New here-just wanted to say Hi :)

[badmoonrising]

Love ours, love the 2010s even more

http://www.suntrackerboats.com/boat/?boat=3240

[dockholiday]

Saw a lot of boaters that could have used your service on the 4th. Think, that is a great idea. Are you just serving from the boat or is it come aboard? Might be able to do some ice cream also, bet that would be a big seller.
doc

[badmoonrising]

Can't go wrong with pizza and beer

[SEMPERFI8387]

Welcome....sounds like it's going to be a nice setup !!

[ts250girl]

Saw a lot of boaters that could have used your service on the 4th. Think, that is a great idea. Are you just serving from the boat or is it come aboard? Might be able to do some ice cream also, bet that would be a big seller.
doc

Ahh... I was planning on the 3rd being my opening day (just to get "in the groove" by the 4th) but ran into some licensing complications. Just a few more hoops for me to jump through.

I took the boat out yesterday, today and planning on tomorrow. Today we had 12 people on it and it did great. Especially considering I have the wrong prop on it (it's a gorgeous stainless prop but the pitch is 17 instead of the old 15). Docking the boat is something else-it doesn't steer worth a darn at slow speed and I keep embarrassing myself in front of all the marina neighbors-and probably giving them near-heart attacks when the tail end swings way close to their big fancy boats, LOL.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to make this thing maneuver at slow speed (side thrusters on both pontoons? Skidsteer?), please do let me know because one of these days I am bound to tick someone off and I'd rather not

[OlJim]

I too was embarrassed when I first got the boat but then I watched the Lake Patrol (Oklahoma Highway Patrol) officer try and dock her boat and compared to her I was a real pro. It will get easier with time. Get yourself a boat hook on a telescoping pole and use that to push/pull into dock or away from other boats.

Jim

[MrGadget]

By docking, do you mean trying to get it turned 90° into a slip? Can you tell us the following:

Width & Length of boat (8.5' x 32' ?)
Width & Length of slip
Width of approach lane?
Wind Exposure?

Mine is a 10' x 32' with plenty of "sail" so I can empathize with what you're dealing with, and might be able to help with ideas.

[HandymanHerb]

[quote="ts250girl
If anyone has a suggestion on how to make this thing maneuver at slow speed (side thrusters on both pontoons? Skidsteer?), please do let me know because one of these days I am bound to tick someone off and I'd rather not [/quote]


Propguard gives you better slow speed steering, I love mine and will never pull it off http://www.propguard.net/

[badmoonrising]

The PC takes practice docking, what I do is use a combination of a telescoping pole (I can reach my dock cleat with it) and I have my stern line permanently attached to the stern cleat (actually a U-bolt). The rope (I use 1/2 inch lines) is 25 ft. long so I throw it to the dock, run up front and lightly wrap the bow cleat off and then pull the stern in and tie it off. Also on the way into your slip and if the stern starts swinging away, turn the wheel towards the dock and give a (little) bit of throttle...too much and you'll swing the bow around.

I take the PC out by myself all the time and that's always worked for me.

[dockholiday]

Saw a lot of boaters that could have used your service on the 4th. Think, that is a great idea. Are you just serving from the boat or is it come aboard? Might be able to do some ice cream also, bet that would be a big seller.
doc

Ahh... I was planning on the 3rd being my opening day (just to get "in the groove" by the 4th) but ran into some licensing complications. Just a few more hoops for me to jump through.

I took the boat out yesterday, today and planning on tomorrow. Today we had 12 people on it and it did great. Especially considering I have the wrong prop on it (it's a gorgeous stainless prop but the pitch is 17 instead of the old 15). Docking the boat is something else-it doesn't steer worth a darn at slow speed and I keep embarrassing myself in front of all the marina neighbors-and probably giving them near-heart attacks when the tail end swings way close to their big fancy boats, LOL.

If anyone has a suggestion on how to make this thing maneuver at slow speed (side thrusters on both pontoons? Skidsteer?), please do let me know because one of these days I am bound to tick someone off and I'd rather not

Yep was wonder about the licensing an all that. Don't forget McDonalds gave some one hot coffee an it cost them plenty. Just saying make sure you are protected. Oh an if the boats will be pulling up to yours, get some really big fenders 8x26, or so.
Good Luck with your new venture an adventure.
doc

[ts250girl]

Thank you all for the suggestions, I am always up for hearing advice from people who know more than I do

Yesterday I took the boat out again (it's addictive!) and docked it perfectly. I was so happy-there is hope for me yet! LOL

It is 32' by 8.5', the slip is 40' by 14-ish? and for a "normal" boat there is plenty of room to turn into it, but I think all the boats that "live" there have bow thrusters and twin engines so doing a 90 degree is a piece of cake. I used to try a wide swing and I kept overshooting, overcorrecting and in general making the neighbors very nervous. Yesterday I pulled up at a 45 degree (or so) angle, then backed up enough to make the angle 90 degrees, then pulled forward. Yay!!

Now I am thinking of maybe selling the boat and getting an older one (the older floor plan would work better for the coffee shop, the captain's chair being outside leaves a lot more room inside) but darn it, the old ones seem to be going for 20 grand these days!

[MrGadget]

Congrats on your successful docking!

It might help to be thinking about rotational drift as you approach to help you get turned. As you approach your slip down the center of the lane, with a bit of momentum, go to neutral, turn the wheel hard over toward the side your slip is on, goose the throttle forward as a moderate "pulse" of power then right back to neutral. Do this before you're too near the slip. This will not be enough to change your direction of movement, but will invoke a slow rotation of the boat as you drift down the lane. You'll have to work on the timing and factor in the wind load and direction to find the right moment to start the throw and how much thrust is needed. As the bow comes around to be almost lined up, having rotated most of the 90°, turn the wheel hard the opposite way, and apply minimal forward thrust by just putting it in forward gear. This will slow your rotation and "catch" your slide, while moving you toward entering the slip. You got it right when the rotational drift transitions into forward motion at the point you're lined up directly into the slip. You may need to add a bit of forward power or a moderate pulse to overcome the drift fully. Once headed into the slip, center the wheel and drop into reverse just enough to engage the drive. This will slowly bleed off your forward momentum so that you come to rest fully in the slip.

A second way to do this is with reverse. As you approach your slip down the center of the lane, with a bit of momentum, go to neutral, turn the wheel hard over away from the side your slip is on, goose the throttle in reverse as a moderate "pulse" of power then right back to neutral. Do this before you're too near the slip. Again not enough to change your direction of movement, but will invoke a slow rotation of the boat as you drift down the lane. The rest is the same as above. The difference between these two approaches is that you're either kicking the stern out to make it slide, or you're using reverse to "pull" the bow over to start the rotation. In some boats the 2nd method is easier, as you're using reverse to rotate the boat while still keeping forward motion by not overcoming the forward drift. You still need to apply the power in pulses to avoid changing your direction of movement to the side of the lane.

If you have a deck hand, setting your aft spring line as you come in to the slip helps a lot, because then you can apply minimum forward thrust against that line and the boat will pin against the dock while the forward spring line is conveniently set. While at the dock, adjust your spring lines to get the exact placement of the boat you want, then mark the lines or make the ropes to the exact lengths so that every time you come in, setting the lines is automatic.

With mine, I made docking ropes with snap hooks to exact lengths, and I leave these attached to the dock when I'm out. When I come in, I snap the aft line first, then lean on that with the throttle as I casually walk up to the bow and snap on the other line, knowing the aft line will never let the boat go too far forward to hit the head of the slip, and the throttle will keep the boat pinned to the side so I don't have to scurry or reach to pull the bow close to hook it up.