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 Understanding
Control by
Dusty Miller
Powerboat handling is possibly
the most misunderstood aspect of power boating. As a result, boat
handling can be either thoroughly enjoyable or just downright scary
and sometimes costly, depending on the captain's capability of being
able to control his vessel.
Have you ever watched in envy as an experienced
boater gracefully docked a 50-foot vessel, in high winds? This can
be very frustrating for the inexperienced captain. You see, experience
only comes with time and practice and new boat captains should learn
the basic procedures and understand how they work before venturing
into difficult waters. By mastering basic principles you can achieve
great satisfaction and the enjoyment of controlling your own vessel.
No matter how slight or erratic, a boat in the
water is constantly moving. Proper boat handling is a combination
of understanding the factors affecting movement - winds, currents
and engine thrusts - and being able to anticipate the results. Only
then can the vessel be under control.
For example, we have all tried to control the
bow already swinging from the wind and motion rather than anticipating
this action and correcting it before it got underway.
The movement of a power vessel is controlled by
its steering wheel in conjunction with a single or duel engine.
A single engine craft relies almost exclusively on the steering
wheel and thrust for control. The duel engine craft is almost opposite
because, when moving slowly, the wheel almost becomes unnecessary.
With double engines, the control panel consists
of two gearshifts and two throttles directing the vessel by working
together. The starboard gearshift, for example, will command the
boat forward. Engaging the starboard gearshift in a forward position
will then turn the bow port. The port gearshift in forward turns
the bow starboard. The same is true when the starboard gearshift
is in reverse, except the stern turns. Therefore, the port throttle
in reverse shifts the stern to port. Hence, to turn a boat around
(what I call a 180), put the starboard forward and the port in reverse.
This automatically causes the vessel to turn on its own axis.
Boats move forward easier than they move in reverse.
To fix this, the reverse should be accelerated. Reversing the positions
of the gearshifts turns the boat on its own axis in the opposite
direction. The throttles control the speed at which the vessel completes
this exercise.
To a sailor the winds are a great thing, but to
some power boaters trying to maneuver, it can be their worst enemy.
This is when thinking before acting comes into play. Try judging
the direction of the wind and assess logistics before trying to
maneuver. Use the wind to your advantage, rather than letting it
get the better of you.
First, the basics of docking in high winds. Imagine
you are about to enter an area to dock. Before doing anything else,
you must determine the angle of the wind in relation to the dock.
It's much easier to work with the wind rather than against it. To
do this, approach the dock with the bow downward. The wind, reducing
your control and making docking a nerve-wracking experience, can
catch an upwind bow. Keeping your transom as close to upwind as
possible will eliminate the wind's effect on your vessel, leaving
you in complete control.
When the wind is up, the logistics of specific
docking can be intimidating to the novice. While marina slips seem
to appear to be getting smaller and smaller, in fact, they are not.
Beams are actually getting wider, meaning 30-foot craft have increased
their beam space from eight feet to anywhere from 10 to 12 feet.
This leaves about three feet to maneuver your vessel between the
neighboring boat on one side and the dock on the other. Wind awareness
is vital to a controlled landing under such circumstances. The captain
needs to work with the wind, letting it help in the landing.
To back into a slip, the wind, if there is any,
should do some of the work. By turning the bow into the wind, the
captain will have more control rather than trying to fight the wind.
In these narrow quarters, control is everything.
Parallel parking requires a different position
against the wind. The stern should be brought into the wind to keep
the boat in a straight position. From here, the stern can be brought
slowly in towards the dock with the wind helping, rather than opposing
the action.
Docking properly and carefully in high winds is
easiest and safest in these examples, but is limited to finding
an available slip at proper angles to the wind. There will be many
times when you must handle your boat in high winds. Nothing is more
frustrating than the feeling of panic that grips the novice boater
at the first attempt of boat handling.
Control is the key to relief. Develop control
through anticipation and understanding.
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