The place where boats are tied up is usually called a dock or pier in everyday language, and more formally a mooring or harbor/harbour.

Core term: mooring

  • A mooring is any permanent structure a boat can be secured to, such as a quay, wharf, jetty, pier, anchor buoy, or dedicated mooring buoy.
  • When a boat is “moored,” it is safely tied to one of these structures so it stays in place.

Common everyday answers

If this is for a quick clue (like a crossword or riddle), typical short answers include:

  • Dock – general place where boats tie up.
  • Pier – raised structure over the water where boats can come alongside.
  • Port – broader term for a harbor area where many boats and ships tie up.

How boats are actually tied

  • Boats are secured to cleats, pilings, or mooring rings on docks, piers, or harbor walls using lines (ropes).
  • They can also be tied to mooring buoys anchored to the seabed, especially away from crowded docks.

TL;DR: The formal term is mooring , but in simple everyday usage “dock” or “pier” is usually what is meant by “where boats are tied up.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.