Boat Handling & Docking Lessons in Miami

Why train here

Miami boating is beautiful and busy. Biscayne Bay, the Intracoastal, Government Cut, and packed marina basins leave little room for a soft docking skill set. Boat Lessons with Captain Rick Mendez provides private, on-the-water training on your boat, focused on docking and close-quarters handling in the waters you use.

Captain Rick is based in South Florida and New York / Long Island and will travel anywhere to train on your boat. Lessons are private, on-the-water, and built around the docks and waterways you actually use.

Miami’s open bay, residential canals, mega-yacht basins, afternoon breezes, and commercial traffic all change how a boat sets on a dock. Training practices real decisions: holding station, pivoting into a finger pier, reading wake, and staying calm when the basin is full.

On your boat

Lessons happen on your vessel at your dock, canal, or agreed Miami / South Florida meeting point. Drills match your boat and dock geometry.

Credentials

Captain Rick Mendez is a USCG 100-Ton Master and NSBC Instructor Trainer.

Call / Text CTA

Ready to train in Miami waters? Call or text 718-956-5000 · Email rick@boatlessons.com

Boat students wearing life jackets during an on-water lesson

What we cover

  • Miami wind, current, docks, and departures
  • Throttle, prop walk, pivot turns, side-ties, and slips
  • Holding position for traffic or bridge openings
  • Reading wind, wake, and set; when to wait
Call or text 718-956-5000