How to Dock a Boat on a Beach

Boaters are careful when docking not to scrape the boat's hull and engine.

An average-sized boat will dock on shore easily. A larger vessel, however, requires a satellite boat to transport passengers and cargo to and from the vessel, which is tied to a buoy or other object about 10 to 20 yards offshore. Small- and medium-sized boats aren't as susceptible at scraping the bottom of the waterbed and can be guided to shore.

Things You'll Need

• Rope
• Large rock

Instructions

1. Turn the boat engine off when the boat enters about 4 feet of water. Pull the lift handle on the engine, which is usually located on the right. This will prevent the engine's blades from scraping the waterbed.

2. Row the boat to the shore for the remaining distance. Climb out the boat from the bow.

3. Pull about half of the boat onto the shore. Either tie the boat to a secure object, such as a tree, or use a weight, such as a rock at the bow, to hold the boat down. Alternatively, if the water isn't fast-flowing, let the gravity of the boat hold it down. You can also take the boat completely out of the water to rest on shore.

References

• Apparent-Wind.com: Knots