How To Dock Your Boat The Quick & Easy Way
- By: Joseph Simonds
- on
- Found In: Boating Tips, Fishing Tips
Need help docking your boat like a pro?
You’re in the right place…
A great day on the water can be spoiled by a tough time at the boat ramp.
So to teach us how to dock a boat the quick and easy way, we brought back Capt. Mark “Hollywood” Johnson.
He’ll show us the correct way to approach a dock, plus his tips for windy days, or in areas with lots of current.
Enjoy!
(P.S. want to catch more fish while you’re out on the water? Check out our SUPER-Community here.)
How To Dock Your Boat [VIDEO]
Learn more about Capt. Mark “Hollywood” Johnson at FloridaKeysFunFishing.com.
Conclusion
What did you think?
Have any other questions about docking your boat?
Let us know in the comments below!
And if you know someone who needs to see these tips, TAG or SHARE this with them! Pa-POW!
(P.S. want to catch more fish while you’re out on the water? Check out our SUPER-Community here.)
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As a woman, guys don’t think I can dock a boat. I’ve made a lot of them want to hide after watching me dock perfectly – every time!
Neutralize the boat’s position before reaching the dock. Know which direction the wind and current are pushing it. Then slide into the dock. Dockmaster told me he wished everyone would do what I do.
Thank you for the good video.
I keep a small garden sprayer full of fresh water and salt-away in the back of my truck for rinsing the lug nuts, hubs, and brakes on the trailer.
Who put the cleats on that dock or installed it backwards. I approach the corner of the dock and drop the power poles. My ramp is always busy. People loading the boat AFTER it’s in the water, the motor won’t start, guides sitting around waiting for customers, etc. Dock space is scarce with boats going in and out.
I have been boating all my life and found this tip very helpful. Thank you. You did, however, leave out a few external factors that may affect/effect a successful docking. Angry, drunk, idiots in the water, on the dock, in cars…everywhere and you better like Kenny Chesney. Jet skis doing backflips over the dock. Dock fisherman and lines. Rubberneckers. And believe it or not if you have any questions about boating or docking it’s normally not too very difficult to find several experts who are more than willing to impart wisdom. Wake. Lightning bolts being hurled in every direction. Driving rain. I could go on and on but you get the point.
If you can dock your boat with all this going on then I will say…You my friend are a real expert!
Thanks again
P.S. Did I mention screaming wife, crying kids, and wild dogs?
Two things I’ve found very helpful putting my boat on a lift with swift current. 1) always approach the dock INTO the wind or current.
2) remember, the boat “steers” from the stern, not the bow.
From those of us ‘less experienced’ boaters, thank you so much. These tips are very valuable!
Great tips & definitely the correct way. My concern is what Melvin thought to build a dock & put the cleets on the far side of the dock?? ????????
Perfect now someone walking the dock can trip over the line ????????
How to dock your boat will not open-says error
Excellent video Mark ! Great Boat Handling also !!! I’ve been a guide and 200 ton licensed captain since 1974. If you would let all our fishing community know a simple safety rule maybe another great video. This tip is if someone is at the dock to catch your dock line ! Many people will pull into a fuel dock and put the loop of their tie-up line over a cleat on the boat and throw the loose end to the person on the dock. From personal experience and loss of a friend I can honestly say that is a major mistake. When someone on the dock ties off the boat it prevents the boat from being able to quickly get away from the dock. In our case it was a boat explosion and fire. The boat beside up blew up after fueling up. Not venting and gas fumes in the bilge was the first mistake the the captain made. We always had deck knives handy and quickly cut the lines. Some boat weren’t so lucky. The Dock hands had tied up several boats and the boats couldn’t get away from the dock and caught on fire because of the gas in the water. Everyone on the dock ran and the boats were trying to break the lines and couldn’t . One life was lost and several large boats burned up. We thru a anchor thru the windshield of a 41 Hatterus and drug it out of the marina and watched it burn to the water line. At the time I was 21 I’m now 66 and still remember it as it was yesterday.
You do such a great job explaining with your videos I was hoping you could pass this along.
Thanks Again
Gus
I think I need a little more info on this. So please let me know the process as you’re saying it, we would take the loop to the dock or we shouldn’t use loops at all and just a clean untied rope with a figure 8 at both sides?
A loop at one end is fine. The dock hand can drop it over a bit on the dock or over a pole. Then the person on the boat can take a wrap on a cleat.
Thanks so much for showing interest!! You have a fantastic website
Enjoyed the docking video. Great tips