One thing that can be said about docking a boat is that it is not so easy to do. Learning this skill requires a good bit of actual hands on experience and practice. Once you begin to practice getting your boat up to the dock, then you will start to develop your own style of docking which works out well for you. This article covers the guidelines for learning to dock a boat.
Safety First
You ought to first get your passengers ready for docking. There is no harm in having them all take their seats. It is similarly a good idea to stow away luggage or other gear which is loose. The safety of your passengers, as well as your own person, should always be at the forefront of your mind. Passengers should be constantly reminded to keep both their feet and hands within the boat all of the time.
Preparing the Boat
Go to the sides of the boat and put boat bumpers in place when you are preparing to dock your boat. One should be set out in the rear, and another one out to the front of the boat. Be certain that the boat you are preparing to dock has the lines out on the sides of the boat. Consider the direction of current flow surrounding the dock. Do not forget to figure in both the direction and speed of the wind.
Starting the Docking Procedure
The bow of your boat has to be facing into the current. Then you must set the boat’s motor to a speed which is only a little faster than is the current speed. Now carefully ease your boat in towards the dock, along a parallel position. Once you believe that you are lined up correctly to align with the dock, then stop the power right away. Should your boat be moving in toward the dock slip too fast, then there is a remedy. Simply set the motor of the boat to reverse in order to reduce its forward momentum.
Securing the Boat to the Dock
Leap off of the boat and utilize the ropes in order to make fast the boat to the dock, once you are close enough to do so. Alternatively, you might make one of your passengers do this for you. Should this prove to be a daunting task for you and your passengers, then simply ask a person on the dock to help you with it once you hand the ropes over to him or her.
Finally, you will have to tie up the rear and front ropes correctly. Make certain that you handle the bow rope before the other rope. If you do not do this in the proper sequence, then you can count on your boat drifting away from both you and the dock. No one likes to have to jump in to the water and swim down their runaway vessel.
Additional Resources:
Associated Content: How to Dock a Boat
DIY: How to Dock a Boat
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