It was 5:30 AM — pitch black, dead quiet, not a soul around. The kind of morning where you feel every little thing that could go wrong… might. I was alone at the marina and needed to leave for the fuel dock before a 135-mile run that couldn’t wait. The only problem? I was pinned tight by current with another boat just five feet off my beam. No one to help with lines, no room for error. One wrong move and I’m rubbing fiberglass with my neighbor — or worse.
So I improvised. I grabbed two lengths of 150lb mono and tied them off tight to the pilings in two spots. I scrambled through my routine: untied the lines, ran up the tower, put her in gear. Pop, pop. The mono snapped just like I planned, and I was off — a little proud, a little relieved, and definitely sweating. But here’s the thing: even though it worked, it wasn’t right. It wasn’t easy. And it wasn’t safe. Not compared to what it would’ve been like with a Dockmate. With Dockmate, I wouldn’t have needed the mono, or pray the current didn’t spin me sideways. I could’ve untied and eased out with full control from the bow, the tower — anywhere on the boat.
Proportional throttle, soft docking, and joystick precision make moments like that a non-issue. That morning taught me something important: good seamanship and creative thinking can save your hide, but real confidence comes from having the right tools. And Dockmate isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s an investment in control, independence, and peace of mind. I made it that morning. But next time, I’ll make it look easy — because next time, I’ll have Dockmate.
