as my target. I think, even with experience, every boat is slightly different and you need to learn the feel of how much windage it has, how much leeway it makes, how fast it reacts to tiller movements, and how much of a delay when switching from forward to reverse before the tiller bites. It is just practice.
I my experience is limited to only my to boats. Previous catalina 27 with outboard on the ports side transom and my current H356. As you can imagine very different handling characteristics. In many ways, the H356 is easier.
We’ve all been there. Wind pushing your nose around. I once went back and forth, horizontally across a marina unable to get the nose up against a pretty stiff beeeze. Wound up against the back of the marina. When up against the post I would have been inclined to put out a fender against it, put a line around the post and use the post as a pivot point to get the yacht around. That’s sort of how I solved my dilemma, stuck against the back end of the marina. I used a spring line as a pivot in that instance to get off.
There is no pride lost captain, it takes guts to show what you showed with you in the video all the way, could see the stress and anxiety in your face and the rapid throttle and wheel use as a result. I have yet to see a boater who said his first docking was smooth - we wouldn’t have all the stories around the bar table otherwise. 😜
Thanks for watching and the kind comment. Unfortunately, this was far from my first docking. In fact, I was starting to get a little overconfident in my docking skills. But the wind and tidal current off my starboard beem humbled me that day. I did not have good situational awareness. The more things went wrong, the higher my stress and the worse I performed.
My first docking was picture smooth. But second and third .... :)
And this was far from my first. That was part of the problem. I had become overconfident and wasn't paying much attention to the situation... and it bit me. 😄
Thank you for sharing. Do you have to back in at that marina? I've only docked my boat three times. I get anxiety thinking about it. It lessens the more I do it. Carrying spring lines now.
I do not have to back in but I prefer to back in. My boat backs very well, I have a walk through transom so boarding is easier, the cockpit view is better. And I have better access to lines when departing and returning, I can do everything solo more easily.
Thank you for sharing this. No matter how many times we dock or leave the slip, situations like this are inevitable. I love how you have made this a valuable training tool for everyone. My heart always pounds whenever we dock! Fair winds to you sir!
Thanks for watching and especially the understanding comment. The funny thing is that I was getting a little overconfident, not paying attention. I debated posting a long time. But decided that it may be helpful to others. And that I would more likely remember the lessons learned! 😄
Best part about this video is when you told your crew "you did good." You didn't get flustered, you didn't yell and you eventually got it done. Bridge resource management 101 👍🏾
Thank you for watching and the kind comments. I have to admit I was happy with myself for not yelling (out nerves) at my wife.
I should also have said, she did absolutely nothing wrong
Thanks for not letting your ego prevent helping the rest of us learning to dock. It's a tricky business!
As a sailor with 33 years of experience, I can see one egregious error that it took me a long time to learn. When backing, you shouldn’t turn the rudder to extreme angles. Turning requires decent water flow over the rudder, and turning the rudder to the stops actually acts as a brake due to extreme drag. A far better strategy is to give yourself plenty of room, back very slowly, and use minimum rudder angle… doing so will provide faster turning and better control.
Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.
Massive respect for publishing this warts and all. Never stop learning 💪
thank you for watching and the kind remarks. it is a learning process for me on every trip out. but I love it!
Super high value instructional video. Composure Epitomized, Fantastic work Captain!!
Thank you for your kind comment. My stress level and heart rate were up there that day. Basically, over confidence led to poor situational awareness. That resulted in putting my boat and wife in a bad situation. I was humbled quickly. I am most proud that I did raise my voice at my wife. She literally had nothing to do with getting us into the situation and could do nothing about it.
Thanks for the upload. I really like that you decided to upload the "failed" attempts as well and a great learning lesseon!
I debated long and hard before posting but I hoped others would benefit!
We've all been there :) Kudos to you for showing what is about every 5th attempt at docking between pilings
I have to admit, it took me a while to swallow my pride and post it.
Hey Chuck. Good for you demonstrating it can go pear shaped for even the most experience sailor. I'm seen skippers with 30+ years make same or similar mistakes. As they say you learn more from your mistakes than when it goes perfectly well. In my opinion, 2 big lessons here 1. you kept calm throughout, even when it wasn't going to plan. 2. you didn't get ego or bravado get the better of you. You knew when to abort and didn't damage yours or another boat. Both pride & fender smudges are easily fixed. This video is a must watch for anyone who docks on a finger / catwalk berth. Well done.
Thank you, sir! Not only for watching but for your kind comments! It took me a while to post this video. But I hoped it may help others. I started making docking videos videos to see what I was doing well and not so well. I have a hard time watching this one. 😄
Ton of truth there. I know a gazillion racers, cruisers, crew members that are incredible in the open water but panic in close quarters. Its an acquired skill for sure that can only come with practice. Most people only come to the boat for a fun day on the water. I always suggest dedicated practice days with a predetermined list of drills. Back and fill and reverse drills being the most valuable.
Thanks for watching and showing sound, thoughtful advice! I appreciate it!
It’s a lot more difficult than people realise. Good to watch someone face the same issues that we all do …. 👏👍
It was painful for me to watch this video as well. Not because of what you did, but because I saw myself doing the same on several occasions. When I did it, there was no TH-cam to watch and learn from. Without you posting your experience, many boaters (newbies and old timers alike) would unknowingly find themselves in the same situation. There is no telling how many dings you have prevented. It is commendable that you swallowed your pride and posted the video. I have over 40 years experience with a considerable amount in the inside passage and Alaska where there are high tides with lots of current and wind. It has taught me (and you reminded me again) that situational awareness is extremely important along with knowing how your boat will behave in such conditions. Then make a plan before you are in tight quarters. There are times when it is appropriate to go out and drop the hook until conditions improve. Practice, practice, practice. Good job and Thanks so much!!
Thank you for watching and your very kind comments. Most of the feedback has been positive. But not all. I remind myself that was to be expected, and my skin is fairly thick, lol. Complacency is a big concern for me. Especially as I have been learning and giving myself pats on the back for progressing. This day taught me 🙂
I docked my sailboat countless of times, and so often one or more things went wrong. I wished I filmed it like you did. We all learn from our mistakes.
It's hard to see in the video, but you either have current, or your propwalk moves your stern to starboard when going astern (left turning prop). Hats off for staying calm and moving slowly.
Yep. I had tidal current and wind off my starboard as I was slowly coming down the farway toward and past my slip. I wasn't paying attention and did not realize how far to my port they had pushed my boat! So close that with the wind and current I couldn't the bow to come around before I was into the pilings.
As a novice sailor, these kind of videos really help me build up strength confidence for my upcoming obstacles. Lesson learned! Great job, and thank you captain! 🙏🥰
I made the video for me to learn. I published it hoping for this kind of comment!
Been there, done that - got the fender smudges to prove it... Thank you for sharing your learning experience. I'm still new to sailing, so I can relate - and this video with a demonstration of how to come up with "plan B" when "Plan A" fails helps me so much more than watching short videos of "perfect docking".
Thanks so much for watching and the kind comment. In fact, your comment is exactly why I posted this video. Believe me, I thought long and hard before making it public. I do have a couple of videos of my better docking attempts 😊
Fair play for posting this, weve all been there!
Thanks. I hesitated quite a while before posting. But figured it may be helpful other less experienced sailors... like me
Whew! Bet you’re glad that’s over!
A few folks have suggested keeping your boat to windward and using a slower approach… you obviously have learned the perils of going too fast AND not being on the windward side of the alley.
I would add putting the boat in neutral several feet before your backing turn with reverse helps the boat glide to her sweet spot & saves your transmission.
Biggest suggestions: go slower, stay to windward, don’t go past your slip before turning. Let the prop walk be your friend.
Oh… never try to pivot on a piling… too many opportunities for damaging your boat or someone else’s.
You figured out the errors (& we’ve all made them!) and I’m sure you’ll remember the feel when it’s all “right”…. You’re a real gentleman for sharing this.
I'm also still learning and I think the final maneuver was beautiful. The boat was yours and you executed once you understood the conditions better. It's an abstract feeling that I've felt when doing more difficult dockings, and this is the best way I can currently describe it. That's what I saw in that final maneuver. Well done sir. O7
I thought I was the only one who has days like that!!!! THANK YOU SIR!👍 Henceforth, you are my brother.🙏
Thank you! Also good to know I am not alone. I debated long and hard before posting. Hopefully those days are few and far between for both of us going forward!!
Just found this. Thank you for being willing to post this. So many lessons learned from this as opposed to a flawless docking.
Thank you for the kind comment! Thankfully, most of them go better. 🙂
Thankfully we don't have these box moorings in the UK.
Always good to see somebody being honest and showing how it can go wrong and why. Speed and abusing your transmission. An instructor taught me you have three gears: forward, neutral and reverse just take it slowly it should be like watching paint dry.
Thanks for posting.
Thanks for sharing, brave and honest. It's a useful video. Sooner or later all skippers are going to get caught out close quarter manouvering in strong winds, and sometimes more than once. It's an embarressing and potentially costly situation, which is why most of us conveniently forget about our own nightmare day. I bet you learned a lot from it!
I did. Obviously, there's lots to learn. And it will likely take more similar experiences to really learn. but that's the cost of getting out there!
I love that you shared this! You didn't hit any other boats and eventually made it in, so...win! Most of us have been there and anyone who says they haven't is probably lying. On my 1st attempt at stern-to docking on a larger sailboat it took me 4 frustrating attempts, then a stop at a mooring ball to regroup and calm down, then finally made it in. As you discovered, you can't overcome the force of the wind on the bow if you don't have enough speed, and getting that bow into the wind is critical with that wind direction. I'm sure you've got it all figured out by now! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing. I know what it's like when the boat is not behaving as expected. This year I almost have mastered using prop-wash to swing the the bow around, and what a difference that has made
I was getting pretty cocky about docking... obviously overconfident. The wind and tidal current humbled me that day!
Well done and courageous to show your mistakes - as a friend tells me “You’re only as good as the last time you docked!” And there’s never anyone watching when it’s perfect but there’s always a crowd when you stuff up.
Thanks for putting this out there. I’m 6months in to docking a 35.1, it ain’t easy. Thanks for the lessons and sharing your experience and knowledge. It helps others.
thanks for watching and your kind comment. I started making docking videos so I could review and learn. I posted them on TH-cam hoping others may find them useful too. so thanks for your comment!
Been there and done that. Full marks for showing it and the stress you experienced. Docking in wind is hard. I’ve used young dock crew who move the boats to get me in. Always amazed at how much power they use to get it done. Well done skipper, you’ve earned a beer.
Thanks for watching and your kind comments!
It is immensely pleasing to see a video about the trials of berthing in windy conditions. Far, far too many videos only show it being done in mill pond conditions. Thank you.
thank you. You can see in the video how much way I made to the port coming g down the fairway. Unfortunately, I just didn't have good situational awareness that day.
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck we have all been there at one time or another Chuck. As has been said by someone else, no pride lost in what you did.
As I mentioned, whilst it is important to have videos on berthing in calm conditions, it is far more important to have those, like yours, that deal with demanding conditions. They is a whole lot of difference between the two!!
I believe the really important message from your video was that one should stop and start again and don't be afraid to do so. Cheers.
The human side of docking. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching and the kind comment. Most days are good, but I let that one get away from me.
Appreciating the honesty of this video immensely. Remember though, steer before gear.
I'll bet the post-cruise martini never tasted better!
It was nice to get the lines tied!
Nobody injured, no damage to anyone else’s property, just a couple marks you can buff out? That’s a successful docking maneuver. No room for egos at the dock, just get your crew and your boat tied up safely.
Thanks for watching and the kind comment!
Thanks for having the guts to post this. We've all been there to some degree and you can't get better at boating without having this kind of experience. One of the things I love and respect about sailing is it takes anyone who comes at it with pomp and pride and CRUSHES those!
Thanks for watching and your positive comment. I hope that it may be helpful for other new(er) sailors out there. I learn something new every time i leave the dock. That really means; I make another mistake. And hopefully I dont forget it.
I find docking to be the most stressful time of a day on the water. It's great to have this point of view video, it enables me to think through what I would be doing in each moment of the manoeuvre. Well done for not losing your cool. I've been in situations like this when it just doesn't seem to work even though what you are doing seems to be the right thing. No two attempts are ever the same, it's just a matter of getting to know the boat and the conditions. I have hopes to be as good as you are one day.
thanks for watching and the kind comments. I hope the video is helpful to other sailors, especially those with less experience like me. It helps me to review what I did wrong and right!
Hey Chuck! Nice work for posting such a video. Shows humility which can be in short supply in boating! We'll give it our best detect & correct. Here goes:
1. Once in reverse, you need a boatlength or so before the boat settles down. So give yourself time for that;
2. The first point is the reason why forward-reverse-forward-reverse doesn't work well for boats like it does for cars. It is best to start on a reverse course and keep it there until the very end;
3. These boats have their rudder behind the propeller, so the rudder is basically useless in reverse until you reach around half a knot speed. So unlike cars, a multi-point turn doesn't really work for boats (unless you are actively using prop walk, which deserves its own point);
4. Use that prop walk. It can be your friend;
5. Use the whole width of the corridor, not just the center. Favour the opposite side, esp if it is the upwind side like this example.
Have fun! You'll get it. 👍
Thanks for watching and the kind comments and very helpful insights! In this situation a very stiff breeze and out going tidal current off my starboard beam caught me off guard. My situational awareness was terrible this day and I didnt realize how much lee way I was making; especially between the time I took boat out of forward, then into nuetral and then into reverse. then my stress went way up and my decision making skills way down! :-)
docking on a good day: th-cam.com/video/MWas4D5roBE/w-d-xo.html
I am in my year two of my sailing and I am still learning to learn to dock flawlessly. Thanks for sharing that these things happen to most experienced people too and that gives me more confidence!
Thanks for sharing and being vulnerable. It's a great learning moment for you but also for the viewers.
I did a lot of debating with myself before posting this video. But I hope it may be helpful to newer sailors like I was. Most comments have been positive and many offer insightful tips.
Well done for showing what it's really like on a bad day! Real respect for you!
thank you
Sometimes you watch the show, sometimes you are the show. I've been on both sides myself, you didn't lose your cool, most important thing.
Thanks!
Most courageous posting ever!
A great educational video . There is no point in showing how to do it in no wind . In my opinion there shouldn't be any scars to your pride. You worked out pretty quickly what and how to change it , during the whole process you kept your calm, no panic, no shouting. Thank you.
Thank you!
Chuck, I tip my cap to you for posting this video. Years ago we owned a Catalina 30, wheel steering. We kept the boat at a marina similar to yours, and required back in only. Sailboats are not made to back in a slip, and many times I had the same challenges you showed. I continue to this day to feel a panic attack when I think about docking that boat, or watching your video. Thank you sharing with everyone.
Thanks for watching. That video is hard for me to watch, too. I see so many things I could easily have done differently, and should have. But I have learned from it!
Respect, we’ve all been there and still learning. Why it succeeded the last time?
In windy conditions dock backward with a loooong run in reverse on the luff side, and know the center turningpoint of your boat (usualy 1 meter behind the mast)…and be easy on the throttle.
And remember; Any docking you can walk away from is a good docking. 😉
Thank you for sharing! We've all been there trust me 😊
Thank you for sharing this. Just got my first boat which is much bigger than what I learned on. About to go through a bunch of lessons now on docking it. Props for not panicking when things weren’t going your way 👍
Better your pride damaged than anything else. But to me your pride is intact, you kept calm, did not panic by trying to over powering it (which causes more problems and you hit things harder), you persevered and you got there. You kept your crew calm, no shouting, no blaming, all very calm and collected, I would crew for you. Thank you for sharing.
thanks for watching and the very kind and helpful comment! I am always looking for crew! 😊
Been there, done that! I had a similar Hunter, a 2005 38. Also a Variprop that had quite an aggressive pitch in reverse. The stern moves to port in reverse, especially when you put the boat in reverse to slowdown and change to moving the boat backwards. In this case, that and the wind blowing the bow also to port is why your boat just crabbed to port. I learned the thing to do is to turn the boat out in an open space and back in from somewhere with enough room to turn around, however far from your slip that is. With room the boat will spin in its own length as long as you turn to starboard. Engine into neutral, slow down to dead slow, wheel hard over for a starboard turn. Now into forward and a blast of gas to push water over the rudder, back into neutral. As the boat turns and starts to come to a stop , into reverse and a bit of gas to use the propwalk to keep the boat turning, then again as the turn slows a little bit of forward. Always plan to spin the boat to starboard. But hey. What you did worked and that's all that matters. It's always possible to go find a space to sit with the boat stern to the wind and take a moment to collect your thoughts and plan a different approach. We live and hopefully learn.
I have a 45' Hunter and I have had many days like this one. You did an excellent job...you didn't hit anything, you kept your cool and you knew when to abort and try again. My boat does not handle well with any wind on the beam greater than 9 or 10mph and it always seems like a good gust hits me at the worst possible time. That said I've never hit another boat and have not caused any damage to my own or to the dock.
thanks for the encouraging comments and watching. this is my 3rd season with In-Tuition. Before that I had a Catalina 27 with an outboard offset on the transom which I docked bow first. so my experience is limited. Although, I thought I had mastered the docking thing. however the wind and outgoing tide on my starboard beam humbled me that day!
Captain...We've all been there!!
Cheers!!
Thanks for watching and understanding 🙂
I've never sailed a boat (yet) much less docked one but I've been a truck driver many years. One of the first lessons I learned (the hard way) driving and backing, is to not try to force a bad situation. If you get the set up wrong just suck it up, move back to a safe place and take a moment to evaluate the situation and think of a plan. Rinse and repeat. In my early days I could easily take multiple attempts to back that trailer in places that should have been easy. Experience and patience are key. All these years later and I'm still learning lessons the hard way. Just a few weeks ago I had to have a wrecker pull my trailer out of a ditch because I tried to make a turn off a busy highway onto a narrow business entrance with dirches on both sides. Instead of being patient and waiting for traffic to clear, I didn't want to hold up the cars behind me so I went ahead and tried to make the turn.... $1500 wrecker bill later and another lesson on patience learned.
My wife and I are taking the ASA 101 in July and it looks like I have a new huge learning curve to overcome. Thank you for posting this, it's truly educational!
thank you for watching. your comment is full of good advice and much appreciated! best of luck with your sailing adventures!
This is exactly the same with the boat, do not force, get out, reevaluate
Thank you so much for posting this. I have so much docking anxiety as I haven't done it yet. Watching it go poorly and seeing the abort and recovery is very helpful.
thank you fornthe kind comment. it usually goes much better. one thing I learn from those with more experience is to not rush and start over if you need to and can. I hope you enjoy sonenof my other "happier" videos!
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck anyone can post a happy video where everything goes right. There's really value in the other side of things.
@@adam6806 I debated a long time about to post it or not. I finally decided that I would hoping that folks might find it helpful. Thanks again for the kind comment!
I had almost the exact scenario a few weeks ago. Was feeling pretty confident in our new slip and that over confidence got the best of me. The worst moments are when you decide to abort but end up so close to the neighboring boats and turning away will likely swing one end or the other into them. You did a great job maintaining your composure (on the outside as we all know what we're feeling on the inside!). As long as it is a learning experience without significant damage or injury, all is good and it makes us better sailors. Thanks for sharing as it makes us realize we're all in the same boat so to speak.
thanks for the kind words and insight. Hearing your story helps! I definitely had some pucker moments. 😊 I think trying to assure my wife that she did good and did nothing wrong, and she didn't, was the best thing I did. the next time out, we had very similar conditions again and I did much better. I did sort of a pivot in front of my slip and the wind pushed us in. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera set up. 😔
thank you for showing all the video and your experience. I find these types of video much more valuable tot just the "here is how to do it and how easy it is". I find most people get nervous if oath are judging and that creates m ore issues still. Awesome again to see how you guys worked as team, encouragement and providing these window into your learnings so outré can learn too !
Thanks for the positive feedback! I thought I had the docking thing down pat; then this episode. Wind, current, nerves and relative inexperience all conspired against me. Fortunately, no harm to anyone or any boat; just my pride. I thought long and hard before making this video public. But I did, hoping others may benefit from it. So I really do appreciate your comments.
Well done that man. As a newby, I have had some shockers entering and leaving, and sometimes my nerves are absolutely shot. It's reassuring to see even the most experienced can have a bad day. I like how you kept your composure despite the pressure and close quarters manoeuvring. Thank you.
Thanks for watching and the positive comment! I am still learning.
We all have to learn... The first day I took my 20ft yacht out under power the weather was still, the water smooth as glass, I went from the launch pond to the finger mooring perfectly, the marine hand taking me to my new slip said it was perfect. The second time out, still calm but not like glass this time it took me two attempts to get out of the finger pontoon and about three attempts to get into the mooring finger, even with a novice deckhand assisting with the lines. The third time out, on my own, with high ripples and a gentle breeze from the starboard and quite a strong current from the bow, and it easily took me several attempts to dock on my own, and some of those were 'oh poop' moments where I needed to react quickly to sudden gusts... I learnt a lot more that day then on the days when things went smoothly... I've not read the comments, but I bet there is more praise for you showing us this 'bad day' video than there would be had you shown us how you do it perfectly. You've just made a lot of novice boaters feel right at home...
thanks for watching and sharing your experiences. I think all of the comments have been positive and those videos where I struggle generally get more views than when things go well. Although my 2nd most viewed video was a pretty text book docking.
I watch these time and time again. 3 things need to be in your favour, wind, tide and prop walk. And, never stop the boat if you have to deal with any of these two, you’re dead in the water. Well done for persevering, everyone has their mooring hells!
thanks for watching and the great advice!
Nerves of steel! I have a 25 just learning too and getting back to my slip leaves me wrung out and in need of a stiff drink
Thanks for the kind comment and watching... 2 high stress moments for me. 1 - starting the engine to come back in. 2 - docking. But that glorious time under sail makes it all worthwhile and every penny !
It is a great courage to show how something is going wrong. Compliments for that.
The movie is great.
thanks for the kind comments
Everyone has bad days backing into pen, conditions are always different and you will learn from this one.
That was was so real. Happens to us all. Even the most experienced.
Thanks for watching and the kind comment!
Thank you for posting this. Sometimes it's not apparent how difficult this can be. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of errors to get better. But just about the time you think you've done it all, you'll get another lesson :)
Exactly!... humbled in a hurry!
The bow is much more influenced by wind than the stern. You might have sharpened your angle to minimize the wind, I was happy to see you figured out for yourself. Based on what I saw, on this day and doing it the way you started out doing it, the bow was never going to come around. You needed to turn your bow to stbd when your bow was just short of your slip. 80-85 degrees would be a good suggestion, but depends on wind. You tried to go way past your slip and then go into reverse, get up a head of steam and be able to steer it in with the rudder. However the wind was keeping the bow from coming around. It also appeared to me that you were trying to "kick" the stern to port by turning to port and giving the motor a quick blast forward. That was never going to work. You should have turned the wheel all the way to stbd, and a quick kick forward. Even this might not have worked because you started out running perpendicular to your slip. As you were approaching your slip, and as your bow came just short of your first piling, you would want to turn to stbd. until you were, as I said earlier about 80 degrees to your slip. Then with your boat in reverse, your prop walk (not wash) would pull the stern to port and the bow would go to stbd. and you could have backed straight in. Remember "Neutral is Your Friend". After initiating a "kick" go back to neutral and see what the boat is doing. Typically It will continue rotating in which ever way the prop and rudder were utilized.
Check out this video to see how this organization teaches students to back to a slip. You only need to modify what they are teaching, based on wind. It's rather long, you can skip ahead if you already feel comfortable with the first half. th-cam.com/video/PoGMAEjiHmU/w-d-xo.html Good luck and keep practicing!
thx for the great feedback! very helpful. my problem right from the start was that I did not recognize how much the wind and outgoing tide were affecting my boat; both from the starboard side. Buy the time I had enough steerage and control over the bow I was too far to the port. I agree 100% that in these conditions I should have turned the bow into the wind! Thanks for the helpful comments!
Good reminder prior to purchasing, size up the previous owner as much as the boat!
Nice progress and admire your humility. I had a heck of a time docking head in to my slip in a good blow turning the same direction as my prop walk. Super light boat with a big prominent bow area. Don't know that i ever got the hang of it having moved to another marina where my turn is now opposite.
Thank you for sharing. We have put ourselves in almost identical situations and ended up with similarly injured pride. I seem to find it easier to advise sailors on TH-cam than to execute a tricky docking manoeuvre in the heat of the moment. I hope I learn as much from my misadventures as you do from yours! Thanks again, fair winds to you.
thank for watching and the very kind words! hopefully my coming docking videos will be more of the how to and less of the how not to! Stay tuned! 🙂
No injuries. No major damage. You did great!!!!
Thanks! The only thing damaged is my pride. Fender smudges were cleaned off that day! 😊
My dear chap, we have all been in that situation! You persevered and got your yacht in, and that is what matters. Best wishes from England
Thank you sir! Thank you for the kind comment!
We were born to learn from mistakes. Thanks for your video
Thank you for watching and the kind comment. I posted it hoping that it may help other new sailors.
I felt your pain when I watched your relentless tries and it reminded me of how I found a solution for my problem. Chuck, most posters responded with support and kind words. Some provided solutions that are helpful. I would like to add mine as this maneuver is not suggested.
Come down the fairway as you do and as you get close to your slip reduce your speed to 2 Knots or less. Then when you are one boat width close to your port boat, which is docked to your starboard dock, turn hard to starboard as if you are trying to dock in the slip just to your starboard slip. Put in revese and turn hard to port at idle. This will make your stern move towards your slip and your boat should be parallel to your slip. After the stern enters the slip straighten the rudder and let it slide into the slip. You will have to practice as how to move back into the slip.
I always back in with my Catalina 36. If I go in with bow first - whn I pull out the wind blows the bow down to starboard and I then have to back up all the way on the fairway. Going forward out of the slip gives me more control.
In this situation it would be better to pass your slip much more to the starboard side of the passage (right from the centre, nearer the opposite side boats), then reverse with more speed into your slip. Being too near the port side with the wind from the starboard will always push you onto the obstacles on your left and limit your manoeuvring. The wind will pivot your bow to port, especially with lower boat speeds. You can't control the bow directly (without the bow thruster) - only the stern, and even that only when the boat is in significant motion.
That took a LOT of humility to post! Kudos! As they say, any landing you can walk away from without blood or a dollar sign attached is a success. And it's slways easy for others to arm chair quarterback. You didn't loose your cool or yell at your first mate. You both held it together. 👍
BTW. Greetings from Sailing Vessel H356 "R Time" in Midland Ontario Canada!
Thanks I have been working on more of a pivot in those conditions. And when I watched the video, I was very happy to see that I had not yelled at the first mate! There was certainly no reason to... it was all me 😊
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks for sharing. It is hard to back into a berth with wind and all.
Thank you for sharing this and being honest! I’m buying my first boat coming up and with limited docking experience I am quite nervous.
thanks for the kind words. I started making videos of docking and leaving the slip to see what I could do better and what I was doing wrong I have made a bunch because I am still learning. I usually sail solo so I had to learn to do it all myself. and it really isn't too bad. I thought had pretty much mastered docking until this day when both a strong breeze and outgoing tide off my starboard beam got me. my advice is get out there and do it and plan ahead as much as possible. And have fun!
Great learning experience for all of us
Very good captain Chuck, It challenging for sure when the wind or current is affecting the you and your boat, I think you did a great job at not getting frustrated and cussing like many do. Keeping a level head studying the wind current and how your boat maneuvers is best practice every time. My suggestion is to slow down a bit more and be gentle on the forward and reverse. It all takes practice. Empty docks and slips are a great place to practice if you can find one. They offer more relaxed practice as there is no other boat to hit. Jim Rodgers
Thanks for sharing, very valuable learning opportunity!
I got here from your Catalina 27 video. I just bought my first boat and it's a 1988 Cat 27. Thanks for posting your experiences! I'm trying to learn as much as I can and this is really helpful. Fair winds!
Thank you for watching and the kind comment. I loved my C27. It sailed great. I would still have Adelaar, but my wife wanted a bigger boat and a/c for overnight trips on the bay. I have a friend who is a retired Coast Guard captain with a lot of sailing experience. He says the C27 is one of the best sailing boats there is. Enjoy your boat. AndI hope you enjoy my c27 videos; I have several.
Thanks for sharing. We all went through this. I also recorded and watched my own videos of docking/sailing. I found there are lots of details in these videos that help me find where to improve. I think the steerage is the key in docking especially in the windy condition. In your successful attempt, I noticed the boat actually had the steerage all the way into the slip. Without the steerage, you have to put the boat in the precise position to compensate the effect of wind, current and prop walk.
The good about the Hunter Is all the interior volume, the bad is that is comes with a lot of freeboard and catches the wind. You got it done, strong work. Never stop learning!
Thanks for sharing this video. It's a matter of practice and age. I'm sixty now and still everything under control. Plenty of practice. My harbor neighbor is 84 now and he's a risk for others and himself. Everything has it's time.
Thanks for watching! Thankfully, my days are usually much better.
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck That's good to hear. 👍🏻 And finally you didn't damage nothing.
Thanks a lot for sharing one of the bad ones. We all learn a lot from those... 😊
Thank you sir. it was hard to share. I almost didn't. But learning from my experiences was one of my primary reasons for making my videos. Although, I do have some good docking and sailing videos too. Those are for my really old age. 🙂
I feel your pain.... I myself had a bad day mooring yesterday too.... practice makes perfect!!
Heh, I have been there! You feel like everyone in the marina is watching and judging :)
never happens when people are not around. And perfect docking never happens when people are around! 😄
Thank you for publishing this!
Thank you for the kind sentiment. I have to admit, it is still hard for me to watch. But I hope it helps others. Thanks for watching!
It is essential to go in reverse two or three lengths, so that you feel that the rudder responds even at low speed. You never have to stop the boat to rectify the maneuver, you will lose all control. And place the boat in the center of the canal. Pride? One day I had to abort 7 times. Good wind.
Thanks for watching and the good, useful feedback
I thought you did really well … and YOU DID! 👏👏
I teach docking and undocking all over the country - got my first skippers job 40 years ago on a 58 footer in Spain….then I joined the Royal Navy and drove warships around the world …
so I really know what I m talking about 🤙
You know your key to success on your 3 rd attempt …?!! Speed ! More speed 👏👏 the number 1 reason for docking fails is going too slowly , but you must use ALL of your 28 hp to stop … lol
Plus…. you gave yourself a tad more room with your Jilt to the far side as you were backing up …. 👍
Just to be helpful … once you were in your dock I saw you do what ALL my clients do until I ve coached them….. you were looking forwards while going backwards and not looking how far off your stern was.
So…. Really well done - you stayed “in the fight” -I coach that ….. just look backwards or sideways to see your stopping point in your dock 🙂👍
👏👏👏👏👏👏🥂
Thank you for the very helpful feedback ! My problems started because I didnt realize how much lee way I made to my port as I was coming in. So like you said I didn't have the speed or room to bring the bow around.
it happens all the time..same docksailers told me..every manover you should do in idle..works easyer..but thanks for your experience..had that difficulty and I think you gave me a great help...enjoy your time..
Nobody's perfect. Thanks for shareing.
thanks. this kind of videos are very helpful
Thank you for watching and commenting! I am glad it is helpful!
Don’t focus on what you did bad but what you did good instead. You did good on the last try because you went front the start in reverse. Don’t having to change direction of motion help a lot avoiding to work with the prop walk. So starting from far away by reversing into the slip help if you can make a wide turn just before entering the slip. If the harbor and the space allow it consider doing the entire maneuver in reverse avoiding to stop the backward momentum. With my boat, especially if I don’t know the marina I enter backwards all the way to the slip. Other than that great job going slow and avoiding all the other boats. You still have a great control of the boat. Just need to work on the approach.
Been there done that. The good news is that you got it👍
You made your day. No damages no injury's. Maybe spend some dollar for a bow truster that makes live easier after a nice sailing. Thanks for the video.
thank you for watching and the kind comment. Unfortunately my sailing budget doesn't include a bow thruster. 😕..... new main, new batteries and solar panels higher on the list 😄
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck yes, no a cheap investment but really helpful on my ⛵. Even single handed is no problem. Maybe next year. Fair Winds.
Well done i know it`s not easy, but you will get there, we all had to practice.
Yep always learning. In fact, part of my problem this day was overconfidence leading to lack of situational awareness! Nature taught me that day! 🙂
Immediately, I hear the wind - tide and current to me unknown. Proper job fella. We start, learn and get better in life from failing. Not getting it right every time. 👍
I have to reverse my big bellied 1974 S&S Skeg Hung rudder shaft drive (with hideous port prop walk) 38ft yacht through about 1200ft in an S shape to starboard and around this annoying bow sprit from a big race yacht into a tiny pocket berth in front of all these terrace restauarants in wind and tide. No times have ever been alike and I barely breathe in any of them.. I’m not sure it ever gets easier but our ability to bail out at the right time does get better :). Thanks for sharing!
thanks for watching and the positive comment! Even though I don't dock in front of resturants, it seems there are always folks watching when things go wrong. 😊
@@sailingin-tuitionwithchuck Yeah always! I was interested in how you move back and forth to adjust yourself to face the direction of your boat.. I can’t do that on mine due to the gear lever location and a giant wheel, but it looks like it really works when you do it - and you look practiced at it :)
amusing for viewers, appalling for the skipper, but respect for honesty
Nice video, it is a nice demonstration of what does not work and what does work. I am not sure about your debrief: "I should have made a strong pivot into the wind and and let it help blow me back into slip." In this case, you need to use your backward speed to throw your bow against the wind (so exactly what you did in the last attempt). To me, the last maneuver definitely was *the* way to do it. One could perfect it, but I wouldn't try another way. With more wind, just use more backward speed and be more assertive when you point stern into the slip, this gives you momentum to throw your bow against the wind. Then, the bow just follows the stern. One other cool thing that you did is the forward left turn using prop wash at 7:46; it anticipates and counters the prop walk when you engage the engine backward.
Thanks for watching and your helpful comments! This day I did not appreciate how quickly out going tide and wind from the starboard were sweeping me to the port... and to close to my slip to make the turn. and it also kept the bow from swing around.
great video thanks from over the pond
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”
Hoping others will. i originally made docking videos to self teach. But figured others may be able to learn from. them too!
Thanks for sharing! I just finished my ASA 118 docking class, but unfortunately in calm winds. Our instructor kept saying "If it was windy you'd do this...". At least I know prop walk/wash and how to do a standing turn, proper fairway positioning to give you maximum abort options, etc. Nothing like getting actual experience in a stiff breeze by yourself though!
Thanks for watching and commenting. My biggest and first mistake in this video was my poor situational awareness. I just did not appreciate how much leeway I was making due to both the wind and current off my starboard beam.
Thanks for sharing. I recently rented a 34 ft sailboat in Greece and before entering the port, I practiced just outside the port multiple times backing up into a slip. There was a piece of driftwood that I used as my target. I think, even with experience, every boat is slightly different and you need to learn the feel of how much windage it has, how much leeway it makes, how fast it reacts to tiller movements, and how much of a delay when switching from forward to reverse before the tiller bites. It is just practice.
I my experience is limited to only my to boats. Previous catalina 27 with outboard on the ports side transom and my current H356. As you can imagine very different handling characteristics. In many ways, the H356 is easier.
Let's just call it, "testing the maneuverability of the boat under adverse conditions."
Mission complete.
Amen!
We’ve all been there. Wind pushing your nose around. I once went back and forth, horizontally across a marina unable to get the nose up against a pretty stiff beeeze. Wound up against the back of the marina.
When up against the post I would have been inclined to put out a fender against it, put a line around the post and use the post as a pivot point to get the yacht around. That’s sort of how I solved my dilemma, stuck against the back end of the marina. I used a spring line as a pivot in that instance to get off.
Good advice. I had a plan. I wasn't agile enough in my thinking to change plans.