Tight Marina Maneuvering: Slip Between Two Boats, Stress-Free
A fairway barely wider than your boat, a hull on either side, a crosswind pushing you sideways: maneuvering in a tight marina is one of the most dreaded moves in boating. With electric propulsion you steer by joystick, it becomes a simple gesture.
What makes it so tricky
What makes it tricky comes down to three things.
Crosswind
It pushes the boat toward its neighbors.
Managing your momentum
The boat's residual way can be hard to control.
Visibility
It is limited from the helm.
What BlueNav propulsion changes
Our electric motors work alongside your main engine and take over for maneuvers. A single lever, the BlueNav 3D Joystick, handles both steering and propulsion: push to go forward, pull to back up, twist to pivot, slide to move sideways. No more balancing two throttles against each other while looking over your shoulder.
| Step | Traditional method | With BlueNav propulsion |
|---|---|---|
| Lining up in the fairway | Juggling helm and engines to turn in a tight space | 360° Docking: the boat pivots in place, with a single or twin setup |
| Backing up to the dock | Feathering reverse and correcting your course | Joystick: pull to back up, slide to correct sideways |
| Managing your momentum | Anticipating the boat's carry | Instant course correction with the joystick |
| Centering between your neighbors | Repeated forward and reverse corrections | Lateral Docking: the boat slides sideways, heading held (twin setup) |
| Holding the boat while lines go out | Light forward thrust, a crew member at the helm | Smart Mooring: the boat's GPS position is held (twin setup and GPS Precision+) |
Smart Mooring, which pairs DPS with GPS Precision+, brings the boat back to a saved GPS position and holds it there within ± 20 cm. It continuously offsets wind and current while you prepare your lines, and you can also control it from the BlueNav App, from anywhere on board. The crew member who was at the helm is free to handle the lines.
Lazy lines in the Mediterranean
In many Mediterranean marinas, you don't tie up alongside a pontoon: you moor stern-to, between two boats, on a lazy line. A ground chain lies on the bottom of the basin; the marina attaches a line to it, the lazy line, and runs it back to the dock. The boat is held at the stern by its dock lines and at the bow by the lazy line.
Step by step
- Prepare: fenders at the stern and on both sides, since there are boats on either side; two dock lines made fast to the stern cleats, ready to pass ashore; a boat hook within reach.
- Set up: in the fairway, position the boat perpendicular to the slip, leaving yourself room to maneuver in reverse.
- Back up to the dock and pass both stern lines around the dock cleats.
- Hold the boat: light forward thrust keeps tension on the stern lines and stops the boat from hitting the dock.
- Pick up the lazy line: retrieve it at the dock, walk it along the boat to the bow, then pull to tension the ground chain and make it fast on the bow cleat.
Four things to watch
- Your hands: the lazy line sits on the bottom and gets covered in silt and sharp shells. Gloves are a must.
- The right lazy line: if there is only one for your slip, take the one on the seaward side. The other belongs to your neighbor.
- When leaving: after dropping the lazy line, wait for it to sink before applying throttle, so it doesn't foul the propeller.
- Avoiding damage: get out of your slip without damaging your boat or your neighbor's.
On a finger pier
In other marinas, slips are separated by finger piers, the narrow walkways between two boats. Getting in is just as challenging: line up in the fairway and enter straight, between two hulls. What follows is docking alongside a pontoon, which we cover in our page Docking alone, without crew.
What propulsion doesn't do for you
- Preparation and the mooring itself: stern lines and lazy line are still handled by hand.
- Lateral Docking and Smart Mooring require two motors; 360° Docking also works with a single motor.
- The skipper's judgment: if the wind leaves the slip too exposed, it is better to ask the harbor office for another one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a lazy line?
It is a line attached to a ground chain lying on the bottom of the basin, which the marina runs back to the dock. You retrieve it at the dock, walk it up to the bow and make it fast under tension on the bow cleat. The boat is held at the bow, while its stern lines secure it to the dock. It is the typical way of mooring in Mediterranean marinas.
How do you maneuver a twin-engine boat in a marina?
You split the thrust of the two engines: one ahead and the other astern to pivot the boat, one or the other to correct drift, always in small corrections. With the BlueNav 3D Joystick, a single lever controls our electric motors to go forward, back up, pivot or slide sideways.
Can you pick up a lazy line single-handed?
It is difficult, because you have to hold the boat and go forward to fetch the lazy line at the same time. With two BlueNav motors and GPS Precision+, Smart Mooring holds the boat's position while you prepare your lines, which frees up your hands. Picking up the lazy line itself still takes good technique. For single-handed docking in general, see our page Docking alone, without crew.
Do you need two motors to use BlueNav features in a marina?
Not for all of them. 360° Docking and the joystick also work with a single motor. Lateral Docking and Smart Mooring, however, require two motors.
