There was a level of enthusiasm among the attendees at this year’s Trawlerfest in Stuart, Fla., that stood out to me from the dozen others where I have presented. I was reminded again of what a terrific opportunity the event is to connect with a great group of power cruising enthusiasts, and of why the boat-
handling session is one of my favorites to lead. To watch someone come into the program nervous and uncertain, and then see them leave with a newfound confidence, is very rewarding.
People come in dreaming and leave believing that cruising on their own boat is a real possibility.
The questions asked in this year’s session reminded me about the importance of the basic skills that even experienced boat handlers may have forgotten or possibly were never taught.
One of the most important is teaching new boaters how to predict the future.
Boats moving through the water have significant momentum. A boat moving forward, even at idle speed, will continue to move forward well after the boat is taken out of gear. In other words, you have to sense where the boat will be 10 to 15 seconds in the future and act immediately to achieve the future results. This is a difficult concept to teach. It is more of a sense that you have to feel.
I recently came across the virtual boat-handling app Hafenskipper 2 (Harbor Skipper in German) that does an excellent job of helping new boaters practice this skill. The second generation of the app lets the user select the type of boat along with a list of parameters, including boat weight, engine and thruster horsepower, single versus twin power, wind resistance and rudder angle, along with many others. The app comes with a well-written manual and explains how the different variables affect the boat’s handling.
The skill of predicting where the boat will be seconds in the future, or what seasoned captains call “sailing ahead of the ship,” requires a certain level of calm at the helm. This means minimizing distractions so you can study the boat’s drift and motion, and take the appropriate action according to conditions. Once you’re in close proximity to other boats, piers and pilings, a moment’s distraction can result in disaster.
To increase your ability to pay attention to what’s happening with the boat, you need to reduce the chances of being distracted when docking. One of the best ways to achieve this is to develop a checklist of items that need to be completed before coming into the confines of a harbor or marina basin. Have the fenders and lines ready, for instance. While the overall list will vary for different boats, the following items would be a good starting point.
Activate the helm station you will use for docking as early as possible. Many boats have multiple helm stations, including wing stations outside of the pilothouse, in the cockpit or in the after area on the upper deck. The idea is to let you control the boat from locations where your sightlines are better for docking. On more than one occasion, I’ve watched a boater wait until the last minute to switch stations. Besides the seconds it takes to move from one station to another when you’re already extremely close to other boats, you also have to activate that station and assume that all the controls transfer properly.
Turn on your bow and/or stern thrusters. Electric thruster controls typically time out after a period. Make sure they are activated, and know how long they will stay on prior to getting into close quarters.
Center and lock the stabilizer fins. If you have active stabilizers, make sure they are in the center (neutral) position before entering the harbor or marina. Some models let you mechanically lock the fins from the helm, while others require you to lock them at the stabilizer. Fins free to move under the boat could have a counter-steering effect on the boat while you’re trying to dock.
If you have trim tabs, retract them to their raised position before entering the marina. When you’re backing into a slip, they can have the same counter-steering effect as described above with the stabilizer fins, especially if one trim tab is deployed lower than the other.
In most cases, once you’re in close quarters, center the rudders and leave them alone. Rudders need prop wash flowing over them to be of any use. In most cases, at the slow speed you’re going within the marina, the rudders will not have enough water flowing past them to be effective. Owners of twin-engine boats should rely on their engines and thrusters to maneuver. Boaters with single engines and thrusters will usually maneuver in the same manner.
Boaters with single engines, but no thrusters, can be an exception to the general rudder rule. Remember that when using the rudder at slow speeds, it’s best to position it where you want it before putting the boat into gear. This will maximize the turning action while minimizing forward movement. I frequently tell students in my boat-handling class to “steer before gear.”
Turn off the autopilot. I’ve watched boaters (and been guilty of it myself) leave the autopilot in the heading mode right up to the pier, especially if it’s a T-head or long side-tie arrangement. They then have the autopilot screaming at them when they try to maneuver the boat with thrusters.
Anything that takes your attention away from monitoring what the boat is doing leaves you open to unexpected and undesirable results. Getting back to basics will help get the boat docked without any mishaps.
This article was originally published in the July/August 2024 issue.
