54th ANNUAL BOAT DOCKING COMPETITION

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​​​​​Be part of the annual boat docking event in Crisfield!  Come see our local captains battle against each other to see who can dock their boats the quickest--it's a unique Eastern Shore event that began in Crisfield--you'll want to see it!  Ticket information is below or you can call the Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center:  410-968-2500

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See some amazing videos of our event at: Extreme Boat Docking

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How It Began...

The boat docking competition in Crisfield is one of the most exciting events held during the National Hard Crab Derby.  The contest celebrates the skill of Chesapeake Bay watermen, whose daily work requires precise control of heavy workboats in tight harbors and docks.  The docking competition developed in the early years of the derby as the festival expanded beyond crab races.  At that time Crisfield was a major commercial seafood port on the Chesapeake Bay. Hundreds of local watermen operated crab and oyster workboats where docking quickly and accurately was an essential professional skill, especially when unloading seafood at crowded packing houses. Festival organizers turned that everyday skill into a public competition in 1971.  Watermen compete to show they can maneuver heavy workboats, approach a dock at speed, stop precisely without crashing and “secure” the boat by tossing rings onto pilings in the shortest time possible. 

Come to see the heritage continue every Labor Day weekend at the National Hard Crab Derby!

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