The SEE Method

Let's face it, the old saying "practice makes perfect" is 100% accurate in the world of boating.  I have seen new captains drive in circles while trying to dock.  While at the summer concert series this past summer, I witnessed a new captain take 6 tries to park in what I like to call a double-wide slip. The whole time I was thinking about how I would be able to help him without distracting him too much, after all, if he was going to hit a boat, it was going to be mine.

The SEE method is an easy way to determine what will need to be done for the situation at hand.  With the three letters comes three different steps that can make you look like a pro in no time.  My thought is that new captains could use the method for noticing different situations and then putting them together with different maneuvers and tactics. 

Explaining this can best be done while using an example situation.  For this case, lets talk about putting this to use while docking in a strong breeze.  Remember, some of these steps may seem to blur together and can many times be up for interpretation by the captain.  

Step 1 - SEE - You first must see the task at hand.  Take a look, study the situation, make a mental image, and try to quickly relate this to an event in the past that had the same kind of parameters. Have I ever docked in this type of wind before?  How did I do it? In most cases this will have to happen relatively quickly. 

Step 2 - EXAMINE -  Look at other things that may play a part in the situation and identify them.   Are there other boats around? Are there children on the docks? Is there anyone swimming in the water around the dock (which they shouldn't be doing)?  How is the wind hitting the dock? Is the wind bouncing off of the dock and making other waves in the opposite direction, sometimes called the "wash bin" effect?

Step 2 - EXECUTE - Do it! Take all parameters into consideration and make this as fluid and smooth as possible.  

Up next, a quick lesson on inside versus outside drives, how to take slack with the correct engine, then we will put this to use in an example.  

Have a great day and may the winds always be in your favor.