Good Place to practice docking

H

Heaven Seeker

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Jul 1, 2013
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33320
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Anyone know of a good place to practice docking on a weekday that will not be too full this time of year. Want to practice docking with one engine (I/O) because I have gotten so used to using two with no wheel if one engine cuts out I am a bit lost.
Thanks
 
Get you two or three orange fish ball floats with anchors, go find a protected, lee shore somewhere, throw the floats out and practice docking to those. As a young mate, I learned to maneuver a 190' anchor handling/tug/supply boat by approaching anchor buoys while we were waiting on orders. Buoys are a lot more forgiving than a hard dock somewhere.
 
The use of buoys is a good idea, but you really do have to try it between posts and/or slips. Check with a local marina. See if they'll allow you to practice in an area away from other boats. That way you can deal with winds and tides and get to know how things will handle in a given situation. I did that with the twin-inboard Cruisers we now have. Before we accepted it from our daughter and son-in-law, I spent about 5 hours with a captain learning to dock and leave a slip before and after the wind kicked up. PS: Practice for a while with each of the engines dead. Hy
 
Moses is probably best bet this time of year especially a week day. Slips are wide so its hard to miss but you can practice pivoting off a pole. The poles are also far off the dock so u can practice getting lines on without losing the bow. You also can have a good current in there to add to the experience.
 
Short beach is a great place to practice, hardly any boats during the week.
 
Just go to the view or snapper inn, noone will bother you and if they do, then dock and have lunch!

You could also go to robins rest, old Tequila Jacks. Dock is still there and not used.
I am just not sure of the depth since I haven't been there in years!
 
Atlantique is one of the best places around for this. The reason is there are slips facing in many different directions relative to the direction of the wind so you can hit one place and experience docking in different wind situations. It's also one of the larger basins so if you get into trouble there's more room to abort, reposition and start again.
 
quote:
Originally posted by imrich

Atlantique is one of the best places around for this. The reason is there are slips facing in many different directions relative to the direction of the wind so you can hit one place and experience docking in different wind situations. It's also one of the larger basins so if you get into trouble there's more room to abort, reposition and start again.

Click to expand...


Ditto on Atlantique. Practiced on my 280 and my 320.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Radiowaves

quote:
Originally posted by imrich

Atlantique is one of the best places around for this. The reason is there are slips facing in many different directions relative to the direction of the wind so you can hit one place and experience docking in different wind situations. It's also one of the larger basins so if you get into trouble there's more room to abort, reposition and start again.

Click to expand...


Ditto on Atlantique. Practiced on my 280 and my 320.

Click to expand...


+3 on Atlantique.

Billy K.
 
I say the floaters at Cedar or Moses as well. Remember with single I/O, it's just the whole "yank my butt" in reverse.
 
So month later finally got some time to practice - bottom line is I put on a good show but gained little single screw confidence- friend convinced me I should practice at my own slip - in and out - a very stressful 45 minutes and only conclusion I have is I suck at docking with one engine - twin screws I go right in - single it is a mess finally turned on second engine and docked - couldnt take the stress anymore- then had a beer - at least that was enjoyable - will do it again in a week or so until I get it down- funny thing is all weather today said winds of 5-7 knots in sayville but it was clearly blowing 15 or more - even under "current conditions" they seemed to be much lower than it truly was - thanks to all for suggestions on locations will try them soon
 
You turned the second engine off during practice? I would suggest leaving it running next time in case you need to recover quickly. I also cant believe Hogan didnt recommend practicing at Haverstraw Marina
 
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