Easy docking?

Klchandra

New Member
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
I have been watching videos on the Sideshift bow and stern thrusters. Is there anyone who installed this on their boat? Getting into those slips are very difficult when the wind is blowing down the lake and my pontoon acts like a sailboat.
 
There are a couple members who have it installed on their boat. I'm sure they'll chime in sooner or later...
 
You can do a search in the search box and pull up several recent posts of this from M Jay Farr. I think there was also another user that was recently in process of installing.

Sounds like they achieve the desired outcome but pricey. I actually like having a side wind when docking, treat it like a fun challenge and imagine yourself landing a plane with a cross wind!
 
You can do a search in the search box and pull up several recent posts of this from M Jay Farr. I think there was also another user that was recently in process of installing.

Sounds like they achieve the desired outcome but pricey. I actually like having a side wind when docking, treat it like a fun challenge and imagine yourself landing a plane with a cross wind!
Sidewinds are a PIA with a double Bimini. Like a parachute! But we handled it!
 
I have a lift and it has a spare inch or two between the guide poles, it can be a huge challenge to get it on the lift with a wind and the double bimini. Nothing like a square fitting into a square.
 
On our small S20, Bimini is always down and stowed before we try to dock unless the spot is very protected from winds and waves.
When we kept our boat on the lift our double Bimini stayed up the entire summer. Too much work to take it down! (Lazy in my old age) Now we store it in a dry storage facility.....
 
I started a thread over a year or so ago on this subject. It's a couple of pages long now. There are some members here who have forked out the large coin for the side shift system. They have nothing but good things to say about it. Docking a Tri or even a pontoon can be easy. Or it can be one of the biggest pain in the a$$'s. There's lots of variables. Single bimini, double bimini, slight wind, no wind, harsh gusts, wakes, length of the boat etc. all play a part. Putting your nice boat into a tight slip is one thing. Putting it back on the tailer is another. And, much of that depends on the way the trailer is setup. "Goal posts" as I call them, can be helpful. Center toon guides, depending on the design, can also be of help. But again, all those conditions I mentioned have an effect on how easily it goes back onto the trailer. Sometimes, we can simply drive it squarely on without a single issue. It's rare, but it does happen. Most of the time, it's at least a two-attempt operation. And we've both been at boating for oh, maybe 30-35 years or so. But pontoons and tri-toons are a different animal than a V-hull boat. Maybe sooner or later I'll end up with the Sides shift.
Scott
 
I started a thread over a year or so ago on this subject. It's a couple of pages long now. There are some members here who have forked out the large coin for the side shift system. They have nothing but good things to say about it. Docking a Tri or even a pontoon can be easy. Or it can be one of the biggest pain in the a$$'s. There's lots of variables. Single bimini, double bimini, slight wind, no wind, harsh gusts, wakes, length of the boat etc. all play a part. Putting your nice boat into a tight slip is one thing. Putting it back on the tailer is another. And, much of that depends on the way the trailer is setup. "Goal posts" as I call them, can be helpful. Center toon guides, depending on the design, can also be of help. But again, all those conditions I mentioned have an effect on how easily it goes back onto the trailer. Sometimes, we can simply drive it squarely on without a single issue. It's rare, but it does happen. Most of the time, it's at least a two-attempt operation. And we've both been at boating for oh, maybe 30-35 years or so. But pontoons and tri-toons are a different animal than a V-hull boat. Maybe sooner or later I'll end up with the Sides shift.
Scott
We trailered our boats for years before moving to NC. We have never driven our boat on the trailer. My wife would drop me off at the end of the dock and I would back the trailer down the ramp. We would just float it on the trailer winch It up a foot or 2 and pull it out of the water. Put the rear tie downs on, done!
 
I've never driven our toon on a trailer, and we trailer full-time. We have a "system" if you will. There's a designated truck driver. I put him out at the dock, and he runs up and gets the truck and trailer and backs it down the ramp very close to the dock. The rest of us float our toon on the trailer. Hook the winch up and ratchet it pretty close to the trailer stops and pull it out to a point out of everyone's way where we can tie everything down, ratchet it tight, prepare for the ride, etc.. We have a power bimini and never load the toon without it already secured in the trailering position. If the ramp doesn't have a dock, well, we find another location, but we know where to go from experience. Never had a problem.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top