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Pontoon Dockin Aid

I have not. Interesting. Aircraft career inspired!?!?

Looks interesting, but I wouldn’t want to use it. I’m on a big lake, and it can get windy too. Seems like in windy rough conditions you would either get some a) big banging into your dock after it “catches the front” OR if the winds/waves are pushing the other way, just pushing that backend totally away from the dock.

I think in adverse conditions (waves/wind) docking a pontoon is simply NOT a 1 person job. However, it doesn’t have a stratospheric price tag, so maybe just buy and try? Seems like a series of very carefully placed dock bumpers like in their promo videos would be key to not banging up the boat. Now if using it and with a second person, I could see it more safely making docking perhaps a lot easier in certain conditions.

Anyway, it’s an interesting idea for sure. If you end up getting it, report back to the group. Maybe it’d be of interest to some.
 
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The video shows the stern hitting the dock .
 
Audiophobe my wife and I always go out together so it's always a 2 person docking experience for us! We have a double Bimini and we get pushed around on windy days! If you feel that that docking aid will help you bring your boat in safely by all means go for it!!!
 
When you're going to dock a boat, almost any boat, it takes patience, practice, common sense, and maybe a bit of coaching for the first couple times. With no wind or other influences, it's a relatively simple task. Boats DON'T HAVE BRAKES so they will *coast* for quite a ways without any power being applied. Soooo, a s-l-o-w approach is the best application. Now, all of this is primarily for a NON WIND application. It all changes if there's wind present and of course, the direction of the wind is important.

It's very difficult to explain or guide someone to dock a boat on a computer. You sort-a have to be there and doing it so that when any instructions are given and actions are taken, you immediately see the results. I myself wouldn't use any "nets" or any other type of arresting gear to *catch* a boat when approaching a dock, waaaaaaaaay too unpredictable. If I were to suggest anything mechanical to assist in docking a pontoon or tri-toon, It would be the Sideshift system.

With both bow and stern units, you can "walk" a pontoon of any size, completely sideways right up to a dock. It's a pretty darned expensive system, no doubt about it. But, it's also by far, the best mechanical assistance one could obtain. But, again, it's darned expensive. Soooo, when no auxiliary "expensive" equipment is involved, it's good ole practice, practice, practice.
 
Appears to be a smart, inventive, easy and affordable solution. The design looks like it would allow you to pull back if/when needed without an issue or risk of catching. Certainly the comments above on practice and learning are valid, but to YOUR point, when the wind picks up, and it's just you on the boat (or sketchy guests) - this seems to be a great solution that would dramatically simplify one person docking. It looks to probably result in the process being much safer as you don't have to rush around trying to get two docks lines tied when the wind is pushing the Benny.
 
Thanks for the replies.
I was hoping someone had experience with it.
I was also thinking that if I put some vertical poles on the dock (we have floating docks only on our lake) that I could "lasso" ropes, one at the bow and one at the stern, to temporarily tie the boat. Then I could hop out pull the boat closer and tie the boat to the cleats. That would allow easier docking especially solo.
Better still there are other products like:

Line Caddy | We hold the line for you!

linecaddy.com linecaddy.com

This is not a huge priority but something I've been thinking about and just something to chat with you guys about again, for everyday use but especially if docking solo.
 
Audiophobe said:
Thanks for the replies.
I was hoping someone had experience with it.
I was also thinking that if I put some vertical poles on the dock (we have floating docks only on our lake) that I could "lasso" ropes, one at the bow and one at the stern, to temporarily tie the boat. Then I could hop out pull the boat closer and tie the boat to the cleats. That would allow easier docking especially solo.
Better still there are other products like:

Line Caddy | We hold the line for you!

linecaddy.com linecaddy.com

This is not a huge priority but something I've been thinking about and just something to chat with you guys about again, for everyday use but especially if docking solo.
Click to expand...
Similar to the Line Caddy you site above, I have eyed this item for the same purpose. I have heard very good reviews on it before and it’s supposed to be heavy duty. But it’s just pricey enough I haven’t given it a try.

The Boat Loop
 
$95 doesn't seem too bad and you may need just one.
Thinking about it while I continue to search.
I haven't seen any reviews myself.
The boat loop is more expensive and doesn't seem to be as easy to use.
 
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I agree with practice. Didn’t get into boating till late in life. Struggled docking my pontoon so would go down to docks at crack of dawn so others were watching and practice docking over and over
 
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