Things You'll Need:
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Step 1
Check the wind direction by reading flags onshore, wind on the water or masthead indicators.
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Step 2
Position your boat about five boat lengths to leeward and one boat length off the dock.
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Step 3
Reduce speed to bare steerage way.
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Step 4
Aim the bow at a spot a few feet up the dock from the nearest (leeward) corner.
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Step 5
Shift to neutral when the boat is about two and a half boat lengths from the dock. The boat should slow to a speed of less than 1 knot, but it shouldn't stop entirely.
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Step 6
Position one or two crew members at the beam with bow and stern lines. A single crew may be more effective using a spring line attached to a beam cleat.
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Step 7
Turn the boat upwind when the bow comes about half the distance of the beam measurement from the corner of the dock. For example, if the boat has a 10-foot beam, turn upwind when the bow is 5 feet from the corner of the dock.
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Step 8
Have fenders in place or assign a crew member to suspend a fender by a line at the point where the boat comes closest to the dock.
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Step 9
Bring the beam alongside the dock.
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Step 10
Instruct the crew to step off the boat onto the dock - no acrobatic leaps. Make sure they understand that you can make another attempt at the dock more easily than picking them up out of the water.
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Step 11
Use dock lines around cleats to slow the boat to a stop. Let the lines slip over the cleats while applying moderate resistance rather than tying them fast before the boat has come to a stop.
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Step 12
Use reverse if necessary to slow the boat.
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Step 13
Secure the dock lines.
