THE THING TO NOTICE
Review the approach in three parts: the setup, the final input changes and the settling period. A final position by itself does not show whether your approach was controlled in the simulation.
Review the setup before the last correction
Choose Port-side alongside or Starboard-side alongside. Pause the replay before the boat reaches the dock area. Inspect the orientation, movement direction and available room in the scene. If you only look at the last second, it is easy to miss the earlier choice that made a final correction necessary.
Keep the hull, not just the center, in view
BerthLab’s collision checks use a vessel footprint. The center can be clear while an end of the hull touches a dock. Use the overview and inspect both ends. The drawn guide and goal are model aids; they do not represent a surveyed berth or a real-world minimum clearance.
Compare timing rather than racing the clock
The curriculum does not reward finishing faster. Review when you reduced the propulsion target, how much motion remained and whether you were still changing orientation during the final approach. In a follow-up attempt, change one of these decisions. Do not chase a lower duration as proof of a better result.
Leave room for another attempt
An awkward simulation approach can be ended or restarted. Reorganize and departure exercises are part of the curriculum for this reason. On the water, consult a qualified instructor and follow the rules and conditions of the location; this page is not a docking procedure for a real marina.
Source and limits
This note describes BerthLab’s versioned simulator and recorded-replay behavior, reviewed against the Pilot Edition source. It is not an independently validated on-water training method.
Read the model and editorial methodology · Explore the related exercises