Anybody have trouble docking their 2320?

[Jawbreaker]

OK, I have about 2000 hours experience piloting outboard and I/O boats in saltwater, including about 200 hours in my 2007 2320. I am very happy with the Parker and love the boat, but man do I have trouble docking it. Never had this difficulty with any past boat.

Part of the problem is that my dock is on the windward (starboard) rail with a narrow slip, and 15 to 20 knot afternoon cross winds are the norm, plus I often dock singlehanded, but it's more than that.

At idle, steering response in forward gear is not positive and extremely slow. To run perpendicular to a cross wind higher than about 10 knots, the boat must crab sideways at about a 45 degree angle.

In reverse, things are worse. The prop has no bite, probably because it is trying to run through it's own exhaust. It will cavitate at any power setting much above idle. Steering in reverse is non-existant.

It is only a problem in tight quarters on windy days, and I don't really think there is anything wrong with the boat, but I'm thinking that this is just the nature of the beast, what with the pilothouse catching the wind and the F250 mounted way out back on the bracket.

I'm getting the hang of docking without bumping anything, but it can still be nerve-wracking, requiring multiple attempts. Am I the only one that has this problem?

 

[TheOtherLine]

Nope. Same problem here. That pilot house catches wind like a kite. If you go too slow, you can't steer her. If you go too fast, you run the risk of taking out a piling or damaging your boat.

While I gotten better at it, I relieved some of the stress by adding a dock wheel and piling bumpers on the dock. That way I can be a little more aggressive with the throttle and protect the boat.

 

[rangerdog]

Same here. Horrible when the wind catches her. In reverse I have found that if I run the motor up so that the top of the prop is just barely under water it responds pretty good.

I also swallow my pride and hand pull her into the slip sometimes. :wink:

 

[Megabyte]

I have found that if I run the motor up so that the top of the prop is just barely under water it responds pretty good.

I don't need to do it often, but if she is sluggish in reverse I'll lift the motor just enough to direct the thrust of the water under the hull instead of letting it wash against the transom. (motor is on a bracket) Don't lift the motor too much or you will loose directional control.

There is a gentleman on my dock with an older wooden deadrise-type that he single-hands a lot. When he comes back to the dock he throws a warp line on the piling to his spring cleat and uses idle power to pivot on the line and the piling. His is a single screw inboard, but the same technique could probably be used on a single outboard.

Also, I had someone tell me a long time ago that rub rails and dock pilings go together like peanut butter and jelly. Use a little bit of each and it leaves a good taste in your mouth. :wink:

Don't be afraid to lay your port or stbd quarter rubrail on a piling and then use the motor to gently pivot on the piling as you ease into the slip. It works pretty well in tight situations.

 

[2320 pilothouse]

i know what you mean--i lower the trim tabs all the way when backing up brings the back of the boat down-i also open the side windows of the house-it seems the slower you go the more problem it becomes to dock so i have been lucky speeding up the docking process

dave

 

[B-Faithful]

Can read this whole thread on my blackberry to see if it has been said but tilt your motor up some in reverse to send the thrust under the boat and not against the transom. It will give you better control in reverse.

 

[96TL]

It's not the easiest boat to dock. Invest in some rubber and wheels for the dock and pilings. You'll feel much better.

I usually become a pro by the end of the season, and then when spring comes I'm a total noob again.

Also, going too slow is worse than going too fast IMO. I pull in at a decent clip, and then go into reverse to "brake". Works pretty good 99% of the time......except in the spring. :lol:

Are you in a difficult slip? Do you have to make a sharp turn to pull in? I used to have a slip like that and hated it. Luckily someone across from me left, and I switched. Now I can do 360's before pulling into my spot if I like.

 

[Parker23]

Get a Edson knob for the steering wheel it helps alot.

 

[TheOtherLine]

Get a Edson knob for the steering wheel it helps alot.

THAT, is good advice!!!

 

[andertonm]

Having come from a 2120SC, I was shocked at how difficult it is to manouver the 2320 in tight quarters and my slip is TIGHT and you better pay atttention to the wind. You get used to it and learn tricks, but I've put some marks on the hull in the process.

 

[PaulH / Emily S]

Interesting thread, first of all those of you who bought bracketed boats should have seen this coming. Notch transom handles much better.

Second, the yamaha SWS props are notorious for bad performance in reverse too, as someone pointed out Merc props give more thrust in reverse than Yamy. Don't know why, but have heard it many times.

 

[96TL]

Interesting thread, first of all those of you who bought bracketed boats should have seen this coming. Notch transom handles much better.

Second, the yamaha SWS props are notorious for bad performance in reverse too, as someone pointed out Merc props give more thrust in reverse than Yamy. Don't know why, but have heard it many times.

I'm not complaining. I love my closed transom, and will gladly deal with the tricky docking techniques and maneuvers.

My previous boat had twin O/B's in a notched transom (Seaswirl 2600). Now that was very easy to dock once I figured out what I was doing. That was my first rig.

Dom 8)

 

[grouperjim]

Like Kevin and Greg said, raise your motor (maybe 4 bars) to allow the prop wash to go under the hull. To lessen the effect of the wind I dock with the windows open and use more power than normal on windy days. I am used to it now and don't consider the PH to be any more difficult than a CC.

I can picture Greg driving down the road in a snow storm reading CP and typing on his blackberry. :shock:

jim

 

[JC]

There are a few good points made on this thread. Here is an addition to the list.
The failed attempts at docking that I have observed could have been avoided if the boat had not been steered like a car. Along with wind, current, sail effect, etc.; turning is accomplished by steering in relation to the Pivot Point of the hull not by aiming the transom or bow.

 

[JC]

edit

 

[Jawbreaker]

Thanks for all the responses. Glad to know I'm not the only one who has bumped something tying to dock their 2320 in the wind. So far, at least I've managed to keep my hull pristine.

Appreciate the tip about trimming the motor out a bit to help with reversing. Never knew that, but I never spent much time in reverse before the Parker, because I didn't have the aborted docking attempts.

I do indeed have a Yamaha SWS propeller, and everyone recognizes that a bracket is a tradeoff involving pluses and minuses. For the kind of fishing I do, I still feel that the pluses far outweigh the minuses, but that's a personal decision, and I know others feel differently.

 

[BuddahB]

It's not just the 2320. My 25se does the same. Backing into a slip the motor tilt tip is good as well as pivoting on a cushioned piling if conditions are bad, but if you pull into a slip bow first, sometimes it's just necessary to make a "run at it", aim for the starboard side of the slip because when you throw it into reverse, she will come around a bit. By the way, the " run at it" method sure scares the B-Jesus out of the crew if they have never experienced it with you. Be careful!!! :roll: :shock: