talbot wrote:Is this the standard protocol, or am I missing something?
Your #8 and the damage-control part of your #9 seem to be involved every time I've ever messed with a gas outboard
You forgot getting the rudder and the propeller to connect...
Because of the rudder, I find the designs that require turning the engine to reverse particularly problematic. Ideally, you'd fix the outboard and steer with the main tiller, unlike running a motorboat where your primary steering would be vectored thrust. But if you lock down the engine, you can't reverse, and if you don't, you end up with having to adjust tiller and outboard and that takes a level of coordination that would (at the minimum) require some practice.
I've never had the chance to acquire practice and thus every time I'm faced with that setup, I end up with steps #8 and #9 ...
In fact, I prefer to dock under sail if at all possible, failing that, using paddle power for the last few feet.... but let us know how this works out once you've gotten some routine.