Closing that last 2 feet gap

[bdbrown 0]

Need help on what to do to help me get all the way in and dock....I can fly and get in position for position for dock no problem, but when I go for dock there seems to be an imaginary bubble around the person I am docking with that I can't get thru...Get so close I fight the urge to reach for grips. Do not understand whats up with this last 1-2 feet before dock..once I get in the dock feels good with very little tension, it's just getting in.... Maybe I need to be more aggressive in close? Thanks for the help, Bob

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[Dumpster 0]

Perhaps when you're closing in you're also beginning to reach out for your grips without realizing it. When you reach out you may actually be "pushing" yourself backwards. Try to fly your hands to the grips, instead.

Easy Does It

[AggieDave 6]

Start-coast-stop.

Remember that phrase.

You start you movement on level 10ft away, you coast back in your neutral body position, then you stop. After you intiate your stop maneuver you'll be able to move your wrists and pick up the grips.

Another way to think of it is to fly all the way to the grips, if you hit the person you were docking on during the coast, you should just bump off them (IF you're on level and you really are coasting).

That's the watered down version for the internet.

It takes practice, don't get frustrated, don't hesitate to get some coaching.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[kallend 1,621]

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Need help on what to do to help me get all the way in and dock....I can fly and get in position for position for dock no problem, but when I go for dock there seems to be an imaginary bubble around the person I am docking with that I can't get thru...Get so close I fight the urge to reach for grips. Do not understand whats up with this last 1-2 feet before dock..once I get in the dock feels good with very little tension, it's just getting in.... Maybe I need to be more aggressive in close? Thanks for the help, Bob

There IS a bubble around the person. The air passing around their body is pushing you away AND slowing your fall rate slightly (interference drag) as you get closer. In my experience this is more of a problem for people who are a bit floaty, and weights can help.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[mjasantos 0]

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Maybe I need to be more aggressive in close?

While docking you should avoid to bring any momentum into the formation. That's why one should stop before grip. After you stopped (at reach distance), then you may grip.

Also, rather than extend too much your arms to grip, extend and use your legs "strong" and efficiently, in a way that your lower body helps pushing you into the formation regardless any air bubble deflection from other skydivers. And when extending your arms to grip (just the necessary move, not exagerated), keep your arms as much relaxed as possible, while you keep flying your body, rather than just your arms (the tendency is to concentrate too much in what your eyes can see - usually your arms - forgeting the lower body - legs).

To dock properly, you'll also need to be aware of levels all the time.

Hope this can help you a bit.

Blue Skies!

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Mario Santos
Portugal

[dgskydive 0]

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There IS a bubble around the person. The air passing around their body is pushing you away AND slowing your fall rate slightly (interference drag) as you get closer. In my experience this is more of a problem for people who are a bit floaty, and weights can help.

There it is. Especially the floaty part.

Dom

[bdbrown 0]

thanks for all the info, will put it to good use.....

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[popsjumper 2]

Quote

Quote

There IS a bubble around the person. The air passing around their body is pushing you away AND slowing your fall rate slightly (interference drag) as you get closer. In my experience this is more of a problem for people who are a bit floaty, and weights can help.

There it is. Especially the floaty part.

OMG...someone else is having the same problem and here is info I need to overome it....thanks to ALL!
BTW...I am a slow faller and more than a bit floaty...have to work hard to maintain relative....weights, eh? It's been suggested to me before but I have reservations about landing with lead strapped to my body.....

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[bdbrown 0]

we can strap a cinder block or 2 to ya popsjumper
Have fun on your 100th dude and see ya next weekend at Monroe....We will have to do some flying

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[D22369 0]

OMG...someone else is having the same problem and here is info I need to overome it....thanks to ALL!
BTW...I am a slow faller and more than a bit floaty...have to work hard to maintain relative....weights, eh? It's been suggested to me before but I have reservations about landing with lead strapped to my body.....

[kallend 1,621]

Quote

OMG...someone else is having the same problem and here is info I need to overome it....thanks to ALL!
BTW...I am a slow faller and more than a bit floaty...have to work hard to maintain relative....weights, eh? It's been suggested to me before but I have reservations about landing with lead strapped to my body.....

The weights are a minor annoyance if you wear a vest style, it chafes your neck a bit...... the scuba diver style weight belt seems to be an effective and less annoying choice although I havent tried the belt myself. I have always been a floaty biotch..... and the lead makes it sooooo much easier to concentrate on the dive plan - rather then fighting a fall rate problem. borrow a fellow jumpers and give it a try, with 10 - 15lbs, you probably wont even know its there when you land, but you will notice how much easier it is to fly relative with others..... keep in mind that it will change your wingloading a bit.

Roy

[steve1 5]

A couple years ago I was having the same problem. In the back of my mind was the fear of coming in too hot. I know you are supposed to stop and then take a grip, but I was stopping a little too far out, and then didn't have momentum to come all the way in. Again and again I would stop just a little too far out. I finally learned to come in very close, (closer than before) stop, and then take a short reach to get a grip. The important thing is not to reach too much. This causes all kinds of problems. This is what helped me......Steve1

[bdbrown 0]

made a jump Sunday that may have really helped me...Did a 2 way and got real aggressive on the docks, kept driving till dock was made , only stopping then....now I know in my mind I can stop and not just go barrelling into a formation/person...
I guess all I needed was not to be timid...

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