Most boating enthusiasts can remember the first time they moored, and that’s because it’s extremely difficult. Mooring takes practice and usually the help of another person, so when you’ve just purchased a new boat be sure to practice in it first, otherwise you could damage your boat if the conditions aren’t in your flavour on a day out.

There’s an art to mooring, it isn’t like driving a car. You have to recognise the conditions of the water and feel the winds, because even with an engine you don’t have complete control over where you line up. The bigger the boat the harder it is to moor, so make sure you spend some time out on the river and try mooring up when you see quiet areas. It’s similar to going through a lock for the first time; you’ll be rough around the edges to start with but a complete pro several months down the line.