At our marina, you can call in and they will send somebody to assist you with docking and most of the time your neighbours are around and they come running over to help take lines. The boating community is fantastic and they are willing to help ever time. O and the most important thing is not to panic, just try to stay calm and talk it out .😎🇨🇦
I 💯 agree... this is awesome. But I also 💯 agree that there's no other object in this world that requires more maintenance, repair, etc. Than a boat. Stay safe and on top of that maintenance!!!
Diesels in boats are the only way to go if you plan on actually using them frequently. Gas Guzzling gassers are insanely expensive to feed even at slow cruising speeds
@@dsfsdfdsfsdf9806 He went to same normal same gas station you’d take van lol. He just went there to fill up his tanks to save money, then transported them, and spent 2 hours filling up his boat lol
Excellent video! A new boater who pressed ahead and used common sense to climb a steep learning curve on docking. Go slow, look around as many times as you can, mindful of wind and current, which you did. Get as many fenders as you can. Even the cheap small ones are better than none. Keep your boat hook to help fend off other boats. Don't be afraid to call out for help. And I mean just shout, "Can anyone help me dock?". Most of the time folks within earshot will come swarming like ants. And, yes, liveaboard life is the best. I did it for 3 years. Now, in my late 60's, I'm considering it again. You have so much to look forward to. Congratulations, young man!!
I own a boat about that size and I can not tell you the amount of times I’ve flipped it around by hand by myself. Just take your time and give yourself enough rope
@@BrandonGross He was actually saying, it is not tough to move it by hand, no motor needed. Just using long lines you take your time and spin it around. More challenging if the river current is strong though. On that note, if there is a strong current you risk hydro-locking the engine through the exhaust port if docking stern to current. Had this happen on a sail boat delivery I was crewing from St Thomas, USVI to Stewart, FL. Captain was told to run the engine daily, he decided not to because we had a nice trailing sea the whole way and just sailed. Got to Stewart and was ready to drop sail and motor to the slip, engine was hydro-locked from the trailing sea washing into the exhaust port. We had to sail into the slip, but it actually worked out ok.
I might be off on what stuff is called in english. But what i "learned" from my little boat experience ive aqquired is when you are docking alone, and you want some assistance. You can make yourself like a rope anchorpoint from stuff in the marina. like all the docking points you would otherwise i use. I was in your position alot..felt it was better to go head in first, wait for water to cool down, or just not having many people around etc when trying to turn it. Then you have yourself 2 anchor points, and pull whatever direction you need when turning, i always made like the tip of Y formation. So like the tips are 2 anchor points, and the connection point of the Y in the middle is me holding both ropes. Then i could pull the boat in whatever direction i needed assistance in.
docking can be stressful, but just take your time. small bumps of power in and out of gear, if your momentum slow, you can easily step away from the helm, reach out and push yourself off an object (less to no damage). When you get time, find some open slips and just practice, in and out of slips. Wind and no wind. Youll get it! Awesome content!
Take a couple of captaining lessons. Specifically on how to dock using multiple techniques. It will be a lot cheaper than either damaging your boat, someone else's boat or BOTH.
Congrats on your first solo docking, at night no less! There are no shortage of videos that show you how to maneuver a twin engine outboard, you'd be surprised how tight of a turn you can make. I have video of backing a 12.75' wide catamaran into 13 foot wide slip at night.
My brother LOVED boat life till this weekend. An unmarked boulder and his boat became one and as he started sinking, he struggled to get to shore and he did make it plus was able to get the boat out of the water before it sank. If you wreck a van, you don't have to worry about drowning... Who knows, maybe years from now he will want another boat, but nearly drowning on Lake Erie, a GREAT LAKE where you can't even see land is something that has seriously soured him on boating.
Lake Erie is so well charted and known, this was probably avoidable. I am so glad your brother made it safely to shore and I hope he gets back in the saddle (or captains chair). I've been from one side of the lake to the other and north to south. Yes there are some rocks out there, but they're pretty well marked on even a cheap app like Navionics let alone the dozens of Facebook groups and forums to ask a quick question of the old timers if you're headed to a new area. A call to Towboat or the USCG is the best bet opposed to just making a swim for it if you're that far out. Either that, he wasn't as far out as you're making it sound if he was able to both swim to shore and get back to the boat before it sank.
I would have made an all day cruise outa that run man, take it easy, trolling speed and save fuel well seeing the sites....great video anyway!...keep up the great work and stay safe.
Good Job docking your Boat, I know it would've been easier if you had help. I love your Boat Videos by the way. Take care stay safe Love You Brandon ❤❤
So interesting to watch you do your thing on your boat! I don’t think I could have parked that boat at all!! 😂 You did a great job! I’m excited to see what’s next! Take care and stay safe! Love ya Brandon! ❤️
Beautiful boat and can't believe you done all that on your own 👍👏👌very brave. I used to have a boat in UK & we used to go up & down the canals and it's hard work even with 2 of you. So well done you 👏 looks great fun ❤❤❤
New sub here, Lived in Moon about 15 years ago now down in NC. We used to have a 35 ft Bayliner docked about a half mile up front the point. Had some pretty incredible times out there back in the day! Enjoy it man!
You need to go rent a zero turn lawn mower and drive it around a parking lot or something and get familiar with operating the controls. Same thing only current and wind to deal with once you know how to operate dual engines .
I lived on a very similar Cruisers 35 ft motor yacht for 4 years, great fun. It's interesting to see you learning, I did exactly the same, wondering if I could do it with very little experience. it's really quite easy to sail and dock with 2 engines. Turns on a dime. You'll get it after a few tries.
Your shopping looks so easy, I am shopping for a family of 6 and it takes a bit more money and hauling and a lot more whining to get groceries. Now that I think about it most things I do these days incorporate a good deal of whining and complaining, every meal, every outing, every few minutes or so. There are upsides to kids but having young kids can really be a hassle some times. I will be silent now and go back to enjoying someone else who gets some peace and quiet and gets to spend less on groceries 🙂
It's always stressful docking a boat in a crowded marina especially with no help. I think most newer boats your size have bow thrusters which makes spinning it and maneuvers like this a lot easier. Idk if it possible to retrofit a bow thruster on your boat but if it's possible, maybe something to consider for the future.
I just came across your videos. I noticed you were in the Pittsburgh area. I am too and also have a cruiser. I gutted it and built it from scratch. Even built the motor from the block up. If you ever wanna hang out an kick it sometime hmu. 🤙
If you are not getting gas at a marina, make sure you are getting ethanol free gas. In Canada that usually means buying premium, not sure about USA. Boats don’t like ethanol, especially if they are in storage for 6 months of the year.
Also, your canvas should be fine at 30mph, but you do have to be careful about airflow so that you don’t get exhaust building up inside your enclosure.
a boat captain friend of mine has an older 40 foot with twin diesel engines. he said parking his boat is like like driving a bobcat. the trick is to never let the boat coast when parking or docking it. always have it under power, either forward or reverse. he said you have no control if it is coasting.
Good work with the solo night docking, that is always stressful. The skid steer part is true - with a twin engine boat you just use the engines to steer at the dock, and mostly don’t touch the wheel. The other part is not true though. When docking you want to be in neutral as much as possible, using short bursts of power to rotate the boat and push it in the desired direction. If there is very strong wind or current you will have to be in gear more of the time, but in general neutral is your friend and you dont want to approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit the dock. I have had an engine stall on me while docking and when that happens you have no brakes.
Nice boat , we have the cruisers yachts 330 express and we moved our boat just short of 200 miles last week by sea and tidal rivers in the UK, 85 was a great experience. We are also relatively new to boating and have to Moor up stern to which can be a nail biting experience 😂 , thankfully our locks are nowhere near as big as the one you used .
Hello from Butler County you should come up to Kittanning chill there sometime. I think the locks are all open but Number 9 yinz have to catch the time slots. Some day I hope to get river a front lot stay on the water all summer then pull the boat off the water put it on my lot then stay in it during the winter. I'm 5 miles from East Brady and 8 miles or so from Parker. Going through the Locks is an amazing experience. Next summer I'd like to go from Kittanning to Pittsburgh.
I've got a four winns 268 with full clears , single screw and single engine, anything resembling wind is a complete nightmare to berth.. I've never cooked it..but it's bloody stressful and I always back in just to make it harder. One day I might put a bow thruster in. That'd be to easy though. 😂
Wow, what a great time you are having living on the boat. Love seeing g the adventures you are having now. Have a nice time in Pittsburgh. Be safe and careful. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Boat life is a different vibe than van life. You are definitely more limited on where and when you can go. It’s seasonal and much more expensive. I’m glad you are enjoying a change of scene and learning new skills. The marina should have people that will help you dock. You did well on your own!
if you ever get near salt water you will want the bike inside as to not get the Mist that comes up from the back. we ruined 2 e-bikes in 1 trip on the back of our boat and it was over 10' from the back platform
I love your videos and your choice of lifestyle. It shows a lot about who you are as a person/your character. I have been considering myself buying a live aboard boat .. something similar to what you have .. it’s been in the back of my head for quite some time it’s a risky decision but I’m doing as much research as possible and taking my time in the process .. best of luck to you, I love your channel , great content .. I subscribed and will be following you on your journey. I love your sound system and lighting install 🔥 bro ! Wishing you nothing but the best captain 🧑✈️
As a man who has done both and is now living van life, I call BS. The main job of owning a boat is not navigation but keeping it off of the bottom which is what boat want to do.
@@BrandonGross I get that. I had to laugh because of the struggle with gas, locks, single handing the boat, putting a bike on the boat, maneuvering into a slip and hitting another boat, slip fees (which are expensive)… are all contributing to “better than van life”. We will not even get into insurance and storms and where or where you cannot be during hurricane season!
I find it humorous that anyone on UA-cam would complain or point out a rain storm and guess as to how long it will last, versus' just breaking out your phone and checking your weather app.
I have done both and I highly disagree unless you want to stay in one spot on a lake in your boat. Otherwise it takes a long time to get anywhere and life gets pretty boring when you're surroundings stay the same. That's why Vans are much better. You can go 500 miles in a day for a whole lot less money than it's going to cost you to take that powerboat down to the city. I spend my time on a sailboat so you can get your motorboat down the City faster but it's going to cost you huge amounts of money on gas. The only real option is to convert your boat to solar which I did with my sailboat slips through the water very easily with a couple of trolling motors solar panels and some batteries. You're not going to go fast though. I have seen people take their cruisers like you have and convert them to electric with solar as well. Again you're not going to go as fast and you're going to be running much cheaper though.
Put inside cockpit….I carry a 60lb scooter and just carry in the cockpit..Always take your canvas down or most of it…..containing gas within an enclosed area (with canvas up) is dangerous.
Wanna really live? Jet ski life Nah but really, I’ve always wanted to live on a boat, had the old used yacht style with a sail in salt water in mind but that’s cool, rivers are like roads. The views are totally different from the boat and that’s awesome.
I started living on boats off Neville island marina on my 28’… 3 boats later I’m in Miami on a 34’ trawler. Feel free to hit me up with any questions. Been up and down the east coast a few times
no way! thats epic, congrats on the move. Did you have cabin cruisers prior to the trawler? if so why did you switch and what is the fuel economy difference from trawlers to cabin cruisers?
@@BrandonGross I had an old single engine cabin cruiser with a mercruiser in it. Then an old 185 hp Perkins then an island packet sailboat and finally a Mainship 34 with a yanmar 315 that does 17kts… the trawler does 2gph at 7knts and about 14 gph at 17… I love the Mainship but I’ll be selling it to buy a 50’ next year
The dam is the wall containing the width of the river. The lock is the small section on the side that changes the elevation to navigate the different depths
Growing up around boats the docking part with twin screws wouldn't have bothered me as much as the two dams. I have never navigated through one of those before. Even with a radio, I would have no clue what to say or who to ask for? On a boat that size the wind is usually your arch nemesis when trying to maneuver between other boats. Looks like you did fine. At least you were generally concerned about other peoples boats, the worst people are the ones that just don't seem to have a care in the world.
haha yeah theres a lot of bad people in this world that probably wouldnt care about bumping others' boats. But yeah first few times through the locks was rough
Yea, the parking it must be a nightmare but so many advantages I'm sure. I love the way Pittsburgh looks, I didn't realize what a beautiful city it was until I saw it on another YTbers channel (Traveling Robert) and I was like...wait...THAT'S PITTSBURGH!???!!! But I'm a fan of bridges...so there's that lol
Hm. Better than van life, eh? You sure you got the right title for the right video? 😂 The footage going down the river was pretty though, I’ll give you that!
Why would you remove all the covers just to drive especially the clears above the windscreen ? I've lived on a 38ft Mustang sports cruiser for 2 years now and never removed all my covers to drive , only remove the very back cover at the stern . 🙂✌️
Only if you have a lot of $$$'s. I lived on a boat on and off for about 10 years San Diego. Now I vanlife it's so much cheaper and free'er to go where ever and when ever you wish. I follow the weather and now with all the wildfires I'm heading to the Oregon coast.
@@BrandonGross So I am a qualified yacht master and had a boat very similar to yours so I get your worries in strong currents and wind. I also used to volunteer and run boat handling courses in the uk. When mooring like you did in this video before you go in between the pontoons stay out in the open water and position your boat as if you were lined up with your mooring and about to back into it, put the engines in neutral and see what the boat does. Observe which way you are being pushed etc. once you have seen that, get your boat back in position in the open water, centre up your steering and now using one click throttle inputs only, ie no big inputs of power see if you can hold your boat in position as if you are backing into your mooring. You will steer the boat using engines only, so if your starboard throttle is forwards and port throttle is in reverse your boat will rotate left, if you do the opposite it will rotate right. If you want a more gentle rotation just put the starboard forwards and leave the port in neutral. Now have a play in open water and just keep your craft still and lined up with the pontoons. Doing this in open water will prepare you for exactly what will happen once you start to enter the mooring space. As you are on a river, and there are currents that will push you the moment you go side on to them you can use a technique that is called ferry gliding. When you are in open water and now hopefully holding your boat in position nicely with the throttle inputs by clicking them in and out if drive. Turn the bow of the boat very slightly to the starboard so you are almost pointing down river, and hold it there, the current flowing under your boat and wind will start to drift you towards the pontoons. You can then using your throttles take your boat effectively side on between the pontoons, once your stern is lined up with your mooring you come off the power and let your boat drift backwards into the mooring. All of this is done with no steering inputs, keep the steering center and use throttles only. Like the way a tank steers. I would put some for of fenders on the swim platform as well. If you can’t use ferry gliding then again only use your throttles, you said you were being pushed into your mooring by wind, in which case enter the pontoons and keep your boat tight to the back of the moored boats on your port, you will probably only need to click the starboard engine in and out if gear to keep you away from your mooring, once you are centred to your mooring so not past it, use your throttles as I said above one forwards and one backwards. All inputs should be small and relaxed if you find you are getting in a panic head back out to open water, compose yourself and control them come in again just take your time. Finally ropes. Tie off a stern rope, once in the mooring, so as per your video tie off on the port stern side, then put your starboard engine one click in forward, this will push against the stern rope and bring in your bow, leave the engine in gear running and then you can easily tie off the front. Get your front spring on pulling to the bow, now shut off your engines and the boat will come to rest on your spring protecting your swim deck. It’s worth taking some time out, find some clear moorings and practice, it’s very rewarding when you get the sills you need to moor, but even at my level when I had strong currents and on a sunny day knew lots of people were watching me moor, my heart was going, but I really slowed down my inputs and took my time. You should do a video of mooring practice 👍 hope this helps if you have any questions happy to answer them.
I dock our 44ft. Trawler with twin screw, no bow or stern thrusters! My first docking attempt was during high winds against out going tide! Using throttles only I was able to dock her without any problems! I think it’s all in technique for the most part. We live on our boat full time and absolutely loooove it!!
Hi, just be like Nike just do it you can do anything but if you talk yourself into wrecking things and breaking things it’s going to happen so have the Nike principal just do it from Australia
At our marina, you can call in and they will send somebody to assist you with docking and most of the time your neighbours are around and they come running over to help take lines. The boating community is fantastic and they are willing to help ever time. O and the most important thing is not to panic, just try to stay calm and talk it out .😎🇨🇦
That would have been amazing. But yeah I came in on a week day at like 10pm so no one was around haha
@@BrandonGross yeah now that is a NICE marina and more of those are needed to make this place a good one for all
I 💯 agree... this is awesome. But I also 💯 agree that there's no other object in this world that requires more maintenance, repair, etc. Than a boat.
Stay safe and on top of that maintenance!!!
Then you have not owned an RV.
Diesels in boats are the only way to go if you plan on actually using them frequently. Gas Guzzling gassers are insanely expensive to feed even at slow cruising speeds
"I'm about to spend $300 in gas to go 50 miles, but hey boat life over van life!"
Took him 2 hours to fill it up cause gas is 2x price on water also lol
Sure, but he's trading gas stations for sunsets on the water!
He said better, not cheaper.
@@dsfsdfdsfsdf9806 He went to same normal same gas station you’d take van lol. He just went there to fill up his tanks to save money, then transported them, and spent 2 hours filling up his boat lol
BOAT = Bust Out Another Thousand
Excellent video! A new boater who pressed ahead and used common sense to climb a steep learning curve on docking. Go slow, look around as many times as you can, mindful of wind and current, which you did. Get as many fenders as you can. Even the cheap small ones are better than none. Keep your boat hook to help fend off other boats.
Don't be afraid to call out for help. And I mean just shout, "Can anyone help me dock?". Most of the time folks within earshot will come swarming like ants. And, yes, liveaboard life is the best. I did it for 3 years. Now, in my late 60's, I'm considering it again. You have so much to look forward to. Congratulations, young man!!
I own a boat about that size and I can not tell you the amount of times I’ve flipped it around by hand by myself. Just take your time and give yourself enough rope
Glad to hear I’m not the only one struggling haha
@@BrandonGross He was actually saying, it is not tough to move it by hand, no motor needed. Just using long lines you take your time and spin it around. More challenging if the river current is strong though.
On that note, if there is a strong current you risk hydro-locking the engine through the exhaust port if docking stern to current. Had this happen on a sail boat delivery I was crewing from St Thomas, USVI to Stewart, FL. Captain was told to run the engine daily, he decided not to because we had a nice trailing sea the whole way and just sailed. Got to Stewart and was ready to drop sail and motor to the slip, engine was hydro-locked from the trailing sea washing into the exhaust port. We had to sail into the slip, but it actually worked out ok.
I might be off on what stuff is called in english.
But what i "learned" from my little boat experience ive aqquired is when you are docking alone, and you want some assistance.
You can make yourself like a rope anchorpoint from stuff in the marina. like all the docking points you would otherwise i use.
I was in your position alot..felt it was better to go head in first, wait for water to cool down, or just not having many people around etc when trying to turn it.
Then you have yourself 2 anchor points, and pull whatever direction you need when turning, i always made like the tip of Y formation. So like the tips are 2 anchor points, and the connection point of the Y in the middle is me holding both ropes. Then i could pull the boat in whatever direction i needed assistance in.
im blown away that there's so much boating activity on a river. im from Auckland NZ we have both East coast and west coast ports in our city.
docking can be stressful, but just take your time. small bumps of power in and out of gear, if your momentum slow, you can easily step away from the helm, reach out and push yourself off an object (less to no damage).
When you get time, find some open slips and just practice, in and out of slips. Wind and no wind. Youll get it!
Awesome content!
bro, learn about night vision(the natural kind) and excessive boat lighting (that ends natural night vision).
Take a couple of captaining lessons. Specifically on how to dock using multiple techniques. It will be a lot cheaper than either damaging your boat, someone else's boat or BOTH.
How do you find the lesson
I don’t think lessons exist near me. But I fully agree
He's probably not welcome at most marinas. Operate your vessel properly.
Congrats on your first solo docking, at night no less! There are no shortage of videos that show you how to maneuver a twin engine outboard, you'd be surprised how tight of a turn you can make. I have video of backing a 12.75' wide catamaran into 13 foot wide slip at night.
Thanks! And that sounds like an absolute nightmare haha extremely impressive!
My brother LOVED boat life till this weekend. An unmarked boulder and his boat became one and as he started sinking, he struggled to get to shore and he did make it plus was able to get the boat out of the water before it sank. If you wreck a van, you don't have to worry about drowning... Who knows, maybe years from now he will want another boat, but nearly drowning on Lake Erie, a GREAT LAKE where you can't even see land is something that has seriously soured him on boating.
Lake Erie is so well charted and known, this was probably avoidable. I am so glad your brother made it safely to shore and I hope he gets back in the saddle (or captains chair). I've been from one side of the lake to the other and north to south. Yes there are some rocks out there, but they're pretty well marked on even a cheap app like Navionics let alone the dozens of Facebook groups and forums to ask a quick question of the old timers if you're headed to a new area. A call to Towboat or the USCG is the best bet opposed to just making a swim for it if you're that far out. Either that, he wasn't as far out as you're making it sound if he was able to both swim to shore and get back to the boat before it sank.
wow ...loving how you are showing us the ''real' side to boating and how it is NOT all smooth sailing ..lol..
Thanks!! There's ups and downs for sure
I would have made an all day cruise outa that run man, take it easy, trolling speed and save fuel well seeing the sites....great video anyway!...keep up the great work and stay safe.
Ah I know. I will next time. I was rushing on this trip
Good Job docking your Boat, I know it would've been easier if you had help. I love your Boat Videos by the way. Take care stay safe Love You Brandon ❤❤
Thanks! Glad you like them! And yeah docking solo is always stressful
MAD RESPECT! I am going to be transitioning to this myself. Subscribed.
So interesting to watch you do your thing on your boat! I don’t think I could have parked that boat at all!! 😂 You did a great job! I’m excited to see what’s next! Take care and stay safe! Love ya Brandon! ❤️
Beautiful boat and can't believe you done all that on your own 👍👏👌very brave. I used to have a boat in UK & we used to go up & down the canals and it's hard work even with 2 of you. So well done you 👏 looks great fun ❤❤❤
As you are attempted to 'park' your boat, your shirt said it all!
😂😂
New sub here, Lived in Moon about 15 years ago now down in NC. We used to have a 35 ft Bayliner docked about a half mile up front the point. Had some pretty incredible times out there back in the day! Enjoy it man!
Welcome! Still boating in NC??
New subscriber love your Videos thanks for keeping it real
Welcome aboard! I appreciate the support!
You need to go rent a zero turn lawn mower and drive it around a parking lot or something and get familiar with operating the controls. Same thing only current and wind to deal with once you know how to operate dual engines .
I lived on a very similar Cruisers 35 ft motor yacht for 4 years, great fun. It's interesting to see you learning, I did exactly the same, wondering if I could do it with very little experience. it's really quite easy to sail and dock with 2 engines. Turns on a dime. You'll get it after a few tries.
Your shopping looks so easy, I am shopping for a family of 6 and it takes a bit more money and hauling and a lot more whining to get groceries. Now that I think about it most things I do these days incorporate a good deal of whining and complaining, every meal, every outing, every few minutes or so. There are upsides to kids but having young kids can really be a hassle some times. I will be silent now and go back to enjoying someone else who gets some peace and quiet and gets to spend less on groceries 🙂
Brandon my heart was in my throat the whole time. ❤
Total boat life. Boat life is way better than van life. If ya come to st pete area let me know!
Maybe get a jet ski or small bow rider to take on excursions. My 20 ft bow rider has a 4.3 holds 35 gallons and I can cruise forever on a tank.
Spring line cleats, lines fastened to the up current outward piling, leverage and idle power are your friends here
It's always stressful docking a boat in a crowded marina especially with no help. I think most newer boats your size have bow thrusters which makes spinning it and maneuvers like this a lot easier. Idk if it possible to retrofit a bow thruster on your boat but if it's possible, maybe something to consider for the future.
I've watched some videos on adding bow thrusters and it looks like a nightmare haha
I just came across your videos. I noticed you were in the Pittsburgh area. I am too and also have a cruiser. I gutted it and built it from scratch. Even built the motor from the block up. If you ever wanna hang out an kick it sometime hmu. 🤙
Boating and bring the Ebike to travel to around a big city for exploring, looks like fun, don't forget to try out the food and drink nearby.
It’s the best combo!
If you are not getting gas at a marina, make sure you are getting ethanol free gas. In Canada that usually means buying premium, not sure about USA. Boats don’t like ethanol, especially if they are in storage for 6 months of the year.
Also, your canvas should be fine at 30mph, but you do have to be careful about airflow so that you don’t get exhaust building up inside your enclosure.
a boat captain friend of mine has an older 40 foot with twin diesel engines. he said parking his boat is like like driving a bobcat. the trick is to never let the boat coast when parking or docking it. always have it under power, either forward or reverse. he said you have no control if it is coasting.
It’s true it’s like skidding out no control either got to apply brakes.
Good work with the solo night docking, that is always stressful. The skid steer part is true - with a twin engine boat you just use the engines to steer at the dock, and mostly don’t touch the wheel. The other part is not true though. When docking you want to be in neutral as much as possible, using short bursts of power to rotate the boat and push it in the desired direction. If there is very strong wind or current you will have to be in gear more of the time, but in general neutral is your friend and you dont want to approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit the dock. I have had an engine stall on me while docking and when that happens you have no brakes.
Nice boat , we have the cruisers yachts 330 express and we moved our boat just short of 200 miles last week by sea and tidal rivers in the UK, 85 was a great experience. We are also relatively new to boating and have to Moor up stern to which can be a nail biting experience 😂 , thankfully our locks are nowhere near as big as the one you used .
Hello from Butler County you should come up to Kittanning chill there sometime. I think the locks are all open but Number 9 yinz have to catch the time slots. Some day I hope to get river a front lot stay on the water all summer then pull the boat off the water put it on my lot then stay in it during the winter. I'm 5 miles from East Brady and 8 miles or so from Parker. Going through the Locks is an amazing experience. Next summer I'd like to go from Kittanning to Pittsburgh.
Try to get ur float to buffalo n enter the Erie Canal system to the Hudson River down to NYC,,,,,pack an electro scooter too for land exploring.
Would love to do that!
I am loving the boat vids! Such a pretty sunset!
Glad you like them!
His shirt goes amazing with his parking struggles😂
Respect the new experience. Love it!
That view at the point was 👍 just gorgeous!
Always is!
Been lovin these boat life vids brah
E-bike is a pretty broad description isn't it. That looks like an electric motorcycle
I've got a four winns 268 with full clears , single screw and single engine, anything resembling wind is a complete nightmare to berth.. I've never cooked it..but it's bloody stressful and I always back in just to make it harder. One day I might put a bow thruster in. That'd be to easy though. 😂
Haha yeah a bow thruster would be amazing
Wow, what a great time you are having living on the boat. Love seeing g the adventures you are having now. Have a nice time in Pittsburgh. Be safe and careful. ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thanks!!
This is my 3rd year with my boat and I still need someone one the boat with me when I pull in my slip
Haha it’s not easy at all!
So close to 500k - so awesome!! So happy for you Brandon, couldn't happen to a nicer person!
Thank you!! We’re getting so close! I appreciate the kind words
Boat life is a different vibe than van life. You are definitely more limited on where and when you can go. It’s seasonal and much more expensive. I’m glad you are enjoying a change of scene and learning new skills. The marina should have people that will help you dock. You did well on your own!
Yeah completely different vibe but I needed the change. And thank you!
if you ever get near salt water you will want the bike inside as to not get the Mist that comes up from the back. we ruined 2 e-bikes in 1 trip on the back of our boat and it was over 10' from the back platform
Wow. I knew the salt water was bad but that’s insane.
I got my swimming trunks and my Flippy floppies!
I love your videos and your choice of lifestyle. It shows a lot about who you are as a person/your character. I have been considering myself buying a live aboard boat .. something similar to what you have .. it’s been in the back of my head for quite some time it’s a risky decision but I’m doing as much research as possible and taking my time in the process .. best of luck to you, I love your channel , great content .. I subscribed and will be following you on your journey.
I love your sound system and lighting install 🔥 bro !
Wishing you nothing but the best captain 🧑✈️
Thank you! Really appreciate that! But yes do tons of research! I highly recommend going for it!
As a man who has done both and is now living van life, I call BS. The main job of owning a boat is not navigation but keeping it off of the bottom which is what boat want to do.
I've done 6 years full time in vans, the boat life is a great change of pace right now. I love it.
@@BrandonGross I get that. I had to laugh because of the struggle with gas, locks, single handing the boat, putting a bike on the boat, maneuvering into a slip and hitting another boat, slip fees (which are expensive)… are all contributing to “better than van life”. We will not even get into insurance and storms and where or where you cannot be during hurricane season!
You made it👏🏻 good Job Brandon 😀!
Safe travels!!!
I have lived in both van and boat. Problem is, doing it alone. No one to share experience with.
😀 I knew he was going to lay down after going through all his docking lessons. I got tired watching. 😅 Well worth the work I bet.
Boat is still floating and in one piece, that's a W!
haha that's all that really matters in the end
I find it humorous that anyone on UA-cam would complain or point out a rain storm and guess as to how long it will last, versus' just breaking out your phone and checking your weather app.
I have done both and I highly disagree unless you want to stay in one spot on a lake in your boat. Otherwise it takes a long time to get anywhere and life gets pretty boring when you're surroundings stay the same. That's why Vans are much better. You can go 500 miles in a day for a whole lot less money than it's going to cost you to take that powerboat down to the city. I spend my time on a sailboat so you can get your motorboat down the City faster but it's going to cost you huge amounts of money on gas. The only real option is to convert your boat to solar which I did with my sailboat slips through the water very easily with a couple of trolling motors solar panels and some batteries. You're not going to go fast though. I have seen people take their cruisers like you have and convert them to electric with solar as well. Again you're not going to go as fast and you're going to be running much cheaper though.
try practicing the parking. it seems like it takes a toll on you. hope boat life is still fun for you despite the parking stress :)
Nowhere really to practice unfortunately. But I’ll learn as I go haha
Put inside cockpit….I carry a 60lb scooter and just carry in the cockpit..Always take your canvas down or most of it…..containing gas within an enclosed area (with canvas up) is dangerous.
Loving the boat content keep it coming
Lots more to come! Glad you enjoy the videos!
Nobody got hurt, and you didn't crash. That's a win. It'll get easier. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
yes very true!
2mpg and marina fees get old pretty fast. Enjoy it while you can this summer. Winter is not going to work on the water if you remain in Pittsburgh.
Im loving the content, cant wait to see u explore
Thanks! I’m glad you’re liking the boat content!
Wanna really live? Jet ski life
Nah but really, I’ve always wanted to live on a boat, had the old used yacht style with a sail in salt water in mind but that’s cool, rivers are like roads. The views are totally different from the boat and that’s awesome.
I started living on boats off Neville island marina on my 28’… 3 boats later I’m in Miami on a 34’ trawler. Feel free to hit me up with any questions. Been up and down the east coast a few times
no way! thats epic, congrats on the move. Did you have cabin cruisers prior to the trawler? if so why did you switch and what is the fuel economy difference from trawlers to cabin cruisers?
@@BrandonGross I had an old single engine cabin cruiser with a mercruiser in it. Then an old 185 hp Perkins then an island packet sailboat and finally a Mainship 34 with a yanmar 315 that does 17kts… the trawler does 2gph at 7knts and about 14 gph at 17… I love the Mainship but I’ll be selling it to buy a 50’ next year
It’s like camping but with drowning.
Wow that was a fun video. It’s weird that your dams are called locks in the UK . Enjoy your adventures ❤️💋
The dam is the wall containing the width of the river. The lock is the small section on the side that changes the elevation to navigate the different depths
Correct!
I'm glad you're disproving the old adage "there's only two days where boat ownership is enjoyable - the day you buy one, and the day you sell it"
exactly haha I hate that saying and couldn't disagree more
O.p. Boats are the best ! Other peoples boats . Lol its worked for me ,no maintenance
Awesome video, love from fiji
if you ever make it down to fredricktown check out the butcher shop
Your shirt says it all
Growing up around boats the docking part with twin screws wouldn't have bothered me as much as the two dams. I have never navigated through one of those before. Even with a radio, I would have no clue what to say or who to ask for? On a boat that size the wind is usually your arch nemesis when trying to maneuver between other boats. Looks like you did fine. At least you were generally concerned about other peoples boats, the worst people are the ones that just don't seem to have a care in the world.
haha yeah theres a lot of bad people in this world that probably wouldnt care about bumping others' boats. But yeah first few times through the locks was rough
Yea, the parking it must be a nightmare but so many advantages I'm sure.
I love the way Pittsburgh looks, I didn't realize what a beautiful city it was until I saw it on another YTbers channel (Traveling Robert) and I was like...wait...THAT'S PITTSBURGH!???!!! But I'm a fan of bridges...so there's that lol
Yeah I think Pittsburgh is very underrated!
@@BrandonGross Oh for sure! I hope to visit there someday.
One of the few channels that hasn't gotten old yrs later .
Thank you!!
Hm. Better than van life, eh? You sure you got the right title for the right video? 😂 The footage going down the river was pretty though, I’ll give you that!
Never have this issue parking my van... "so much better" :P
I’ve done both for months and years at a time. My vote, van life.
I've done 6 years of van life. Boat life is a great change of pace right now
Why would you remove all the covers just to drive especially the clears above the windscreen ?
I've lived on a 38ft Mustang sports cruiser for 2 years now and never removed all my covers to drive , only remove the very back cover at the stern . 🙂✌️
Love this series 🎉
Well get ready for a lot more of it!
Boat life for the win dude no doubt!
Thanks man!
Only if you have a lot of $$$'s. I lived on a boat on and off for about 10 years San Diego. Now I vanlife it's so much cheaper and free'er to go where ever and when ever you wish. I follow the weather and now with all the wildfires I'm heading to the Oregon coast.
Awesome!!!!
Love your content.
I appreciate that! Thanks for supporting
Boat lifer.... Subscribed!
Welcome aboard!
Been boating my whole life with cabin cruisers n you can run the full canvas setup at full speed 🤟
I think he just doesn’t like the windows because they are hard to see through. I could be wrong though.
Thanks that’s good to know!
Yeah that’s definitely a factor too. Way less visibility
Have you ever considered a class 1 ebike? Its as close to a regular bicycle and weighs around 30 lbs? nice vid.
Not really, I love the speed and power of this bike
Turning off all of your inside lights helps
How much fuel do you use to cruise compared to a cargo van? $300 to go 50 miles doesn’t seem feasible or sustainable.
Hi Gross, can you please do a video on your e-bike? Thanks
These videos really make me miss my Four Winns Vista 328. I recently downsized but can't wait to get back into a cabin cruiser.
parallel parking a van vs boat
You did a good job backing in to your mooring. I have been boating many years. If I can give you some tips? ❤
I’ll take all the tips I can get haha
@@BrandonGross So I am a qualified yacht master and had a boat very similar to yours so I get your worries in strong currents and wind. I also used to volunteer and run boat handling courses in the uk.
When mooring like you did in this video before you go in between the pontoons stay out in the open water and position your boat as if you were lined up with your mooring and about to back into it, put the engines in neutral and see what the boat does. Observe which way you are being pushed etc. once you have seen that, get your boat back in position in the open water, centre up your steering and now using one click throttle inputs only, ie no big inputs of power see if you can hold your boat in position as if you are backing into your mooring. You will steer the boat using engines only, so if your starboard throttle is forwards and port throttle is in reverse your boat will rotate left, if you do the opposite it will rotate right. If you want a more gentle rotation just put the starboard forwards and leave the port in neutral. Now have a play in open water and just keep your craft still and lined up with the pontoons. Doing this in open water will prepare you for exactly what will happen once you start to enter the mooring space.
As you are on a river, and there are currents that will push you the moment you go side on to them you can use a technique that is called ferry gliding. When you are in open water and now hopefully holding your boat in position nicely with the throttle inputs by clicking them in and out if drive. Turn the bow of the boat very slightly to the starboard so you are almost pointing down river, and hold it there, the current flowing under your boat and wind will start to drift you towards the pontoons. You can then using your throttles take your boat effectively side on between the pontoons, once your stern is lined up with your mooring you come off the power and let your boat drift backwards into the mooring. All of this is done with no steering inputs, keep the steering center and use throttles only. Like the way a tank steers.
I would put some for of fenders on the swim platform as well.
If you can’t use ferry gliding then again only use your throttles, you said you were being pushed into your mooring by wind, in which case enter the pontoons and keep your boat tight to the back of the moored boats on your port, you will probably only need to click the starboard engine in and out if gear to keep you away from your mooring, once you are centred to your mooring so not past it, use your throttles as I said above one forwards and one backwards. All inputs should be small and relaxed if you find you are getting in a panic head back out to open water, compose yourself and control them come in again just take your time.
Finally ropes. Tie off a stern rope, once in the mooring, so as per your video tie off on the port stern side, then put your starboard engine one click in forward, this will push against the stern rope and bring in your bow, leave the engine in gear running and then you can easily tie off the front. Get your front spring on pulling to the bow, now shut off your engines and the boat will come to rest on your spring protecting your swim deck.
It’s worth taking some time out, find some clear moorings and practice, it’s very rewarding when you get the sills you need to moor, but even at my level when I had strong currents and on a sunny day knew lots of people were watching me moor, my heart was going, but I really slowed down my inputs and took my time.
You should do a video of mooring practice 👍 hope this helps if you have any questions happy to answer them.
@@MrPantss thank you for this!!
Good work
It is really tough to do in the wind. Much tougher without a bow thruster.
I dock our 44ft. Trawler with twin screw, no bow or stern thrusters! My first docking attempt was during high winds against out going tide! Using throttles only I was able to dock her without any problems! I think it’s all in technique for the most part. We live on our boat full time and absolutely loooove it!!
Great video 👍
Thanks!
I thought they made a fold up version Ebike.that would be easier to load on the boat
Yeah but this one does 60mph and amazing off road
dun know any thing about boat. is there a thing call revise lights and revise camera?😅
good question haha I'm sure on much bigger boats it's a thing
Hi, just be like Nike just do it you can do anything but if you talk yourself into wrecking things and breaking things it’s going to happen so have the Nike principal just do it from Australia
Thats my plan !
Fun vid, thanx.
$250 to go 50 miles! Instant win for Van Life...