As I dream of upgrading my 208 in the next year or two I have a question. At what size is solo handling difficult/impossible? I do a fair number of solo missions and am interested in a 282 or similar. I keep my 208 slipped and will continue to do so with a larger vessel. It's a tidal river with a 8-10 foot tide change so current at times rips. All boats back in at my marina so I do the same. I'm interested to hear what others do.
Solo handling of larger boats
- Thread starter MA208
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I used to have a 275 and now have a 375. I have no trouble taking out the boat and handling by myself. It is not more work either docking or out on the water. In fact, I think it is easier to handle around the dock. I wouldn't let that hold you back on making the upgrade. Good luck!
It'll take a little time to get used to the longer hull and twin engines, but it's really just an "acclimation" period. I run everything from kayaks to 45-footers - outboard, stern drive and straight inboard. You'll get the hang of it pretty quickly and be glad you made the jump. The worst thing? Having to wax it.
There is no hard and fast answer; a lot depends things like how well the vessel responds to the throttles especially in reverse, what the typical winds might be, currents, and the overall space for docking. On larger vessels a bow thruster can really make difference. Heavier boats are a bit easier to control than lighter ones but at the same time can do more damage when they bang into something.
The point is that larger boats can be handled by a single person but sometimes even a 20 footer needs extra hands to dock. There could be times when you have to call ahead to arrange help at the dock.
The fear factor also adds some excitement. For example if you have a private slip you will experience less anxiety than if you have to dock next to another vessel and her owner is watching your every move
The point is that larger boats can be handled by a single person but sometimes even a 20 footer needs extra hands to dock. There could be times when you have to call ahead to arrange help at the dock.
The fear factor also adds some excitement. For example if you have a private slip you will experience less anxiety than if you have to dock next to another vessel and her owner is watching your every move
I recently sold a 48 Searay Sedan Bridge which I solo handled all the time. I now have a Marlin 300. The Searay at 25 tons was a lot easier to handle than the Marlin 300 at about 6 tons, especially docking. I wouldn't be intimidated by the prospect of a larger boat.
I went from a 22' WAC to a 30' Marlin in January. The first few months, pulling up to the dock in a current or wind was a white knuckle experience. You learn your boat and how to compensate for those conditions and now, I can approach the dock under most conditions with a fair bit of confidence (still learning though). I have docked it by myself, even at times when my wife is on board, just to know I can do it. You just need to develop a routine. There happens to be a rod holder clamped to the rail right outside my window at the helm and I tie a line to the center cleat and coil it over the rod holder. I keep the boat hook in the first rocket launcher and when I get to the dock, I grab the boat hook and walk around to the center cleat. I can usually just pick up the line and step onto the dock. I usually pause for a minute a little way from the dock to judge the conditions. If the wind or current dictates that I need to dock on the port side, I just move the hook and line to that side. I still go into yellow alert when approaching any dock, but it's not intimidating, like the first few times were.
Thanks for the responses! Looks like I'll be good to go when it's time to move up. Only 2 hurdles left, part with my 208 (won't be easy, I love the thing and have it set up perfectly for me) and come up with some more funds. If anyone is interested in a 2007 208 (F200 under 500 hours, custom hardtop) I'll have it up in the spring. Fall seems to be a bad time to sell around here in Mass, once the boat show hits in February people get hungry though.