need help getting out of my slip in wicked current

[charlesamilton]

Ct river is raging, I have a 36 trawler and I am facing down river with the 5 knot current. I back out start my turn to port , I only have 3 to 4' of space between my boat and the boats docked behind me when backing out. when I head forward she heads back to my set of docks with the current. I am thinking forward on the starboard, neutral on port and kick in and out of forward on port until I am out, any thoughts?????

 

[Blissboat]

If a 36' boat only has 4' of clearance aft when she clears her slip, you are backing into a fairway that is 40' wide. If there is a 5 knot current running directly across said fairway, it's hard to imagine being able to execute the turn necessary to overcome that amount of lateral drift while simultaneously gathering enough steerageway to advance safely down the fairway.

The alternative may be to forget about pivoting in the fairway. Instead, back out of the slip and then gradually back down the fairway, using your propellors and rudders to twist the stern sufficiently up-current to avoid allisions until clear of the boats and pilings on either side. In this situation, keeping the stern up-current at slow speeds is a lot easier than keeping the bow up-current. If you and your boat are capable of using the "propellor walk" technique, you can just slowly but safely walk the boat sideways down the fairway and out into more open water where you can maneuver more freely.

 

[charlesamilton]

thanks so much, I have been thinking of that as an alternative, how do you do a "prop walk" ?

 

[Blissboat]

Pretend you want to twist the boat to port going ahead on the starboard engine and astern on the port. But instead of turning the rudders to port, as you would normally, turn them the opposite way, to starboard. The wash from your starboard prop will push the stern of the boat sideways toward the port, while you use the port prop to arrest forward movement. It is a somewhat delicate balancing act, and you may sometimes have to use both props to assert control over the boat's movement. When in doubt, keep the stern up-current and let the bow feather downstream while you reposition to try again.

This thread may be helpful: https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/moving-twin-engine-boat-sideways-2243.html

Unless you absolutely, positively must move your boat now, regardless of the hot-running current, better to wait for calm conditions to start practicing the walk. As some of the posters in that thread note, every boat reacts differently - some are more responsive to this technique than others.

 

[jgwinks]

I've had to do a similar maneuver with the sailboat which was of course single screw and didn't turn worth a darn. I rigged a long line from the stern of the boat to the end of the finger dock. The line was just a little longer than the boat so it would come up short just as the bow cleared the slip. Rig it on the side you want the stern to turn toward. When you back out and the line comes up taut, the boat has no choice but to turn the way you want. The trick is getting the line off so you can continue on. One way is to use a line twice as long as you need. One end on the stern cleat, then looped around a dock cleat or piling then back to the same stern cleat. When you're clear release one end and pull the line back aboard. If there's a loop spliced onto one end, release the other end. You don't want the loop getting caught on anything.

 

[Delfin]

Ct river is raging, I have a 36 trawler and I am facing down river with the 5 knot current. I back out start my turn to port , I only have 3 to 4' of space between my boat and the boats docked behind me when backing out. when I head forward she heads back to my set of docks with the current. I am thinking forward on the starboard, neutral on port and kick in and out of forward on port until I am out, any thoughts?????

In a similar situation, my only solution was using a kedge anchor, rowed out in the dinghy.

 

[mvweebles]

A picture would help. Are you trying to exit a fairway that is perpendicular to the river? If so, how many boats? Or are you on a side tie? Is your only issue getting out of your skip? You're okay docking with 5-kts astern?

5-kts of current is a ridiculous current. Having a hard time imagining a safe exit strategy.

Peter

 

[Comodave]

As mentioned above use spring lines. That way you have positive control of the boat. It would be helpful if you have someone that stays on the dock to help handle the lines and someone on the boat to handle lines while you dirve. If you aren’t familiar with spring lines do some research and you will find they can be extremely helpful in docking or undocking.

 

[High Wire]

Is this a tidal river? Can you wait for slack water before docking and undocking? What do others on your dock do?

 

[mvweebles]

Y'all realize that 5-kts is jogging speed. In my opinion, there are very, very few circumstances where it would be safe to move a boat in close quarters with nearby obstructions in that type of current. In close quarters, 2-kts of current is scary and severely limits safe options let alone 5-kts.

There's a piece or two of the story missing.

Peter

 

[STB]

Are you single handing? Can you get anywhere on the dock?

I'm very average at boat handling. I wouldn't try what you are talking about by myself.and I wouldn't do it with crew just to find off, either.

But,,I wonder if a well managed rope to the dock might help.

I've gotten out of situations that were tight by having someone on the dock hold a line to my port or stern for me to pivot against. I've done similar with the only help being on the boat by looping a lone around a dock cleat or piling so it could be slacked, then one end released, and then recovered from the boat. Of course care has to be taken to keep the rope away from the props.

I'd have to see a scale drawing of the situation to really speculate as to what might work. I can visualize it well enough.

 

[bowball]

Five knots is far more than I would want to deal with. I was just in a narrow tidal canal today with a 4 knot current and a 90 degree turn and I was surprised how much it affected the steerage and pushed me sideways. Glad I was in a 14’ tender with 40hp.

Spring line in your situation would be my thought too if it was really necessary. It would need to be a strong one. Too much could go wrong too quickly for me to want to do it. I also saw a video where they used a big tender or work boat to assist.

 

[SteveK]

I was in a marina with river current at times making it sketchy to exit or enter.
This was a tidal river, at times current flowed upriver. So planning made it easy.

If you have 5 knot continuous 24/7 then you need to practice how to deal with the current. I had a 36GB. In your case I would enter, pivot at the slip and back down using engines to control the landing. Exiting, I would move forward until I can start a turn, but I will crab walk the boat out, aboust 30-45 degree angle to fairway.

This does take practice to master. You should get out to the other side of river, line up your fairway and crab walk across river. If you get swept down river off the line go back to the start point and try again, don't try to recover. Once you master this you will be able to overcome current.

Not dishing the suggested reverse exit as that will work too with experience. Driving forward is more intuitive.

Prop walk in reverse works like this. Starboard reverse will bring stern towards port and vice versa for port reverse towards starboard.

Long winded, I am sure there is a few more details.

 

[psneeld]

Y'all realize that 5-kts is jogging speed. In my opinion, there are very, very few circumstances where it would be safe to move a boat in close quarters with nearby obstructions in that type of current. In close quarters, 2-kts of current is scary and severely limits safe options let alone 5-kts.

There's a piece or two of the story missing.

Peter

I am glad someone has a realistic view of current speed.

If truly 5 knots, spring lines may be way more dangerous than helpful (depending...mostly on expert use and handling).

Without eyeballing the situation and actually being on the boat and feeling it handle, I dare not even make a recommendation (even with a 2-3 knot current most boaters can't safely maneuver in close quarters).

One mistake in a 5 know current could easily result in loss of life or limb let alone sinking of a boat. (5 knots of current with a boat broadside to a dock is never pretty).

Personally, I would move the boat if the river is raging. Not my boat, any boat as a pro captain and even as an assistance tower and it was an emergency unless it WAS a life or limb rescue.

 

[Hippocampus]

Agree at 5k I’d stay put. Once things more reasonable might want to try using a line to help. In a similar situation wrapped a line around the last piling and brought it back to the boat. Cleated one end amidship. Other end snubbed amidships. Crew tightened line as we left the slip. Then made our 90 degree turn while close to our slip pivoting on that line. Once in forward and moving that line retrieved.

There’s two problems when in this situation. Getting out of the slip. But much harder for me is getting down the fairway in a strong cross current. Don’t mind current if heading straight into it but your situation gives me the willies.

One season kept the boat in NEB. Our boat was between two 60’ boats. Fuel dock was at the end of our finger on land side. Yard open to current only at entrance but some swirling. ( Hinckley is fully open and difficult). We were clipped once on our tug detail big vertical hard rubber bow rub rails which wiped off with a rag. But the boats on either side had tens of thousands of dollars of damage. They were hit twice that I know of. Once by a 3 engined CC and another time by a ~40’ sail. Even a little cross current is real hard. Unless you have high hp hydraulic thrusters be scared, real scared trying this stuff.

 

[MYTraveler]

The tougher part is going to be getting back in.

 

[Portage_Bay]

I'll throw my $0.02 in. I have quite a lot of experience maneuvering in high current situations. I agree with mvweebles and psneeld. You probably are not seeing 5 kts current. If you were the only option is to stay put. The risk to life, limb and property is not worth it for recreational pleasure cruise. But I'll put the 5kts aside and consider maneuvering in currents in general.

Currents are almost always not smooth linear flow. There will be turbulence of all sorts caused by pilings, changes in depth, shape of the shoreline etc. The faster the current the greater the turbulence and the greater the challenges. How good are you at reading the water? Can you say when / where your bow and stern will be in different current directions / speeds? If you can you can use that to your advantage, if not the current will have it's way with you.

There are some things to think about. First consider your boat's speed vs current. If you are proceeding down current and need to stop you must be backing hard enough to equal the current and keep backing to remain stopped. Think about that for a moment. Can you control your boat in reverse at 1, 2, 3 kts? You must be able to master that before attempting to maneuver in fast currents. Heading into the current you must have enough power on to make headway. Think about your boat's turning radius at a fairly high rate of speed. Why the high rate of speed? Because the current demands it. There will be no poking along on a slow bell and gently stopping and turning. You're going to have to come in / go out like you mean business with no hesitation. So, what's your turning radius at something greater than the current's speed? And how far will you be shoved sideways while making that turn? Turning moving down current is going to take a lot of room. Turning up current will take a lot less room than your normal turn radius and will happen very quickly.

Think about and answer the question. Why is your stern more controllable than your bow? This really matters in currents.

The skills you should master are controlled backing over a distance at speed. And ferrying.

To master controlling your boat while backing start in open water on a calm day with no current. Learn to back in a straight line for some distance. Then learn how to change course and straighten out again. Having this skill in your tool box will greatly enhance your boat handling capabilites, currents, wind or not. Sometimes the best departure is to keep backing rather than try to turn. Others have described the techniques to control while backing. But learn in open water, tight quarters with currents is not the place to try to put the written word into practice.

I'll go contrary to conventional wisdom here and say with your twins learn to use the rudders. The effects on turn radius, turn rate and the pivot point when using rudders with twins is remarkable. Learn how to do it.

Ferrying is the art of balancing speed and angle to the current to move left or right without moving up or down current over the bottom. Pretty easy to learn and a great tool in your toolbox. It can be done going ahead or backing.

For getting on or off a dock there are two general situations. An end tie / side tie where you are roughly parallel to the current. Or a typical slip in marina where you must execute a 90 degree turn upon arrival or departure.

For a side tie departing stern first into the current requires that you start by backing at the current speed before you untie the last line. Ferry out of the tie up and it all works out fine. Departing with the current on the bow is simpler to understand. Stop by slowing to current speed just below your landing and ferry in while slowing moving ahead.

Now consider departing or arriving to the typical marina slip where you must execute a 90 degree turn.

Will you setup your approach from up current or down current? Do you have a choice? This is where you really need to know why your stern is more controllable than your bow and be able to use that knowledge to your advantage.

What's your plan? Better have one well in advance, there will be no figuring it out on the fly. Far too many variables to make any meaningful comments here other than I will come back to learn how to master control of your boat when backing. You're going to need it if things don't work out just right. Sometimes the best approach or departure can be backing for quite a distance because turning takes up too much space and time. Minimize the # of turns you must make.

I haven't attempted to address a side or end tie with the current setting you on or off the dock. That is truely advanced boat handling in currents.

In closing as you describe your situation with 3 to 4 feet of room between you and the other boats I would stay put until the current is below 1 kt and I had the skills to be comfortable with the maneuvers. Close quarters maneuvering in high currents is all black smoke and white water. If anything goes wrong it goes wrong very quickly and in a big way. Why take the risk if you don't absolutely need to?

 

[OldDan1943]

Employ a training captain for a day of instruction and experience?

 

[SoWhat]

I would be pricing very powerful bow thrusters.
Would also be looking at other marinas.
Waiting for slack tides would limit boating activities.

Boating is supposed to be enjoyable. It should not be stressful.

 

[psneeld]

I am guessing the high current could be due to the flooding in the area... for most of the tidal river where they have tidal current stations...the predicted current is usually under 2 knots.

 

[Barking Sands]

Are you at the Ferry Landing Marina or other. Here is a picture. If you give a location maybe get a picture from above. Following for the great advice.

 

[Turtle Blues]

Have the same issue in high wind conditions. The killer is the slack time during the pivot when you are beam to the current without momentum.
Are you comfortable backing out of the fairway? This will allow you to hold to the up current side as you come out of the slip and maintain momentum.

 

[psneeld]

This is my old marina.

This is about 5 to 6 knots, maybe a bit more in surges.... after a tropical storm went by.

 

[jleonard]

The Connecticut river is flooding right now. I have some experience in the river and at this point there is probably not a slack tide.
I would not attempt to run the river right now as along with the swift water there will be lots of debris.

 

[Patrick4002]

on my previous boat we had mooring on the schelde (belgium) its a tidle river with 5m till 6m form high to low water. our boat had 2 engine from 170hp and was 32ft

mostly we had also a lot of current the best way for us was if we had the current in the back i put both engines in back and put the trottel so that our boat stayed on his place then get the lines in and play very careful with the trottel so we could slowly sideways.
we had a 5hp stern truster but it did nothing with a big current
sorry for the bad englisch
Patrick

 

[joezzz]

getting out of your slip

I've been sailing the Connecticut for 60 yrs. out of Essex. I understand the current here. 5Kts is a stretch around the docks. In the outer mooring field on a good ebb, 4 kts is pretty common.


The suggestion given to use a long spring to help you back out of the slip is good manuver, as long as you have a good deck hand.


Bow thrusters are fine, but not meant to move a 36' sideways in a strong current.


Time your departures if you can, or better yet look around and find a better slip.


For me, I have had a mooring for 46 years, and I don't care about the current, whether I motor or sail off my mooring.