Setup & Use: Five-minute pre-dock check that prevents surprises

When docking gets tight, failures are rarely “big failures.” They’re usually small things you didn’t notice until it mattered.

The 5-minute pre-dock check

1. Wind + current reality check
   Look at the water, not the app. Flags, ripples, and how boats are sitting tell the truth.
2. Neutral test (brief)
   Confirm throttle response and that neutral is actually neutral. Any delay matters later.
3. Steering range
   Quick full-port / full-starboard movement. If something binds, you want to know now.
4. Lines + fenders staged
   One line ready to become a spring line. Fenders where they’ll actually hit—not where they look nice.
5. Plan B agreed
   One sentence with crew: “If it goes wrong, we abort early and reset.”
   That agreement prevents the slow-motion commitment that causes damage.

Log note

Most stressful dockings start with a tiny assumption that never got checked.
This routine doesn’t make you perfect—it just reduces surprises.