The Anecdotal Life Part. 58
Well! I did it. (Or I nearly almost did it.) With a relaxed licensed teacher in the cockpit and/or on the flybridge handing out directions, I took my boat out onto the bay, turned around for home, came back through that gol-darned tricky channel, waited while the marina launched a boat, and then I docked it. I turned the boat completely around in the fairway (which always makes my heart skip a beat ) and backed in stern first. I made one mistake on the way out and my teacher helped me correct that, then I started to make a whopper of a mistake on the way in, but immediately corrected that myself.
What I would give to dock it bow first. What sort of a crime is that anyway? My engines might be better off. I know more about the depth finder and radio now. That depth finder, when first on, indicates no depth whatsoever. That's because my boat is sitting on mud! Not all the time, but more than what I would like. But whatever, what I don't know is still ......legend.
So I need to practice going out and going over 8 knots so I can work the trim tab device and I will have to learn the Loran, the Radar, and GPS. Little stuff like that. (Eek!)
Next fall I will take a piloting class followed by a second piloting course. Right now, however, its in and out until I can maneuver without having worry about the simple stuff, though from what I hear, the docking is never part of the simple stuff.
Then there is a little problem with some mistakes the marina made in launching my boat, such as a forgotten, but crucial battery charger switch and an electrical jury-rigged connection to the repair light that was too loose and never should have existed, but all that affected the automatic float, the bilge blower switch, and the bilge blower, each of which took a hit. Therefore I am lifting the hatch to remove fumes (hatch weighs a ton), using the manual switch to empty the bilge and running back and forth between Annapolis and East Baltimore to keep checking on the whole mess. But , I always stop and smile to think that I did it. I can very nearly go out to the bay and come back by myself. Never will though, because it takes a good crew behind me to do lines, yell warnings, etc. It is a terrific feeling, once one gets the feeling that something seemingly unconquerable, starts to look conquerable! I topped all that off by watching a horse named "Street Sense" do the impossible in some truly slick maneuvering! Albeit a day late, Happy Cinco de Mayo everybody!
Copyright: May 6, 2007
What I would give to dock it bow first. What sort of a crime is that anyway? My engines might be better off. I know more about the depth finder and radio now. That depth finder, when first on, indicates no depth whatsoever. That's because my boat is sitting on mud! Not all the time, but more than what I would like. But whatever, what I don't know is still ......legend.
So I need to practice going out and going over 8 knots so I can work the trim tab device and I will have to learn the Loran, the Radar, and GPS. Little stuff like that. (Eek!)
Next fall I will take a piloting class followed by a second piloting course. Right now, however, its in and out until I can maneuver without having worry about the simple stuff, though from what I hear, the docking is never part of the simple stuff.
Then there is a little problem with some mistakes the marina made in launching my boat, such as a forgotten, but crucial battery charger switch and an electrical jury-rigged connection to the repair light that was too loose and never should have existed, but all that affected the automatic float, the bilge blower switch, and the bilge blower, each of which took a hit. Therefore I am lifting the hatch to remove fumes (hatch weighs a ton), using the manual switch to empty the bilge and running back and forth between Annapolis and East Baltimore to keep checking on the whole mess. But , I always stop and smile to think that I did it. I can very nearly go out to the bay and come back by myself. Never will though, because it takes a good crew behind me to do lines, yell warnings, etc. It is a terrific feeling, once one gets the feeling that something seemingly unconquerable, starts to look conquerable! I topped all that off by watching a horse named "Street Sense" do the impossible in some truly slick maneuvering! Albeit a day late, Happy Cinco de Mayo everybody!
Copyright: May 6, 2007
posted by The Anecdotal Life at 7:01 AM
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