Tuna's Marine Services

Tight Lines

Simon Robson — Fri, 07 Dec 2018 02:09:46 +0000

Mooring, docking, parking, berthing or coming-alongside. Described using a variety of vocabulary but arguable the most stressful part of any day on the water.

I have witnessed a wide variety of mooring methods and there is fundamentally not a right or wrong answer but there are a series of underlying principles and practices that you can apply to help ensure that your maneuvers have the best possible chance of success.

The boat that we are using for illustration purposes in a 34 Center Console that would be equipped with a joy stick helm control. The approach below does not use this functionality.

1.) Preparation

Assess the conditions where are you planning to moor. Look for the effect that the wind and current is having on the water where you are planning to maneuver into. Which is stronger? Can either of the elements be used to help your manuever?

Prepare a minimum of two mooring lines and two fenders. Fenders should be positioned depending on the height of the dock that you are approaching. Typically the bottom of the fender will hang just above the water line. The position of the fenders fore and aft will depend on the shape of the hull of the boat. Typically you will have one towards the stern at the widest part of the boat and one just forward of the middle of the boat.

2.) Execution

-Nearly all maneuvers are best executed as slowly as physically possible thus limiting the potential to damage the boat and dock. There are occasions when a moderate use of engine revs are required but for the most part, idle revs are more than adequate. Below I describe brief amounts of thrust as ‘bumps’. Put simply, this means putting the engine into gear for 1-2 seconds then returning to neutral. This is the easiest way to control your speed.

(i) Maintain a 45° approach angle towards to dock controlling your speed by taking the boat in and out of FWD gear as necessary. At this point you should be crawling at less than 1 knot.

(ii) As your approach the dock steer the boat to STB (right) whilst engaging FWD on just your PORT engine. You can use ‘bumps’ of FWD to control the boats speed and position.

(iii) As your boat nears a parallel with the dock steer gently to PORT and engage ASTERN on the PORT engine. This will stop the boats forward momentum and also bring the stern in nice and close to the dock. Depending on the weight of your boat, the speed of your approach and the number of persons on board, you may have to use more RPM to stop the boat.

3.) Securing the boat

(i) Once alongside the dock your priority should be to stop the boat moving away from the dock. Using the two lines that we prepared on our approach we can make the boat safe.

(ii) The main purpose of your bow and stern line is to pull the boat in towards to the dock. Next you will need 2 additional lines that we will use as SPRINGS to stop the boat moving forwards and backwards. There are two ways you can secure these spring lines. The first method below uses a mid ships mooring cleat.

If your boat does not have a mid ship mooring cleat then simply use your forward and aft cleats and run spring lines to dock mooring cleat near the middle of the boat.

4.) Preparation to depart

Before loosening any mooring lines it is always a good idea to re assess the conditions effecting the boat where she sits presently and also where you are going to move her to. (the water away from the dock) Assuming that the conditions are the same as when you arrived start my removing the mooring lines are not under load. (Aft spring and stern line). In this situation the last line you will remove is the forward spring.

5.) Departure

If you feel comfortable using opposing throttle handles in a balanced fashion then the most controllable way to maneuver a boat away from the dock in these conditions is with PORT engine ahead and STB engine astern. This will make the boat pivot on its axis and enable a safe departure from the dock. If you prefer to use one engine simply use PORT ahead for the helm turned to STB.

For help, guidance, instruction or simply another pair of useful hands on the water, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

910-269-7277

simon@tunasmarine.com

Opinions stated are that of Tuna’s Marine Services. They by no means represent the finite way to complete this mooring procedure. This document has been produced to act as guide and encourage discussion. Tuna’s Marine Services accepts no responsibility for damages or injuries incurred whilst practicing this manoeuvre.

The post Tight Lines appeared first on Tuna's Marine Services.

The Simple Beach

Hutch — Tue, 05 Jun 2018 17:32:28 +0000

Being a relative new comer to Wilmington I am still shocked and slightly intimidated by the volume of people and boats that take to the water on and around holiday weekends. With the shifting sandbars, fast flowing tides, gusty wind conditions and more often than not busy anchorages, holiday weekend trips to the beach by boat can be stressful for even the experienced boater.

We all have our favourite anchorages that typically we would share with a handful of other boats on any other weekend of the year. Memorial and July 4th weekends are exceptions when popular anchorages and sandbar hangouts swell to form in some places one continuous raft of boats.

So, if you and your family fall into the ever expanding bracket of ‘new boat owners’, how do you make your arrival, stay and departure from the beach as stress free as possible?

1.) Anchor Size

Many boats fresh out of the factory and some that have been afloat for years have undersized anchors. My advice is to carry as big an anchor (within reason) as your anchor locker or forward storage locker allows.

The table below is a size guide for a traditional fluke anchor which is most common on inshore boats from 15 – 40′. Before replacing your existing anchor be sure to measure the width and depth of your anchor locker.

2.) Anchor Chain

It is a common misconception that the most important piece of equipment when it comes to anchoring is the anchor itself, this is not the case. The principle is straight forward, for an anchor to hold or bite it needs to be pulled horizontally along the bottom and not lifted. To achieve this we add a section of chain connected to the anchor before the rope.

How much chain? 2′ of chain for every 5′ of boat length. (the heavier the boat, the more chain)

For example, a 30′ boat should have around 6′ of chain.

(more is better than less!)

3.) Beach Arrival

When possible, timing your arrival at the beach can go along way to simplifying the anchoring procedure. By aiming for either low or high water you give yourself the opportunity to anchor and secure your boat with limited or no tidal flow. The tide is typically slack for around an hour at LW and HW.

The anchoring maneuver that you choose to execute on arrival at the beach or sandbar can be as difficult or straight forward as you want. The easiest arrival is the bow in approach and should go something like this:

– Assess tide, wind and other the position of other anchored boats

– Select a space with at least one boat length of width

– Approach with bow at 90 degrees to shoreline aiming for center of space (slack water)

– Approach at a finer angle facing into the tide if there is cross beach tidal flow

– Drop stern anchor roughly 2 boat lengths from beach and the ease anchor line keeping it clear of the engine (lower on the up tide side of boat)

– Slowly approach beach and raise engine(s)

– Gently rest bow on beach and pass bow anchor ashore

– Place bow anchor around 1 boat length in front of boat

– Adjust tensions in anchor lines to position boat in the shallows

– Continue to periodically adjust the boats position, especially on a falling tide

4.) Beach Departure

Typically the most straight forward way to depart the beach is to reverse the procedure that you followed upon arrival.

– Asses the tide and conditions so that you know which way the boat will move when you start to release your anchors

– Load passengers, dogs and beach gear making sure that there is enough water beneath the boat

– Check there is enough space for the boat to swing on just her stern anchor if needed

– Release and return the bow anchor back on board the boat

– Carefully lower the engine(s) and SLOWLY reverse in the direction of your stern anchor whilst retrieving the anchor rope

– Retrieve stern anchor, trim engine all the way down and continue out to deeper water

Beach maneuvers can be as complicated or a straight forward as you want them to be. Depending on the size boat you have don’t be afraid of arriving at the beach and resting the bow on the sand whilst you unload, even on a falling tide. Once you have unloaded, your boat will sit higher in the water and you SHOULD always been able to back away from the beach. If you feel comfortable and it is safe to do so you can throw your stern anchor into position by hand instead of deploying on your way into the beach.

There are dozens of techniques for anchoring at the beach and some you will find will just work for you and your family. The main key in my opinion is an awareness of the wind, tide and other conditions that will effect your boat during the process of anchoring and whilst at anchor.

For help, guidance, instruction or simply another pair of useful hands on the water, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

www.tunasmarine.com/

910-269-7277

simon@tunasmarine.com

Opinions stated are that of Tuna’s Marine Services. They by no means represent the finite way to complete this procedure. This document has been produced to act as guide and encourage discussion. Tuna’s Marine Services accepts no responsibility for damages or injuries incurred whilst practicing this maneuver.

The post The Simple Beach appeared first on Tuna's Marine Services.

The “Out Of Town” Boat Owner

Hutch — Wed, 23 May 2018 22:25:09 +0000

The “Out Of Town” Boat Owner

With the Nor’easters thankfully subsiding for some spring warmth, boating enthusiasts are starting to plan and prepare for the season ahead. Whether you are lucky enough to already live in your summer vacation spot or live five hours drive away, having access to a reliable and competent network of marine service providers is an on ongoing challenge for the boat owner or aspiring boat owner. TMS were unaware that in some cases the historical lack of boat management in Wilmington was also acting as a barrier to purchase for some families.

TMS received the following enquiry last week:

“I have a home at Figure Eight with a dock on the sound side of the island with boat lift, etc… As an out of town owner/user of the property and former boat owner, I have been reluctant to acquire a new boat because I am aware of what it takes to properly maintain one. I found your website and it looks like it could be a great fit for our needs.”

Mr.K

Having spoken to Mr.K it transpired that he had been engaged with a couple of local boat dealers for over a year and had asked them about the availability of a local boat management service. Unfortunately, the response was always a no therefore the purchase of a new family boat never progressed. He went on to explain that having suffered some unfortunately timed mechanical failures during family vacation time he had decided to rent boats until he found a suitable solution.

The first part of the engagement involved our boat search service. We researched and presented a handful of boat models from different manufactures that matched Mr.K’s and his families requirements.

Their requirements were as follows:

Budget – $80k – $150k

Length – 25’ to 30’

Use – 80% inshore, 20% offshore

Capacity – 10-12 people

Engine – Single or twin

Age – New

The final requirement was that the boat be suitable for his two sons aged 13 and 18 to drive and use for inshore fishing, trips to the sandbar and water sports.

The brief appeared relatively simple at first but naturally presented a lot of different but all very capable options.

The initial list was as follows:

Chris Craft Calypso 26’ Scout 255 Dorado Grady White Freedom 275

Boston Whaler 270 Vantage Tidewater 252 LXF Everglades 273 Center

Following a several telephone reviews and multiple email exchanges it became clear that one of Mr.K’s top priority requirements was the boat’s seating capacity. This unfortunately immediately ruled out most 25’ center consoles due to limited seating behind the helm position.

TMS contacted local Wilmington agents of the manufacturers above and arranged a handful of viewings for Mr.K and his family to attend and better familiarize themselves with the different options available.

Following a visit to Wilmington and several boat viewings Mr. K fed back to TMS that he was interested in two specific boat models:

Boston Whaler 230 Vantage

Sea Ray SPX 230 Outboard

TMS worked with Mr.K to illustrate the differences between the 230 Vantageversus the SPX 230and which was the better fit for his family. Although fundamentally different boats both had similarities as they were the same length, similar dry weights, both seated 10+ adults and powered by a single Mercury outboard.

There was no wrong decision at this point am I’m pleased to say with TMS handling the negotiation and specifying the options on behalf of Mr.K, a Boston Whaler 230 Vantage was ordered. Although this was a little smaller than the initial brief stated it remains a perfect fit for his familys Wilmington water activities.

All of the requirements listed above were met by the Boston Whaler 230 Vantage apart from those of Mr.K’s kids. Although a 230 Vantage is an incredibly maneuverable and responsive boat TMS advised that in order to preserve gel coat and propellers it may be worth considering a smaller additional boat. This smaller boat would act as the perfect platform for Mr.K’s kids to develop their boat handling skills, further learn the waterways of Wilmington and enjoy inshore fishing, trips to the sandbar and watersports with ease. With a shallow draft, solid foam core, rated for four people and a bullet proof construction, the Boston Whaler 130 Super Sport was the perfect addition.

Boston Whaler 130 Super Sport

In additional to the two Boston Whalers, TMS also manage a pair of jet ski’s on behalf of Mr.K’s family.

Ongoing TMS services currently provided for Mr.K:

Summer Management from May 1st to October 31st of 2 boats and 2 jet ski’s.
Launch and recoveryMonthly cleaning, detailing and run upsGel coat protective coatingFamily lessons on all boats and captain servicesSOS storm haul outsAnnual servicing of all boats, boat lifts and trailers
Winter Management from November 1st – April 30th
Winter storage for all boatsProtective shrink wrappingWinterization of all boatsMonthly check ups and battery charging

For further information on how Tuna’s Marine Services could help you purchase your next boat and manage it during the summer and winter months please contact Simon on 910 269 7277 or at simon@tunasmarine.com.

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The Gentle Boat Lift

Hutch — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 15:09:36 +0000

Having conducted most of my boating in Europe and the Caribbean I had not come across boat lifts before settling in Wilmington. I quickly realized that they were an essential part of boating life and being able to remove and replace a boat in a controlled and safe manner was crucial. Launching is the more straight forward to the two maneuvers, returning a boat to its lift is in my opinion more difficult and presents more opportunity for boat damage.

Below is a diagram of a standard boat lift set up that I am referring to. Control box, walk plank and stairs may be positioned slightly different on yours.

Scenario:

– 25ft Centre Console.

– 1 kt downstream tide.

– Light wind.

Equipment needed:

– Ideally 2 crew members

– 1/2 fenders

Stage 1. – Preparation

– Approach the dock/lift and stop the boat in open water to assess the effect of the tide and the wind.

– When executing the maneuver position your bow facing into which-ever is stronger, in this case the tide.

– If you don’t have a remote control you will need one person on the dock to operate the lift.

– First crew member or skipper (with remote) to position lift at appropriate height.

– Second crew member to position themselves with a fender on the starboard bow.

Stage 2. – The Approach

– Position the boat with the bow facing the stronger of either the tide or wind. Pull forward into the tide and towards the outer and down stream boat lift pole.

– The aim here is to approach the pole as slowly as possible and rest the stb bow gently against the post with a fender in between to avoid damage.

– I recommend that the second crew member keeps the fender roaming (unsecured), so that he/she can easily reposition as necessary. Initially you may want to use more than one fender.

Stage 3. – The Pivot

– With the stb bow resting against the fender and the pole you will need to take her in and out of fwd to maintain position.

– Next put the helm/wheel hard to starboard.

– Using simply the idle of the engine and full stb lock take the engine gently in and out of forward gear to start the boat pivoting around the fender and outer leeward boat lift pole. The position of the fender may have to be adjusted as the boat slowly moves.

– If you have twin engines, use just the stb engine for the maneuver as this will rotate the boat with greater effect.

– Once the bow finds the lift runners she will move off the post and gently into position.

– As the boat aligns with the lift runners straighten the helm/wheel.

Stage 4. – Rest Position

– Typically I would try to line up the transom of the boat with the end of the lifts runners.

– Once boat is alligned fore and aft start to raise the lift.

– Lift both the boat and the cradle until clear of the high tide mark on the poles.

– If space permits, always leave you engines trimmed down so that hydaulic system is at rest when boat is not in use.

What other services do we provide?

https://www.tunasmarine.com/what-we-do

For help, guidance, instruction or simply another pair of useful hands on the water, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

910-269-7277

simon@tunasmarine.com

Opinions stated are that of Tuna’s Marine Services. They by no means represent the finite way to complete this mooring procedure. This document has been produced to act as guide and encourage discussion. Tuna’s Marine Services accepts no responsibility for damages or injuries incurred whilst practicing this manoeuvre.

The post The Gentle Boat Lift appeared first on Tuna's Marine Services.

The Sandbar Shuffle

Hutch — Fri, 30 Mar 2018 15:49:30 +0000

I consider myself privileged to have been boating around the waterways of Wilmington, NC for a year now and still find myself learning every time I take to the water.

One maneuver in particular that consistently challenges and tests me is securing a boat stern-to on the sandbar with two anchors. You can guarantee that every time you come to perform this maneuver that the tide will be running in one direction, wind in the other and boats will be darting in all directions. Having spectated numerous other boaters and tested many different techniques myself, the following method is in my opinion the most reliable and easy to execute. The level of difficulty associated with this maneuver varies depending on the weight of the boat. Typically, the heavier the boat the more difficult the task.

The scenario below assumes a heavy 25ft center console:

25ft centre console.
3 hours from low water.
Light wind/no wind
Soft and silty anchorage.

Equipment needed:

Bow anchor with ½ boat length of chain and at least 3 boat lengths of rope (75ft).
Stern anchor (50ft of rope with some chain ideally).
Minimum of 2 crew members + captain.

Stage 1. – Preparation

Stop the boat, assess the strength of tide and wind, which is dominant and how the boat reacting.
Choose a location with two boat lengths of clear shore line/sandbar.
Take note of how the other boats are lying and where their anchors are positioned.
Position one crew member on the bow and one at the stern.
Each crew member is to prepare their anchor and check the chain and rope ensuring no tangles.
The stern anchor rope is to be secured on the windward/tideward side of boat (port side in this case).

Stage 2. – Bow & Stern Anchor

Position the boat with the bow facing the stronger of either the tide or wind, this care the tide.
Aim to lower your bow anchor closer to the windward/tideward boat and a minimum of 2 boat lengths from shore.
With the bow anchor on the bottom, slowly start to let out the chain/rope whilst you drive the boat slowly towards to the beach keeping the bow into the tide.
Depending on the shelf of the beach you will probably need to trim up your engines as you get close to the shore.
Once in shallow water, with your engines in neutral, your stern anchor crew member can step off a position the stern anchor approximately level with the bow anchor.
This is a good time to unload leaving two crew on the boat.

Stage 3. – Boat Positioning

With one person on the helm, bow and stern you can now position the boat.
Depending on the conditions you may be able to move her with just the anchor lines, if necessary, carefully drive her forward and away from the beach.
As the boat moves away from the beach, take up on both bow and stern anchor lines.

Stage 4. – Rest Position

Using tension in the anchor lines, position the boat forward and backwards with enough depth to allow for the falling tide.
Before leaving the boat take time to check she has settled in a safe position clear of other boats.
Remember to keep a look out for when the tide changes and starts flooding back as the boats will pushed in the opposite direction.

What other services do we offer?

https://www.tunasmarine.com/what-we-do

For help, guidance, instruction or simply another pair of useful hands on the water, please don’t hesitate to reach out!!

910-269-7277

simon@tunasmarine.com

Opinions stated are that of Tuna’s Marine Services. They by no means represent the finite way to complete this mooring procedure. This document has been produced to act as guide and encourage discussion. Tuna’s Marine Services accepts no responsibility for damages or injuries incurred whilst practicing this manoeuvre.

The post The Sandbar Shuffle appeared first on Tuna's Marine Services.