Floating docks are a great place to park and store your jet ski. If you’ve never used one before, you might be wondering how to park a jet ski on a floating dock. The good news is that it is pretty easy, especially if the water is calm.
How to park a jet ski on a floating dock
The best way to park a jet ski on a floating dock is to align the front of the jet ski parallel with the crevasse in the floating dock, and then accelerate.
If you are more of a visual learner, you can watch my video below. It goes into detail on how to park a jet ski on a floating dock.
Now that you know the instructions, there are a couple things you should keep in mind.
Approach the deck with a wide angle
A common mistake that I see when people try to park on a floating dock is that they don’t give themselves enough space to turn into the dock. You want to approach at a very wide angle so that you can make your jet ski perpendicular to the dock when it’s at least 5 to 6 feet away. This will make it much easier for you when you approach the dock because you won’t have to worry about steering the jet ski.
This will also help prevent the chances of you hitting other jet skis that might already be parked on the floating dock.
If you are in the market for a new floating dock, you can check out my article on the best floating docks for jet skis.
Be aware of your surroundings
Since lakes and beaches can be crowded areas, it’s important that you make sure no one is on your floating dock when you approach it. Not only do you want to avoid hitting someone, but someone standing on the floating dock might fall over from the momentum of the jet ski parking on the dock.
Know when to accelerate
It is important that you don’t accelerate the jet ski until it is lined up with the dock and the front is already making contact with the dock. If you accelerate to early, you may hit the edge of the dock which can cause damage to your jet ski and even cause you to fall off.
If you need help getting your jet ski off the dock, you can check out my guide on how to get a jet ski off a floating dock.
Watch your speed
While on the topic of acceleration, it is important that you maintain an appropriate speed throughout the whole process. You should approach the dock slowly, and make sure not to accelerate to fast once you are lifting the jet ski onto the dock.
If you go too fast into the dock, it can cause damage to the front of your jet ski if it makes contact with the deck or any posts that might be attached.
Parking a jet ski on a floating deck in choppy waters
If you are trying to park you jet ski in choppy waters, you may want to take an alternative approach. For this, you should ride the jet ski right up to the dock so that the jet ski is parallel to the dock.
Then, while lightly hitting the gas, turn the front of your jet ski into the opening on the dock.
You will need to hit the gas a little to propel you into the dock opening. Once your jet ski is aligned with the dock opening, simply hit the gas to lift the jet ski up onto the dock.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped shed some light on how to park a jet ski on a floating dock. In normal water conditions you should be able to get the hang of it pretty easily. That being said, it is important that you take the necessary precautions so that you don’t injure yourself or damage the jet ski.
While parking a jet ski in choppy waters might be a little more difficult, it is pretty straightforward as long as you follow the instructions listed above.
