Dock lines

soldier1964 · Oct 26, 2012

Im not an expert since Ive never had to deal with what you are about to go through, but Id think something like a center sally would be best. That was the only thing I could come up with for not to tight and not too loose. ..

jsalley · Oct 26, 2012

Keep your corner lines loose enough to account for a substantial tidal surge, and add fore and aft spring lines to limit fore-aft movement.

Chris Patterson · Oct 26, 2012

Tough guess, but I like 'em reasonably tight. Takes the shock loading down.

Ross · Oct 26, 2012

Your corner lines should be loose enough to allow movement but tight enough to prevent touching the pilings. Fore and aft spring lines are essential. How much tidal range do you get in NH and how much surge do they expect? Here on the Chesapeake the most I have seen in a storm is about 6 to 8 feet above mean high water.

woodster · Oct 26, 2012

Ross said:
Your corner lines should be loose enough to allow movement but tight enough to prevent touching the pilings. Fore and aft spring lines are essential. How much tidal range do you get in NH and how much surge do they expect? Here on the Chesapeake the most I have seen in a storm is about 6 to 8 feet above mean high water.

I would like to add to this and say to cross your lines ( starboard cleat to port piling both for and aft).....

regards

woody

Don S/V ILLusion · Oct 26, 2012

All of the marinas I have been to in Florida where they have some experience with hurricanes recommend keeping the lines loose for a number of reasons. Regardless of what you try, the boat will move.

thinwater · Oct 26, 2012

We are talking about the Chesapeake.

Much depends on the marina.

* Waves. If you are far up the Bay in a well protected spot, waves are generally trivial. However, many marinas are protected by low walls that go underwater in a surge. Herrington Harbor North, for example, saw wide spread destruction in such an event (they since added a substancial stone breakwater). Look to see if you are open to the Bay; it looks like the marinas on the east side are more at risk this time.

* Wind. Unlikely to be more extreme than a thunderstorm can be, but more sustained. Chafe protection is more important. Doubling lines is most often overkill, if they are good.

* Slack. One of the biggest risks of too much slack is if a line can loop over something it shouldn't, and then wear through when the water rises. Nails, hose hangers, and other dock accesories are a risk. As others have said, spring lines are vital to controling motion, as bow and stern lines must be loose enough to allow for tide. Also, springs provide important redundancy, should a bow line part; often they will keep you off another boat. Spring lines will generally have little slack.

* Dingies. Drains open and clean! Extra tilt. Trice it up. Or take it off. To some extent this depends on which way you are facing (wind should be mainly from the west). In my case (catamaran) the dingy is mostly between the hulls.

* Fenders. Not much good in the locker. But I've never had a good use for them.

* Wrap a line around the roller furled jib, if you're not removing it (I generally use the spin halyard). Confirm all sheet secure.

* Remove any tarps.

Merlin Clark · Oct 26, 2012

Having been through a few...
I set my lines loose but not loose enough for the hull to contact pilings or pier. Keep in mind the winds will put more stress on the lines than you can so maybe subtract 6-12 inches. If you have them to tight, the hull can pull pilings out of the bottom and/or load the cleats way more than needed.
Like Ross said, spring lines are essential. Fore and aft on both sides of the boat, not a fore on one side and an aft on the other.
This is one of those time when 3 strand is better, protect all lines from chafe. Only lines I've seen part are from chafe.

Merlin Clark · Oct 26, 2012

Something to keep in mind, sail lofts get a lot of work out of people that leave their furled headsails up during hurricanes.
Just saying.

ironhors42 · Oct 26, 2012

Here in Florida during Issac and Debby hurricanes I used 5/8 washer and dryer hose, I ran dock lines thru the hose and put hose around the piling. the hose will move up and down with the tide while tied to the boat, I had mine little loose on all corner of the boat and with the spring lines it help lot. I didn't have to worry about adjust dock lines. Another option is to use Tide minder, but they are expensive but work very well with tides changes as does washer and dryer hose. I hope this help .

tkanzler · Oct 26, 2012

Slack, but not slack enough that the boat can hit the dock or pilings. Use 3-strand, as they have more stretch than braided lines of the same size, and they're cheaper. You want the lower spring rate for the reduced shock loading to the cleats.

Use long lines where you can - the longer the better, especially spring lines. The longer they are, the less of an angle they sweep as the boat moves up and down, and therefore the less effective change in length they experience. Same with stern lines where possible, as someone mentioned - crossing them means they're longer, and therefore less sensitive to changes in water depth relative to a non-floating (I assume) dock.

Being longer also makes them effectively softer as far as spring rate goes.

If you choke them down tight, you may find the boat hanging off the dock lines if/when the water drops, or being tilted onto its side as the water goes up, or just ripping the deck cleats off the boat.

RichH · Oct 26, 2012

Ross said:
Your corner lines should be loose enough to allow movement but tight enough to prevent touching the pilings. Fore and aft spring lines are essential. How much tidal range do you get in NH and how much surge do they expect? Here on the Chesapeake the most I have seen in a storm is about 6 to 8 feet above mean high water.

A worse case scenario ....With the current track of "Sandy" expect that the bay will drop by upwards of 3-4 FEET .... consider to be able to have your boat 'lay' up against pilings, etc. when the water precipitously drops ..... A hurricane coming close to Cape Henry or crossing the Delmarva will have mostly NW-NE winds; and, that tends to 'suck out' the bay blowing the water between Cape Henry and Cape Charles. During a hurricane in the 1950s such a storm dropped the bay by almost 5-6 FEET.
How to predict the direction of hurricane winds (northern hemisphere): with your RIGHT arm at horizontal, stretch the arm all the way aft and point your right index finger at the 'center' of the storm as it passes by ..... the wind will be 'in your face'.

Gunni · Oct 27, 2012

In the Solomons, Pax River area I would be prepping for extraordinary water level drops. Depends on the tide cycle and how long the winds stay up. If this turns into a nor'easter (very probable) the north winds will be sustained. Can you get moved into a slip? Having the ability to center and tie off your boat in a slip gives you a lot more control of the boat.

sea_casper · Oct 27, 2012

merlinuxo said:
Something to keep in mind, sail lofts get a lot of work out of people that leave their furled headsails up during hurricanes.
Just saying.

Ditto that, remove your jib, a roller furled jib starts opening at the top in a blow, once it starts nothing will stop it, and it will try to pull the boat as this happens.

There are lots of YouTube videos from previous storms showing what happens.

Generally remove all biminis, dodger and mainsail, if not the furling type.

bffatcat · Oct 27, 2012

dock line strategy

Use 3 strand nylon It has some give Keep em loose use spring lines remove all sails

Good luck

whatfiero · Oct 27, 2012

ya can put out an ancor or 2 to pull away at dock run them thru pullys to winches and pull tight

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