Boating

Get Your Boating Lingo Right: Docks vs. Harbors

If you are one of those boating newbies – and forbid it, even boating experts – that use the words dock and harbor interchangeably, then you are in for a big wake up. Dock and Harbor aren't the same thing. Far from it. Although, both are in the ‘to know’ vocabulary of any serious boating enthusiast, they are different animals.

To clear the muddle further, here are the differences between harbor and dock – without having to delve into too much technical terms (especially if one were to start differentiating piers from quays and wharfs and so on).

Harbor, or harbour, or haven, are sheltering places for ships during storms. It is also a place to store ships when not in use. Harbors may be natural or man-made.

Natural harbors are formed when the terrain surrounding a body of water forms an ideal place for the functions of a harbor. Harbors are important strategically and economically. If you would notice, most progressive cities have harbors. And most of the greatest cities on the planet have harbors – take New York for instance.

They are also valuable for military purposes. In fact, during World War II, harbors were so sought after that sometimes they had to create artificial ones if the situation necessitated it.

Docks on the other hand, are more similar to ports, as docks are man made structures for the use of loading and unloading ships. Docks can be built in a harbor area and are used for a variety of reasons. As mentioned earlier, they can be used to load and unload ships. They can also be used to repair, and build ships (dry docks).

People often interchange pier, wharf, and dock. The American language defines all three as any structure on the water the supports people. However, piers are, technically speaking for any industrial activity right alongside the waters. Docks, on the other hand are used for pretty much anything else.

Docks are maintained by locks that regulate the water level at its vicinity. This allows boats to remain steady and floating in low-tide even if the natural tidal ranges of an area vary greatly.

In all, harbors and docks are similar in the sense that they refer to water structures of features related to boating. However, it would pay to know the true difference between the two to make accurate use of such boating terminology.

 

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