Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Jumping the gap

My regular boat mate is not an olymipic gymnast or a long jump type athletic lady. She is also very uncomfortable driving the boat at or around the dock or by any other boats or people. I think I'm okay with this. Rather then the alternative of her being wicked over confident and bending my hull or chopping up the occasional swimmer.

So she is typically in the roll of being on the bow when we come in to the dock and she steps off the boat and onto the dock to tie us off. She is paranoid beyond words that she is going to fall in one day when she missteps or has one foot on the dock and the other on the boat with the distance and bouncing from waves on the increase.

Her worries that the boat will drift away as she is making her step toward the dock makes this a point of low level stress and talking to her self under her breath every time we dock. I put diamond plate on the bow to let me remove the concern of a light bump now and then should I get too close or with a hair too much momentum. This lets me motor up slow and easy to the dock and keep powered on just enough to let her get across the gap. The side garb bars on the bow are nice, but in our case actually in the way of carful exits to the dock. There is limited footing on the bow with the grab bars there. If the front door is opened that's in the way too. So the Diamond Plate has been a good addition to get her so close the boat may actually touch the dock. So how are you getting your mature significant other to jump the gap and feel okay about it?

I think I need a metal clip of some sort with a stiff loop of rope connected that is on the end of my extendable push pole. Maybe this would help her reach out and put the line loop over the cleat on the dock and then pull us in. Dock lines are not stiff enough to stay in a loop like a lariat/ lasso does. Maybe that's my next invention. Lariat looped dock lines for the folks getting to, or past 50 years old and cannot leap across the gap anymore!

The other problem with this is the many unusable crap docks that have no cleats, giant medieval spikes of horror sticking out the sides and rotting boards to land on after the jump. I've offered countless times to be the jumper, but she will not drive the boat.

Oh well, open to suggestions folks, gotta help my adorable first mate out here with some new ideas.

What I find even more entertaining is the gents that will not let their wives drive the boat. The entertaining part is watching the wife head up the ramp to the rig and attempt to back a trailer down while hubby does circles in the water.

I showed up early once for a deer hunt and and in the ensuing 1 1/2 hrs I put 4 trailers in the water for recovery, and 2 for launching. Hell would have frozen over before those ladies could get the trailer down the ramp.

Must get really interesting on hot holiday Sunday afternoons.

With the dock lines prepared and ready, you should be able to do this easily by yourself. Get the center spring line onto a cleat immediately--that controls the entire boat. Once that is done you can leisurely attach the other lines.

Yeah, in a small open boat that works, but with an enclosed boat, getting out the front door and around the side of the boat while it's in motion with wind and waves is just not in the cards for an effective one person operation.

I had a 16foot open skiff, that was a piece of cake for a one man operation.

This works on any size boat. I have owned to 48'. And have piloted to 65'. It works for every boat. And the boat is not in motion when you stop it precisely where you want it.

You're way better then I am then, I have never been able to control the waves and the wind. I stop my boat, and in 5 seconds I've drifted several feet away. On a calm day with no wind waves, tides, or river current I could do this no problem. Guess I just don't fish on those days!

I wish it was like a car in a parking lot, but not anyplace I have tied up.

A lariat and some roping lessons could come in handy. For this and other situations...

Wondering if the Minn Kota Ulterra might help this out? Stow and deploy at the touch of a button, spot lock, and act as a "bow thruster" to pull you into the dock and keep you there. Not sure how they would hold up to the salt though.


ETA: looks like they make a saltwater version too. Press release info here: http://www.minnkotamotors.com/Who-W...or-with-Auto-Stow-Deploy-and-Power-Trim/ This might actually allow you to do it all by yourself with the remote. I'm sure they aren't cheap but it sounds like your first mate might be onboard.

SS

Sam, your like a mind reader!

I have a very nice humminbird unit that will actually connect to the trolling motor and drive it with GPS. The new ones have a hold function which would also be cool for lots of reasons.

Anyway, I use a Leelock anchor and on the design of my boat there is no way to have a bow mounted trolling motor and this anchor system. However Leelock offers a QD mount that will slide the anchor out and the trolling motor bracket in place. This is the ticket as you point out.

I would need a 60" shaft maybe 66"? anyway, the trolling motor option is a killer great idea. You know this is never a problem on calm days, you can just slide up to the dock like a car would. It's the majority of windy days that just catch the cabin like a sail and push the boat the instant you cut the power.

I wondered if your anchor system might be in the way. If a guy had a longer shaft unit I wonder if you could have something made that put a raised plate for the trolling motor above the anchor system? Not too familiar with the way those anchor systems stow and deploy, so it might not be an option. Watched a youtube video on the Riptide 110lb 36v unit and he said that it holds his 24' boat in a 7 knot current.

By the way, I love coming up with ideas on how to spend other peoples money. It's easy when you don't need to pay for it yourself!

SS

If you have the time to spend my money look at the lee lock anchor / Trolling motor QD system.

My anchor is crazy, it's a medieval war tool. But it's not easy to anchor in the snake and columbia rivers at times. So I need this beast to hold tight.
Maybe this is not good enough to see the clutter?

with the beast anchor on the front, the grab rail on the side and the door open there is no a great place for footing on the sides.

I had a look at the QD system and it would probably work for you. I just know that I would hate to have to change it back and forth all the time. I suppose it depends on how often you would be using the anchor.

My thought was a simple aluminum platform that is fabbed up to sit above and slightly behind the anchor so the trolling motor clears the anchor and the deck rails. I'm not sure what you have for room to attach such a thing up there. It looks like it would have to be about 6-8" high and set back about 8-10". If you could some how leave them both on there it would save you tripping over one or the other, and the hassle of switching them all the time.

SS

JJ--I have the experience to help you. But you must quit coming up with excuses. And an electronic solution is ridiculously way off the reservation.

If that photo is your boat, I see a very lightweight, shallow boat with nearly maxed out windage, due to canvas, etc--a dreadful combination for high winds. You can make docking far easier if you take the canvas down when it is blowing--it's just in the way for short-handed docking maneuvers, anyway, and it is a giant sail pressed by wind. Put your foulies on if necessary.

Have everything setup long before you approach the dock: fenders out and others ready to instantly deploy (the assigned job for inexperienced crew), dock lines coiled and ready for instant deployment. You should position yourself at the helm such that you are only a few steps away from attaching the "center" spring line. You must act immediately and decisively when you abandon the helm for the purpose of attaching that spring. Immediately tighten the spring such that there is nowhere for the boat to go. (or it can remain loose so you can power against the spring to keep the boat pinned against the dock). This gives you time to get the bow and stern lines secured with the boat well controlled.

Remember the first rule of yachting:

When a collision is unavoidable, aim for something cheap.

Thanks Pal,

No. More excuses

Taking the top down to secure the boat to the dock?

Thanks for your advice.

If strong winds are preventing you from docking safely, take the side curtains down, at least. They appear to be right in your way from accessing the center spring. If you still can't dock safely, take the top down, too. Reduce your windage and remove obstacles from your path.

I have even more wind purchase than you with less draft as mine is a hard top river jet. I take the bow myself. Window open and nothing in my way when it's go time. Bumpers out before I enter the marina. My dock lines are always ready and coiled. My gal takes the rear as it offers the most stable, and largest area to get on/off without worry. Once the boat is pinned....it's a quick trip up the bunks.

I don't have the option to run a single line for lack of that cleat and my windows make it a pain as they are big sliding glass. Cleat the rear is all I need her to do. I will get the angle needed to secure it be it either direction.....just get her to cleat the thing asap.