Anyone buy too much boat for their first boat?

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

I get the screw the pooch line from the movie The Right Stuff....when the hatch blew on the spacecraft upon splashdown.....I once watched as a young deputy struggled to dock a new twin outboard center console at Lake Travis...this was at Carlos N Charlie's near Austin TX....yes the crowd was huge and many started in on him....I felt bad for him cuz I knew he was wanting to find a hole to crawl in, but he stuck with it and finally got her docked.

The general rules are....the perfect docking only occurs when there is nobody there to see it...our weakest moments are usually public knowledge....to hell with them all if they can't take a joke!!!!

St. Louis Dave · **Posted:** Sun May 13, 2012 9:29 am

TX H210SS wrote:

I get the screw the pooch line from the movie The Right Stuff....when the hatch blew on the spacecraft upon splashdown.....I once watched as a young deputy struggled to dock a new twin outboard center console at Lake Travis...this was at Carlos N Charlie's near Austin TX....yes the crowd was huge and many started in on him....I felt bad for him cuz I knew he was wanting to find a hole to crawl in, but he stuck with it and finally got her docked.

Best part is when everyone cheers when you finally get it in. When it happens to you, (it will. We've all been there) be sure to honk the horn, wave, and enjoy the drink that will be paid for waiting for you. You'll then hear MANY conversations in the group on their experience. Go with it and enjoy your boat.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

I have a deputy friend of mine that almost flipped his twin engine duty boat on its side one day at Pennecamp screwing around jumping wake from other boats. We have it on video and I get into the park for free since he screwed up so bad. His tea bag safety gear flew out and hit him in the face and we always call ahead and tell him to leave our names at the gate or it's going on YouTube and we are going to name the video Cop gets T- bagged can you imagine it would go viral! No I won't post it of course he would get in a stink I am sure.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

TX H210SS wrote:

I get the screw the pooch line from the movie The Right Stuff....when the hatch blew on the spacecraft upon splashdown.....I once watched as a young deputy struggled to dock a new twin outboard center console at Lake Travis...this was at Carlos N Charlie's near Austin TX....yes the crowd was huge and many started in on him....I felt bad for him cuz I knew he was wanting to find a hole to crawl in, but he stuck with it and finally got her docked.

The general rules are....the perfect docking only occurs when there is nobody there to see it...our weakest moments are usually public knowledge....to hell with them all if they can't take a joke!!!!

Got it now! My ramp is way worse they don't clap when you get things right they just move on to whatever else is going on. I am guilty Of actually getting boo'ed at by them once before I purchased my boat I was sitting with them and helped this guy with this tiny girlfriend tie up a boat all I did was grab a line and pull the transom in while his girl held the bow. Omg!' sounded like I shot someone they really wanted them to have problems. Never gone there again!

LouC · **Posted:** Sun May 13, 2012 5:56 pm

Screw them. Go somewhere else if you can, the less people the better. Its not a talent show you are just learning. Expect it to take a while to become a confident boater. Don't bother going out if it's at all windy for now. Stick to calm days and less busy waters. It took me about 3 summers worth here to get comfortable. You are learning lots of new skills all at once and are trying to learn it all on your own. I bet you didn't learn to drive a car that way, so try to get some help if you can.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

I am definitely staying away from them at that marina! As for the wind it seems it has been too windy in South Florida lately for me to get any practice. Next month I am being told the winds die down and it will be perfect boating weather hopefully! I am going to try to get some practice on Thursday just at the marina with the fenders up on all four sides like a bumper boat lol! I am sure I will get some funny looks but I don't care. I am feeling less apprehensive after reading all your post, I have to learn with practice and that won't happen at my storage unit. Wish there were some fresh water lakes in South Florida but all we have is narrow canals unless I trailer her up to Lake Okeechobee but that is a long haul. I will take pictures of her with all her fenders on so you guys and girls can get a good chuckle.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

They gave you the business for helping....really! What a group of a-holes...wish I could a been there to cause a scene....I've seen me do it. I've been boating for over 15 years and can dock and trailer a boat 21 and under as good as any and better than most...with that said I've screwed things up coming and going, but always have offered to help those in need......and while on the topic of snobs, most golfers suck at playing golf and the ones with the fanciest clubs and pants seem to suck the worst. Watch Caddy Shack and go boating.....just stay away from the Baby Ruth bars floating in the water cuz you never know.

Ccmblack · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 12:34 am

Jafo...nothing feels better boating than when you bring the boat ino the dock, spin it and softly nestle it up othe dock. I bet you one afternoon of touch and gos and your confidence will be through the roof.

Also, if you want to practice in the open water, I like to toss a fender in the water and practice swinging up to it on the port side...also a good man overboard practice. Either way, it will help understanding and mastering speed and drift.

BarryBoats · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 5:41 pm

Yes. I am in the Loggerhead barn at Black Point. My suggestion is to hire a local captain and take some lessons. We moved up from a 195 Sundowner to a 338 Vista. After 20yrs of boating, I was a novice again. The best money we every spent was on a captain to give us lessons on docking, pulling into a slip, and local knowledge. The captain taught me the basics and my wife how to handle the lines and assist me. There are still times 5yrs later that I appear to be a novice, but so does everyone.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

Ccmblack wrote:

Jafo...nothing feels better boating than when you bring the boat ino the dock, spin it and softly nestle it up othe dock. I bet you one afternoon of touch and gos and your confidence will be through the roof.

Also, if you want to practice in the open water, I like to toss a fender in the water and practice swinging up to it on the port side...also a good man overboard practice. Either way, it will help understanding and mastering speed and drift.

LOL! On the touch and go's I take it you fly also. Your right I didn't learn how to fly that piper in one afternoon so I am definitely giving this boat practice a major priority! I am not sure who told me about the fender in the water before it might've been you and I have tried it and I seem to run it over aLOT! Ok I am getting better at it as time goes on. It's funny but the first time that I docked the boat was my best run at it no problems at all, after that I have definitely gone downhill. Or screwed the pooch as my friends on here say

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

BarryBoats wrote:

Yes. I am in the Loggerhead barn at Black Point. My suggestion is to hire a local captain and take some lessons. We moved up from a 195 Sundowner to a 338 Vista. After 20yrs of boating, I was a novice again. The best money we every spent was on a captain to give us lessons on docking, pulling into a slip, and local knowledge. The captain taught me the basics and my wife how to handle the lines and assist me. There are still times 5yrs later that I appear to be a novice, but so does everyone.

I would be very interested to hire a Captain to show me the ropes that would be great! If you have a name of someone at your Marina that would be able to take out some time out of their schedule for Thursday or Friday at a reasonable rate I would really appreciate their number. You went from a 19 foot Sundowner to a 338 Vista I want the name of the Captain that gave you lessons because I am sure his name should be Super Captain. Loggerhead barn is behind the Tiki Bar isn't it?

ric · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 7:50 am

If you ever drove a car on an ice covered parking lot, that's what it's like to dock a boat. Easy goes it. No sudden movements. Let the weight carry you home. Also wind is a big factor, when you get to know your boat you'll know how the wind effects it. My boat is a totally different animal with the bimini top up or down. Then then current also.

I got it where I can shut my motor off 100ft from my slip and just coast it in, but that took 6 months of docking practice. The outdrive is still a rudder even when the engine off. A pretty effective one actually.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

TX H210SS wrote:

They gave you the business for helping....really! What a group of a-holes...wish I could a been there to cause a scene....I've seen me do it. I've been boating for over 15 years and can dock and trailer a boat 21 and under as good as any and better than most...with that said I've screwed things up coming and going, but always have offered to help those in need......and while on the topic of snobs, most golfers suck at playing golf and the ones with the fanciest clubs and pants seem to suck the worst. Watch Caddy Shack and go boating.....just stay away from the Baby Ruth bars floating in the water cuz you never know.

LOL!! Most golfers suck at playing golf!!! I have seen guys at the golf course with 300 dollar plus drivers that can't swing them to save their lives. Or the ones with 1000 dollar golf bags that can't seem to stay sober after the first two holes and blame every bad shot on being drunk. Have you ever seen a really drunk guy get into a sandtrap and go crazy when he can't hit the ball OMG! talk about hilarious! I guess I am guilty of exactly what the people at the marina do to us just in another arena.

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

ric wrote:

If you ever drove a car on an ice covered parking lot, that's what it's like to dock a boat. Easy goes it. No sudden movements. Let the weight carry you home. Also wind is a big factor, when you get to know your boat you'll know how the wind effects it. My boat is a totally different animal with the bimini top up or down. Then then current also.

I got it where I can shut my motor off 100ft from my slip and just coast it in, but that took 6 months of docking practice.

LOL! we never drove cars like that on ice, we drove them llike we stole them, in Chicago where I am from some of the best times growing up were swinging those cars around on ice until we got dizzy! I know what you mean about the cars on ice it's makes sense since you can't stop on a dime on either of them if you wanted to.

wbiii · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 2:21 pm

I agree with everyone else. We also did the multiple boat thing until we found exactly what we want. It cost us 21K to finally land on the right boat with trades in, losses, etc. We started with a 02 Sea Doo jetski, went to a 2003 Rinker 232, then a 04 270 Rinker, and finally ended with the 2000 338 Four Winns. I don't wish all that on anybody. Heck, we still own 10K on a boat we no longer own!! If my husband wouldn't have been so nervous about twins, we would have skipped over the 270 and went bigger right away. Learning curve I guess. I have taken all of them out alone with my friends except the 338...haven't had enough practice yet. It takes time.

Another great piece of advice we got....never go any faster than you want to hit the dock (referring to docking). There is always an "oops".

www.iFourWinns.com

Anyone buy too much boat for their first boat?

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