Recent US East Coast cruising experience

[MicHughV]

Yes, dock handlers/fuel dispensers at a private marina are typically youngsters out on spring break, etc, looking for a summer job to earn a few dimes. In all likelihood, they have little boating experience, let alone owning a boat, so their line handling skills is usually a work in progress.

You are just as likely to see a young girl doing the job as a young man.
Their turnover rate is understandably high, as it is not a very high paying job and sooner rather than later they will disappear to wherever it is that they go.
Being yelled at by a boat owner for poor line handling, is likely a primary cause for their early departure on top of everything else.

If you hand them a rope (line), they automatically think they have to pull on it, so giving them verbal instructions is paramount to docking success.
In my humble opinion, successful docking is as much a display of boat owner boat handling prowess as it is the handler of the dock lines.
I've seen those that are quite adroit in docking their vessel, and others that are an accident waiting to happen.

On the other side of the coin, I've been to several City marina's/fuel docks along the coast of Florida, where the staff is usually quite knowledgeable in handling most any size boat, be it power or sail.

The boys that run the drystack operation, do it as a full time job. Their boat handling skills is second to none and exemplary on any level.
My opinion of them, is that they are the best of the best. Any boat size, any wind condition, crowded docks or empty docks, no problem, and more often than not, they will jump into a boat to assist a struggling or newbie skipper as returning boats are always backed in.

Florida, as you must certainly know, is the boating mecca of the US. While there might be a few bad apples here and there, I think it would be fair to say, that most Florida dock/boat handlers are professionals at their job, however humble it might be.

Throwing Florida under the bus is a dubious boating sentiment and something you ought to reconsider.

'jes sayin'....

[BlackHeron]

Originally Posted by hpeer

I am not feeling good about East Coast cruising in the short term. We are live aboards who like to hang on the hook, and have been doing so for the past 4 years. Last 7 months touched a dock 3 times; launch, refuel, haul.

We are now hauled out redoing our heads and installing a Purasan to be more enclosed waters friendly. But I’ve no clue where we go to hang in the hook for
this winter. I’m guessing we will need to find a marina for Jan/Feb/March as a minimum.

Suggestions appreciated.

We are in the same situation. We just got a marina in the Chesapeake as we could not stand the heat on the hook here and are concerned with going too far North and getting stuck up there or at least things getting difficult for interstate travel come winter again.

As for what we do this winter I would hate to have to weather it in the Chesapeake here even in a marina with plug-in heat. We usually go down to Florida to cruise around and check out various anchorages, but we just don't know. Perhaps we stay in the Carolinas and find another marina to plug in for heat when it becomes too much for the diesel heater or getting to/from shore in the cold. We don't have a watermaker and need pumpouts inshore. If we can't find a reliable place that will allow us to get water and have a pumpout service available then a liveaboard marina seems to be our only other choice.

It isn't the money, we can just basically afford the $300/month where we are, but marina life is boring and depressing. It is merely surviving aboard, squatting in place -not really cruising. If we have to do it for a year or so then so be it.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Suggestions appreciated.

Since you're anchoring more expensive places with services become attractive. Whitehall Bay, Weems Creek, or Round Bay near Annapolis. The anchorage outside St. Michaels MD. In the anchorage across from Public Piers in Hampton VA. The anchorage near the municipal marina in Morehead City NC. The anchorage upstream of the public docks in Elizabeth City.

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Being yelled at by a boat owner for poor line handling, is likely a primary cause for their early departure on top of everything else.

I'm a delivery skipper, on my third career after successful careers in engineering and management. I don't yell. I coach. My experience over many thousands of dockings is that dockhands are a hazard.

Originally Posted by MicHughV

In my humble opinion, successful docking is as much a display of boat owner boat handling prowess as it is the handler of the dock lines.

I absolutely agree with you. No question. I've backed away from the dock on a 50x26 catamaran, singlehanded, and called the marina to tell them to have their dockhands back off so I could dock. A good dockhand is a treasure but rare. Most of the time I can do better myself.

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I've seen those that are quite adroit in docking their vessel, and others that are an accident waiting to happen.

This is why I enjoy the times I get in early. Entertainment value.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDQ4d0al0Vw

. Owners/skippers/helmspeople are not perfect either as you note. There really is no excuse for a marina to not train dockhands on basics: cleat hitch, getting a breast line on, the impact of wind and current, and taking a turn on a cleat to spring against. I have a canned 45 minute course I've done at marinas (free) for the dockhands when management is receptive.

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Florida, as you must certainly know, is the boating mecca of the US. While there might be a few bad apples here and there, I think it would be fair to say, that most Florida dock/boat handlers are professionals at their job, however humble it might be.

Throwing Florida under the bus is a dubious boating sentiment and something you ought to reconsider.

We'll have to agree to civilly disagree. My experience is that compared to other places Florida is inconvenient. Like dockhands, there are exceptions. Generally it feels like the state motto is "send your money and stay home." Your experience as a resident may be different. For transients Florida has gone from being a major destination to a waypoint toward the Bahamas that people who can't or won't go offshore from Norfolk must suffer through. If it is any consolation Georgia is working hard on catching up with Florida.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

Perhaps we stay in the Carolinas and find another marina to plug in for heat when it becomes too much for the diesel heater or getting to/from shore in the cold.

If you really have a 17,000 BTU diesel heater you're much better off on that heater than on electric. If it's a marketing number YMMV.

[BlackHeron]

If I'm going to burn up to $10/day in diesel and be hauling jugs back and forth in the dinghy I might as well be paying a monthly rate in a marina and be near to a warm shower rather than hosing down in the freezing cockpit if it gets that cold for weeks on end. Dinghy rides in bitter winter cold are not fun, especially when the wind picks up in an anchorage.

We have used the electric heat before and with only 750w we were able to keep the entire boat cozy when the temps dipped below freezing. Our plug-in heater has a whole second 750w coil that we never needed to turn on.

But at least we have a choice.

[MicHughV]

Some men likes blondes, other like brunettes....and never the 'twain shall meet....

Over the years, I've been up and down the coast from Maine to the Keys, on my boat and others, and in general, have always had a good docking experience, regardless of where I fetch up.

Must be my karma

If I were to bitch about anything, it would be current dockage rates for transients, which these days require an arm and a leg in addition to a hefty bank roll

Ah well, it's moot.....safe travels to wherever destiny calls you.