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Locating the Pivot Point of a Boat to Dock Safely

Nov. 25 2021 Safety By L&M Marine LLC

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The pivot point is the center of a turning circle, or where a boat pivots when making a turn. It can be challenging to find this specific spot, and there is debate among boating experts about locating it. Here is the correct way to find this spot on a boat. Contact us at L&M Marine LLC in Stapleton, Alabama, to check out our inventory of boats and accessories. We also serve customers from Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.

Finding the Pivot Point

Your vessel rotates around this magic spot when you turn the wheel or the tiller all the way over and hold it. To find it, take your boat out to a large open area on the water and follow these listed steps. It should also be a calm and clear day with little wind.

  • Toss an object that floats, like a personal floatation device, or PFD, over the side and into the water. You want to have the object about one-third of the length back from the bow.
  • Put the wheel over the whole way toward (or the tiller the whole way from) the item and keep the wheel or tiller turned. 
  • Go into forward gear to circle around the item without running into it. Keep lined up with the object throughout the circle. You can find the pivot point by making adjustments as needed.

Backing and Filling

After locating your boat's pivot point, practice by doing something called backing and filling.

  • Again, line up close to the floating object.
  • Put the wheel all the way over toward the item or push the tiller all the way from it.
  • Go into forward gear with a little throttle for a second. Then, go back to neutral.
  • Shift to a stern gear and give it some throttle. Take it easy on the throttle; you only need enough to stop from going forward.
  • Repeat steps 3 and 4 in sequence. The rudder should still be all the way over throughout the motion, which is critical to doing it correctly. You can think of these steps as 1-1-1-1; each step is only one second. One ahead, one in neutral, one astern, and again one in neutral.

Things like retrieving a fallen object or person from the water and avoiding collisions are simple if you can use this magic spot effectively. As noted, some believe that the pivot point is elsewhere, but to other boating experts, it's not possible. Take the hassle out of docking, locate the correct pivot point on your boat. Stop by L&M Marine LLC in Stapleton, Alabama, for more information. We welcome customers from Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.