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Best Way To Get Out Of The Marina


Lmcgrath87

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To indicate wind direction I have always had a short length (6", 15cm) of 'knitting yarn' tied to the top of my radio aerial. It also gives an indication of wind-strength; from flopping around in a calm to flying horizontal in a strong wind.

 

No doubt, all the above instructions are correct but 'on the day' you had best plan ahead and try to predict how the wind will affect your boat. Even if you end up trapped in the N corner or gently bump another boat you will learn by experience*.

 

Getting the boat turning in the desired direction with pole or ropes is usually a good idea. Momentum will keep the boat rotating about its 'mid-point' for several, many seconds. e.g. Single-handed I often give the bow a good shove from a lock landing, walk back to the stern, then wait until the bow reaches mid-stream.

 

As above, go slowly but use a good bit of initial throttle to get moving in reverse from your mooring. When the bow clears the pontoon, or just before, half throttle will spin your boat on its axis and arrest the movement astern.

 

*For both experienced and novice helmsman it is a useful exercise to test the characteristics of a boat outside the confines of a Marina. e.g. How long (in boat-lengths) does it take to stop and which way does it 'swing'. Understanding the foibles (especially prop-walk) of your boat will not only make exiting the Marina easier but also make mooring near to and parallel to a bank/wharf/wide-lock-side possible. e.g. With a 'standard engine and gearbox' I slowly approach a mooring on my left at an angle, just before the bow hits, reverse gear pulls the stern into the bank. A mooring on the right is more difficult to judge: I approach at an angle, turn left, pause, reverse gear stops the rotation and the forward motion. TBH, I have found all of this is much easier to achieve in a 33', 6 ton boat than a deeper drafted 70', 25 ton boat.

 

Alan

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ahh sorry I meant to post back, we didn't manage to make it out! Well we didn't try, we did some maintenance bits and bobs on the boat which took longer than anticipated, but I'm so geared up now for when we do finally make it out!

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ahh sorry I meant to post back, we didn't manage to make it out! Well we didn't try, we did some maintenance bits and bobs on the boat which took longer than anticipated, but I'm so geared up now for when we do finally make it out!

 

Photographs please in due course - it's now even easier to post them to the forum....

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ahh sorry I meant to post back, we didn't manage to make it out! Well we didn't try, we did some maintenance bits and bobs on the boat which took longer than anticipated, but I'm so geared up now for when we do finally make it out!

 

 

Please let me know when you decide to have a go. I'd like to come and film it :D

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ahh sorry I meant to post back, we didn't manage to make it out! Well we didn't try, we did some maintenance bits and bobs on the boat which took longer than anticipated, but I'm so geared up now for when we do finally make it out!

 

The thing is though, any time you spend sailing the boat could always be spent doing jobs. Don't get too bogged down with fettling or you'll never go anywhere.

 

It does look a bit tight where you are, I'd certainly wait for a day when it's flat calm for a first attempt. If you try to get her out on a really windy day it could put you off boating altogether. On a still day you can do everything at a snail's pace so it won't matter even if you do hit something.

 

It's all very well saying use the wind to your advantage but that takes a fair amount of experience, and familiarity with the boat, and even then some luck as well!

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I've not read previous comments but surely where you are relative to where the 'hole' is would be self explanatory.

 

Your comment regarding engine speed should not come into it. Of the couple of marinas I've been in I've had no need to go above tickover with the close proximity of boats/pontoons/bankside.

 

Just take it easy and use the wind to your advantage.

 

Remember that the slower you go the quicker you stop.

 

If you cause a lot of water turbulence in a small area it knocks the boat for six.

 

Easy does it :)

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If I was in there I'd want to get out at every opportunity. wink.png

 

I want to! But I work Mon - Saturday and Hubs works Sun - Thursday and starts at 5am! So our free time is practically none existent!!

 

 

 

I'll come and 'help' if you like, I'm only 20 mins away!

 

hahah I'll let you know when we are going to attempt it!

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I want to! But I work Mon - Saturday and Hubs works Sun - Thursday and starts at 5am! So our free time is practically none existent!!

 

 

hahah I'll let you know when we are going to attempt it!

 

I just don't like marinas - albeit good for temp mooring/security.

 

Esp. one that big. Staff there are good however!

Edited by mark99
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I just don't like marinas - albeit good for temp mooring/security.

 

Esp. one that big. Staff there are good however!

Some are definately much better than others.

 

We have stayed in some as a visitor and most certainly wouldn't moor at them on a permanent basis.

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I want to! But I work Mon - Saturday and Hubs works Sun - Thursday and starts at 5am! So our free time is practically none existent!!

 

 

You could pop out of the sardine tin and go up the K+A?

 

Spend a week or two or 4 pootling round there whilst still commuting?

 

Or the Thames - use it whilst you can (summer/autumn before the high water locks you in).

 

Sitting in a marina is not any form of rewarding boating experience imo. Easy but dull. I have a load of positive boating memories - not one contains any sort of marina apart from maybe an interesting exit! :)

Edited by mark99
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Only have a thames license at the moment, but we could go out for a little while if we can navigate getting cars to/from.....worth looking into. I don't want to be stuck in the marina the whole time smile.png

 

 

This is a bit of a problem with T&K. You could come out of the marina and moor with the CMers at Kennet mouth, just opposite the marina entrance. Lovely spot with parking close by in Cholmeley Road, but still a 20 minute car journey each way through Reading!

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Only have a thames license at the moment, but we could go out for a little while if we can navigate getting cars to/from.....worth looking into. I don't want to be stuck in the marina the whole time smile.png

My heart goes out to you, I know the last 4 weeks we were stuck at Braunston marina last summer, waiting for our solar panels to arrive, was hourendous when we just wanted to be out cruising. Even though we were able to go out for a couple of days each week, that last month felt much longer.

 

I do appreciate marina life is quite pleasent for some folk, for a variety of reasons; but at this stage I'm not one of them.

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Sitting in a marina isn't good for the boat either. I'm convinced that unprotected baseplates (ie most of them) rust far quicker when the boat is left in stagnant water for long periods and not just because of the galvanic corrosion thing.

 

But I reckon maybe 75% of marina bound boats never go anywhere from one year to the next.

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Well thanks to Hub's promotion he won't be working every Sunday now, so if I can negotiate a reduction in my Saturday's we will hopefully get to go out for at least one weekend a month if not more! So very much looking forward to that.

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