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This article is an excerpt from NauticEd’s Maneuvering Under Power, a comprehensive online course that empowers you to dock and maneuver large sailboats. The Maneuvering Under Power course is part of the Skipper Large Sailboat bundle of online courses, fully preparing you to sail large sailboats over 25ft.

You can learn to sail and improve your sailing with NauticEd, the international leader in sailing education.

Angular Momentum When Backing into a Slip

Backing into a slip is indeed an art form. But once you learn it you’ll be proud of it and your crew will be impressed.

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Here is a situation that comes up when needing to make a tight turn into the slip. During the turn, your boat gathers angular momentum. Meaning once it starts the turn it wants to continue the turn and it will ding you into the slip sides, and at a minimum, chip your gorgeous gel coat and develop gnarly scratches.

Watch the animation below.

The best way to gain valuable backing experience is to take the NauticEd Maneuvering Under Power course. It leads you through dozens of real exercises on the water so that you can gain experience perfectly maneuvering your boat.

Don’t look like a dufus in front of everyone. Become an expert now!

You can learn more in the Docking and Maneuvering Under Power Online Course....

The Docking and Maneuvering Under Power online sailing course is your go-to resource for learning how to dock and maneuver large sailboats. Upgrade to the Skipper Large Sailboat bundle of courses to fully prepare for near-coastal sailing and sailing charters.

Author

  • Grant Headifen

    Grant Headifen is a USCG-certified Master Mariner (50-Ton), founder of NauticEd, and one of the sailing world's most recognized educators. With 46 years on the water, charters across 40+ global destinations, 5 sailing books, 30+ online courses, and 300,000+ students worldwide, Grant brings real-world expertise to every article. He pioneered fractional boat ownership through SailTime and serves on the Texas Boater Safety Advisory Board. NauticEd is the only U.S. sailing education body recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard under American National Standards.

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Last updated on June 25th, 2025