Docking Tips and Tricks

Here we have some helpful tips and tricks on docking a single-engine boat from one of our certified training captains, Alex Paris.

What types of training videos do you want to see? Let us know down in the comments.

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Intro: (0:00)
Exiting slip: (0:35)
Turning Around: (1:46)
Starboard Docking: (2:55)
Port Docking: (5:23)
Maintaining Position: (7:20)
Lines: (8:50)
Dock Lines: (9:34)
Flat docking: (11:04)

[yuuiji]

Seriously can't thank you enough. I've been so afraid of not knowing how to control my boat when the wind and current change the position of my bow. Now I feel more confident after this video.

[willrobinson]

It's one thing to do what comes naturally from years of experience but entirely another thing to teach it. Well done 👍🏼

[markfrankl]

I am a Freedom Club member. I found your video to be very helpful especially your pointing out bump & go. I feel more comfortable in knowing how to position my boat when approaching a dock . Thank you

[jhmcglynn]

Nicely done. We just joined FBC here in Southport NC and completed the required onboard training yesterday. I am 74 and bought my first sailboat when I was 20. I have minimal experience with power boats. A point our instructor made yesterday was to obtain the tightest turning radius you should FIRST fully re-position the outboard motor before PUTTING IT IN GEAR. You follow that in practice but I suggest pointing it out. I also agree untying the stern lines first.

[hstubble]

Great video. You should create a complete video series for all FBC locations. Thanks.

[seanlutzi]

very very good tutorial! just bought a new (old) boat and of course im a novice so this was incredibly informative.... appreciate the overhead and clear concise instruction!!

[lornehargis]

First time boat owner here, thx great video. Slow is the way to go.

[jortega]

Excellent video, great job explaining all the phases of docking and maneuvering.

[tideshifttours]

When freeing your dock lines, start at the stern and do your spring line last. You always want to start at the transom because if a gust of wind or something unexpected occurs, you will be able to use your motor to regain control. If the stern is tied up you lose the ability to motor.

[danabbott]

Very nicely done. After 23 years as a coxswain in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, there are some things I would do differently that I think are safer. Rather than attach a bow line as a first line, I always attach a stern line first and then go forward on that line to bring the boat in. If the bow line gets pulled in too tight -- which often happens if you hand the line to someone on the dock -- it may be impossible to bring the boat parallel to the dock, and on most boats it requires that someone lean out over the water, reach down, and grab a cleat as he did. The bow on most boats is much higher than the stern. If you bring the stern in first, particularly in a wind blowing you off the dock, you can reach the cleat easily, then just put the boat in forward at clutch speed and wait for the bow to come around. Then you can put a breast line (midship line) on. On most boats, you can just drop the stern line over the cleat. The helm is normally closer to the stern than the bow and is quicker to get there if operating alone.

I would also use a locking hitch on a cleat only if my line is too short to use the Coast Guard required method of cleating a line: Go under each horn once, two figure eights, around the base twice, no locking hitch ever. That way your hands and fingers never get near the cleat, and you can remove the line from the boat with a little lasso work. You can also attach it from the boat without leaning over the side.

[SoundzAlive]

Alex, good job BUT, you could have stated in the beginning that the technique for strong winds is different as you only said to consider winds etc. It would have been good to show how to lasso the dock cleat and it is always much stronger and less load on the top of the cleat when you start with a full 360 degree wrap. That will put the force on the strongest part of the cleat at the base. The hitch is unnecessary if you add another cross, then you can finish with a full wrap. That way there is no tension on the crosses and it can be quickly undone even from the boat to the dock. You can tie up that way also from the boat. This method is more secure with the modern lines and will save your boat from being pulled off the dock in a strong wind. Your method works fine with the old fibre ropes as there is more friction on them. I asked other boating companies why they promote your method and they said they use a 100 year old book on knots as their bible. Test the strength of your cleating and you will be surprised at its performance compared to the OXXO method. André

[PescaXdos-]

Look easy but I’m have new experience in driving me boat is hard to control it but this video show me is better I’m trying

[jjzinn]

Great video, wish you had shown creating a spring line

[Adventure.with.Robbie]

Great video. Tried to do this for the first time today without any advice and you can properly figer out how that went. Thanks for the video I'm sure after watching this I'll stand a better chance next time

[davidbgerhardt]

Great job explaining it all. Thanks for putting this together.

[andreaselme]

Very helpful clear instructions, thanks for that!

[boballison]

excellent video, well explained, very helpful. Thank you!

[blroy]

Awesome video. Worth the membership to do things right!

[bobbarnes]

Very good training overall. At the end he talks about “flat docking” which is a great technique. After he ties his first line he did not state that he turned his motor hard to port and put it in reverse which pulls the stern of the boat to the dock.

[Island]

It would be great to see a video with a single engine cabin boat (no walkaround), that does not allow for safe access to bow lines when operating alone.