Jim M
New Member
- Feb 15, 2009
- 307
- Boat Info
- 05 340DA-
AB RIB-
08 ProLine 23 Sport CC
- Engines
- 8.1 MercCruiser-25hp 4cy Yamaha-225hp 4cy Suzuki
My answer would be a bigger boat or a new admiral or maybe both!!!!
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You said when backing into a slip the aft line is the first on.
This is not correct.
As soon as you step off the bow is heading toward your neighbor! (right?)
You need to run a line back from the BOW to the stern cleat and be able to step off the boat with the bow line in hand. You can also have a shorter stern line in hand as you step off.
You have the boat in control with lines.
Even if a dock hand is helping, you want him to have the bow or midship, so you can power the stern in with the drive.
That's a good suggestion and I'm glad you mentioned it. I've already weighed the pros & cons of trading up. Unfortunately, I bought my boat just before the bottom fell out of the market for boats in the US. Add to that the strong Canadian dollar (we're now worth more than the US greenback), and boats here are selling brand new really cheap. This means I'll have to take a major hit to the tune of $30K to trade in my boat. Then I have to pay for the larger boat and it's ownership; that's definitely out of my range.If you think you will have to continue to operate the boat without assistance and have any thought of upgrading in the next few years it may be worth just looking at a Twin Engine boat with Axius such as a 2009 310DA or something similiar as a possible option. That sounds like what you really want and it may be a better solution than all the thrusters if you think you will upgrade anyway. Just a suggestion.
I still stand by my earlier statement- If you get someone to install a Bow Thurster make sure it will not void your hull warranty.
My answer would be a bigger boat or a new admiral or maybe both!!!!
I definitely don't lack confidence in anything that I do; my 270 is a testament to that. I was born and raised in northern Labrador, a place where confidence is a necessity and *planning* means life or death. Imagine going on a caribou hunt by skidoo for a week where temperatures go as low as -50 (with windchill); confidence, thinking things out/planning, and self-reliance is just how you live. BTW, if anyone thinks why anyone would put themselves through that... remember that more people die of suicide by staying indoors/couped up than the one who do something/keep busy. It's only the impulsive/stupid people who are found frozen to death; natural selection at it's finest! :smt043waste of money. You'll be fine after a few times, all you need to do is build some confidence.
Maybe you'll luck out and have great dockmates who can help you when you come in - either way, I think you'll be fine
Any chance you can move to a slip on the end of your dock. May help your stress level without spending a ton o money.
That's a good suggestion and I'm glad you mentioned it. I've already weighed the pros & cons of trading up. Unfortunately, I bought my boat just before the bottom fell out of the market for boats in the US. Add to that the strong Canadian dollar (we're now worth more than the US greenback), and boats here are selling brand new really cheap. This means I'll have to take a major hit to the tune of $30K to trade in my boat. Then I have to pay for the larger boat and it's ownership; that's definitely out of my range.
In the end, I took a really hard look at a 2010 Sea Ray 310 and 330. In terms of functionality, they only provided *marginal* improvement (in comfort) but added a *boatload* to the cost of ownership. My 270/280 is trailerable (I bought a steel 12,000 lb cap. trailer) and towable by my F-150 (with max-tow). This means no pull-out costs, blocking, etc. I can do my own maintenance, hull washing, etc. and can look for different (cheaper) winter storage options. This eases my cost of ownership with the 270.
But I'm not sacrificing comfort or my goal of having a stress free boating experience. I've made my 270 comfortable given that I've outfitted it with a radome, satdome, sat. radio, internet/phone, and cockpit tv. Of course, this is on top of the factory chartplotter, AC, genny, windlass, electric grill, and camper package. This spring I'll be installing a Zodiac 240 Cadet Airlite with Weaver davits. On my wishlist, a Raymarine X-5 Sport autopilot and *maybe* a Raymarine DSM30 with shoot-thru transducer.
For some people, the above may appear that if I have money to burn; aka I therefore have money to trade up. The reality is that I did all the installation *myself*; my costs were only parts. I shopped around, researched everything, planned, and then pulled the trigger on installation. I don't do anything half-ass; I took my time and learned what I needed to learn (like marine electrical standards). The end result is a professional installation with a DIY price tag. I figure that I've saved to the tune of $7-8K on everything.
I think I found a cure for footitis... Drink a large dose of a *mod-installatus* solution! :lol:
Cheers,
Kaoru
He's not given any specifics on his truck...how do you know? Some of those F-150 have a tow rating around 11,500# if I remember right.uuuuummmm no it's not! at least not safely unless by "Max-tow" you mean F350 Diesel!!
He's not given any specifics on his truck...how do you know? Some of those F-150 have a tow rating around 11,500# if I remember right.
Yes, some of the new F-150's can tow a considerable amount of weight...the 2010 F-150 can tow a max of 11,200lbs I think with the Max Tow package. Too bad I'm stuck on Chevy. :smt001
I would not pull a boat that big with an F150. Pulling up & down the ramp is one thing. Down the interstate doing 60mph and you have to slam on the brakes. Well, your in for a ride my friend. I wouldn't pull my 260, with less than an F250.
Agreed! When I had my 27'er, single engine, I'd always have the Admiral tie a line to the mid-cleat as the first line to toss to a dock mate. Any tug at the stern would send my bow out immediately and it was a major struggle to bring it back in such a small area to negotiate, as a slip typically can be.
Using a line from the mid was the answer and never had an issue with the bow launching on me and getting the boat sideways.
uuuuummmm no it's not! at least not safely unless by "Max-tow" you mean F350 Diesel!!
As Jason says, pulling it around and pulling it safely are two different things. Toyota has some of the best advertising I have ever seen when it comes to this. My 280 on my 2500 is on the border line and my truck weighs 7500 empty. I know they advertise it, but just think of the weight ratio of the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle. You have to have enough weight up front to control the weight in the rear. What tongue weight are you setting at when you are fully loaded?Yep! My 2010 F-150 has a GCVR of 17,100 lbs; minus of the weight of the truck, one person, and full tank of gas and Ford arrives at their advertised towing capacity of 11,100 lbs. Obviously just a guideline; here's my numbers:
Truck (curb weight): 5624 lbs
Gas (31 gal.): 217 lbs
Passengers: 680 lbs (my family)
Cargo: 0 lbs (it's all in the boat)
TOTAL TRUCK: 6521 lbs
Boat (dry weight): 8300 lbs
Gas (84 gal.): 588 lbs
Water (28 gal.): 224 lbs (if it were ever full)
Holding (28 gal): 224 lbs (if it were ever full)
Trailer (est.): 1500 lbs
Cargo (est.): 200 lbs (static; provisioning done on water)
TOTAL BOAT: 11036 lbs
So the high water mark for boat, trailer, and truck plus passengers and static cargo is 17557 lbs. :wow: Granted that's 457 lbs over the rating but I was calculating worse case scenario. The reality is that I would never have full water or a full holding tank (I'd drain it/pump out before towing; which saves me 448 lbs.). Also, usually it would only be me in the truck; my wife would be too nervous while towing and she would insist that I do it myself. This is not a problem since I'm not towing the boat around on a whim; a lot of planning would take place for a safe tow. SO... realistically I'll be towing with a gross combined weight of 16,800 lbs; which my F-150 CAN do safely. (And yes the factory hitch, axles, and springs are rated for this amount; the max tow includes a brake controller for the trailer.)
Cheers,
Kaoru
I would not pull a boat that big with an F150. Pulling up & down the ramp is one thing. Down the interstate doing 60mph and you have to slam on the brakes. Well, your in for a ride my friend. I wouldn't pull my 260, with less than an F250.