How Windy Is Too Windy to Dock? Wind Limits by Boat Size

The four wind bands DockWise uses

• Under 6 mph, calm. Calm air is the easiest condition to dock in. The boat responds directly to your throttle and wheel with almost no sideways drift. Take advantage of days like this to practice tighter approaches and slower speeds; the habits you build now will pay off when the wind picks up.
• 6 to 11 mph, moderate. At moderate wind speeds the boat starts drifting noticeably between throttle bumps. Approach a touch faster than you would on a calm day so you keep steerage, and commit to the line early. Hesitating mid-approach is when moderate wind turns into a problem.
• 12 to 15 mph, fresh. Fresh wind means the boat is being pushed sideways the entire time you're maneuvering, including while you're stopped. Set up further out than feels necessary, keep the bow slightly into the wind on approach, and be ready to abort and re-set rather than fight it once you're committed.
• 16 mph and up, strong. Strong wind overwhelms most small-boat handling. Even at the dock the boat will pin hard against pilings or blow off entirely. If you can wait, wait. If you can't, brief passengers on lines before the approach, keep an escape route open, and expect to make more than one pass.

Why there is no single number for every boat

DockWise does not set one wind limit by boat length. The same wind speed is graded differently depending on the direction it hits your slip, the gusts, your engines and your boat.

Crosswind on the slip is the biggest factor. DockWise starts adding difficulty once the crosswind reaches about 4 knots, and adds more again above 10 knots. Gusts count when they run more than 4 mph above the steady wind.

A single engine adds difficulty in any wind, more in a crosswind of 5 knots or more, and more again at 15 mph and above. A bow or stern thruster reduces difficulty, most of all once the crosswind reaches 6 knots.

How boat size changes things

Longer boats: DockWise adds docking difficulty for every foot over 35 feet, up to a set cap. More boat means more momentum and more surface for the wind to push.

High-sided boats: High-sided boats (flybridges, tall cabins, big freeboard) catch wind like a sail. Two identical boats in the same wind can handle completely differently based on how much surface area is above the waterline. Expect more drift, start your corrections sooner, and give yourself extra room on the approach.

Sailboat hulls are graded as catching significantly more wind, especially in a crosswind.

Small boats and waves: for boats under 20 feet, DockWise never rates 5 to 7 foot waves better than Dangerous, and rates 8 foot waves or more as Very Dangerous, whatever the wave period.

The 5 signs it's too windy to dock right now

1. Whitecaps in the fairway.
2. The bow won't hold a heading at idle.
3. You need constant throttle bursts to stay straight.
4. Beam wind pushing you off the dock.
5. You've already aborted once.

What to do

If you're seeing two or more, go around, find a transient slip or wait it out. Your boat (and your passengers) will thank you.

Gusts are more dangerous than the average wind speed because they hit without warning during the exact moment you're transitioning to slow speeds. Plan the whole maneuver assuming the next gust arrives at the worst possible moment, and keep a hand near the throttle right up until lines are secured.