I have been boating for over 20 years,,, I spent 15 of those years boating on the Des Plaines and Illinois River in Central Illinois. My family and I have watched boaters year after year slam their boats into barges, crash into piers as they docked, and occasionally crash into other boats while pulling into and out of their slips. Docking at the gas dock was another story altogether. If the gas attendant was busy helping others, forget about docking. The wind would blow you away. I watched and watched and concluded “There must be a better way.”
While storing my boat at the Harborside Marina on the Illinois River near Wilmington Illinois, I met my partner, Roger Leyden. We became boating buddies and for 12 years knew nothing about the Landing Loop. We just traveled together and had great boating experiences. We both eventually left the River and now dock our boats at a marina on Lake Michigan.
The docking situation seemed to get worse on the Big Lake. More wind, rougher waters, and many more boats. I watched and watched again. On any given week end I could see 4-5 boats crash into the piers, mates on the boats trying to lasso the cleat, and the clincher was seeing a friend jumping over his boat railing onto the dock, missing the pier, and falling into the water. He also broke his ankle in the process. I concluded that I had to do something about the way we dock our boats.
I bought an extension pole at a home center and began playing with PVC pipe, wire, rubber pipe, Velcro and plastic hose . It took me 2 years to come up with something that worked every time. I have 10-15 different proto types in my basement showing the progression and the development of “Landing Loop”. Now the question became; How can I get it manufactured economically, who would make it, and how much would it cost?
That question will be answered in my next blog.
See you next week
Captain Al
P. S. If you live or boat around Wilmington Illinois, you can purchase the Landing Loop at Harborside Marina. Just ask Ron at info@harborsidemarina.com.