I keep my boat on a Hydrohoist lift. When I maneuver the boat into the lift, I then throw the engine in reverse to stop. It occurred to me today that this is kind of a waste of fuel. So, anyway, I thought to myself that I could tie a line from one side of the lift to the other with a fender threaded through (picture the way jets stop on an aircraft carrier...just not no hook...only the bow would hit the fender and stop). Is there any reason why I would not want to do this? I always dock very, very slowly, it's just that slamming it in reverse to stop is a waste of fuel IMHO.
Stupid idea or???
- Thread starter jfmagana
- Start date
If that extra 3 or 4 oz of fuel bothers you, you should probably take up another hobby. I don't think it'd be worth the A-A ingenuity involved ... :wink:
Curmudgeon said:
Ha! I suppose you're right Curmudgeon. That's funny. It's just that fuel is so damn expensive nowadays that I feel I should think of ways to conserve every drop. That said, I reckon that nothing about his hobby makes sense.
That's why God invented shifting gears.
One of the boats my Dad had when I was a kid had those old Merc Mark 70 engines, two of 'em on a 22' wooden cabin cruiser. They didn't have neutrals. So when you pulled the motors out of gear they would shut off so you didn't ruin the gears. Throw them in reverse and re-start them. Docking was a whole different concept from what we have today.
Needless to say, those motors were kept in tip-top shape so they would always start :wink: They called them 'mickey-mouse' outboards. Not sure why. Prolly 'cuz they were!
One of the boats my Dad had when I was a kid had those old Merc Mark 70 engines, two of 'em on a 22' wooden cabin cruiser. They didn't have neutrals. So when you pulled the motors out of gear they would shut off so you didn't ruin the gears. Throw them in reverse and re-start them. Docking was a whole different concept from what we have today.
Needless to say, those motors were kept in tip-top shape so they would always start :wink: They called them 'mickey-mouse' outboards. Not sure why. Prolly 'cuz they were!
If you are relying on the engine to stop your forward movement, then you should always have a contingency plan - mental or physical - for the (eventual) time that the engine stalls or won't shift when you need it.
Something about "Murphy's Law"....
Something about "Murphy's Law"....
John,
I did the very thing you propose. One end of the line is tied off to the dock or lift and I have a loop in the other end that drops over the horn on the rear cleat.
I did it so I could position the boat on the bunks where I want it. I wanted the bunks to extend one or two inches beyond the stearn.
It works every time.
I did the very thing you propose. One end of the line is tied off to the dock or lift and I have a loop in the other end that drops over the horn on the rear cleat.
I did it so I could position the boat on the bunks where I want it. I wanted the bunks to extend one or two inches beyond the stearn.
It works every time.