Backing in

[HOW Editorial]

41% of responding Hunter owners back into slips, according to last week's Quick Quiz. Does your boat back the way you'd like? Or, is backing your vessel the same as turning to port? Did a change of prop make a difference? Or do you believe a skipper's skill is more important than erroneous equipment?Slip your options in here.

[John Allison]

I am now a Great Lakes boater housing my boat on Lake St Clair and find it quite interesting that a majority of sailboats are backed into the slips in this area. Most of my earlier boating days were on the Chesapeake Bay and Lower Potomac River where being able to back a boat into your slip was a matter of pride. No one ever thought of pulling in bow first.....it just was not done. I can remember back to my first time. I had reheased it many times in my mind prior to my first docking. Obviously, everyone was present for this newbees first effort. And, as is most always the case, all did not go smoothly. But I learned. Then, I moved to the Mid West, not by choice but rather at my Uncle's direction (Sam) and low-and-behold, almost everyone docked bow first. Originally, I was in a small sailing marina consisting of 36 slips (and even less sailboats). I was the only craft that backed into his slip. Now, I am in a marina that splits a common common water access with another marina. I am docked in slip 76 out of 126. There are more slips than that across the 50 foot expanse of water separating the two marinas. Most of the docks of the two marinas are on this water way. Which means a lot of boat traffic. Both marinas also house a lot of power boats ranging from 17 to 50 feet. All here dock bow in.  In this case there is no issue of pride or who can do what best. The issue is safety. On the bridge of a large power boat, you can see what is coming before you are in harms way. On a sailboat docked next to a large power boat, it is impossible to see over or around him until you are out far enough in the waterway to see past him. If you were in stern first, your entire (or a great deal of) craft would be in harms way before you could see oncoming traffic. By docking bow first, only a small portion of your boat is exposed prior to getting a clear view of oncoming traffic.  Before I first docked my boat, I asked the marina manager which he preferred (bow in or stern in). He said that they required the boats to dock bow in. It is a matter of being able to see oncoming traffic before a problem exists.....it is a matter of safety. Pride takes a back seat here.

[Shaun]

I always back my 1990 27' into the slip, thats what the walk through transom is for!It always gives me a shakey feeling in the knees as the stern walks to port after shifting into reverse. I do get a close look at my neighbor's anchors before getting the boat to straighten out before sliding backwards into the slip. I have the standard two blade prop.My slip points east and its a real job in a strong east wind to get the bow to swing around into the wind in order to get the stern into the slip. Concentration is a must and at least it always walks the same direction, you just have to plan for it.

[James Marohn]

Stern first or bow first...depends on wind and current in our case. Slip is located in the mouth of a river which opens into a sound. River currents combined with tidal currents make it always interesting.If I had a preference, I go stern first. Stepping onto the boat through the transom is easy on my parents knees.I definately understand John's issue on safety...I never go out alone on my Vision 32, and always have a crew on bow handling the lines during launch. We have our hand signals drilled into our heads so I know exactly what is going on.

[Steve Cook]

I like to back in my slip, it makes it so much ez'er to get in and out of my H310.However, if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction, I must go in bow first.I have a very narrow slip.Steve,s/v Obsession

[k d]

although most boats walk to port you need to learn to compensate for windage ,current ,and of course propwalk.Practice,Practice ,Practice.

[Rick D]

Well, I try to rotate the boat quarterly in order to even out the sunlight exposure. That's habit from wooden boats. Since one of my old slips was such that I had to back in and out of it, I got plenty of practice. And, the prop was an outboard in a well that effectively washed out either the rudder or keel, so it was entertaining in a cross-wind. The Hunter is a piece of cake in comparison. Since it is a V32, the windage of the forward mast section means you have to keep plenty of way on, so the process tends to offer spectators an interesting diversion. RD

[Mark Burrows]

Backing into the slip gives me a real feeling of accomplishment, especially when someone is watching.Little boats tend to be put into shallower, narrower, close-to-the-bulkhead slips, so its always a challenge.I had my best landing yet two weeks ago when I slipped us in after racing. It was the best because it was in a windy downpour and I didn't bump a piling. PLUS, my crew witnessed it. Take the points when they are given.Mark.PS. Backing in has a social aspect. It kind of says to people on the dock, "Hi. Welcome to our living room."

[Paul Akers]

I've always found my Legend 37 (1988) easy to maneuver in reverse (until the wind catched the bow). It'll back straight or even turn corners.

[Dakota Jim Russell]

Weather and ease of entering stern of 340 means backing in.Heaviest storms normally come from the SW to NW in our area. Bow out means the boat handles the storm best in our double fingered 16 foot wide,35 foot long slips, with more docks in front.In 20 knot cross winds, the dock is approached at up to 4 knots to avoid sideslip problems with the bow. The feathering maxiprop handles the stopping nicely in a very short distance in such conditions. But it does make life exiting. Hit dock once three years ago when we entered too slowly.

[William Berson]

I always back into my narrow slip. There is a considerable tidal current in our channel which is a greater problem than the wind. Here's the problem: even compensating for the current, when half-way into the slip, the force is removed from the stern, but remains on the bow, causing a 'fairly stimulating' turn into a piling. General solution: build up sternway to 3 knots or so, to get steerage control. Conceptual trick: stand up forward of the wheel and face towards the stern. Now the steering works astern just like it does forward. Success in my case depends on not being shy with the throttle at critical moments.

[Bruce Harkness]

I sail on a friends Catalina 30. His solution to backing in is to get on the the front side of the wheel and face backwards. You can then just drive it in like a car. He just gets up a little backward momentum, it helps that his boat stops very quickly when he throws it in forward.

[Alex]

With my 29.5 I mostly back in my slip , unless there is strong wind from aback , which can keep the bow from turning the final 90 degree into the slip. Generally , in strong crossing and from aback wind I go bow in. Going stern to ,it's good practice to always face back from the moment the boat starting to move aback ! Have a high RPM to start with to gain some speed,steering amidship , then lower the RPM to avoid goin to port..(on Yanmars). Unless wind dictates otherwise , don't rush it, and have your crew prepared at the bow. Practice , and understanding the prop pitch effect, wind efect on the bow , (and current if folding prop!!) , make it much eassier. It does for me. Playing with trottle forward and reverse , you can turn on the spot.

[Les]

I back our 37.5 in no matter what the wind. But is is tricky. Our fairway is very narrow (about 60 ft across) requiring a sharp starboard turn to stand the boat up prior to backing. If the wind is blowing into the slip it makes that starboard turn very difficult. But if I lay the port side of the boat against the pilings (thats what that rub rail is for) and take what will be the port bow line and put it to the port stern cleat and back against the stern line the boat will stand up into 20 kt winds. When it looks right just back off the power, release the stern line from the cleat and have someone carry it forward. Some one else grabs the opposite starboard bow line and carrys it forward and the boat smoothly (usually) slides into the slip.If the bow starts to drift there is someone on either side to correct. If the stern starts to drift I can correct by again having someone on the bow pull the opposite line or use the rudder and engine. I think I have much better control of the stern as it moves into the slip than I would have of the bow.Yes, it only works in heavy wind with a couple of people. In light winds my wife and I can back it in with no problems. I don't single hand the boat. It doesn't even remotely sound like fun.Good backing.Les

[Karl Berntson]

With a "77 H30, 12hp Yanmar with a tremendous prop walk to starboard there is very little control in reverse and I have to get into a slip that has very little room around it. Bow first works great in that when backing out the prop walk aids in backing almost into the bulkhead before I can swithch to forward and get out. Someday I might give backing it in a try when noone is around. Will have to build up speed early to be able to keep it straight between the finger piers before it is time to turn into the slip. Will be an exiting time for sure.Karl

[Rick]

Our slip faces within a couple degress of the predominate wind. With the walk through transom it only makes sense to back in. I leave the stern lines at the end of my slip when we leave the dock.When we return I get the boat close enough to grab ahold of the line on the dock and the walk the boat into the slip. It may not apear to be the most graceful manuver but I have not bumped anything yet.

[George E. Cela]

My father and I have recently discovered the joys and tribulations of backing into our slip, but with the open transom we feel guilty pulling in bow first.Recently, I took the boat out of our slip and practiced pulling the boat in and out of multiple slips to get my confidence up and to test out different methods of backing in. What I've found that works best is to pass our slip up by about a boat length (very important to have a slip that is to your port side, keeping the boat more toward the starboard slips as you throw it into reverse...this allows you more room/time to take advantage of the natural port movement of the stern, and once I get the momentum going, I put it into neutral and steer her in without a problem...one touch of forward to end the motion and I even get away with docking solo!Happy backing...I think it is a mental thing...practice and back with confidence.George.Houston, TX.

[George Fletcher]

Keep in mind the basics and "backing" a Hunter into a slip is a pleasure.Shallow "S" turns approaching the slip to assure beam clearance and maintain steerage.Practice makes perfect, enjoy your walk thru transom!

[Mike Kinney]

I always back into the slip. One of the keys to success for me is to always back into the wind. By backing into the wind, you will have more control at a lower speed.

[Rusty Fitzgerald]

I have frequently disgraced myself trying to back our H26, especially in a cross wind. Our slip has the extra "challenge" of a piling that is off-line, narrowing the approach. I know it can be done, though; I saw Mark Burrows back in during a sharp squall in a H26 at Solomons last weekend. I use a technique I learned in (airplane) flight training - crabbing. I get as far in front of the slip as conditions allow and turn left, bringing the slip to about my 8:00 or 9:00 position. When I reverse the engine very slowly, the stern ALWAYS walks left (asymetrical thrust from O/B) before the rudder gains authority. If you start with enough crab angle, by the time the rudder starts to work you are about lined up. Like my CFI always said "Small corrrections, timely made!"

[Capt. Dean Moore]

All single engine vessels "pull" in reverse to one side or the other. When backing in, always present that direction of pull to the slip. Rotation of the prop dictates the direction of pull while in stern propulsion. It's easier than you think and you don't have so far to walk down the dock to the local watering hole. For good advice, seek help or more detailed information from a local professional captain.

[G. Ned Christensen]

The H26 has a high freeboard and is difficult for my wife who is only 5'2" to climb over. Backing into our slip is easy and has solved the problem. We have a Honda 9.9 outboard motor. While it does take a little practice, I have not found backing in to be more difficult than going in bow first. It is much easier to load gear when moored stern first than balancing on narrow finger piers.Ned ChristensenSecond Wind

[Frank Hopkins]

I always back in, approch slip dead slow. as I mear the outer pilings steer hard to starboard lining boat up with the slip. shift to reverse and throttle up to start moving backward then idld down. standing at the wheel facing the stern, drive in in.

[Ron Johnson]

The Hunter cockpit design and craft entry is ideal only if the craft has the pointy end away from the dock. This is especially true for floating docks. The backing maneuver requires patience, practice, and some knowledge. Use the wind to advantage; always start backing with the nose downwind (assuming no current). Personally, I have found that a Maxiprop gives me an edge because of the increased surface area and optimized angle of attack. We have successfully backed into our slip with a 30kt side wind.The only way to park.

[Wayne Estabrooks]

I back my '97 h340 into my slip which is most of the time as my finger pier is short (only about 10 ft. long)and it is easier to board or disembark from the cockpit. I have backed it in in a 25 knot crosswind successfully! There is another row of slips across from me so it is not a straight shot backing into the slip. My technique involves motoring past the slip quite a ways, 100 ft or so with the slip on my port side. I then back in reverse and get some way on. When the vessel has some way on, I then reduce power or put it in neutral so it doesn't pull to port. I continue backing with the momentum of the boat and sometimes add a little burst of reverse power. When the port piling is abeam the cockpit, I execute a 90 degree turn and line up and back into the slip. It always looks like I will hit the starboard piling but the boat turns sharply and it is usually successful.

[Gary]

In our marina boats almost always go into slips bow first. I prefer this way (likely because it is what I know best) in heavy winds. Get the boat in the slip and get lines on her. My dock lines stay on the dock all the time. When I do want to back in for maintenance or for a dock party, etc. I really have no problem doing so, the 29.5 backs well (standard 2 blade prop)AND like some others have mentioned, best to take those big storms on the bow if you can. One more point, the 29.5 has NO mid-ship cleats and when backed in I NEED a spring line. This means running a long line to a cleat and fastening to the base of the shrouds. Poor, poor design by Hunter.

[Allen (Dusty) Palmgren]

Well, since I've owned my Hunter 22 now for about three weeks and the only way I've put her into her slip is to back, I guess so . . . in fact, I think I feel more comfortable backing in than I would driving the bow toward the pier. Allen

[Tom]

We have always backed our H31 into the slip. My technique is to approach the slip (on our port side) slowly, and turn to starboard sharply when the bow is abeam the slip. This brings the stern around opposite the entrance to the slip, and reverse throttle backs us right in. Try it!

[Dick Litchfield]

With the old 2 blade I used techniques similiar to others noted here. Approach with slip on port side, hard turn to starboard, use port crab to aid the turn, gain way, etc. With new 3 blade it has been a new learning experience. Now I pull past the slip, still on the port side, power reverse, gain way, throttle down and drive her in to the slip. Still not a thing of beauty, but it's gettng better.

[m. watton]

no problem...the 376 is very predictable. i like to back into the slip for dock parties. boat can accomodate about 15 people using the walk-thru transom and dock space. same with the 336. just had to learn the characteristics of the particular boat. hunter is one of the best reversable boats around!!

[Mike Sjogren]

My slip is to starboard. I am now glad I go bow in. But, for all the good reasons posted here, I have thought of backing in. Is the maneuver impossible if you have to fight the port crabbing?

[Ray Squires]

We are new to sailboats, but have always backed into our slip. Our H28.5 turns much better in forward, so I tend to do most rotating in that direction, leaving only straight or slight turning movement in reverse. The best trick I have picked up so far is to throw my rudder hard over at the point my stern clears the neighbor boat and put the engine in reverse. With a little luck, I can stay at idle speed and have the boat just reverse after a 90 degree turn. For me the wind usually primarily effects how 'perfect' I try to slip it in. On a light day I'll move back and forth if I have to to back it in through the pilings. With wind, I'll tend to grab the first piling I can reach and pull it in.