SF Bay Boating

Graphics

Free Ride

Start Time of day Tide Wind Traffic The sun moves Fog

Scenarios

Each starts with a quick rules question, then you drive it. You're graded on what a good skipper would do.

Route Tours

Sit back: the autopilot drives the whole route — every docking included — at high speed while narrating what you're passing. Then try it yourself.

Controls & how to drive a twin

Engines — one lever per engine (like a real twin binnacle)

	Port lever	Starboard lever
Push forward (hold)	`Q`	`W`
Pull back (hold)	`Z`	`X`

Or drag the lever knobs on the control panel with the mouse. Shift + one engine's keys moves both levers. From N (center detent, green light) a little travel clicks into gear at idle; further opens the throttle. The lever stops at N — release and press again (or drag past the notch) to go into the other gear.

Helm (hydraulic, 4.4 turns lock-to-lock)

←/→ spin the wheel (Shift = spin fast) or drag the wheel rim. It doesn't self-center. The boat keeps rotating after you center the wheel — meet it with opposite helm.

Trim

↑/↓ trim the engines up/down (the rocker on the port grip). ~25–30% at speed = bow up and faster; trimmed in for chop and turns; too high = porpoising/ventilation.

Bow thruster

B power on/off · hold , bow to port · hold . bow to starboard. Only works below ~2 kn; overheats after ~45 s continuous.

Getting underway (checklist when you start in your slip)

1 unsnap cover · 2 battery ON · 3 kill-switch lanyard · 4 trim engines down · 5/6 start port/stbd (lever in N) · L cast off all lines (or one at a time in the LINES panel)

Docking toolbox

Bump the levers: ease into gear 1–2 s → back to N → coast. Idle in gear is ~5 kn — too fast for a marina.
Spin in place: port lever ahead (Q) + starboard lever astern (X) = bow turns RIGHT. Z+W = bow turns LEFT.
Stop: pull both levers back through N into reverse briefly (Z+X), then back to N.
Wind pushes the high bow downwind when you're slow. Current moves the whole boat — watch COG vs heading (yellow tick on the compass).
F fenders · L lines (when alongside & stopped) · G show open guest spots

Seeing & learning

7 3rd person · 8 1st person helm · 9 overhead docking view · 0 free orbit (or C to cycle). Mouse-drag to look; wheel to zoom; Y north-up in overhead.
E (hold) binoculars
M chart: depths, currents, ship lanes, ferry routes, where boats congregate, hazards, every dock with details.
V current overlay: colored arrows + drifting flecks on the water.
N Rules Advisor (who's stand-on, which rule, what to do)
H horn: tap = short blast (~1 s), hold 4–6 s = prolonged.
O MOB button · T time ×1/×2/×4 (free ride) · K mute · Esc pause

Sound signals (Inland Rules)

1 short: I intend to leave you on my port side / overtake on your starboard side
2 short: leave you on my starboard side / overtake on your port side
3 short: I'm operating astern propulsion (backing)
5+ short: DANGER / I doubt your intentions
1 prolonged: leaving a dock; blind bend; fog (every 2 min when making way)

Training aid only. Geography, docks, currents and traffic are approximations — never navigate by this. Use NOAA charts 18649/18653, current tables, and local knowledge.