Master Boat Docking: Lessons and How to Drive a Boat
Mastering Boat Docking: Boating Lessons Using Spring Lines in a Marina Boat Docking can be one of the most challenging aspects of boating, especially without…
At High Tide Boating, we specialise in practical, on-board boating lessons and boating skills training, focusing on boat handling and docking techniques for marina-sized boats in Melbourne. As Melbourne’s trusted name in boating instruction, we provide the knowledge and confidence you need for safe vessel operation, so you can fully enjoy your boating experience.
When we deliver boating instruction our aim is to get you to a point where you can simply enjoy boating without the fear that comes with docking and manoeuvring in the marina.
During our time together on-board your boat we will cover;
It is really important that you have a basic familiarity with your vessel. Most of your servicing and repairs will be done via an external contractor (unless you are very hands-on), but there are fundamental things that you, as the skipper, will need to know and check every time you are on your boat.
We then take the owners through vessel startup, showing them a specific series of steps to follow for startup, which will then become their startup procedure. We use and provide a logbook with all of these steps – so that nothing ever needs to be forgotten.
Our aim is to get you and your family (be it a husband and wife team and/or kids) to work as a team and practice coming into the marina pen and docking with as minimal fuss as possible. We will teach you to use lines and spring lines whilst standing on the boat.
We go over radio checks and the basics of how to use your radio in the event of an emergency.
We will cover local area knowledge, which in the Boating Essentials Course is all about familiarity with the marina you are in, knowledge about where the fuel bowsers are, and where the pump-out station is. Additionally, we will go over any areas directly around the marina that you need to be aware of so as not to run aground or get into trouble.
In this section of the course, we will go through a full procedure for refuelling. This is important as refuelling a boat can go very wrong, and for the safety of you and your family and friends, it is important to understand best practices around refuelling.
The lion’s share of the program is spent handling and manoeuvring the vessel. We aim to get you to a point where you can manoeuvre your boat confidently and calmly both outside of the marina and within the confines of the marina (which is usually the most nerve-wracking part).
Docking can become an exciting challenge, providing as much joy as being out on the water. And the sooner you reach this level of docking, the more time you will find to spend on your boat.
Our Boating Instruction Program will allow for 3 x sessions of 3-4 hours each. We can structure the lessons around your availability and learning style. Doing the 3 sessions gives you time to absorb and also practice the skills you learn in order to increase your data retention and speed up your grasp of the essentials. To find out more
Confidently learn to drive a boat and master launching and retrieving your trailer boat. Our comprehensive training program is tailored to your specific needs and abilities, covering:
Once you’ve completed our boating classes for beginners, you can advance your skills with our range of specialised three-hour programs:
We look forward to helping you enjoy a stress-free boating experience. Enquire today about our practical boating lessons and boating instruction programs in Melbourne.
For a comprehensive boating solution, explore our other services, including boat skipper hire, boat washing, and more.
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