Single IO docking Stern to in high winds

Sicktght311

Sicktght311

Active Member
Sep 21, 2021
108
Boat Info
Sundancer 270
Engines
7.4L MPI/Bravo3
EDIT - See post #15, made it!

Bout to have my first experience docking my 270 in 10-15knot winds with gusts to 20. The slip is in a marina where i will be backing in stern to, with the stern facing north, bow facing south, and i have very limited space to my port side since im towards the corner of the marina. Winds will be blowing Due south or slightly SSW so in all practicality its blowing my stern right towards the dock.

My approach...pull in the marina, bring the boat facing bow into the wind around 2-3 boats away to the right from my target slip, let the winds slowly push me towards the slip and adjust position at the very end to get me into the slip. Help from the adjacent boats if i can, by throwing them stern lines to help walk the boat in.

Thoughts? Mostly concerned with the wind catching the bow, and having minimal room/time to correct before its pushing me sideways into the boats facing east/west on the side of the marina.

Pic attached
wiUsYUv.png
 
Last edited:
Your approach is good just be prepared to abandon and try again if you get off course

I would probably have the drive pointed slightly to starboard (into the wind angle) so if the bow starts to go you can bump it into forward and correct. The alternative use of power would be to turn it to port and use reverse to pull the boat into the slip but then you're just accelerating the move since its with the wind.

Is that a current picture of the marina? The boat off to your port with the pulpit could be troublesome so have someone stand either on that boat or on your boat with a fender if possible
 
My blood pressure went up a touch just looking at the picture. Dang...

I've always like the saying - "don't approach anything faster than you're willing to hit it". Slow and easy and definitely have someone ready to grab the pulpit on that beast on the end. Seems like the marina could move that guy into the middle...
 
That's a very tough slip. Especially with a single engine.

Depending on wind speed you're going to find that it'll want to push the boat beam-to, and in the direction that it's blowing in your diagram, right at the boat on your port with the bow pulpit sticking out. When you correct to keep your bow to the wind it'll push your stern too far port into your neighbors boat.

I 'think' I wouldn't line straight up to the slip but slightly to the starboard of it. Slowly back down and getting close and when very close kick the stern too port and aligned to slip and let the wind start pushing the bow to align as you go in.

Well, that's the theory anyway. Who knows what'll happen in practice.
 
That just makes my knees shake. A single engine back-in to a corner slip is just going to be a challenge regardless of your boat handling ability. I know we always say slow around the docks, neutral is your friend etc. But in this case, you will need to be deliberate - not saying hot rod it in there, but if you pause at any point the wind will get your bow moving and it's over at that point. You are going to be using those pilings a lot!
 
F THAT! I'd look for a new marina. I would not deal with that on a daily basis.
 
Sicktght311 said:
Bout to have my first experience docking my 270 in 10-15knot winds with gusts to 20. The slip is in a marina where i will be backing in stern to, with the stern facing north, bow facing south, and i have very limited space to my port side since im towards the corner of the marina. Winds will be blowing Due south or slightly SSW so in all practicality its blowing my stern right towards the dock.

My approach...pull in the marina, bring the boat facing bow into the wind around 2-3 boats away to the right from my target slip, let the winds slowly push me towards the slip and adjust position at the very end to get me into the slip. Help from the adjacent boats if i can, by throwing them stern lines to help walk the boat in.

Thoughts? Mostly concerned with the wind catching the bow, and having minimal room/time to correct before its pushing me sideways into the boats facing east/west on the side of the marina.

Pic attached
wiUsYUv.png
Click to expand...
What marina is this?
 
Tim Fila said:
F THAT! I'd look for a new marina. I would not deal with that on a daily basis.
Click to expand...
I'm with this guy! If the wind consistently blows at that speed, you will hate this. 1000 times easier if you could bow in, but then you'd be jumping from the bow to the deck.

On the bright side, there shouldn't be any current to deal with.
 
based on that picture You still may have to deal with some current. I'm getting anxious just looking at this!
 
Okay, I have the solution. Drop your anchor about 50' in front of the slip and let the wind blow you in. Then grab a dinghy and retrieve your anchor.

(This is a joke, don't do this)

On a serious note, the dockmaster may have a plan to help with this. Contact them and see if there's anyway to get assistance.
 
Hahahaha all of these are fantastic.

To update, after getting absolutely SPRAYED on the ride to the marina, and pretty much drenched head to toe, we pulled in. Everything was going smooth. Bow pointed into the wind, slowly drifting to the east towards the slip. Once i was within striking range i started my backup and was right on target. I lightly caught a breeze and got moved into a piling, which made my wife push us off, which then threw my bow against the wind sending me towards another boat's bow. Quick correction with forward throttle, and then a VERY deliberate reverse into the slip and we tied up. Hands shaking, apologizing for the things we said to each other, and we cracked a beer

To add more nerves tot he whole ordeal, this was the same day that a massive super damaging thunderstorm hit long island (where we live), and as we were coming out of our home slip, i could see it building to the west, so it was a race to the marina to get docked, tied up, situated, and canvas back up before it potentially hit. Thankfully it stayed just to our north so while long island as a whole got pingpong sized hail, we were safe and sound in our slip.

Even weirder, winds were forecast to be 20-25 all day long, but as soon as that thunderstorm passed, the bay turned to glass and the wind never returned.

Right after we tied up
niZBPtp.jpg

Just as the storm was passing to the north
M4xNLv5.jpg
 
Tim Fila said:
F THAT! I'd look for a new marina. I would not deal with that on a daily basis.
Click to expand...
This.

When I was looking for a new home for the 380DA one marina offered me a corner slip (like the one to the port in your pic pic). I would have to dock at a 45 degree angle. They tried to tell me how nice it was, high demand slip, etc. Nope, not for me.

I had a similar slip to yours with my first "in the water fulltime" boat, a 2001 Maxum 2400 SCR. Bow to the wind is/was smart. Let the wind move you in. sloooooowly. If I had to hit a boat though and I am you, it's one of those little ones in the corner, not one of the bigger ones, so I'd stay more to your port and use as much of that space/water as you can, when you need to.
 
Just put your fenders out and set up to give yourself room to get the boat moving in a line in reverse well before entering the slip. The boat will track a straighter line if it’s moving through the water rather than trying to just begin maneuvering from a stop. Also don’t leave it in gear as you do your maneuvers use short bursts from neutral to keep the speed lower. The other trick with the single engine is to turn the outdrive while in neutral all the way over before the the burst of throttle to control more finely the rotation and drift of the boat as it moves slower. If you have a bravo 3 with the counter rotating props there is also little to no prop walk to worry about but if you have a single prop learn before hand how she walks when put in gear.
 
I have been in that slip although many years ago and we got pounded all night by a storm that blew through. My wife says no more Sailors Haven for us! Watch Hill has its own good and bad slips but less likely for that kind of slip. If you are successful getting into that slip with a single engine boat and the conditions you described you my friend are a skilled boater!
 
Brite Idea said:
I have been in that slip although many years ago and we got pounded all night by a storm that blew through. My wife says no more Sailors Haven for us! Watch Hill has its own good and bad slips but less likely for that kind of slip. If you are successful getting into that slip with a single engine boat and the conditions you described you my friend are a skilled boater!
Click to expand...
Hah, we made it, undamaged, so i'll take the compliment! Watch Hill is on our list, but from what i've heard the bugs as soon as the sun goes down are unbearable. Sailors was relatively bug-free. Got eaten alive at Ocean Bay Park though when we went to dinner
 
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