RYA Boat Handling for Sail and Power

If docking a yacht feels like a public exam, it’s usually not “bad boat handling”—it’s unseen forces you haven’t learned to use.

This practical seamanship guide turns close-quarters boat handling in marinas and harbours into repeatable routines by teaching how wind, tide/current, prop walk, and momentum actually move a boat. It shows how to plan an approach, rig lines and fenders for either side, and use springs, slip lines, ferry gliding, and short bursts of power with neutral to dock, depart, pick up buoys, moor, and anchor with less drama. It also covers ropework, knots, towing setups, heavy-weather judgement, and emergencies including man overboard and grounding. Rob Gibson writes from real training-skipper experience, including seeing crews fall from unsafe finger berths and mishandle loaded lines.

  - Explains how hull, rudder, and propulsion choices (single vs twin screw, long keel vs fin, outboards/sterndrives, cats) change low-speed control.
  - Teaches stream-reading and prop-walk tests, then applies them to station-keeping, tight turns, controlled reversing, and wind-against-stream buoy pick-ups.
  - Breaks down marina berthing and departures using midships springs, singling up, warp-led leverage, and friction “dragging” to tame unwanted yaw.
  - Covers anchoring scope and holding checks, towing with bridles and chafe control, sea-state risk (overfalls, wind-against-tide), and MOB/Hi-Line procedures.

A principle-based, hands-on boat-handling manual that replaces marina anxiety with a small set of force-aware techniques that scale from first-time skippers to experienced crews refining safety and control.