| Skippers have a million things on their minds when | | | | three gear positions. Bring the engine down to idle |
| docking a boat. Have you covered all the details with | | | | speed; then shift into neutral, reverse, neutral, ahead. |
| your sailing crew to make sure they are ready for this | | | | Repeat this test twice. Now you know you will have |
| tricky maneuver? Make sure these seven tips are part | | | | good response in reverse gear. |
| of your normal check list before you enter any marina. | | | | 5. Quiet, Clear Communications |
| 1. Preset Springlines | | | | Keep open communications with your crew while |
| Get bow lines and stern lines ready on both sides of | | | | entering. If you change your mind about any maneuver, |
| the boat. Tie spring lines, equal to your boat length, to | | | | let them know right away. Crews on large yachts |
| boat cleats near the bow. You can tie up a boat of | | | | often use wireless headsets to interact. Or get your |
| any size with just one spring line. | | | | crew together and decide on easy-to-understand hand |
| 2. Roving Fender | | | | signals. |
| Attach fenders along the sides, but don't forget the | | | | 6. Bare Steerage |
| most important one-that "roving" fender. Tie a five foot | | | | Think about how far you will drift if your engine dies. |
| line to a fender and assign one of your crew to handle | | | | You want to be going slow enough so that you don't |
| this job. Now, you are ready if you need to fend off | | | | damage another boat. Maintain just enough speed so |
| the dock or another boat. | | | | that you still have good control with the wheel or tiller. |
| 3. Bow and Stern Marine Anchor | | | | 7. Emergency Openings |
| Untangle the anchor rode and make it ready for an | | | | Look for any open slips or pier space on the way in. If |
| emergency. Pull 30 feet from the anchor locker, | | | | your engine dies, these provide a place for docking. |
| remove the kinks and coil it neatly on deck. Do the | | | | That's another reason to have dock lines and fenders |
| same with a small anchor at the stern. If you lose | | | | rigged on both sides of your boat. |
| power, you have your anchor "brakes" ready to stop | | | | Prepare your crew with crystal clear communications |
| the boat! | | | | when docking a boat. Follow a checklist like this one to |
| 4. Test Reverse Propulsion | | | | make tough maneuvers easier and stress free! |
| Check your small diesel engine (or gasoline engine) in all | | | | |