Docking in a strong cross current

[Rockinw]

Hi folks, new to the board and researching C26/C28 potential purchase. Long time boater but no experience with single engine inboard and bow/stern thrusters. My current boat is twin inboard. My question today is how effective are the thrusters in a strong, up to 3.5 knot cross current? My slip is on a tidal river, perpendicular to the flow, and requires backing in.

 

[baz]

The thrusters are very useful, and most useful in zero wind and current scenarios or very weak currents & wind. With a 15 mph wind abeam they will be too weak to assist you docking unless on the windward side of the dock.

If your 3.5 kt current pushes you to the dock you'll be OK without the thrusters.

It's hard to tell you just how effective the thrusters would be for you, unless someone else here can chime in having experienced your stated docking situation.

I have docked solo with a strong current pushing away from the dock I wanted to get to and had to simply drive the boat bow in at an angle to secure a bow tie on the dock's exposed cleat and then turn rudder hard over to port and pulse throttle in forward to get my stern over so I could jump off onto dock with a stern line. If I had wind on my starboard beam this would be even tougher. The thrusters were of little use in this situation, and using them continuously can lead to burning their motors out.

 

[Cutwater28GG]

in truth this would unlikely be easy if you were trying to overpower the current to get closer to the dock in parallel to the dock. I dont want to be negative but want you to realize the limitations.

The thrusters are not really powerful enough to overcome 15 knots of consistent wind on the beam so my guess is a 3.5 knot current would probably overpower them.
The boat is pretty light and gets blown around quite a bit. this isnt a 30,000lb cruiser. but a semi displacement express cruiser.

As a single screw, it has a ton of prop walk (expected). which can be negated with careful driving but for a long sustained reverse its tricky. it depends on how difficult the shape of your dock is. it might be very doable with the right angles and some smart rope work. heck sailboats do this thing all the time by using spring lines.

RE 26 vs 28. basically the same boat except for two things.

cockpit is shorter on the 26 which means more engine is under the floor inside the cabin making servicing a little harder and clearly less outside space on the 26. also some people complain that the 26 doesnt have enough power to properly get up on the plane compared to the 28. Both have the same interior space.

 

[Rockinw]

Thank you for the replies and information. Pretty much as I expected, unfortunately. I had dreams of holding the boat against the current with the thrusters and just backing straight in. This Marina has a lot of pluses, but current is not one of them. Even with twin V8s, which are much easier than single I/o or outboard, it is a challenge. At near slack tides it is quite manageable, but timing coming and going based on the six hour tide cycle is not always feasible. The marina does have slip docking parallel to the current but all spaces are being hogged by sailboats.

Working in with spring lines is doable if the right crew is available. How good are the rub rails?

Really like both the cutwater and Ranger Tug lines. We are looking to downsize a bit and move up to a new(er) boat as we enter retirement. Trailerable is really appealing.

 

[SgtAlf]

I have strong winds which are mostly out of the south, which puts the wind on my port beam when backing in my slip. I've gotten pretty good at playing the wind. I found backing more aggressively helps. I did buy piling pads, and the marina installed them for me. Yes, I've used the pads often. :cry: The bow thruster helps to make the 180 with the wind quickly, and on most days can keep me pretty straight while backing.
I also use one of these boat poles with a loop. The crew on the bow can loop the piling and hold the boat until I can run up to secure the lines. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AS ... UTF8&psc=1
I have a spring line on the port (south) side of the slip, the stern crew (Wife) hooks that line with a standard boat pole. On crappy days they can hold the boat pretty much in place until the lines are secured.
I have yet to single hand this boat.

 

[dclagett]

3.5 knots is a lot of current, however with planning it can be overcome. Hopefully the slips on either side of you, the boats are completely in their slip. If so, approach the slip with the cross current or wind and perpendicular to the slip. Then back up into the cross current or wind and use your thrusters to angle the stern into the slip and the bow into the cross current or wind. If the slip is on the port side the prop walk backing up will help move the stern into the slip. Based on the severity of the cross current or wind you may need to use the outer piling for maneuvering or attaching a spring line. The thrusters can be used to minimize rubbing against the piling. The rudder on these boats is quite small and I don’t find it very useful for backing in tight spaces where one does not want to use a lot of power.

Depending upon your slip configuration, for single handling the boat I use lines on each side of the slip tied from the outer piling to the cleat on the dock with a butterfly knot at the mid cleat point. Once I am backed into the slip I then reach out the side window and loop the butterfly knot onto the mid cleat. At that point I can then take my time attaching the remaining lines. Also I attach large fenders to the finger pier so I do not need to worry about fending off the pier.

Good luck in your decision. These boats can be maneuvered as well as any boat with planning.

 

[Rockinw]

Thank you for all the great information. Luckily, our current is most it tidal. The 3.5 knot up current is about mid outgoing tide, much less near slack. Keeping the limitations of the thrusters, I think we will be ok getting in and out of the slip. We looked at a 28 Cutwater, which we really liked. However a left over 2019 R27 caught our attention. An outboard and a bow thruster! Some tough decisions ahead!

 

[SLyle01]

As new 2019 R27 O/B Owners, we chose the Ranger because with the O/B AND bow thrusters we were assured of better docking control. In some 15mph+ winds (typically 8-12mph, blowing into the slip) AND cross-currents we've had little problem. Backing is a breeze with the O/B. Securing lines is still a learning process for us, but our friend with a C28 struggles with docking in his slip (beside ours) in the same conditions.

 

[dclagett]

SLyle01,

I notice you are from Solomon’s MD. You might want to suggest to your slip neighbor with the C 28 to go talk to the local watermen in the area about handling a single engine inboard boat. Their boats are some somewhat different configuration with no thrusters and a bigger rudder, however if you watch them dock they get it near perfect every time in all wind/current conditions. Understanding the environment, the boat and planning are their approach to a successful docking.

If your neighbor is interested but is having trouble getting in touch with a waterman, PM me and I will send you a name and phone.

 

[YARR28]

I just purchased a new Cutwater 28, have run the boat about 12 hours so far. My marina is in Boothbay Harbor Me., very open to the WX., strong winds out of the west and southwest mostly, constantly changing, but mostly breezy much of the time. My slip requires me to enter a narrow runway, turn to starboard down another narrow runway for a few 100 feet, then a very tight turn to port between two large fish boats with twin outboards raised up like a pair of carving knives. I find that the C28 manages docking with ease. The rudder is not as responsive as I am used to, but with bow and stern thrusters plus power it is a dream.

 

[rshoop]

I am on the Allegheny river in Pennsylvania. We've been pounded with rain and very strong currents. The bow and stern thrusters are great when the current isn't too strong. They are just about useless in a strong current.

I happen to be parking in a courtesy dock tonight because of strong currents.

Good luck, Robin

 

[rshoop]

I am on the Allegheny river in Pennsylvania. We've been pounded with lots of rain which creates very strong currents. The bow and stern thrusters are great when the current isn't too strong. They are just about useless in a strong current.

I happen to be parking in a courtesy dock tonight because of strong currents.

Good luck, Robin

 

[doke01]

I agree with rshoop. I just go back to actually driving the boat in strong currents, as they did for decades before thrusters 🙂

 

[Trupp]

I have docked in severe storms in slip.
With strong current or wind the thrusters will be overpowered to lateral movement. In my experience you can almost always pivot port or starboard.
Therefore pivot stern to wear you want to go and then back. The keel helps to back but of course it will pull to the starboard side. When going off course pivot again.
You can also use this same technique backing down on anchor in tight Anchorage with strong wind or current.
30 foot command bridge cutwater.
2015.

 

[BradOwens]

Interesting post about the boat backing to starboard. Our Ranger Tug 29 Classic backs to port, as do all boats with a starboard rotating (in forward gear) screw. Do the Cutwaters have counterclockwise screws?

 

[gigharborite]

Thrusters are useless in any kind of current.

I am not a 30 year veteran boater, so at times in takes me 5 or 6 approaches in a strong current or heavy wind, however, I have never failed to make it, you need a lot of patience.

Also helps to practice off the dock in currents to get to know your boat's and your capabilities.

 

[Gin]

Lots of good advice in this thread for docking in current. I boat mostly in the Columbia and Willamette Rivers here in Oregon and Washington, so current is a constant. And it often combines with wind. I don’t have any suggestions to add on countering those forces, but I thought I’d throw out my experience with a product I have used to “outfit” my permanent slip to make things a bit easier and safer.

For over 5 years, I’ve had the starboard side of my slip lined with Nomar bumpers. One of these days, I’m going to put them on the port side as well. They are expensive, but well worth it in my experience. I never have to fender-down when docking in my own slip, which is one less thing to do when single handing. What I like best about them is I have never gotten any “boat rash” from them. An added (and valuable) plus is that they absorb any impact from the boat without any real “bounce.” As a result, if I bump them harder than I might want, the boat still just sort of settles in and quiets down, instead of bouncing off them with an “equal and opposite reaction” as it often does with inflatable fenders.

The link here is to a company that appears to have purchased the patent from the original Oregon-based “mom and pop” shop that I bought them from. The new seller has expanded the line to include the “Defender Wrap,” which is used on a piling. Again, it is an expensive product. But I’ve come to really appreciate both the functionality of the product and its durability.

https://www.grangermarine.com/online-store/Defender-Wrap-c68373074

Gini

 

[jimbeam]

R25. We were docked at Beaufort SC with a boat behind us about 4 feet and one in front about 3 feet. Extremely strong current early in the morning. Current was from astern and strong. Tried to push off the stern with boat in slow reverse
and slowly let the current push the stern out to clear the boat behind us. Almost worked. I put the boat in forward too soon with plan to turn hard to clear boat in front but alas the current was too strong and port stern hit. Damage the gel coat. More damage to my boat than his ( older sailing vessel so thick gel coat). Learned my lesson, should have kept reverse and increased power as stern cleared boat astern till pulled out far enough against the current so bow was well clear also.
jimbeam

 

[Rocky Lou]

The thrusters make docking a breeze (pun intended) under lighter wind and current conditions, but, as has been mentioned, they have their limits. I also dock, at times, under strong winds, heavy current and narrow channels. When the ocean currents are moving quickly, you can't make a 180 turn. Running dual engines, one in forward, one in reverse has saved me from more tough situations than anything else. I still use thrusters in bad conditions, but, don't rely on them. I think the main thing is to be patient and don't go fast unless you are absolutely sure how it will end up. It could mean the difference between touching another boat and doing damage. As the old saying goes, 'the world does not care about the storms you encounter, but did you bring back the ship (undamaged)'.