Best Way To Get Out Of The Marina

[larkshall]

The topic if this thread appealed to my warped mind. the really really obvious answer is

 

 

 

 

 

 

DRIVE OUT. You have been driving in and out fairly often................. LOL

 

Sorry, had to be said. But seriously as other have said take it slow and steady, watching for wind.

[bizzard]

During periods of fine weather the wind normally drops overnight to calm, then would be easiest to go backwards and the best time to go out in the boat to Sonning..

Edited June 25, 2015 by bizzard

[Mr Steve]

Never mind not forgetting to cast off also remember to unplug power cable I have seen a few forget.

Make sure you disconnect the shore end of the cable first. If the boat end is disconnected first it's still live which could get awkward if it drops in the water.

[Rickent]

When I picked my boat up from sawley marina I reversed off the pontoon and was immediately caught by the wind and ended up facing the wrong way. 10 minutes later after much shunting and merriment from watching liveaboard's I was on my way . Scary indeed.

[Suzie_q]

We've had Suzie_Q for 3 year and I will admit to being caught by the wind coming out of the marina on Sunday and ending up being broadside across the entrance before finally getting it under control but pointing the wrong way.

 

This of course in front of lots of Sunday walkers and someone about to turn into the marina.

 

Of course there was no one to see when I reversed back into the entrance and turned in one smooth move to point in the right direction.!!!!!!!!

 

The thing is to take it slow at first and not beat yourself up when it goes wrong.

 

Edited for autocorrelation. ....

Edited June 25, 2015 by Suzie_q

[Naughty Cal]

We've had Suzie_Q for 3 year and I will admit to being caught by the wind coming out of the marina on Sunday and ending up being roadside across the entrance before finally getting it under control but pointing the wrong way.

 

This of course in front of lots of Sunday walkers and someone about to turn into the marina.

 

Of course there was no one to see when I reversed back into the entrance and turned in one smooth move to point in the right direction.!!!!!!!!

 

The thing is to take it slow at first and not beat yourself up when it goes wrong.

Our mooring is directly in front of (i.e about 30ft off our bow) a chinese restaurant with balcony which is very popular at weekends.

 

Quite often if the wind is blowing it will take the bow the "wrong" way by the time we have cleared the pontoon enough to begin the turn and leaves us facing down the arm of the pontoons rather then out towards the marina entrance. When it does this we have to reverse out and swing the boat around near the entrance in an area of wider water, but it doesn't half confuse the diners enjoying their meals.

[twbm]

Avoid all the green bits in the picture.

[patty-ann]

Speaking as one whose made a right mess up of manoeuvring from Marina I can. with hind sight(great hindsight) offer these pearls of wisdom....

1) Ensure him/her with pole has sussed out which side to punt..my sister has sent me in wrong direction several times.

2) in those moments of panic when alls gone t..s up its acceptable to engage neutral, allow boat to drift and consider options...its amazing thought processes that cotton wool and drift through ones mind at times like this.

3) Should assistance be offered in the form of "Him Who Knows"..accept gracefully

4) Its fun it really is and despite my many errors and cock ups I laugh cos at the end of the day getting boat has saved my sanity. I love my boat...not sure all the "curtain twitchers" are as enamoured with me and I have noticed a few appear to have selected different moorings from being near me they are now......over yonder...but no worries cos I can still drift close!

5) If it goes wrong start again..remember no steerage in reverse so try to get it put back so you go out frontwards.

Enjoy.......

[mattlad]

One other tip for reversing:- Tie a weight to the front of the boat and drop it in the water. Don't forget to pull it out before going ahead!

[bizzard]

One other tip for reversing:- Tie a weight to the front of the boat and drop it in the water. Don't forget to pull it out before going ahead!

A cannon ball is best for that, being spherical it won't snag on anything on the bottom.

[Scholar Gypsy]

Not a lot to add to others comments - I was moored at pretty much where you are a couple of years ago, and I know it can get very windy there!

 

Big squashy fenders are useful (but take them up when not in use), and do spend a bit of time getting yourself pointed in the right (or best) direction you can before you leave the mooring (and other things you can hold on to or push off in a non-scratchy way from with pole or boathook). The wooden posts (quite unusual with short finger moorings) are handy for that.

 

Here's a better photo, I think you are about at X.

 

 

I would say:

 

* If the wind is from the North, then you can either use the engine to hold the stern over to the right as you reverse out, and then reverse out smartly and let the wind take the bows around to the left, or (if it's a gale) let the stern go to the left, give the bows a big push to the right, and then reverse into the open space and turn clockwise to the exit. That last turn will be easy as the wind is helping you.

 

* if from the south, this is quite tricky as you risk being blown into the corner. So I would use the engine/pole to get the stern to the left, reverse out smartly, let the wind take the bows to the right, and then reverse into the open water as above. You want to get pretty close to the boats on the south (one of which has helpfully just left their mooring on the photo) before you turn - but that's OK as the wind is from the south.

 

* if from the west, this is quite easy, get the stern to the right, and then when you reverse out the wind will take your bows to the left, and off you go. This is I think also the best approach if there is no wind at all (well it might happen!).

 

* if from the east, that's quite tricky as the wind is blowing back onto the line of boats. I would prob put stern to the left, reverse fast, and then when you get into the open water use lots of welly to turn clockwise. Do not turn anti-clockwise as you are then more likely to end up being blown onto the boats.

 

Lesson 2: exiting from mooring A in an westerly wind. Or an easterly!

Edited June 26, 2015 by Scholar Gypsy

[Scholar Gypsy]

PS I do agree with comments above about using the throttle. The trick is to keep the boat spinning the way you want it, without actually moving very fast over the ground. That may require some judicious welly.

[by'eck]

Maneuvering in any tight space, have a plan and try to execute it. If wind and/or current turn the boat the opposite way, work with that quickly revising plan. Don't try and fight nature - it will end in tears.

[patty-ann]

Don't try and fight nature - it will end in tears.

 

Wot ee said ++

[Paul C]

Another top tip: if its normally windy where you moor but happens to be calm on the day/time you return, consider going in backwards - then next time, its much easier if its windy, because you can simply come out forwards.

[ditchcrawler]

Another top tip: if its normally windy where you moor but happens to be calm on the day/time you return, consider going in backwards - then next time, its much easier if its windy, because you can simply come out forwards.

We always plan to go in backwards for that reason, Just once I have had to drive in due to the wind.

[Lmcgrath87]

Another top tip: if its normally windy where you moor but happens to be calm on the day/time you return, consider going in backwards - then next time, its much easier if its windy, because you can simply come out forwards.

 

Only problem with that is due to the boat layout every day life would be impractical! We'd need to fold the bed away every morning to get in/out the boat so forwards first works much better. But, maybe something to consider if we're planning on going out a fair amount maybe in the summer and face the other way in the winter.

[ditchcrawler]

 

Only problem with that is due to the boat layout every day life would be impractical! We'd need to fold the bed away every morning to get in/out the boat so forwards first works much better. But, maybe something to consider if we're planning on going out a fair amount maybe in the summer and face the other way in the winter.

We have full length pontoons so can get off ether end

[Lmcgrath87]

We have full length pontoons so can get off ether end

 

ah, our's aren't!

[dccruiser]

We have full length pontoons so can get off ether end

Thats just showing off!

 

Rick

[DHutch]

Is this thread still here, I thought you where reversing it out!

 

 

Daniel

[Wanderer Vagabond]

Just to throw my threepenn'orth in, looking at the photos (the google earth one is better) you need to look at what direction the wind is blowing and work out what the likely effect is going to be on your boat before starting out. One of the problems you will find with the wind is that if the boat isn't going forwards under power the odds are that it will be going sideways due to the wind. It seems to me that a favourable wind to get out of your mooring is a Northerly since as you reverse out it will probably blow you sideways down towards the boats to the south of you. Since you wont have to push the bows through the wind (a time when you often end up unintentionally going sideways) all you need to do is once you are clear of the pontoon give the boat a good thrust to port to push the bows to the south and the wind should take it around. You can then put it into reverse to stop your progress towards the moored boats (it is actually relatively easy to reverse into the wind, reversing with the wind is a nightmare). Your least favourable wind will be the Southerly since it will fairly rapidly blow you into the north end of the marina and you'll then be trapped on what is effectively a lee shore, getting off that could take the rest of your day (depending on how strong the wind is). With east or west winds the issue is going to be getting the bow or stern through the wind before it starts to blow you sideways. A good friend of mine (talking about sailing but the idea remains the same) said that he does destinations but he doesn't do timetables. During the winter I was in Hawne Basin in Birmingham when there was a fair old wind blowing. Estimating what was going to happen if I tried to leave on my intended day (I would have been blown sideways across the bows of the boats I was moored alongside) I decided to let discretion be the better part of valour and left my departure for another day.

 

People get into far more trouble trying to get somewhere on the water for a specific date regardless of weather conditions. How many people do you see out in terrible wind conditions because they 'must get around the ring'(Cheshire,Four Counties,Warwickshire, etc). In your position, if planning to go down to Sonning or wherever else, if the wind conditions the day before are good then move the boat out to a mooring out of the marina then.

[Sabcat]

Slowly. The only really bad thing that can happen is you fall off the back of the boat while you're reversing and get sucked into the diesel powered meat grinder. Avoid that and you're winning. Knocking another boat isn't bad. Spending a lot of time facing the wrong way and looking like you don't know what you're doing isn't bad. Just do everything slowly, even if it's windy you shouldn't need a load of throttle, as others have said, work out which way the wind is going to take you and use that to plan your manoeuvre.

[mark99]

We reversed out of there about a week ago not far from you. The forecast wind was quite stiff so I got up extra early before the wind got us as it can be calm as someone said early morning and evening.

 

Note if your propeller turns clockwise (most do I'm told) going forwards, in reverse, you stern will want to move to your left (propwalk). swinging your bow rightwards. Can sometimes be useful to remember if you boat does tend to "propwalk" significantly.

Edited June 29, 2015 by mark99

[MtB]

* if from the south, this is quite tricky as you risk being blown into the corner. So I would use the engine/pole to get the stern to the left, reverse out smartly, let the wind take the bows to the right, and then reverse into the open water as above. You want to get pretty close to the boats on the south (one of which has helpfully just left their mooring on the photo) before you turn - but that's OK as the wind is from the south.

 

 

The wind in T&K is always a howling gale from the south!

 

A further point is being an ex-gravel pit, the water is about 12 ft deep in there (IIRC) so using the long shaft is probably not an option.