Well, I always used a little trick in the original.
If you had an object near you on your side...
I always moved toward that side with the smallest arrow. The ship would move sideways toward the coast or dock.
That still works in Exult, but it's not as easy as I remember. The ship turns toward the arrow more often now. At least I think so.
Maybe I just need a refresher course.
Another annoying thing in both the original and Exult is birds near the coast. You can't sail through them. Damn things anyway.