Physics of Docking - Backing Your Boat

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Күн бұрын

For additional details pertinent to this video please read the description below.
An important skill for close quarter maneuvering is learning how to back your boat. Boat handling in reverse requires a different touch. The feel of how you go through the water and how you visually keep oriented is not as intuitive.
We live in a world that is primarily forward focused and don’t consider as much to take a look behind us. The same is true even on a slow trawler; our attention is on what is in front of us, not what we have left in the wake.
Running for a few boat lengths in reverse and keeping your course straight is not as easy as going forward but is easy to learn and this video was created to give you some pointers.
While driving backwards on a full displacement single engine trawler with a deep keel you may find that your heading starts to turn into a slight curve due to prop walk. What can you do to stop curving and get back in alignment?
There are two easy methods you can practice to re-align and straighten your position:
• Shift into forward and correct your movement by steering with your rudder to get back on course
• If you have a bow thruster, you can remain in reverse and “steer” with your thruster to guide where your stern is heading
Another technique that you can work on as a skill is “crabbing”. Being able to keep your boat moving side to side is easy to learn and fun to practice once you get a feel for how your prop wash and thrusters need to work together to get you moving sideways.
We suggest going out into open water, away from the constraints of a marina, where you have plenty of room to maneuver and practice backing up. It’s a smart move to post someone on the stern who can help keep you clear of any obstructions.
Knowing that you can guide your boat in reverse and correct your course to straighten will make it easier for you to learn how to back into your slip which is the subject of our next video.
Thanks for watching, we welcome your comments and are working on a couple more episodes to share in our Physics of Docking series.
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Пікірлер: 25

@captainrick9379 4 жыл бұрын

As Always, Great info! Thanks for sharing!

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Captain Rick - you caught me over in Baltimore at TrawlerFest and I've gotten behind on replies!

@gregbluefinstudios4658 4 жыл бұрын

This is a great series. Truly enjoying it. I am a year or two from making any large boat purchase, but learning all I can for now. it's funny, how much some of the large boat technique is similar to small boats. The biggest thing that translates, and something I tell my girls all the time: Take the boat out and practice, practice, practice.

@gregbluefinstudios4658 4 жыл бұрын

@@jeffmerrill1135 Cant rememebr if I commented here, or elsewhere, we're a couple years away from selling the big house, and building a new place on Cape Cod. Part of that is, exploring the Nordhavn, and Bering boats.

@JeffMerrillYachts Жыл бұрын

Thank you Greg! If you can handle a small boat, big boating is easier (but more expensive is you miscalculate!). Yes, you can never know it all and the more comfortable and confident you get the easier it becomes.

@mvemerson Жыл бұрын

Great stuff. We have a much smaller boat, but the same principles apply. I was initially intimidated by "backing", but it is actually quite easy to use the bow thruster as a rudder.

@JeffMerrillYachts Жыл бұрын

Emerson: Thank you, great to hear it was helpful.

@cq7415 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing.

@JeffMerrillYachts 2 жыл бұрын

C Q: Thank you for watching!

@muumoo111 4 жыл бұрын

good useful video , thank you

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Muumoo!

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Muumoo!

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Muumoo!

@robsmith6380 4 жыл бұрын

What happened to seamanship in this video

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

Rob, not sure what you are referring to. We decided to leave the wind getting the boat instead of editing it out to illustrate that it can happen to anyone. No boat damage or people hurt...

@robsmith6380 4 жыл бұрын

I was referring to the use of bow thrusters constantly, still a great video,thanks for the advise

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

@@robsmith6380 Thanks Rob, understood. We love thrusters, but it is a mistake to steer with them continuously or to soley rely on them. Very handy, but you need to learn how to control orientation in close quarters with propeller thrust on the rudder as we have tried to demonstrate in this series. Appreciate your clarification and thanks for watching!

@kenlee-97 4 жыл бұрын

@@robsmith6380 no DISRESPECT TO THESE NICE GENTLEMEN, but only professional skippers/masters know how to manoeuvre vessels without freaking out and resorting to the safety of thrusters and to be fair they are obviously good and successful in their OWN professions (I.e-buisiness man /boat broker, solicitor,doctor,or dentist for example).

@tomdrummy4984 4 жыл бұрын

Don’t stay in reverse.......go in and out of neutral and reverse. You’ll have less prop wash. When you need to straighten go to forward for two seconds and it will be straight. Then go back to reverse and neutral. No need for bow thrusters. Sorry, but bow thrusters were invented for people that know little about boating and docking..........which would be the majority of people out on the weekend. There are real boat people and then there are just people with $ that hop in a boat without knowing anything.

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

Tom - great point and something we should have emphasized. "Gliding" or "coasting" can be very helpful, keeps your speed down and helps keep you on course. Thrusters can really save the day, no question, but should be an "extra" not something to rely on. A competent skipper should be able to do most of their close docking moves without thrusting. If you have them, they are certainly helpful - especially for the last little finesse. Thanks for commenting.

@robertbennett6697 2 жыл бұрын

LOL I guess you totally abandoned "the nautical" way you were going to show us. I would like to have seen the steps initiated before you got yourselves out of that fiasco.

@JeffMerrillYachts 2 жыл бұрын

Robert: Noted! Was probably me using thrusters.

@blessedjohn 4 жыл бұрын

Not helpful for a twin screw boat

@jeffmerrill1135 4 жыл бұрын

Blessed John - backing is tough. Twins are easier than single for most people because you have more control. This series is announced as using a single engine full displacement boat (Nordhavn 57). Not sure what type of boat you would apply this too but believe there are some helpful pointers that you can benefit from.

@JeffMerrillYachts 4 жыл бұрын

BlessedJohn - the purpose of this series is showing docking lessons for single screw, full displacement power boats. We believe many of the single engine techniques can also apply to twin screw boats, but that would be a different series. Thank you for watching.