Spring-On & Spring-Off, Spring-On & Spring-Off
Increase your Confidence at the Dock
Would you get a puker factor thinking about getting your boat out of here? What about in a high-strength and unfavorable wind direction? Watch this animation below and see how incredibly easy it is to use a springline to spring-on or spring-off the dock.
Pinned up against the dock with wind blowing hard? Simply use this to spring-off. Coming in and the wind is blowing you off? Simply use this to spring-on.
Tap the play button.
Above is the most common way to get your boat off the dock or get in when the wind is not working in your favor. You can also use this if the current is working against you also.
It is especially useful for tight spots – many times you might want to get into the fuel dock and back out again, but there is only a tiny spot. No worries!
The key is to practice this easy spring-on and spring-off maneuver. Next time you are out at the dock, simply place a line around your forward bow cleat and run it aft onto the dock. Then just play around for a while, turning your helm. Feel the boat go out and come back as you turn the helm.
This works for both sailboats and power boats, and it doesn’t really matter what type of propeller drive system you have.
Huge tips and tricks like this are in our NauticEd courses. For Sailboats, take our Maneuvering Under Power course. For Powerboats, take our Skipper Large Powerboat Course or our Skipper Small Powerboat course, coming in early May 2025
After you have practiced this maneuver a dozen or so times, you will be ultra confident for next time when you really need it.
HEY, want to try it in Virtual Reality before you risk the gelcoat on your boat? Go ahead – try it out in our Virtual Reality course, where there is a docking module for powerboats and sailboats.
