Docking A Boat

Those who are new to the world of boating may not know all the tricks for operating their boat smoothly. A lot goes into piloting a boat after you leave the dock, from navigating around obstacles in choppy water to adjusting the speed for watersports users. The last step on every boating journey will be pulling into the dock, and this process can be tricky if you don’t know how to accomplish it. To avoid doing damage to your boat or other property, follow this guide by the staff at Germaine Marine! Our dealership serves the states of Arizona and Utah so we can better help our customers throughout the Southwest.

Pulling Into The Dock

After your day on the water, you’ll want to get yourself into the right mindset for docking your boat safely. Scan the area you’re planning to pull into -- the place near the dock that you’re parking your boat is called a slip. Just like you wouldn’t race into a parking space in your car, you don’t want to steer your boat into the slip at high speeds. Check the area as you slowly approach to make sure that you’re not going to run into any debris or obstacles like pylons or stray lines that might get caught in your engine.

Because your stern moves first, it calls the shots when you're maneuvering your boat. You'll want to be very conservative while moving the rudder so that you don't overcorrect and end up sending your boat careening in the wrong direction.

Slow Down

A top consideration when docking your boat should be the speed of your approach. Don't pull in too fast since you'll likely collide with something, whether that be the dock itself or someone else's boat. You also don't want to go slow enough to strand yourself in the marina. New boaters will have the most difficulty with this process. You may want to install bumpers on the corners of your boat to protect it from the minor dings you’ll likely suffer as you learn to dock your boat properly.

Stay in the lowest engine setting and use little bursts of power to dock your boat. You’re essentially trying to float your boat into a space while guiding it with some speed and maneuverability. Take things slow and make sure you remain focused on the task at hand. Allowing yourself to become distracted will only increase the likelihood that you hit something, so turn off your music and don’t try to carry on a casual conversation with your passengers while you dock your boat.

Docking In Windy Conditions

Wind is likely to complicate the docking process, so you’ll want to use extra caution when docking on windy days. Even if you’re not on a sailboat, winds can still make waters choppy and rock your boat around. If the wind blows toward the dock, you can lower your speed and allow it to assist you in the docking process. Pull into the dock and make your boat as parallel to it as you can, then let the wind rock you into place.

When the winds are blowing away from the dock, your task will be more difficult. Create a severe angle with your boat, anywhere from 20° to 30°, to cut through the winds and get your boat where it needs to be. 

Still in need of a great boat for cruising, fishing, or entertaining purposes? Come to one of our dealerships today to see our full selection of new and used boats for sale! Our sales staff can answer any boating questions you might have, too. Germaine Marine is proud to serve customers in both Arizona and Utah.