How to Keep From Rocking on a Mooring

Tying your boat to the dock is called mooring. If you only moor the boat with a single line, the boat can move forward and backward and rock from side to side. This causes discomfort for passengers and can cause your boat to collide with others and the dock. Correctly mooring your boat takes very little effort and will significantly decrease rocking. Note the phase the tide is in during mooring so that you may adjust your lines accordingly.

Instructions

    • 1

      Secure the boat to the dock with the bow (forward) and stern (rear) breast lines. These two lines will prevent the boat from drifting away from the dock.

    • 2

      Secure the fore spring line (near the stern) to the point on the dock after the bow mooring.

    • 3

      Secure the aft spring line (near the bow) to the point on the dock after the stern mooring. This means that the spring lines will form an "X" as they cross in the middle. All four lines together prevent drifting and rocking of the boat.

    • 4

      Keep an eye on the tide and adjust the mooring lines accordingly. If you moor at high tide, your mooring lines may be too tight come low tide and that may lead to broken lines. If you moor at low tide, your lines may be too loose come high tide and your boat may bump into other boats or the dock.