[Rhodes22-list] All tied up

[KUHN, LELAND]

JJ,
 
I always enjoy your poetry.
 
Far from mundane, approaching your slip can be downright scary until you've had lots of practice in every conceivable wind speed and wind direction.  It's still scary for me and my marina mates because I'm at the maximal amount of intoxication when I head into my slip.
 
Doesn't really matter whether you back in or pull in forward; whatever floats your boat.  I combat park my car for quick departure so I do the same with my boat.  As a retired police officer I'm guessing you might do the same.
 
I putter along SLOWLY past the other slips and when I get my bow about 20 feet from my berth I smartly (don't slowly shift) snap the gearshift into neutral and immediately turn 90 degrees away from the row of slips.  Remember that your boat will pivot around its center so keep some distance from the row of slips so your stern doesn't swing out and hit them.  Our boats turn on a dime with the centerboard up and even quicker with it down.  When I'm lined up to back into my slip I snap the shifter into reverse and give it some throttle to stop my forward progression; then throttle down to idle to start backing up; then shift into neutral to coast into my slip.  Once I get within grabbing distance of a piling or dock line I just manhandle the light boat into position.  After you put your first scratch on your rub-rail you'll find it's easiest to just let the boat bang its way into the slip--you won't damage anything.
 
Steering with a tiller isn't intuitive when going forward but it's very natural when going backwards.  Just point the tiller in the direction you want to go.
 
You're lucky you've got a floating dock.  I've never used one but it's got to be the greatest invention since canned beer.
 
Good luck!
 
Lee
1986 Rhodes22  AT EASE
Kent Island, MD
 
 
 

________________________________

From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org on behalf of Joe Camp
Sent: Tue 6/8/2010 7:18 PM
To: Rhodes List
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] All tied up



Friends:
     I will not have my boat until the end of July, but no sense in letting this question go:  I have never tied up at a slip before.  Mine will be on a lake, in a protected marina and is a floating dock.  Please give me some advice on the best way to accomplish this seemingly mundane task.  Poem follows.
Joe


     Me

                                                            JJ Camp

"I wish that Michael

wasn't dead," she said to me

on a day after he was gone.

"Something's wrong!

I love-

I loved him Dad,

but I can't cry.

So tell me why

I even said

I was his friend,

if I can't cry."

 

"And would you cry-

Dad-

you know-

if it was me

instead of Mike?"                                    1993

 








     
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