Finishing the Chesapeake Bay (Cruising to the start of the C&D Canal and Chesapeake City)
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- čas přidán 4. 08. 2022
- After a long (for us) break off of Pivot, we are leaving Kent Narrows for the top of the Bay! Unfortunately, either because we are rusty or because its just one of those days, we were the "show". Two almost disastrous docking situations in the Narrows before almost colliding with a Catamaran at anchor led this day to be one to remember, and not in the best terms!
Thanks for watching!
Cheers from the Loop,
Jennifer and Elliot
#greatloop #boatlife #travel
🎥 Episode #261 | Filmed on June 2nd, 2022
🇺🇸 America's Great Loop | Kent Narrows, Maryland
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Hi! We are high school sweethearts from Atlanta, Georgia who decided to take a year off to travel around the world. Together we decided to create vlogs for our journey as a fun way to remember it. On September 15, 2019, we left Atlanta with 3 bags, 2 one-way tickets, and 1 goal of traveling for a whole year. Little did we know, 6 months later we would find ourselves in a nationwide lockdown in India. After spending 5 months in India, we came back to the United States and decided to purchase a 34’ Trawler, dive headfirst into boat life, and kick-off America’s Great Loop.
The good, the bad, the ugly - and most importantly, the real and real funny. We’re not here to tell you “how it’s done.”, just how we’ve done it. And that whatever it is that’s calling you - the way you’ll do it is much more attainable than it may seem.
Thank you for following us along our journey!
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This has become one of my top, favorite AGLCA experience channels. I love real-world information, the reality-experiences and working through all of the things you encounter. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences, highs and lows and everything in between.
Thank you so much Stephen for following along!
To "spring off" and swing the bow off the dock, run a line from a stern dockside cleat forward and loop around a dock cleat and back to the stern. Hang a fender between stern quarter and dock. Engage reverse, medium throttle, the line will come under tension and the bow will slowly swing away from the dock. When far enough out, helm goes to neutral and crew at stern cleat releases the line and pulls it in. Then, power away with no drama. A bow thruster can be a convenience to make the getting off a dock easier.
Makes sense, thanks!
... spring forward as described above... but... add a cross stern line from off-dockside cleat aft at 45 degrees to dock and back to boat. Engage reverse and assess performance as described above... if she starts to swing out: release cross-aft line and go with it with the spring... if she doesn't swing out: release spring forward, engage forward gear with wheel hard pointed off dock... "Pivot" on the swim platform edge so hang a good fluffy fender as close to the corner of it as possible in either scenarios... my "addition" adds a "plan B" to the mix is all. Both lines are handled from the stern deck but on opposite sides of the boat... :)
In that first Kent Narrows dock, Use a spring line looped around a dock cleat, put the rudder hard to starboard and put her in forward. Get the stern off the dock and pointed into the current. Let the bow rotate on the pilings. Once at around 45 degrees to the dock go rudder amidships and half astern as you slip the spring line off the dock cleat. Back off till we’ll clear of boats and proceed. Learn to handle the boat using the wheel walk and only use the bow thruster once you know how to run a single screw boat using spring lines and leverage.
That channel leading out, to the north was an anxiety inducing experience too! I’m a sailboat and I draw 5’. The sandbar just north of the bridge almost got me!
I would have kept my bow tied to use as a pivot and then push off the stern, gently apply throttle to reverse away from the dock and then release the bowline, while continuing to back away from the dock into the current....
Trying to move forward with a current pushing you towards the dock was a bad decision..
You are so right, skipper !
You are still on a learning curve along with thousands of other boaters. You will get lots of answers to the docking problem, read them and when you can give a new idea a try. We have all had problems and they just make us wiser. A cold one and sleep will make it history. Enjoy
💯 thanks Buck!
Your bow thruster may have a thermal overload feature that temporary switches off the thruster when you do a long thrust. It then resets itself when the thermal overload devices cools back off. Try not to rely on the thruster for close in maneuvering. Using pilings or docking cleats to "Pivot" on make a lot of sense in strong currents. Also the Navionics programs does have a Tides and Currents feature under Weather and Tides that provide valuable information. I'm so glad you enjoyed Annapolis during your stay!
Thanks Brian! We do heavily use the tides and currents on Navionics as well as other apps, they are great tools.
I live at the narrows! Glad you stopped by! The currents rip through the narrows and we’ve definitely seen it all 😂
Hehe I bet you've seen some shows 😁
Y'all should have taken a side trip up the Sassafras to Georgetown. Fresh water, no sea nettles, good swimming off your boat, and a cute town.
Thanks for the recommendation John!
That area of the narrows is super rough with a good current flow. The channel through the bridge can be super sketchy when the current is ripping. You guys had a nice slack tide cruising through the narrows.. well done
You guys are awesome & very down to earth persons ❤❤❤❤❤❤
❤️❤️❤️
Hey! I’m Bill and Margie’s son. I know they really enjoyed meeting and spending time with you both. They relayed many a tale of the trials and tribulations that are coming and I’m looking forward to watching all about it. I appreciate all you did for them and I’m sure they feel the same!
Stay well wherever you are in your travels :)
Hey Kyle! Thanks for saying hi! We had a fantastic time cruising with Bill and Margie and hope to say hi again when we come around to St. Pete!
I lived on the Western shore in 1946-47 across from Balto Lite.....Tydings on the Bay. What a fantastic
Life we had living on the Chesapeake......u learn about real life and read weather...tides... fishing 🎣
Crabing.....it was the best time of my 84 years besides having my children.....just a different type of life
A beautiful time......o yes u do learn about how to learn about signs of weather..... incredible......enjoy ur life on the Chesapeake......o I watching the big container ship leaving Balto for ports unknown. Thanks so much
Thank you so much for watching Jane! Sounds like you had a lovely time on the Chesapeake!
Harrowing, but educational, day.
The next you leave the dock try backing away from the dock and continue a 360 until your bow is pointed in the direction you want to go. It works for me!
Thanks Bill!
I know this is ancient history now, and the other comments cover the spring line options, but i thought I would point out the ultimate, old school way of doing it, which is to take a light anchor out and pull the boat out to that before getting under way. Slow but utterly reliable and the stronger the wind or current the more sense it makes.
Interesting, that’s a new one, thanks for letting us know !
I would have “sprung” out going out stern first…..
I think that's what we will do next time!
When you have the current pushing into the dock and a boat in front of you…try backing out!
i thought the rule in that condition was reversing off the dock
Totally makes sense!
I think reversing and backing out are the same in this situation! A good plan
Hahaha! I just spent a week on the same dock! Leaving it made me super nervous too! I did it at slack tide with minimal current.
haha, you were smart to wait for slack tide!
That anchorage in Ches City is stupid tight. The free dock is great, but in the late spring is usually full. Good call to raft up.
I think too, the previous couple days of poor weather caused a bit of a hold up on the Delaware Bay...
hey you 2! We're loving watching your travels and adventures and experiences. Glad you made it back to Pivot and passed the 'welcome back to cruising' exam! We can totally relate, right there with you, learning by experiencing and doing, and look forward to following in your foot steps next season. Keep those vlogs coming and -- keep the shiney sides up~! T&B
Thanks so much Ted and Beth!
We all have bad days. You learn from them and try not to re-experience the scary ones. :) Enjoy the accomplishment, you arrived .. nothing broke and nobody got hurt..
Totally agree! Thanks John 😁
Sending for persevering through a long day. Its a steep learning curve, (never ending). Good idea to take a breather and not attempt the Delaware when you are tired. Safe travels.
Thanks so much Ann!
Search CZcams for “springing off the dock” rope techniques for that type of departure. You guys are great!!!
What you're looking for when fighting the current and closely berthed boats is to use your spring line. Fender w-a-y back aft against the dock, after spring line slipped from the mid or bow cleat back to the aft end of the dock, hard left rudder and steady higher rpms to warp the bow out. You overused the bow thruster; they are not rated for unlimited use. Always, always test the thruster(s) before departure. Now...brief it out between the two of you and save it for the next time.
Thanks Jack!
Hi guys from the crew of Friday Night! We have a thermal over ride / shut off on our thrusters and I'm quite certain you do as well. IE when you are using them heavily and they reach a certain temperature they will stop working. They require a period of time to cool down before they are operational again. Its happened to us as well! You guys are killing it! Be Safe!
Maybe that was it! Thanks for the comment y'all!
Wow, what a stressful day. Glad nothing bad came from all of that! I'm sure you were glad to get some rest and start over fresh in the morning.
Some good R&R really helps the soul, especially on those boating days where it doesn’t quite go according to plan.
@@SchoandJo So true! That's an important principle to remember when having a bad day while camping or living in a sticks and bricks as well. Looking forward to watching your next adventure!
Great job! Enjoy your vlog,love the Georgia tech shirt,thanks from Wilmington island Georgia
Thanks Lori 😁 Go Jackets!
Hi...Enjoying your videos...Calvin and Karen Ontario Canada..
Happy Cruising 🚅🚅
Hi Karen and Calvin! It was lovely meeting y'all on the Trent Severn 😁
Hey yall, just finished catching up on your vlog. I have watch all of your great loop vids now. My wife and I have decided to buy a boat and live aboard and do the great loop. I have taken a lot of notes to get prepared from your videos. I am so glad you are honest on your videos. Did you ever find something to prevent the nats? When I was younger we used skin so soft, we would oil up even in our hair, but it kept the nats away. Great content, keep learning.
Our solution to the gnats was always clothing and closed windows. We had some products but ran out of gnats to test them with 😁 That's fantastic to hear you are going to do the Loop, you will have a grand time!
As other's have commented, use a spring line, nose bow into the dock then reverse into the current/wind, you'll find it way less stressful 😀 👍
Thanks!
I hope things were less stressful for you all the next morning. Keep traveling safe.
Thanks Suzanne, definitely was 😁
We have an old full keel sailboat that doesn’t at all like maneuvering in close quarters in calm and slack water conditions. Add wind and current and it is a toss up how she will handle. Our only magic is line handling. In your situation a stern line and some reverse toque would have driven your bow out. Hope you do not think I am condescending. I have been docking boats my whole life and still learn a thing or two what nature can throw at you. You all did great!
We definitely don't think that Brian, thank you for your advice! 😁
Lots of good comments here about using lines to get off dock. Another thing to work on is using “prop walk” on a single screw boat. Recently my rudder fell off….yes, fell off. I was not too far from the dock and able to get back in by “bumping” the throttle in forward and then reverse using the “prop walk” to port when in reverse. Not pretty, but it worked along with a couple of good folks who helped grab the boat at my dock. I’ve had the boat for over 20 years but this was a first for me. Dont get too down about failures, jut use them as teaching moments. Hope to see you on the Erie Canal sometime!
Thanks Randy! You're right, they are all just learning experiences in the end 😁
Thanks for sharing the experience. Old saying "Time and Tide wait for no man". Your thruster failed. What if your engine had faltered? Was it necessary to leave with the tide coming/going like that? Could you have waited for slack? Did you have fenders/dock lines at the ready? Checking a 'critical' item like the thruster before departing is a good idea (do you check the motor before dropping lines? FWD and ASTern on the transmission?) Ii think your idea of springing the bow or stern off is a great one and warrants practice at an uncrowded dock in good/ideal conditions before you need to use it for real. On a personal, imagine doing that all with a 10' bowsprit, no thruster and a low powered auxiliary motor-ed sailboat! Thanks again for sharing -
all good points!
I second the advice from TheBigWWI. Better to learn without the thruster, using a spring line attached to the bow. Backing out is usually better, due to rounded shape of bow. This approach avoids damaging the swim platform.
Helping fellow mariners in need should make you feel good
Just doing our part!
I don't mean to sound boat snobbish but you should stop relying on the bow thrusters and learn to use "spring lines". The thruster should only be used to help out....probably not large enough to push you against a strong current or wind.
Hope you had a good time in Knoxville. Come back for a visit sometime.
We just might come up the Tennessee River back to Knoxville in 6 weeks. We will see 😁
Great video and experience. I haven’t seen you on Nebo since near Clayton on the st Lawrence! Wondering where you are!
Back on Nebo now!
Try a spring off the bow, turn away from the dock bring the stern way out, realease.
Leave backwards like a ship. If you try forwards the stern will always hit unless you have stern thrusters. Go in frontwards and leave backwards.
To 'spring out' from the dock you will need to use one of the spring lines not the Stern or bow line. Practice with no danger and you will see how productive this works. Back to the video......🤪
Thanks Richard 😁
Expect worse case when anchoring. First choice is communicated with neighboring captain. Captain not on board assume they have a hundred out in ten feet. Another consideration is boat type. Modern lightweight sailboats “sail” on their anchors in strong winds. Heavy full keel boats ride the current more than the wind. Just like docking it is a learning curve we all have. The only way to master it is to stick with it.
20 yrs on the water, sailboat live aboard for 10 yrs, currently on a single engine trawler, and a former Inland Push Boat Capt (something you will become very familiar with once you are on the Mississippi and Tennessee/Warrior Rivers. I was not there remind you, but I have more hours behind the helm than I can remember. There are very few absolutes in this world, your moto slower is better can back fire on you, that bow thruster is a good tool but not your only tool and should not be your only go to. From what I saw you just needed a burst of throttle (remember slower is not always better) and a little rudder would safely got you past that boat.
That's true, " maybe slower than slow but not slower than the prevailing current + wind " 😁😁😁
If you have been stationary for a while, the prop in the bow thruster might be fouled with marine growth. Makes a big difference if the prop is fouled, you will get no thrust.
A good thing to consider - thanks!
Procedurally you should verify the thrust from the bow thruster before dropping your lines. Every time something goes wrong it is a learning opportunity.
Totally agree, we've added it to the list! Was surprising because it was literally just working coming into the dock, and hasn't failed since.
Sometimes you need to pay for a dock when that anchorage is tight. There was plenty of space across the river. Proper scope without chain is at least 5-1 The catamaran anchored properly.
I think all the boats here had chain - but totally agree on finding a dock! That would have made sense...
Lines are the way to go . But in this situation, you could turn your ruther to the right bow to the dock , a little throttle , then your back comes of the dock straighten out your ruther and lots of gas to the back . I think that would have worked this time .
That makes sense to me... thanks for the recommendation Martin
Are you guys planning on going through the Erie Canal, or the Trent Severn?
Both!!
Hudson N.Y. did it at all remind you of New Bern North Carolina.? It look very similar.
Hmm, to be honest, not really! Both were fantastic places, Hudson was a bit larger and more hilly but both were historic 😁
Treat yourself to hiring a professional instruction captain who will train you to have a set of standard operating procedures for leaving the dock etc. On your own boat. Have fun but be safe.
Are you doing the East or West side of Lake Michigan on your way through?
We are leaving that up to the projected Wind forecast. Will probably make a decision in 4-5 days...
Just subscribed to your channel, I am in the process of selling my home to do what you guys doing, me and my 3 little dogs.
Awesome Steven, we hope you have a fantastic journey!
Hey. Guys
Agree with Bill Meade and Martin Martin. Spring out in reverse stern first into current. Once stern is out away from the dock, release final spring line and accelerate in reverse up current and away from dock. Bow thruster totally unecessary for this method. Learned single screw boat handling as a kid. suggest you play around at some wide open docks to learn how the boat can be sprung off the dock on forward or reverse. This will help ypou gain confidence and be able to deal with current and wind.
Hey Greg!
Also, tie a line from your stern cleat to the dock. Then turn the wheel to the left and put the trans in forward.