Sailboat docking and maneuvering in harbors

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Sailboat docking and maneuvering in harbors - anchored-1850849_1920.jpg
Sailboat docking and maneuvering in harbors - A copy.jpg
Sailboat docking and maneuvering in harbors - B copy.jpg
Sailboat docking and maneuvering in harbors - Marina.jpg
Sailboat docking and maneuvering in harbors - 1.jpg

Many novice sailors think that maneuvering the boat is the same as steering the car. If only boats could move across the water the same way as cars move across land, steering of the boat would be quite easy. But stopping, backing and parking of sailboats is not that simple. Understanding the physics of the sailboat motion under engine and how it reacts to water pressure on its rudder will help you to dock and maneuver in harbors safe and less stressful.

Do I really need theory?

It is almost impossible to have to dock the same way twice in a raw. Simply because there are external and internal factors that may affect the boat and docking procedure even in your home base. You may meet another boat exiting the harbor, or the wind will catch you boat and cause loss of control. All these occurrences are very possible and you should have a plan and know exactly what to do.


Practice is important, but understanding principles of the boat movement under engine is the key factor to success. Without this understanding, especially if you charter different boat models in various areas, the risk of making a mistake is quite high.

What I will learn?

We will learn the physics of the sailboat motion under engine (rudder action, prop walk, turning techniques), effect of the wind and current and explain docking maneuvers in various situations.


We will discuss principles of docking and undocking in windy conditions, usually quite stressful for most of the skippers. How to control your boat when docking and undocking MedMoor in a crosswind (Mediterranean style of docking with bow anchor in fairway and stern perpendicular to pier). How to do parallel docking with an off shore wind and tips how to undock the boat with use of spring lines even with a strong inshore wind.

Check our video recap of webinar

Here you may see short recap of 2 hour webinar.



Understanding the basics
  • Rudder action
  • Prop Walk
  • Turning
  • Stopping
Docking principles
  • No wind docking
  • Docking with wind present
  • Controlling boat in a crosswind (docking & undocking)
  • Docking parallel
  • Parallel docking with an off shore wind
  • Springing of a wall
Luca Zapparoli

Luca Zapparoli

Professional sailing instructor

More than 27 years of sailing experience. 25,000 nautical miles navigated in the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Has great experience in long-range crossings and ocean passages in variable weather conditions. Sailing and meteorology instructor in Spanish sailing federation (“Federacion de Vela de la Comunidad Valenciana” (FVCV)). Author of the book “La Vela: Teoria y Tecnica” (Sail: Theory and Practice). Now used as manual in FVCV.

Hobbies: licensed diver, licensed aircraft pilot
Education: engineer, MBA graduate of Boston EE. UU
Italian, fluent in: Italian, English, Spanish

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