New Ranger Tug

[dhays]

So my wife and have have been in Port Orchard for a couple days at the marina. Nice spot.

Today as I was sitting in the boat reading, I hear a LOT of electric thruster activity. Turns out an older gentleman was coming in his his new Ranger 29. He wanted to side tie at the end of the long and very wide fairway. Half way down the fairway, he turned the boat side to, and proceeded to use his bow and stern thruster to slide all the way down the fairway to the end.

Nice little boat. From the dock talk I overhead it is new to him and sure looked like a brand new boat. So he doesn’t know how to handle it, he will learn.

Well, tonight he just left after dark. Again, a whole lot of thruster activity made me look. He used his thrusters to get away from the dock (no wind, no current, lots of room) and then drifted as he put on his jacket, fiddled with stuff, and climbed up onto the flybridge. I expected him to put the boat in forward and just steer his way out of the marina. Well, he put the boat in forward and started to steer, but he kept using his thrusters to point the boat straight down the fairway. 60’ wide fairway. No wind. No current….

Now I wonder if he will ever actually learn to handle the boat? I am NOT a great boat handler, despite years of experience. Even so….

 

[READY]

Those electric thrusters will shut off due to overheating at some point. I don't want to be near him then!

 

[Comodave]

Thrusters have their place, but not as general steering. He will learn eventually or when his thrusters overheat or when the batteries run dead. Hope it works out for him.

 

[sunchaser]

Well we watched a Selene 53 "steered" the same way when the vessel was docking in Prince Rupert yesterday. Thrusters on both ends moved him sideways to the dock with lots of open dock on either end. The harbor master later had him move 50' forward so more dock space could be used. Ranger Tug owners have good company it would seem.

I have first hand knowledge of a Selene 57 that caught fire when stern thruster was over engaged and fusing didn't work properly.

 

[Arc]

If he didn’t hit anything, then it worked for him. Be grateful

 

[rslifkin]

I see a lot of people use thrusters to steer in a fairway. I've never understood why, but it might be a training thing. I've seen people taught to back in to a slip with idle reverse as needed and just steer with the thrusters. So they probably translate that to all steering at low speed in tight spaces.

Of course, some are just clueless. I had a guy (with a newer 48' Cruisers with pods) ask about my boat recently. He asked if it had a joystick and a bow thruster. And when I answered no to both, he was very confused and wondering how I could possibly dock the boat...

 

[South of Heaven]

Jeeze, cut the guy some slack. We were all there at some point. Are we trying to discourage new boaters from getting into boating? Too much elitism and smugness in boating these days.

 

[Solly]

I'd have no problem with somebody learning how their boat handles. Esp. in a wide open area. Seems to me something more people should practice.
Me included !!

 

[rslifkin]

Jeeze, cut the guy some slack. We were all there at some point. Are we trying to discourage new boaters from getting into boating? Too much elitism and smugness in boating these days.

The issue isn't the new ones still learning. It's the ones that figure out something that sorta works and then stop trying to learn beyond that.

 

[dhays]

Jeeze, cut the guy some slack. We were all there at some point. Are we trying to discourage new boaters from getting into boating? Too much elitism and smugness in boating these days.

As I mentioned in my post, I am not a great boat handler. My boat has both bow and Stern thrusters and they both get used. I even understand using them to help steer the boat when there may not be room for the stern to swing, or there is too much current/wind etc. Heck, I used both my thrusters extensively when I was in a dead end fairway, had to turn around and my transmission would go into reverse.

I was just surprised to see it there in such a wide open space in a small boat in ideal conditions. Could be lots of reasons for it including testing the limits of the thrusters on a new to him boat. I just hope that the rich features of the boat don't prevent him from learning some basic skills he will need in the future.

FWIW, I will be using my thrusters, prop walk, and a spring to get out of the slip I am In since a blight breeze is blowing us into the dock now.

I will also be using them a lot as I will need to back into the next slip I will be in and I am really bad at backing my boat into slips.

 

[jagates10]

I was the mate on a 170' supply boat where the skipper over relied on the bow thruster. Came into Bayou la Batre around midnight and held my breath as the thruster quit just as we were headed into a wooden hull shrimp boat. The skipper barely managed to get the thruster restarted before we turned the shrimp boat into matchsticks. This same skipper liked to use the auto pilot for all steering operations. He managed to lock the compass card down as we met a ship in the Houston Ship Channel. You should have heard the pilot screaming on the radio .

 

[phillippeterson]

Jeeze, cut the guy some slack. We were all there at some point. Are we trying to discourage new boaters from getting into boating? Too much elitism and smugness in boating these days.

Three thumbs up for the good attitude.

 

[ancora]

There are boat handlers and then there are people who have to have their boats pulled into a slip by their dock lines....let the clown show begin.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Jeeze, cut the guy some slack. We were all there at some point. Are we trying to discourage new boaters from getting into boating? Too much elitism and smugness in boating these days.

Elitism and smugness because the guy didn't use the rudder at all? Give me a break

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Thrusters have their place, but not as general steering. He will learn eventually or when his thrusters overheat or when the batteries run dead. Hope it works out for him.

Exactly!

 

[bowball]

Hey guys, these posts do make me a bit nervous. I am a newbie but buying a larger used trawler 50’ with twin props and a bow thruster and I’m nervous about docking. I have to have, and am glad about, professional instruction to sign off on competence.

But it is discouraging to know I’ll get judged harshly - and trust me I will be harder on myself than anyone else ever will be. And I will work hard to learn as well.

I’m nervous about going up to such a size with no real experience. And I will use judgment to avoid conditions I can’t comfortably handle, if possible. Nonetheless, I will probably read about some situation I screwed up in

But…I’ve flown and docked a DeHavilland Beaver float plane at most of these Marinas north of Seattle, and that’s challenging too with its 48’ wing span and big tail… so I hope I can become proficient. And if I saw a fellow seaplane pilot having issues docking, trying to avoid the big pilings with their wings, getting waked or weather vaned by the wind or currents, I would help them not laugh at them.

 

[Fletcher500]

We all went through the same learning curve, but I agree that many boaters don't spend much time learning skills. Nothing new.

Sort of related: I am parked at a guest dock when this brand new 75 footer came in yesterday. The owner was using the joy stick, and did ok, with instructions from the salesman who was with him. Pod drives have given entry to big boat ownership to people who can write very large checks, but often don't have the background and bandwidth to operate them.

 

[Arc]

When I got my keel boat , I was a bit nervous also.I took off a week day . Pulled the fuse out of the thruster and docked all day at an empty marina. Most were successful some not. A week later I put the fuse back in and went on vacation.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Hey guys, these posts do make me a bit nervous. I am a newbie but buying a larger trawler 60’ with twin props and a bow thruster and I’m nervous about docking. I have to have, and am glad about, professional instruction to sign off on competence.

But it is discouraging to know I’ll get judged harshly - and trust me I will be harder on myself than anyone else ever will be. And I will work hard to learn as well.

I’m nervous about going up to such a size with no real experience. And I will use judgment to avoid conditions I can’t comfortably handle, if possible. Nonetheless, I will probably read about some situation I screwed up in

But…I’ve flown and docked a DeHavilland Beaver float plane at most of these Marinas north of Seattle, and that’s challenging too with its 48’ wing span and big tail… so I hope I can become proficient. And if I saw a fellow seaplane pilot having issues docking, trying to avoid the big pilings with their wings, getting waked or weather vaned by the wind or currents, I would help them not laugh at them.

If you spend 3 hrs with a teacher you'll be fine. The key is to want to learn a bit under an experienced person, weather its the broker, friend or hired person for a bit. Get the theory, then go ut and do it. You'll get confidence quickly.... And don't call us elitists and snobs, lol.. Your the one with the new 60' boat, lol. Sheesh..

 

[bowball]

If you spend 3 hrs with a teacher you'll be fine. The key is to want to learn a bit under an experienced person, weather its the broker, friend or hired person for a bit. Get the theory, then go ut and do it. You'll get confidence quickly.... And don't call us elitists and snobs, lol.. Your the one with the new 60' boat, lol

I never said elitist or snob; you are confusing me with someone else.

Nor did I say new. It’s 25 years old.

And I have to do 50 to 100 hours of training, not 3.

Yes, I will work hard. But there is always a learning curve with mistakes.

(Incidentally, I find “elitist or snob” isn’t related to income or money but personality. Someone wants to be the “insider” and judges others harshly as outsiders, maybe because they aren’t as expert; wasn’t born there, prefers power over sail, etc. That’s not me or most people I meet, including here. )

Thanks

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

I quoted South of Heavens accusations, not yours..
You seem open to someone teaching you. My appologies If You took it as a criticism of you. I applaud your willingness to learn and think you will do just fine

 

[FWT]

Any landing or docking that results in you ending where you want to be, safely and with no damage to yourself, your gear, or anyone else, is a good landing.

Doing it pretty will come.

 

[bowball]

I quoted South of Heavens accusations, not yours..
You seem open to someone teaching you. My appologies If You took it as a criticism of you. I applaud your willingness to learn and think you will do just fine

Happily accepted. I appreciate that.

And yes, I love constructive criticism and learning. Part of why I am doing this is to stretch my brain and learn more. If I can learn from anyone I’m willing to.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

Happily accepted. I appreciate that.

And yes, I love constructive criticism and learning. Part of why I am doing this is to stretch my brain and learn more. If I can learn from anyone I’m willing to.

You are the perfect person to move up in boat size... Get your crew engaged in the operations of the boat. You'll have some really great adventures, Kudos! keep us updated

 

[FWT]

However hard it may be to dock a trawler, docking a full keel traditional sailboat is harder. No thrusters. Won't spin. Won't back up straight. Slow to turn. Not the least agile in tight places. The full keel is pushed by any current.

Yet people do learn how.

 

[dhays]

Hey guys, these posts do make me a bit nervous. I am a newbie but buying a larger used trawler 50’ with twin props and a bow thruster and I’m nervous about docking. I have to have, and am glad about, professional instruction to sign off on competence.

But it is discouraging to know I’ll get judged harshly - and trust me I will be harder on myself than anyone else ever will be. And I will work hard to learn as well.

Every dock landing you do will be noticed and evaluated by others. The same is true I am sure when you watch a seaplane land. You watch the landing to see how it went. Some go well, some don’t. That isn’t the same as “judging” the pilot.

Today I had to bail out a sailboat that got in trouble when trying to back out of a slip with a decent crosswind. He couldn’t get the bow far enough around and drifted down onto another dock. I fended him off and was able to help him get the bow pointed in the right direction. Yeah, he botched it, but so have I. I’m sure he learned from it and i was reminded of similar situations with my sailboat.

Anyway, yes you will be on display. Don’t worry about it however. The skills you have honed as a pilot will serve you in good stead for boat handling. The physics are the same, just a lot slower.

 

[Pdxstriper]

Remember, docking a boat is just a controlled crash. So crash slowly and no one will notice.

 

[psneeld]

Jeeze, cut the guy some slack. We were all there at some point. Are we trying to discourage new boaters from getting into boating? Too much elitism and smugness in boating these days.

If you have been on the rescue or assistance end of things and you might have a different opinion. Smugness? Elitism? Maybe for some, but not necessarily unwarranted evaluation of skills.

Ever been the guy who just had his boat rammed and lost a season using it?

Or worse, having someone killed or seriously hurt because this guy was clueless?

I have spent most of 40+ years rescuing, assisting or training people on boats. I am all for boating without fear, and having fun. Basic, local, SMALL boating isn't very hard at all.. What bothers me is the steady increase in boat size owned/operated by people that have barely graduated runabout abilities.

I know there are lots of activities you can go out, buy some equipment with little experience and the worst situation is you put yourself in danger. No so much with larger boats.

 

[South of Heaven]

Elitism and smugness because the guy didn't use the rudder at all? Give me a break

No, not at all. That's not what I meant.

 

[psneeld]

The issue isn't the new ones still learning. It's the ones that figure out something that sorta works and then stop trying to learn beyond that.

Excellent point and applies to a lot of things in life....