Manoeuvring under power is about finding the edges of control \u2013 a lot can be learned without even leaving the harbourKeep it as slow as you can when manoeuvring in tight spaces \u2013 things then go wrong more slowly and you have more time to make corrections. Photo: Paul WyethI distinctly remember the first time I parked a yacht with an inboard engine, badly. It was in Cowes marina and I was 18 years old. One moment I was following my well thought out plan to the tee, the next we were hanging off a yacht\u2019s guard rails by our anchor, perpendicular to the berth, closing off all through traffic.
\nThirteen years on, I consider the experience a rite of passage which I feel relieved to have taken so young, before I had too much to lose.
\nManoeuvring a sailing boat under power in confined spaces can raise even the most competent sailor\u2019s heart rate. Walk the docks on a charter fleet\u2019s changeover day, and the air will be so thick with stress and adrenaline, you too might start to feel your hands shake.
\nWhat is it that makes parking a boat so tense? The risk of damage is high. Entering a marina is like entering the dragon\u2019s den of hard surfaces: you\u2019re surrounded by expensive yachts, concrete walls, barnacle-encrusted pillars and wooden docks with sharp steel corners.
\nBut it\u2019s not just the yachts that can suffer scratches and scuffs; your pride is also at stake. Every marina has dock-watching hobbyists. Parking a boat can feel like a game in which the audience expects you to fail.
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A hole in the boat, a wounded ego \u2013 these are real things to fear. But the main reason that parking a boat can cause so much anxiety is because it\u2019s difficult!
\nNailing it means moving as slowly as possible while still retaining control. It\u2019s like walking a tightrope, and a test of your nerve. Can you hold pace just on the edge between losing steerage and going too fast (the faster the boat = the bigger the hole)? Can you feel the boat\u2019s drift, momentum, and time your stop against the dock perfectly, reaching the point of no return just as you sink into your fenders?
\nCompare it to cycling \u2013 for most cyclists, playing on the edge of control is familiar. When approaching a red light junction on a road bike, if you cycle too fast you\u2019ll pass through the traffic lights before they go green; too slow, and you\u2019ll fall over. Ideally you can cycle just slow enough to not have to unclip from the pedals.
\nThis requires prior planning, changing gear in advance, slowing down early, and then picking up the pace at just\u2026 the\u2026 right\u2026 time.
\n\u2018Living on the edge\u2019 is a phrase commonly associated with recklessness. But excellent sailors aren\u2019t reckless. Brave, yes. They\u2019re prepared to take risks. But there\u2019s a fine art to staying on the right side of the line. One of patience, sensitivity, and self-restraint. And manoeuvring a boat in a crowded marina is a good place to hone this skill.<\/p>\n
Just as you might need to tolerate a temporary lull in the wind and keep the reef in, driving slowly in a crowded marina is a test of patience. The boat is more responsive if you go faster. The crew are anxious to get to the bar before last orders.
\nYou might seem more confident zipping around the marina like you\u2019re driving a car. But sailing is a game of risk management. And what\u2019s riskier? Crashing into a pylon at top speed? Or drifting to a premature stop in slightly the wrong place?
\nA good sailor \u2018feels\u2019 a boat. Just as skis or a bicycle can become extensions of your body, the best skippers have an intrinsic connection with their boat. A sensitivity to heel, the subtle changes of speed, the drift, weight and power distribution, and the drag help you predict what the boat is about to do before it does it. Hone this depth of connection and you\u2019ll find yourself intuitively knowing when to pull back the throttle and glide, and when to up the rpm just enough to keep water flowing over the rudder(s).
\nAnd finally, self-restraint. Sometimes pushing hard works out. But success or failure at sea is rarely decided by who went the fastest \u2018that one time\u2019. Consistency wins at sea. And consistency is about balance.
\nSometimes you need to push, but sometimes you need to hold back.
\nPractise this in a marina. Find yourself accelerating towards a hard surface, or getting your left and right mixed up, or perhaps going too slow and losing control. The skill is to react with restraint, pushing just enough on the throttle \u2013 if at all \u2013 to minimise damage. Keeping the urge to slam on the brakes in check. And working out not how to get it perfect, but how to do just enough to stay on the right side of the line, every time.<\/p>\n
If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/p>\n
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The post \u2018What is it that makes parking a boat so tense?\u2019 \u2013 Nikki Henderson appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Manoeuvring under power is about finding the edges of control \u2013 a lot can be learned without even leaving the harbourKeep it as slow as you can when manoeuvring in tight spaces \u2013 things then go wrong more slowly and … <\/p>\n