Self-Docking Boats Are Real Now and What It Means for Weekend Captains

If you’ve ever sweated through a tight docking situation with your family watching from the pier, help has arrived. Brunswick Corporation just rolled out AutoCaptain at CES 2026, and it’s exactly what nervous boaters have been waiting for. This tech handles the trickiest parts of boat handling while you keep your hands on the wheel and your dignity intact.

• AutoCaptain uses 360-degree cameras and edge AI to dock boats in tight quarters, even in unfamiliar marinas you’ve never visited before.
• The system is currently available on the Boston Whaler 405 Conquest and expanding to Sea Ray and other Brunswick brands throughout 2026.
• Weekend boaters and new captains get the most benefit, but experienced operators appreciate the assist when dealing with crosswinds and crowded marinas.

What Makes AutoCaptain Different From Other Boat Tech

Most assisted docking systems need you to map out your slip ahead of time using GPS. AutoCaptain doesn’t work that way. Pull into any marina, and the system figures out what to do in real time. Cameras mounted around the boat scan everything within 360 degrees, feeding information to an AI brain that processes wind, current, and nearby obstacles faster than any human can react.

The tech runs on edge computing, which matters more than you’d think. Cell service at many marinas ranges from spotty to nonexistent. While your car’s AI assistant needs constant internet access to function, AutoCaptain processes everything locally.

Brunswick CEO David Foulkes spent 10 years developing this system because water is way harder to predict than pavement. Wind gusts differently every second. Current pushes from angles you didn’t expect. All of that information gets crunched by the system hundreds of times per second.

Who Actually Benefits From This Tech

Brunswick talked to boaters and found where the real stress lives. Cruising in open water? That’s the fun part. Backing into your slip with a 15-knot crosswind while other boaters watch? That’s when your heart rate spikes.

New captains get obvious benefits. You can learn boat handling without the public embarrassment that comes with miscalculating your approach. First-timers often hesitate to buy larger boats because they’re intimidated by the responsibility. AutoCaptain removes some of that anxiety.

Weekend warriors who only get out a few times per month stay sharper with assistance. You don’t build muscle memory when you’re docking twice a month instead of twice a day. The system keeps you from getting rusty between outings.

Even experienced captains appreciate help in tight situations. When you’re single-handing a 40-footer and need to prep fenders and lines, AutoCaptain holds position against the dock. That’s one less thing to stress about when you’re trying to handle everything yourself.

How the System Works in Practice

You slow to around 3 knots when you’re 50 to 100 feet from your slip. On the Simrad display screen, drag your boat icon to where you want to end up. Tap “Engage.” AutoCaptain takes over the Mercury joystick controls and starts making hundreds of micro-adjustments per second.

The system compensates for wind pushing you sideways. If current starts nudging you off course, the engines respond immediately. Boats nearby? The cameras see them and factor their position into the approach. You’re still the captain and can override the system anytime, but you’re watching instead of wrestling with controls.

Once you’re snug against the dock, AutoCaptain holds that position. Take your time securing lines and fenders. The boat stays exactly where you put it until you tell the system you’re done.

What It Costs and Where You Can Get It

AutoCaptain launched on the Boston Whaler 405 Conquest at the Fort Lauderdale boat show. Throughout 2026, Brunswick is rolling the technology out to Sea Ray and other brands in their lineup. If you’re shopping for a used boat and considering an upgrade, this tech might push you toward newer models that can support the system.

Brunswick hasn’t published standalone pricing yet. The system integrates deeply with Mercury Marine propulsion and Simrad electronics, so you can’t bolt it onto just any boat. You need Mercury outboards or sterndrives and compatible displays.

The hardware supports future updates through software downloads. Brunswick plans to add more automated features over time, so boats equipped with AutoCaptain today won’t become outdated tomorrow.

Does Self-Docking Tech Take Away the Fun?

Some boaters worry that automation removes the skill from boat handling. Brunswick designed around this concern by focusing on situations where stress outweighs enjoyment. The system doesn’t take over in open water where you’re having fun. It steps in during the moments you’d rather skip.

Think of it like backup cameras in trucks. Nobody complains that parking sensors remove the art of parallel parking. They just make an annoying task less annoying.

The average U.S. boater is 54 years old, and older captains are the ones buying larger, pricier boats. That demographic appreciates technology that lets them keep boating longer without the physical strain of managing big vessels in tight spaces.

Where This Tech Is Headed

CES 2026 showed that boat technology is catching up to automotive tech. Brunswick brought multiple displays to Las Vegas, including AI-powered helm simulators and electric hydrofoils. Self-docking represents just the first step.

More manufacturers will follow Brunswick’s lead. Competition pushes companies to develop better products, which means prices eventually come down and availability spreads across more boat brands and sizes. What starts as a premium feature on $500,000 boats typically trickles down to more affordable models within a few years.

For weekend captains who’ve been putting off boat ownership because docking intimidates them, this technology removes a major barrier. If you can handle the boat in open water, AutoCaptain handles the parking lot.