Why does the ferry keep sliding when I let go of the controls?

It is not the ferry sliding but the water. A boat moves through the water and the water moves over the ground, so its speed over the ground is the two added together. The science panel shows both, and the crab angle between where the bow points and where it goes.

Why does the rudder do so little at a standstill?

A rudder works by water flowing past it. With no water moving past, there is nothing for it to push on, so it only turns the boat properly once the boat is moving. The sideways thrusters work at any speed.

Ferry Captain

Bring a ferry alongside a string of docks while the current pushes it about. The water moves, so the ferry drifts sideways the moment you ease off. Line up, use the rudder and the sideways thrusters, and hold still in the dock for two seconds. Six harbours with stronger, gustier currents and tighter docks.

Arcade
Free, plays in your browser
Mouse, touch or keyboard
Added 10 November 2026
#ferry
#boat
#docking
#harbour
#current
#shiphandling

Ferry Captain

0% · Getting ready

Watch a 20-second trailer

A real run of the game, recorded with captions and no sound.

How to play

Press Up to go ahead and Down to go astern, and use Left and Right on the rudder. The rudder only bites while the ferry is moving through the water. Q and E slide the ferry sideways with its thrusters, or use the on-screen buttons.
Head for the dock shown with a yellow outline. Point the ferry along the quay, slow down, and settle inside the box. When you are inside, straight and nearly still over the ground, a bar fills along the dock; hold still for two seconds to finish it.
Do every dock before the time runs out. The white streaks show the current, which grows and fades in gusts. Touching a quay hard damages the hull, and too much damage ends the run.

Controls: mouse, touch or keyboard. Made by CalcoTools.

Tips and strategy

A boat has no brakes. Cut the power early and let the water slow you, or give a burst astern, and remember the current keeps moving you over the ground even when the boat is still in the water.
Use the sideways thrusters for the last few metres, not the rudder. They move the ferry straight toward the quay without changing the way it points.
Come in against the current when you can: it slows you over the ground, so you can stay in control with the engine working, and a gust that fades will not carry you past the dock.

FAQ

Why does the ferry keep sliding when I let go of the controls?: It is not the ferry sliding but the water. A boat moves through the water and the water moves over the ground, so its speed over the ground is the two added together. The science panel shows both, and the crab angle between where the bow points and where it goes.
Why does the rudder do so little at a standstill?: A rudder works by water flowing past it. With no water moving past, there is nothing for it to push on, so it only turns the boat properly once the boat is moving. The sideways thrusters work at any speed.

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