Dockmanship (Cornell Boaters Library)

The basics of docking with rudders, propellers, lines, and fenders used on small to medium-sized boats are completely explored.

Dockmanship, according to author Bell, is “the art, skill, and practice of safely berthing and unberthing a vessel.” Anyone who has ever spent time observing the action at a marina or boat ramp will concede that the docking practiced by many recreational boaters today can hardly be considered an “art.”

Here is a book that provides the information to turn any skipper—even a novice—into a master of docking. Captains who feel they already perform well behind the helm will enjoy reviewing the standard and advanced techniques contained in this easily understood manual. The basics of rudders, propellers, lines, and fenders used on small to medium-sized boats are completely explored.

For each type of propulsion (inboard, outboard, single-screw, double-screw, and sail), techniques are described for maneuvering port side to, starboard side to, stern in, and bow in, and for getting away and handling the boat in close quarters. The author also clarifies the effects of wind and current.

David Owen Bell is a ship captain with a background in oceanographic research, marine education, and sail training with young people. Captain Bell is an avid writer and consultant who enjoys visiting schools to share his enthusiasm for writing and the Chesapeake Bay. His titles include Awesome Chesapeake, Chesapeake Bay Walk, and Dockmanship. As an outdoor education teacher, he has taken school groups out on the bay to experience how an estuary works. As a licensed Master Mariner, Captain Bell has captained tugboats, sailing ships, excursion boats, and research vessels. His travels have taken him from Canada to South America and from the Galapagos Islands to the Aegean Sea.