Dockmanship

Dockmanship is a neat little book from David Owen Bell that covers all the important stuff associated with being close to the dock in about 100 pages. It starts with the basics of the effects of the propeller, rudder, wind & current, dock lines and fenders. It then covers both sail and power boats with inboard, outboard and twin engines. It also covers so-called advanced techniques such as warping, anchor turns, etc.

Like anything else, it cannot possibly cover all situations, but it does give you some good techniques and theory in a small package. One criticism of the book could be that unless you have done some manoeuvring around the dock already, it may be a bit too technical/advanced for you to start with from scratch. There are descriptions using jargon that can cause confusion even for those already on the water.

For example: “When you have a headwind or current, let it take the bow away from the dock, then come ahead. If you try to back off, the bow may get set against the dock and bounced from piling to piling as you back. You can put the fenders aft, then beck on the forward-leaning spring to work the bow out.” If you can follow that scenario then the book will likely be a useful addition to the library. If not, it will still be a good reference but more so if you have someone there to help you through each potential manoeuvre.

There are a few versions out there, so make sure you get the latest one when searching on Amazon or similar site.