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Freedom251 › Blog › Docking Module

Seatruck Docking: Choosing a Dock, Moonpool, or Prawn Setup

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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Use a Seatruck Dock when you want the Seatruck cabin and its attached module train to remain together while the vehicle is serviced. Use a Moonpool when you only need to bring the cabin into a base: entering a Moonpool automatically detaches the attached modules. To carry a Prawn Suit, install the Seatruck Docking Module as the final module, keep the cabin connected so it can power the module, and approach slowly with the Prawn’s thrusters.

What “docking” means for a Seatruck

In Subnautica: Below Zero, “docking the Seatruck” can mean three different operations:

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  • Putting the cabin and its connected modules into a dedicated Seatruck Dock for servicing and customization.
  • Taking the cabin into a Moonpool, knowing that the module train will separate automatically.
  • Using a Seatruck Docking Module to carry one Prawn Suit behind the Seatruck.

Choosing the correct structure matters more than the approach angle. A Moonpool and a Seatruck Dock do not preserve the Seatruck train in the same way, and the Prawn-carrying module has its own installation and approach requirements.

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Choose the right base structure

Structure What enters What happens to attached Seatruck modules Servicing described by the available documentation
Moonpool The Seatruck cabin Modules automatically detach as the cabin enters, allowing the cabin to fit inside The cabin can recharge there; the available documentation does not establish every service function for every module
Seatruck Dock The Seatruck and its attached module train The dock is described as housing the connected train When the base is powered, the dock repairs and recharges the Seatruck and provides a terminal for vehicle and module customization

If your priority is keeping the train assembled, select the Seatruck Dock. If you enter a Moonpool expecting it to hold every module, the automatic separation is normal behavior rather than a malfunction.

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Docking the Seatruck in a Seatruck Dock

Prepare the base

  1. Confirm that you are approaching a dedicated Seatruck Dock, not a Moonpool. The two structures have different behavior.
  2. Make sure the base is powered. The documented repair and recharge functions of the Seatruck Dock depend on base power.
  3. Leave enough clear water around the entrance for the full train you intend to bring in. The dock is intended for the Seatruck with its attached modules, so plan your approach around the whole vehicle rather than only the cabin.
  4. Decide whether you are docking for charging, repairs, or access to the customization terminal. This helps you verify the result after the vehicle is secured.

Bring in the complete train

  1. Line up the Seatruck cabin with the dock entrance and advance at a controlled speed.
  2. Keep the cabin and modules aligned while entering. Avoid abrupt turns that could swing the train into the structure.
  3. Continue until the dock has accepted the Seatruck. The intended result is that the cabin and attached modules are housed together rather than separated as they are in a Moonpool.
  4. Once docked, check the vehicle’s service state. A powered Seatruck Dock is described as repairing and recharging the Seatruck.
  5. Use the dock’s terminal when you need vehicle or module customization.

The documentation does not define a universal confirmation message, animation, or control button for every platform. If the Seatruck does not appear to engage, verify the structure, base power, alignment, and your platform’s current interaction binding before assuming the dock is broken.

What happens in a Moonpool

Expect automatic module separation

A Seatruck cabin can enter a Moonpool, but its attached modules automatically detach during entry so the cabin can fit inside. This is the key difference from the dedicated Seatruck Dock. The separation is expected game behavior; it is not evidence that the modules were lost.

Use a Moonpool when the cabin is the priority

A Moonpool is suitable when you need the cabin inside the base or want to recharge the cabin there. The available Seatruck documentation states that the cabin can recharge in either a Moonpool or a Seatruck Dock. It does not establish that a Moonpool performs every repair, recharge, or customization function for the complete module train.

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Plan for reconnection afterward

Do not enter a Moonpool with the assumption that the train will remain coupled. Before entry, decide where you will leave or retrieve the detached modules. After leaving, allow time to reconnect or reposition the train. If your objective is maintenance while preserving the entire configuration, return to a Seatruck Dock instead.

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Carrying a Prawn Suit with the Docking Module

The Seatruck Docking Module is the attachment used to carry a Prawn Suit. It is not interchangeable with a normal storage or utility module, and its position in the train is mandatory.

Install it as the final module

  1. Build or obtain the Seatruck Docking Module according to the game’s normal progression.
  2. Attach it to the rear end of the Seatruck train.
  3. Make sure it is the last module. The documented requirement is that the Docking Module must be the final module in the train.
  4. Keep the Seatruck cabin connected. The cabin powers the Docking Module, so a detached cabin cannot provide the documented power connection during capture.

Adding another module behind the Docking Module would violate its stated placement requirement. If the Prawn cannot be secured, inspect the order of the train before attempting a more complicated maneuver.

Approach with the Prawn Suit

  1. Bring the Prawn Suit to the Docking Module from a safe distance rather than colliding with it.
  2. Use the Prawn’s thrusters to rise until you are level with the module’s capture area.
  3. Hold that level while moving forward toward the clamps.
  4. Advance deliberately and let the module’s securing mechanism capture the suit.
  5. After capture, verify that the Prawn is held before moving the Seatruck away.

The community guidance specifically warns that a collision can seriously damage the Docking Module. Treat the approach as a controlled alignment exercise: establish height first, then close the horizontal gap. The in-game databank wording reproduced by the community documentation says: “Mechanical arms extend to automatically secure the Prawn Suit to the vehicle on approach.” That describes automatic securing, not permission to ram the module at speed.

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Understand the charging limitation

The Docking Module carries the Prawn Suit but does not recharge the Prawn Suit’s Power Cells. Do not use successful capture as proof that the suit is being charged. Arrange charging separately and check the Prawn’s power state before a long expedition.

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How to dock without damaging the train

Use the cabin as your reference point

When bringing a multi-module train to a Seatruck Dock, line up by the cabin and maintain a straight approach. The modules follow behind, so a turn made too close to the entrance can put the rear of the train out of alignment even when the cabin looks centered.

Separate “structure choice” from “approach problem”

If modules disappear from the immediate docking area after entering a Moonpool, the documented automatic separation is the first explanation to check. If a powered Seatruck Dock will not accept the train, investigate alignment, available clearance, and interaction controls instead of applying Moonpool behavior to the dedicated dock.

Slow down for the Prawn capture

The Prawn approach has a specific damage warning. Rise to the module’s level while still at a distance, then move forward. A level change made at the last moment or a high-speed forward movement increases the chance of striking the module.

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Controls and platform differences

Button and key mappings are not safely universal. The available documentation does not establish a current control map across PC, console, or mobile, nor does it provide a versioned comparison of docking controls. Use the controls section of the game’s settings to identify the current bindings on your platform.

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  • Check the action assigned to entering or exiting vehicles.
  • Check the interaction action used to engage a base structure.
  • Check Prawn Suit movement and thruster bindings before attempting the Docking Module approach.
  • If you have remapped controls, rely on your displayed bindings rather than a guide written for another platform.

This approach avoids treating a PC key, console button, or older control layout as universal. The docking principles remain the same, but the physical input used to perform an interaction can vary.

Docking checklist

Before entering a base structure

  • Identify whether the target is a Moonpool or a Seatruck Dock.
  • Decide whether you need the full module train or only the cabin inside.
  • For a Seatruck Dock, confirm that the base has power.
  • For a Moonpool, expect the modules to detach automatically.
  • For Prawn transport, confirm that the Docking Module is at the rear and that the cabin remains connected.
  • Review the current control bindings for your platform.

After docking

  • At a powered Seatruck Dock, check that the Seatruck is being repaired and recharged as described.
  • Use the dock terminal if you need vehicle or module customization.
  • In a Moonpool, account for the detached modules before leaving or beginning another trip.
  • After Prawn capture, verify that the suit is secured and remember that its Power Cells are not recharged by the Docking Module.
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Troubleshooting common docking problems

The Seatruck enters, but the modules are no longer attached

Check whether you entered a Moonpool. Automatic module detachment is the documented Moonpool behavior. Reconnect or reposition the modules after leaving, or use a Seatruck Dock when preserving the train is essential.

The Seatruck Dock does not service the vehicle

Check base power first. The repair and recharge functions are described for a powered Seatruck Dock. If power is available, verify that you are using the dedicated Seatruck Dock and that the cabin is properly aligned and engaged. The sources do not define a universal failure message, so use the in-game interaction prompt and your platform’s control settings.

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The Prawn will not attach

Inspect the train order. The Docking Module must be the final module, and the cabin must remain connected to power it. Then retry the approach: rise to the module’s level at a distance and move forward carefully. Do not strike the module; the documented guidance warns that collision can seriously damage it.

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The Prawn is attached but its power is low

This is consistent with the Docking Module’s stated limitation. It carries the Prawn but does not recharge the suit’s Power Cells. Charge the suit through an appropriate separate method before relying on it for another journey.

A guide’s button instructions do not match the game

Use the current in-game controls menu. Platform-specific and version-specific mappings were not established in the available documentation, so a fixed universal button instruction would be unreliable.

Moonpool or Seatruck Dock: a practical decision guide

Choose the Moonpool when

  • You need the Seatruck cabin inside the base.
  • You accept that attached modules will separate automatically.
  • You want to recharge the cabin in a Moonpool.
  • You have a plan for reconnecting or repositioning the modules afterward.

Choose the Seatruck Dock when

  • You want the cabin and attached modules housed together.
  • You need the documented repair and recharge service of a powered dock.
  • You want access to the vehicle and module customization terminal.
  • You are preparing a train that includes a rear Docking Module for a Prawn Suit.

The choice is therefore about the state you want after docking. Moonpool entry prioritizes bringing in the cabin and automatically separates the train; the Seatruck Dock is the structure documented for keeping and servicing the connected Seatruck configuration.

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Limits of the documented mechanics

The available community documentation provides the operational distinctions above but does not publish named performance statistics for docking. It also does not establish a complete, versioned control map for every platform or a complete list of services for every possible module in every structure. Avoid inferring a repair, recharge, or compatibility feature that is not explicitly shown in the game or described for your structure.

For reliable play, treat the structure’s behavior as the decisive rule: Moonpool entry separates modules; the powered Seatruck Dock services the connected Seatruck; and the Docking Module must be last, powered by the connected cabin, and approached without a collision.

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