How the Optimus Boat Port Enhances Safety Measures for Large Boat Docking

As a boat owner, you take extensive measures to care for and maintain your boat. Part of your efforts revolve around where and how you dock your boat — the right docking arrangement protects your boat when you’re not using it. If you own a larger vessel, choosing the correct dock is especially important, considering your boat’s size.

Understanding Large Boat Docks

A large boat dock is one specifically designed to accommodate larger boats, generally measuring around 16-24 feet in length. Due to their size, larger boats can be challenging to dock properly without the right equipment.

Owning a bigger boat means you need access to a docking system that supports the boat’s weight and length to keep it secure. While it may be sufficient to temporarily tie up your boat at a public marina when you’re enjoying a day out, you need a more comprehensive technique to accommodate your large boat at home.

In addition to keeping your boat secure in the water, a proper large boat dock for home use will provide walkway extensions to make getting in and out of your boat easier.

At EZ Dock, we designed the OPTIMUS BoatPort to provide top-notch, convenient boat protection. This dock solution enables you to elevate everything about your docking experience.

• Accommodates larger vessels: The OPTIMUS BoatPort accommodates various boats that are 16-24 feet long while accommodating weights up to 7,000 pounds.
• Provides simple entry and exit: Low-angle entry and exits make it easier to access your boat.
• Offers seamless access and protection: The OPTIMUS BoatPort eliminates interference for stepped hull boats through our Stepped Hull EZ Slide.
• Includes options for space extension: If you want more flexibility and walking room around your boat, you can invest in our optional 12-inch side extensions.

3 Benefits of Using the Right Boat Dock

Since your boat is a notable investment, you want to keep it operational and protected as much as possible. The right docking approach can make a massive difference in how well your boat stays protected when you dock it. As a result, you can have greater confidence in your boat’s safety and performance, and you can even enjoy a better boating experience.

See how using a floating dock like the OPTIMUS BoatPort can benefit you when docking large boats:

Less Exposure to Environmental Factors

When your boat is elevated on the dock, it’s better protected against hull damage. Keeping your boat exposed to water, especially in saltwater environments, leads to the growth of marine organisms and corrosion on the hull, referred to as biofouling.

With a floating dock, you can position your boat out of the water, reducing damage from environmental factors and the associated maintenance costs, extending your boat’s life span and preserving its value. The OPTIMUS BoatPort decreases your need for frequent anti-foul paint re-application, so you can also eliminate hours spent on maintenance and dedicate more time to getting out on the water.

Ease of Maintenance

A floating dock provides convenient access to your boat and makes routine inspections and maintenance tasks easier. The EZDock OPTIMUS BoatPort makes maintaining your boat hassle-free. For example, examining the hull is more accessible as the boat is out of water, allowing you to check for damage like wear and tear.

Additionally, maintenance tasks like painting, waxing or replacing parts become much more accessible, and you can more easily access the propellers, rudders and other components below the waterline to check their functionality. This level of visibility makes it caring for and maintaining your boat a simpler yet more comprehensive process, as you get a clearer picture of anything that might be wrong with your boat.

Simple Access to the Water

Whether you like heading out on the water for an early morning of fishing or an all-day event with your family, the dock you use can greatly impact your experience. It can be difficult to enter and exit boats on certain docks, hindering your and your guests’ ability to get on, stock the boat with supplies and gear and exit safely.

The OPTIMUS BoatPort comes with an option to include helpful side extensions that offer boaters easier access to getting on and off their boats, and every BoatPort type offers low-angle entry and exit. Plus, you can use that extra walking room to make cleaning and maintenance tasks more convenient.

When you get home from a long day of boating, the last thing you want to do is figure out how you’re going to comfortably and safely get towels, bags and other items off the boat and on land. The right dock makes that a breeze.

Quick Tips on How to Dock a Large Boat

Whether you’re the new owner of a larger vessel or you need a quick refresher on the best approaches for docking a bigger boat, we have a few tips to help you make docking an easier experience:

• Approach the dock properly: Before docking, only approach a dock as you intend to hit it. Avoid shifting and throttling the boat, as it’s easy to trip up by misjudging the vector, distance and drift. Refrain from stalling your engines at turning points, as undirected momentum could cause issues. Instead, use a slow and steady approach.
• Keep passengers alert: Warn your passengers about keeping their arms and legs inside and away from the pinch points between the boat and the dock. As you guide the boat, have one or two experienced passengers deploy fenders on the widest part of the hull well before docking, and ask everyone else to stay seated until the boat is completely docked.
• Consider the wind and current: Assess the situation with the wind and current as you intend to dock. This information will inform you how you should approach the dock from a specific angle and how slowly you should maneuver your way to it. In any case, be cautious.

With a more intuitive docking system and the above tips in mind, you can help ensure greater safety and precision when docking a large boat.

Choose the EZ Dock OPTIMUS BoatPort for Your Large Boat

Keeping your boat out of the water on a floating dock improves its performance and longevity. Plus, it can make it easier to access your large vessel, as docking and entering and exiting your boat becomes a more straightforward process.

At EZ Dock, we provide the OPTIMUS BoatPort, an innovative docking solution to help you simplify boat ownership and maintenance. With four main dock types that accommodate boats ranging from 16-24 feet in length, you can dock your larger boat confidently.

Contact us today to discover how we can upgrade your boating experience with the OPTIMUS BoatPort and a range of other quality dock products.