Preview: Outboard Powerboat Handling, Part 2 – Approaching Another Boat

8 Responses So Far to “Outboard Powerboat Handling, Part 2 – Approaching Another Boat”

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  Kit Laughlin says:

  I discovered this technique by accident: a while ago, we had 30+kn winds when I was heading out to my moored boat, and I leave my RIB in the Marine Rescue pen in the creek here—facing that 30kn (gusting to 35+kn) wind. When I tried to leave my usual way (fending off the dock to face into the wind) I was caught and the wind spend me around in instants. As soon as I saw this, I engaged reverse and was able to back out away from the dock with complete control against that wind. That change my thinking about how to manoeuvre an outboard boat immediately. I have stuck with this since then.

  The short perspective: going in, or out against current or wind, stern ahead gives complete control. Thanks for this video.

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    Kit Laughlin says:

    I meant, “the wind spun me around”. Blame dictation!

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  Richard Sandy says:

  Family moved to White Sound in 1962. Folks had a 20 footer built in Man O War laid out pretty closely to “Abaco”. One of the most sea-kindly run a bouts I’ve ever experienced. Many a 55 gallon drum of diesel fuel was loaded in the body of the boat to feed our hungry generator. I was also fortunate to have a Man O War built sailing dinghy. Another sea kindly boat. I was too young to appreciate the classics they would become. Approaching another boat in reverse was an eye opener . The thought had never occurred. I’ll be practicing the concept the next time I’m out on the water. Thanks for illustrating such a useful technique.

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  Bill Saunders says:

  I enjoy the Off Center Harbor videos very much. In the Outboard Powerboat Handling Part 2 video, the first boat that Benjamin demonstrates approaching is a nice little inboard launch. By the look of the frames, it appears to be a version of a flat-bottom skiff. Can you tell me more about that boat, such as who her designer was and which design she is?

  Thank you,

  Bill

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    Ben Mendlowitz says:

    Hi Bill,

    Here are the details on the inboard launch:

    Shanti Data is a John Atkin Seabright Skiff design called the Happy Clam. It was published in Popular Mechanics as a build at home project. I have enclosed a link to the design on the Atkin Website.

    http://atkinboatplans.com/Utilities/HappyClam.html

    Regards, Ben

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      Bill Saunders says:

      Ben,

      Thank you very much for providing the information on the inboard launch.

      Bill

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  John Hughes says:

  Nice idea. Not the ideal solution in a lumpy, windy anchorage, though: the powerboat stern pitching up and down is probably a bigger risk than a side-to-side meeting. Alternatively, one CAN spend a moment or two rigging the necessary fenders.

  I’d love to see a video about how to approach a boat in a river-anchorage where there’s a wind-against-tide situation, and some boats are weathervaned into the wind (mostly fin keels and powerboats), others into the tide (full-keel sailboats) and some are pinned halfway (cutaway full keels). The additional load of a powerboat tied to the larger boat can alter the balance in either direction, in sometimes surprising ways. My general rule: approach the down-current side, if there is one, esp. if the boat you’re operating has a bit of a keel.

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  Dale Niemann says:

  We called them Necker Knobs when I was a kid. You could drive with one hand around your girlfriend and steer with the other on the knob.

  I have one on my B&B Marissa ‘Salty’ and like it.
  Dale