Have you ever thrown the mooring line to the dockhand, only to see it fall miserably into the water a few meters from the stern? If the answer is no, well done, you probably already know the correct procedure to avoid embarrassment. For the less experienced or for those who don’t want to repeat the experience, we offer a simple guide with illustrated steps on how to throw the mooring line without becoming the object of ridicule for those on the dock.

Once you have secured the line to the stern cleat, the first step is to hold with your left hand (for right-handed people) the working end (i.e., the final part), with the end facing towards the standing part (the line coming from the cleat).

At this point, you need to create series of loops, rotating the line between your index finger and thumb or with a wrist rotation, as shown in the following image. The loops should be flat and parallel to each other, never spiral. It’s important to accurately calculate the number of meters to coil, to cover the right distance between the boat and the dock.

Once this operation is completed, the section of the line that will be thrown should be separated from the part to be held in hand. If you’ve done this well in advance (you never know), you can safely place the line on a flat surface. Don’t make a mess and remember to keep the two sections separate, crossing them as in the cover image, so you don’t have to redo everything from scratch.

When it’s time to throw, all that remains is to grab the two parts of the line and throw one to the shore. It’s worth specifying that the arm gesture should be wide and energetic, adequate preparation must be followed by sufficient range. Nothing prohibitive, we assure you.

If you’re not sure you’ve correctly calculated the meters, don’t worry. Just keep open the hand holding the other part of the coiled line (in our example, the left hand), allowing it to run out more if necessary. The only remaining advice, valid for any situation on a boat, is not to get agitated, especially because this is an operation that doesn’t endanger your health, the crew’s, or the boat’s.

If you follow these instructions, throwing the line to the dockhand will no longer be a test or the nightmare that wakes you up in the middle of the night. Because boating should remain a pleasure and not a source of stress, at all times.