[LonePalm]

My grandfather had a 38ft Hatteras with twin Cummings diesels. He and my father could make that boat dance.

That is where I first learned ship handling. Parking a ship with only one screw is a lot more difficult than a boat or ship with two.

WWG1WGA

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

[meyer]

It was fun back in the day. Usually 3 - 6 people on board so we could guide the boat into the slip if needed. It was off the channel, we would pull in past our slip, then back in.

I did it myself a couple of times, and there was definitely a “feel” to it, knowing just how much the river would push the boat as you backed into the slip. More current meant more drift downstream, as you’d probably have guessed.

It was all fun and games until the floor started rotting and I had to cut it all out and re-build it. Basically used marine plywood, all fiberglassed on all sides, and glassed heavily on top before laying some crappy indoor-outdoor carpet.

I learned one major life lesson - never, ever volunteer to work with fiberglass for anybody. Ever!