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Descant · 04-08-2014, 09:31 PM

Absolutely agree about backing out and trying again. Going out in the lake and just learning to maneuver up to a cushion will help develop skills. It will also teach you a lot about what you can and cannot see that is low in the water like your hat or a man overboard.

Absolutely disagree about the boat hook. To me, that's for picking up moorings and hats, not docking. If you want to help dock, learn to throw a line to someone on the dock. This is a skill that also requires practice. BTW, it doesn't work when your lines are too short or on the wrong side of the boat.
When you dock with a boat hook, people will see that you are new and will come running to help. If you hit my boat rubrail to rubrail, or just with your rubrail against the hull, no damage. Same when you hit a piling with your rubrail. No damage. That's what pilings, fenders and rubrails are for. When you stick the pointed end of your boat hook into my boat it can cause a huge amount of damage and then stick back into your stomach and hurt you or push you overboard.

When you pull into a dock, aiming for the middle to avoid other boats, that's fine. But don't leave the boat taking up the entire middle of the dock. Sure sign of either an amateur or a rude boater. Move the boat forward or backwards by hand to leave maximum space for others. If you think you can't back out between two boats under power, no problem, just move along one side or the other by hand until you have clearance.

Sometimes, learning together isn't the best plan. Find that friend with a similar pontoon and each of you practice individually a couple of times. When you're both yelling instructions trying to protect your boat (or mine) it doesn't make boating as much fun as it does when you develop individual confidence.

Stand on the dock and watch the Mount Washington closely. They do everything that others have suggested in posts above. Go slow, use reverse to stop, throw a line to a dock person, rubrail against the pilings, turn the wheel hard over and apply power accordingly, adjust the position after you're secure at the dock. It all works the same way on small boats too.

Sorry if this sounds preachy.

04-08-2014, 09:31 PM	#11
Descant Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Merrimack and Welch Island Posts: 4,373 Thanks: 1,352 Thanked 1,625 Times in 1,057 Posts	Go around Absolutely agree about backing out and trying again. Going out in the lake and just learning to maneuver up to a cushion will help develop skills. It will also teach you a lot about what you can and cannot see that is low in the water like your hat or a man overboard. Absolutely disagree about the boat hook. To me, that's for picking up moorings and hats, not docking. If you want to help dock, learn to throw a line to someone on the dock. This is a skill that also requires practice. BTW, it doesn't work when your lines are too short or on the wrong side of the boat. When you dock with a boat hook, people will see that you are new and will come running to help. If you hit my boat rubrail to rubrail, or just with your rubrail against the hull, no damage. Same when you hit a piling with your rubrail. No damage. That's what pilings, fenders and rubrails are for. When you stick the pointed end of your boat hook into my boat it can cause a huge amount of damage and then stick back into your stomach and hurt you or push you overboard. When you pull into a dock, aiming for the middle to avoid other boats, that's fine. But don't leave the boat taking up the entire middle of the dock. Sure sign of either an amateur or a rude boater. Move the boat forward or backwards by hand to leave maximum space for others. If you think you can't back out between two boats under power, no problem, just move along one side or the other by hand until you have clearance. Sometimes, learning together isn't the best plan. Find that friend with a similar pontoon and each of you practice individually a couple of times. When you're both yelling instructions trying to protect your boat (or mine) it doesn't make boating as much fun as it does when you develop individual confidence. Stand on the dock and watch the Mount Washington closely. They do everything that others have suggested in posts above. Go slow, use reverse to stop, throw a line to a dock person, rubrail against the pilings, turn the wheel hard over and apply power accordingly, adjust the position after you're secure at the dock. It all works the same way on small boats too. Sorry if this sounds preachy.

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