Do you need to add any throttle backing up, does the boat track straight, also was it difficult to get used of turning the wheel in opposite direction you want the stern to move. Thanks again.I don’t have docking mode, older 230, but can tell you with practice your boat will drop jaws at the docks with its maneuverability. I prefer to back in whenever I can, actually built a loading dock for my slip just for stern docking.
Before
View attachment 53582
After
View attachment 53581
My advice. Go out to a quite area on a calm day and chuck a basketball or bumper in the water. Then learn the feel of your boat by practicing backing in to, touching various sides of boat etc, using them as if they were a dock. No fear of damage and not in front of a bunch of looky loos trying to get the next YouTube video. Just make sure to not have a line attached so you don’t suck up.
Do you need to add any throttle backing up, does the boat track straight, also was it difficult to get used of turning the wheel in opposite direction you want the stern to move. Thanks again.
Thanks for all the information. If you end up taking a video would it be possible to show me one when you're working the levers. Much appreciated. Thanks again.All depends on conditions, if no wind/current and waters like glass then probably won’t take to much of any power to idle in. If there’s current/wind/waves etc then it’s all dependent on how much of each etc. I’m pretty active on the sticks usually just forward and reverse with little adjustments on the wheel. My marina is on the river and we get a good amount of wind and then have river current to contend with and I can say I rarely if ever touch the throttle when I’m bringing into slip, the idle is more than sufficient. Just work the forward/reverse bucket. My usual technique is stay about a boat width away from dock. Pull up to just about middle and helicopter turn( 180) until stern is lined up then reverse straight in. Occasionally I make use of the side bumpers, but that’s what they are for. Again slow and steady wins the prize. Speed will not. (I’ll see about doing a video in a couple weeks when I put in, give me a chance to use new dash cam).
The steering took a little to get used to, drove props for 20 years. But with practice and a lot more practice, I don’t even think about now. It’s completely 2nd nature.
Hello just curious if you've had time to make the video of you backing into your slip? I'm having trouble doing it. Thanks Jack
Perky, I recently got one of these Challenger 230s. One thing I came to realize is that Forward/Neutral/ Reverse is not an all-or-nothing choice. You can be in Neutral and just pull back a little to get a "little" reverse. Same thing with Forward. I have never used docking mode, because idle (1800 rpm) usually gives me enough power to make all the docking moves I need, unless the wind/current are significant. I don't back into slips, I am a trailer boater. "Does the boat back up straight?" It can, but you need active steering inputs because centering the wheel does not guarantee your buckets are dead centered.
This right here. I don’t ever use the throttle when maneuvering for docking or loading on trailer (except a quick blip once I’m on the bunks to push it up). I back down into spots and tie up with other boats in “party cove” type settings all the time and it’s just nice and slow and easy. I was new to this boat about a year ago and did practice out in open water a lot. It will become second nature in short order.Here’s the other view, no throttle just the forward /neutral/reverse and working the wheel to turn it. Practice with a buoy in open water so you can get the feel before adding pressure of doing at the docks. Once you’ve got it down it’ll be second nature and you won’t think about.
That was an awesome video. Thanks so much for taking the time to do the video. Much appreciated. I've just purchased the Poppy boat cover similar to yours. Would it be difficult to put on at the slip with access only two sides of dock, rear and one side only. Thanks again for your help. Enjoy your weekend. Jack
When I'm backed in I'm on the starboard side. Is the cover fairly easy to manage yourself? Thanks again.Yeah I did twin sterns before having a jet and it took a while to unlearn and relearn. Totally get that. Hard to explain the difference, have to feel it etc. I’m about 1/4 mile from the main damn as well.
For the cover I’m lucky for access all around. Mines the factory cover with the ratchet on starboard side. When you dock are you on starboard or port for your main dock? It takes a bit of finagling but I’ve done the cover from inside starting with bow and working way back when I docked at a place with only stern access. Mine has a zipper access on the swim deckView attachment 55071 so I can stand on the deck while putting cover around rub rail on stern etc. thinking if you don’t have doc access to ratchet just have to figure out a tension that is just right enough to slip over rubrail etc and then maybe throw a line over for rouge winds.
When I'm backed in I'm on the starboard side. Is the cover fairly easy to manage yourself? Thanks again.