inTherapy
Well-known member
Porkchunker, No breeze today and neutral steered into my slip. I must use more power in reverse than in forward to accomplish it.
Docking
- Thread starter Bruce
- Start date
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Bald Eagle
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- Mar 6, 2006
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Single engine 2520XL Parkers require that their outboard motor be tilted up to AT LEAST to the verticle postion in order for them to be backed up reasonably well.
If the motor in left tucked all the way down the boat will immediately start slipping sideways as it's backed.
Have fun.
If the motor in left tucked all the way down the boat will immediately start slipping sideways as it's backed.
Have fun.
Bruce
Active member
I docked successfully today using a new trick I thought up.
First, I back toward the slip stern first because looking aft and seeing which direction the prop is facing makes maneuvering easier.
As soon as the transom of the boat gets near the end of the pier, the Admiral (who is standing at the transom on the side next to the pier) takes a length of boat line that is a little shorter than a jump rope and slings it over the nearest cleat on the dock. She hold us tight to the dock as I back in slowly. She lets out the line as needed and then removes the rope and grabs the next cleat while standing amidship on the boat. At this point, I put the engine in neutral, get on deck and walk the boat in place by holding on to a grab rail. Secure the lines and we're done.
It worked today. Has anyone tried anything like this? Have there been problems in a stronger current or wind?
First, I back toward the slip stern first because looking aft and seeing which direction the prop is facing makes maneuvering easier.
As soon as the transom of the boat gets near the end of the pier, the Admiral (who is standing at the transom on the side next to the pier) takes a length of boat line that is a little shorter than a jump rope and slings it over the nearest cleat on the dock. She hold us tight to the dock as I back in slowly. She lets out the line as needed and then removes the rope and grabs the next cleat while standing amidship on the boat. At this point, I put the engine in neutral, get on deck and walk the boat in place by holding on to a grab rail. Secure the lines and we're done.
It worked today. Has anyone tried anything like this? Have there been problems in a stronger current or wind?
Themis
Well-known member
My wife actually complemented me today. I was a stud. STand down, mortals 
Devilfish
Well-known member
I have the "duct-taped" 2520XL next to Sal's. I found that opening up all the windows in the pilothouse helps to cut down the sail effect of the pilot house a little bit. I still have some trouble combatting the crabbing in reverse but find that some judicious application of forward to start the stern swinging in the proper direction helps. For instance, if I'm trying to back to the port side and it's crabbing, I'll turn the wheel hard over for a forward right turn and give it an idle speed burst of forward then quickly turn the wheel back over to port and put it back in reverse. All turns of the wheel are done neutral. The forward burst gets the stern's momentum in your favor for the completion of the turn. I will also alter my approach so that I start backing to my slip with the wind coming more or less straight at me. My slip faces west, so with a north wind, I cruise right up to my slip and back in. If the wind is from the south, I make 180 and then back in. I try to use the wind to "help" the boat turn into the slip rather than fight against me and set me into other boats.
