New to boating and need help please

[Mojo4fishin]

Hi,

So I have brought a new boat but are concerned to take it out as often as I like. Not sure if any one is in the same situation as me?

The the boat is equipped for offshore fishing, my issue is launching and retrieving the boat.

Actually when I'm launching and retrieving I get a bit nervous coming to the pontoon / jetty if other boats are around, just on things like what angle, speed to approach etc and normally make my self look stupid, as the boat is brand new I also don't want to hit the pontoon/jetty and scratch the boat.

I now this sort of thing you get better with practice, but I'm struggling at the moment and need help.

I was hoping if someone could give me some pointer, or even show me?

I live around the Liverpool area and happy to travel to places like botany area (preference )or any other place in Sydney.

Any help would be appreciated please.

Boat type

Aluminum

5.75m

115hp

Cheers

New and need help.

[Fab1]

Hi,

So I have brought a new boat but are concerned to take it out as often as I like. Not sure if any one is in the same situation as me?

The the boat is equipped for offshore fishing, my issue is launching and retrieving the boat.

Actually when I'm launching and retrieving I get a bit nervous coming to the pontoon / jetty if other boats are around, just on things like what angle, speed to approach etc and normally make my self look stupid, as the boat is brand new I also don't want to hit the pontoon/jetty and scratch the boat.

I now this sort of thing you get better with practice, but I'm struggling at the moment and need help.

I was hoping if someone could give me some pointer, or even show me?

I live around the Liverpool area and happy to travel to places like botany area (preference )or any other place in Sydney.

Any help would be appreciated please.

Boat type

Aluminum

5.75m

115hp

Cheers

New and need help.

Hi mate,congrats on your new boat but in all honesty you will probably cause some damage while your learning as your bound to make mistakes.It is for this reason people usually buy second hand boats as their first as they usually come with someone else's scrapes/dings.

My advice is make sure you have your fenders out when approaching the jetty/pontoon as "Slowly"as possible to avoid too much damage if a mistake is made.

I sit out from the pontoon/jetty about 15m taking note of the wind,current direction and base my attack on that.

If the wind is blowing you into the pontoon/jetty you will need to come in at a shallower angel as slow as need be and as you come side on to the jetty the wind/tide will push you in to the jetty/pontoon.You may need to give it short bursts of reverse thrust to slow down/stop.

When approaching the pontoon on a calm day I come in at around a 45deg angle very slowly again and when around a couple of meters from the bow hitting the pontoon I steer hard to starboard to swing parallel to the dock then put it in reverse swinging hard to port to swing the stern closer to the dock.

It really is a feel thing and each boat reacts differently to driver inputs based on weight,windage etc.

My advise is go as fast as your prepared to hit the dock and use small bursts of forward thrust and reverse thrust and take your time to sit out from the dock to observe the conditions at rest before proceeding with your manoeuvres.

Watch some you tube videos on how to dock a boat and with practice you will get the hang of it.

I still occasionally make mistakes and hope this helps you a little.

Cheers.

[Welster]

It is definitely easier with a friend. I agree with fab 1 and would add your probably better off going into the wind whenever possible.

It find it annoying just how long boats and crew hang around a ramp getting in every bodies way.

When launching solo I mostly pick quiet days and generally use ramps with beaches rather than pontoons.

Happy to join you some time or vice versa but probably wont be able to add any extra insights. Drop me a pm if you like.

Edited March 26, 2016 by welst

[big Neil]

I really would encourage you to go with somebody experienced a few times, before venturing out on your own. Even things like putting the boat in and out of water CAN be tricky. You'll pick it up very quickly and then it's only a matter of practice makes perfect. Good luck and congrats on ur new vessel.

[Guest 4myson]

As Fab1 stated invest in fenders ! And as they say Practice makes perfect .... I can only recommend you choose a day or a ramp that is not busy that way you can a few practice runs without feeling rushed or be worried about holding people up . I'm around the area so if you want shoot through a PM & I'll be more than happy to meet up some time & help out a Newby ... (We were All New to boating at Some Stage)

[Xsite]

Practice make perfect.

How I practice is when I am in the open water, find a floating debris( or drop a large float in to water) and try to hit it at different speed, angle in different direction, you soon will be very good without damaging your boat

Hope that will help

xsite

[Mojo4fishin]

All thank you for the reply and advice on my issues.

I will just keep on practicing, and use the Fab1s advice to go in as slow as possible on angle. I have also been you tubing a lot and will put the to practice every time I go out and just keep on practicing. I have come to accept the fact that I will dent and scratch the boat, fenders are my best friend at the moment.

Cheers all for the great advice from great people in the forum.

Cheers

Mojo

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[Danielwarson]

Hey mate, I'm also new to boating well (2 months experience) best thing to do is go late at night when nobody's there and just launch and retrieve 2-3 times I'm still not the best but getting a it better I have a 16ft half cabin I seen a few people driving it on the trailer so I tried that and failed big time lol so now I just manually do it all but try and go when there's no body there because some "experienced boaters" will make you feel like your an idiot and don't have the patience ( not all but the few Iv seen) Iv hit the boat around 35 times on the pontoon now and last week nearly ended up on the pontoon but it's ok you will learn from your mistakes good luck I'm going out tonight hopefully it's not a struggle!

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[antonywardle]

I launch and retrieve mine on my own

To learn I would go to some of the smaller ramps

when no one was around. I still get it wrong from

time to time, and the wind is sometimes a pain

but mostly its not too bad. I'm not game to have a go

at driving on

[jeffb5.8]

I just sit off the wharf or ramp and watch for a few minutes if it's busy, and have my ropes ready to go and neat.

Throw the bumpers on the side and then head in, nice and slow. The slower the better and if I have to, I will have a couple of goes or I tie of one end of the boat and then muscle the opposite end into the wharf.

I will be super nervous in 2 or 3 weeks when my new (First ever for me) boat arrives.

I have done the drive on thing once or twice but when in doubt or nervous i just winch it on.

[Cargo05]

If you have a mate with boating experience it would be a great help to have him go out with you, in your boat, a few times. Then it is practice, practice, practice. Each time you go out will see an improvement in reversing down the ramp, and launching and retrieving the boat. When I was new to boating I also spent time watching others at the ramp and tried to pick up better ways to do things. Something that also stood out was that there are many boaties who are either new or only occasional fishos. Another thing I did was try to avoid busy times so that I wasn’t holding anyone else up. I used to practice reversing in empty shopping centre car parks as well.

[shakey55]

Hi,

So I have brought a new boat but are concerned to take it out as often as I like. Not sure if any one is in the same situation as me?

The the boat is equipped for offshore fishing, my issue is launching and retrieving the boat.

Actually when I'm launching and retrieving I get a bit nervous coming to the pontoon / jetty if other boats are around, just on things like what angle, speed to approach etc and normally make my self look stupid, as the boat is brand new I also don't want to hit the pontoon/jetty and scratch the boat.

I now this sort of thing you get better with practice, but I'm struggling at the moment and need help.

I was hoping if someone could give me some pointer, or even show me?

I live around the Liverpool area and happy to travel to places like botany area (preference )or any other place in Sydney.

Any help would be appreciated please.

Boat type

Aluminum

5.75m

115hp

Cheers

New and need help.

Keep practising. You'll get it eventually.

If you get the time try the ramp at the back of flower power on Newbridge Road. You will find it very quite and it would be a good ramp to practise.

[Mojo4fishin]

Keep practising. You'll get it eventually.

If you get the time try the ramp at the back of flower power on Newbridge Road. You will find it very quite and it would be a good ramp to practise.

Hi mate, thank you for this but refuse to go to the ramp, I have had a bad experience with jet skiers and not letting me retrieve my boat in the past. Coming up to the colder weather I may think. About going. But I think practice is the only thing at this point.

[Mojo4fishin]

I just sit off the wharf or ramp and watch for a few minutes if it's busy, and have my ropes ready to go and neat.

Throw the bumpers on the side and then head in, nice and slow. The slower the better and if I have to, I will have a couple of goes or I tie of one end of the boat and then muscle the opposite end into the wharf.

I will be super nervous in 2 or 3 weeks when my new (First ever for me) boat arrives.

I have done the drive on thing once or twice but when in doubt or nervous i just winch it on.

I now. Have the wife drive the boat on. As we are both new I still hold the rope as a guide and she drives the boat on[emoji2].

Any issue we just winch it on like normal.

[shakey55]

Sorry. I was suggesting use that ramp midweek etc to practise when there is normally nobody there. I don't use that anymore, in fact I was advised by a major boat trailer builder at Ingleburn that there have been a number of trailers stolen there in the past 12 months.

Although it is a bit of a drive I use ramps in the Sutherland Shire.

I'm thinking of joining St George Motor Boat Club (Sans Souci) so I can use their ramp and have fairly secure parking.

I recently read an article where the owners of Daltone House (a well known reception centre business) have purchased the old Deepwater Motor Boat Club at Milperra and are going to redevelop the entire site including boat ramps.

Good luck with the boating. It is a great pastime and fun.

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[jeffb5.8]

I also practice reversing the trailer in my single lane driveway. I go round the block and then try again, adjusting the angles of approach.
Each time a little different and added pressure of cars driving past.
Helps a lot

[Mojo4fishin]

Sorry. I was suggesting use that ramp midweek etc to practise when there is normally nobody there. I don't use that anymore, in fact I was advised by a major boat trailer builder at Ingleburn that there have been a number of trailers stolen there in the past 12 months.

Although it is a bit of a drive I use ramps in the Sutherland Shire.

I'm thinking of joining St George Motor Boat Club (Sans Souci) so I can use their ramp and have fairly secure parking.

I recently read an article where the owners of Daltone House (a well known reception centre business) have purchased the old Deepwater Motor Boat Club at Milperra and are going to redevelop the entire site including boat ramps.

Good luck with the boating. It is a great pastime and fun.

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Thank you sir.

I always lock the trailer when I park at the boat ramps but still great to know.

[jeffb5.8]

Every little bit helps and the traffic aspect certainly puts a little pressure on doesn't it ?

It does but lucky for me and them our road isn't to busy and it's a good 4 lanes wide, so plenty of room to move.

[recurve]

End of the day you are going to scratch your boat and it is going to get banged up a wee bit. You have an alloy boat so better at taking a beating than a glass boat. I ordered my boat new and I ordered it raw as I did not want to worry about scratching paint. I get compliments on my boat all the time. Now and again people ask me why I did not paint it. End of the day I have had my boat for 4 years now and launch off some pretty nasty ramps on South Coast and I think it looks better with it's scrapes and scratches.

Surprised no one has mentioned this. Best two things you can get to dramatically improve your ramp experience are.

1)Pole Gaff. Every boat should have a pole gaff. This is a pole with a rope hook and plug on one end so you can push off things or grap rails and rope. If you are worried about scraping these things are invaluable. Especially when your on your own. You can get 3 foot from the jetty. Stop the movement then stop the motor. Hook onto the jetty and pull your self in.

If you have a super roller trailer then spend some money and get a self retrieve launch system installed. You can put the crew member on the bow. Drive straight at the ramp and then have them step off onto the Jetty then reverse.

I have a Surtees 5.5 Here is a video of a Surtees Self Latch. You can buy generic ones as well. These things are brilliant.

But if you get one make sure you secure the safety chain before driving.

[Floating_Medic]

Hey mate,

I'm in Panania area so not far from you. If you are still having dramas with launching and retrieving the boat I am happy to meet you at the ramp near Flower Power in Milperra to help you get your head around both situations.

PM me as I'm not regularly on here and I will get a notification of a PM.

Cheers,

Alan.

[fishattracted]

Hi and congrats on new boat. We all have been new to boating and I was no different . As I had a very close call in my early days of boating I believe any advise from experience helps. I live within less than 5 minutes away from boat ramps into Chipping Norton lake, Hume Highway side. I'll be happy to meet up with you and have a talk to see what I can help or advise you on and we can take it from there. I'm in no means a professional in boating, but if I can help then I'll be happy to.Cheers.