approaching a dock

[Razzman]

my Moomba was the 1st in-board for us and only the 2nd boat for us. My wife & I use the "division of labor" others have mentioned. We found this to be a huge help.




all of $25 at WalMart

I'll expand that a bit farther, what i carry onboard ... oar/boathook combo.

[DOCDRS]

Another trick for newbies backing up a trailer, especially when you have to go back along ways straight, is to hold your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and then you just turn it the way you want the trailer to go

[c.rix]

Another trick for newbies backing up a trailer, especially when you have to go back along ways straight, is to hold your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and then you just turn it the way you want the trailer to go

yes sir thats how my dad taught me 12 years ago when I was 15

[kaneboats]

Another trick for newbies backing up a trailer, especially when you have to go back along ways straight, is to hold your hand on the bottom of the steering wheel and then you just turn it the way you want the trailer to go

I've heard this about 10 different times but it always messes me up. 1. Whether my hand is on top or not right is right to me and left is port. 2. I guess if you are looking out the rear window it could be true. But, nobody ever says that.

[zabooda]

I have low freeboard so if there are large waves at the docks I need to stay on plane until right before the dock and do a power stop. I usually come straight into the wind to keep the waves out of the boat even on a plane and do a 90 degree turn on an engine shutdown and reverse it to stop the momentum. I've only had to do that a few times when caught in the weather and fortunately everyone was off the water.

[skiyaker]

all great tips guys- thanks. I do like the "hand at the bottom of the wheel" trick and good point kane that it only works if you're looking out of the back window. I'm gonna see if I can teach the wifely unit to back the boat in using this trick.

It's just tough because until last year it was always my dad and I launching the boat since it was his boat. So he would drive the truck and myself the boat- and somehow I thought it would be easier to teach my wife (who is a great woman in case she's reading this) to drive the boat instead of back a trailer. For some reason I can't stand the dude with the wife who sits in the boat while he backs the boat in, gets in the boat, drives it off the trailer and over to the dock, ties it to the dock, gets out of the boat and goes back over to the truck while the boat is taking up the only loading space, drives the truck to go park, hits the outhouse, then goes back to the boat- I especially can't stand this when I'm the guy with the family in the boat floating around waiting to let to unload and there's a storm rolling in and there's no dock space. With the old party deck 21 it wasn't an issue- you could drive the thing up on the rocks to unload- the Moomba not so much!

[kaneboats]

I've been that guy as my wife wouldn't even go in water over her head when I met her. Now my 15 y/o daughter drives right on the trailer. Soon she'll be backing the trailer too. Wife actually will go park the trailer when we launch sometimes too. Have to get her up to speed before the daughter goes to college though.

[DOCDRS]

does not matter whether you are looking out the mirror or out over your shoulder , you move your hand in the direction you want the trailer to go, rather that the reverse if your hand is on the top of the wheel

[iwakeboard]

The wind/current doesn't bother me too much approaching the dock, it frustrates me to death sometimes when I'm putting it on the trailer though. My 24 doesn't like navigating in small places so I have to get a good approach going or I'll make a scene haha

[kaneboats]

Been trying to teach my daughter that you have to have power to steer so come in very slowly, then speed up onto the trailer. If you come in too fast and you are trying to slow down and steer you really better know what you're doing-- you should see zegm drive an inboard. He'll scare you but you can see 30 years of experience when he docks.