A Beginner’s Guide to Docking a Boat

While docking a boat may sound easy, it can be difficult for beginners to get the hang of. If you’re not careful, you can easily damage your model by dinging it against the dock or even running into another boater. For easy straightforward instructions on how to properly dock your boat, take a look at our article below.

Prep 

Before you arrive at the dock, you’ll want to go ahead and grab your line and attach it to one of your boat’s fenders, preferably on both the port and starboard sides. Because you never know where an open spot will be at the dock, it helps to have a line prepared on each side. This way you can easily pull into your spot, tie your line to an available cleat or piling, and finish docking in a matter of minutes. 

Approach Slowly

Once you’re a ways away from the dock, you’ll want to lower your boat’s speed significantly and quickly scan your surroundings. If there are any obstacles in your path, such as other boaters, floating debris, or loose lines, you’ll need to maneuver around them carefully. Now that you’re moving more slowly, small movements will result in large adjustments from your boat. Do your best to keep your wheel (or rudder) steady, and continue to keep an eye on your surroundings as you pull up to the dock. 

Attach Your Lines 

When you arrive at the dock, you’ll likely see either a cleat or piling for you to tie your line to. If your dock has a cleat, a small metal fixture with horns, you’ll want to use a cleat hitch knot to dock your boat. However, if your dock has large wooden beams, also called pilings, you’ll want to use a bowline knot.

If you’re still searching for a boat of your own, we encourage you to visit us here at LMC Marine Center in Houston, Texas. We proudly serve the nearby city of Conroe, Texas, offer an amazing inventory of boats for you to choose from, and even have helpful financing and trade-in services available!