backing up

[Alan-S]

coming in with the dock on left, approatch at 5-70 degrees at idle, 10 feet neutral 5 feet 1500rpm reverse. This will bring you in with a little momentum parallel to the dock. With my experience with single engine inboards, I like to do it the other way. In my 210 I come in with the dock on my RIGHT, with 10 feet from dock, hard left(enough to smash the platform on the pier) hold turn to parallel and then moderate/strong reverse. The left walking reverse will stop the momentum of the stern and leave you about 1-2 feet from the dock....wait.....wait..... the turbulence from your turn and reversing catches up with you and will set you against the dock so soft you dont even need to catch it. Just a little trick I learned from my grandfather. Captain W.T. Thomas, USS Coral Sea. Try it very soft and slow, but you really need enought momentum to swing the stern, otherwise you will just end up nose first into the dock.

[ag4ever]

Alan,

That is fairly similar to how i do it. I try to have too much momentum sending me to the left and then use reverse to control the momentum.

[Socbum]

I have been using the boat hook to help when we are in tight spots on water and during the winter to put up xmas lights on the tree :grin: