With the heat rising and the water beckoning, it’s only a matter of time before you head to the nearest lake or river for a refreshing dip or to go boating. If you’re kind of new to handling marine vessels, you probably have a lot more to learn about the trickier aspects of taking your craft out ─ like how to dock it.
At RVs and Boats For Less, we want you to have as much fun on the water as possible. So, we’ve listed some tips below to help you learn how to dock your craft and become a more confident boater. To see our wide range of boats for sale come down to our boat dealership in Chubbuck, Idaho.
Choose Your Slip
When you want to dock your craft, look around for an area you can pull into. The ‘slip’ is the spot near the dock where you’ll bring your machine to rest. You want to watch out for any floating debris which may hamper your way, such as floating lines that can get caught in your propeller. Our experts at our boat dealership will be happy to give you more tips about choosing and pulling into your slip.
Mind The Stern
Even if you’re a pro, you should always keep in mind the stern of your craft. The stern controls the direction and maneuvering since it moves first. This is of great importance as any minor change at the rudder (which is at the stern) can make a big difference. The stern handling differs for different kinds of crafts so ask us about it when you come to see our collection of boats for sale.
Control Your Speed
Pulling in too fast can be risky, but while pulling in too slow can leave you floating far from the dock. To know your ideal speed think of this ─ don’t approach the pier any faster than you’re willing to hit it. Consider staying at the lowest setting and using short bursts of power to move. If your boat has a single engine, use your wheel to steer before you apply power to move forward. On a twin-inboard craft, you don’t need to use the wheel, just alternate the inboards to maneuver your craft in the right direction.
Pay Attention To The Wind
Strong gusts of wind are totally capable of throwing most water crafts off course, even if they aren’t sailboats. Bimini tops and T-tops can also catch the wind. It is best to furl your sails and lower any tops to lessen the impact of the wind. If the wind is blowing towards the dock, you can let it do most of the work ─ just pull in as close to the pier as you can and then let the wind take you further. If the wind is blowing away from the dock, you’ll have to angle your craft in a way that cuts the wind effect (even a 20 or 30 degree angle can be helpful). Use your momentum to guide you into the dock and be ready to quickly tie-off as soon as you’re close enough. Keep your skills and strength in mind when you look at boats for sale. It’s pointless buying a craft you can’t maneuver.
Practice, Practice
Don’t get discouraged if you’re not an immediate pro at docking. As with most things, the more you practice, the better you’ll get. When docking, keep in mind what you’re doing is basically guided floating, you probably don’t even need to look at the throttle. If at any time during the process you feel like going forward might damage your craft or get you stuck, it’s best to reverse, circle back and try again.
We hope these tips help you to become more confident about your skills. Remember it’s better to ask if you have any doubts or questions rather than damage your craft. At our boat dealership in Chubbuck, Idaho, we’ll be happy to help you with more tips about boating and docking. We invite all boat enthusiasts from Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Twin Falls and Chubbuck, Idaho as well as Logan and Salt Lake City, Utah.
