Docking (part 1): Introduction to docking with style and grace

This is our introductory video to a series on docking a sailboat. This video introduces a set of processes which will allow you to dock your boat with grace and style. The follow on seven video episodes in this series will address each individual dock skill process in greater detail.

[dangre]

Some times you watch the show... some times you are the show.

[gregoryatkins]

Thanks for these videos. They are great to review with my Oklahoma wife who is learning to sail. Having grown up in Salem Willows it’s also great to see the familiar waters and my uncle’s boatyard in the background. Thanks again.
Greg Atkins

[davidwarner]

Great info...I suppose every circumstance may differ but my big takeaway from this is putting the boat in gear once the spring line is attached brings the boat in against the doc. Makes sense...Thank you.

[MattO]

Great video! Haven’t done this in a year and needed a refresher, mostly on moorings but might be getting a slips this season.

[arthurfairfull]

This shows nicely how idling in gear against a spring line gives you complete control - however you have to get the spring ashore first, and personally if at all possible I like to get that done before anyone steps ashore. Especially with just a skipper and one crewmember, if the crew steps off and something goes wrong - line dropped, whatever, and the boat drifts off - you have a problem. So if possible I go with making a loop (as someone else commented below), dropping that over the shore cleat from on the boat and taking up the slack, before anyone steps off. Granted, that can be difficult at the stern depending on the position of the cockpit, stern cleats etc - in which case go for the midships cleat if you have one. A loop dropped over a shore cleat from midships and tightened and the boat's going nowhere, giving you all the time in the world to sort the other lines. One other thought - why go for a 'difficult' cleat - ie the one in the video close to a bunch of dinghies? Surely go for a cleat with more space around it, then you can easily adjust the boat fore or aft once you've got lines ashore...

[gwrdriver]

Brilliant, beautifully demonstrated, I love your videos,
Thanks for sharing your knowledge,
Cheers, Rich

[musher]

Right to the point. No babes in bikinis... Well done sir.

[frithmoore]

Loving all your instructive videos. Thanks.

[kevin_brown_dc]

great video! thank you! I like this method and will try this weekend.

[daneulekowski]

Exactly to best way we've found to dock our Hunter 30.

[petergallo]

Great instructions, communicated clearly

[eljefe]

Great explained. Thanks for the video series.

[ud]

Just the fact he has a broad New England accent, makes this video 100% ligit

[music-jjpl]

One thing I do is put the boat in neutral at distance to help determine the tide. But Must be great to have a crew. 100% of the time i am alone. It's just practice and go very slow. Reverse helps slow you down.

[sailingcitrinesunset]

I use the same method single handed I make a loop about 4 metres long and drop one end over a winch and approach the end of the dock at 90⁰ if its windy then using a boat hook drop the other end of the loop over the end dock cleat. The boat turns 90⁰ and comes along side of the dock.

[SoundzAlive]

The other issue is using the eye splice to attach to the cleat on the dock. It can lift off easily and will not lift off if it is on the boat pulling down. 
In windy conditions stepping off would be much more difficult. Attach spring midship and Lasso a cleat. André in Sydney

[obiwanfisher]

Now I need to learn how to do that on my own, on a short, short finger pontoon without a midship cleat. ha.

[dewittbros]

Looks like you ran into those smaller boats

[franktartan]

Many sailboats cant dock that way as they dont have the thrust or even prop walk to keep against the dock.