Uhh...

I tried steering AWAY from the dock and it just magically pushed me into it... >.>

There is a point where you will be dragged towards the dock. You need to steer past said point and you'll keep going. I know, it's weird e-e

I was on the left paddle and kept holding down left!

Oh wait, I misread what you said...Umm yeah that's a reoccurring bug that was never fixed e-e.

Holding doesn't cut it sometimes. I find it works every time getting the bar full then spam click it. This happens to me on balloon sometimes too.