- 1). Prepare the boat ends of your lines before you arrive at the dock, making them fast to their cleats.
- 2). Bring your boat parallel to the dock. If the wind is blowing offshore and you have an outboard or inboard/outboard engine, approach the wind at a 20- to 30-degree angle, pass the bowline ashore. Either a dockworker will secure it or one of your crew can jump onto the dock to do so. Put the engine into reverse, bringing the stern parallel to the dock. If you have an inboard engine, attach an after bow spring line and turn the wheel away from the dock. The stern will align with the dock.
- 3). Pass the stern line ashore and let the dockworker or crew member make it fast. If cleats are available, secure the line with a cleat hitch.
- 4). Tie up your spring lines. These lines run fore and aft from the midships cleat to the dock, or from bow and stern cleats if the boat does not have a midships cleat. Your boat should now be secured by bow and stern lines and two spring lines.
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