your first delta experience

[deltabighat]

Thru the years I have become somewhat proficient at docking anything but the thing that is most important is practice, practice and practice. Coming into a side dock in the delta, always and I mean always have the bow pointed into the current. Into a dock or slip that is at a 90 degree to the water, always keep the boat on the upside of the current in relation to the dock. Same goes for wind so the wind or current pushes you into the dock and not away from it. At times in heavy current or wind, you need to "crab" the boat into the slip much like a plane landing in a heavy crosswind, and then bring the stern at the end of the procedure. I am no expert and don't mean this to be a lesson in any sense of the word but these are a few simple things that I learned that have helped me a bunch. By the way, I still occasionally ding the gelcoat if I am not paying attention. Good Luck.

DBH

 

[Flutterby]

Docking procedures often are different for different engine configurations. DBH, I've seen twin inboards dock as you describe very successfully, but I rarely am successful following your maneuvers with my single I/O. For a slip 90 degrees to the current, I find it much easier to approach from the down current side, into the current. But others may have a different experience!