Talking about dock lines, beyond service time how do you configure and set your dock lines? Have seen many different set ups, types and shapes of cleats, spring line configurations, fenders protection, electrical cable atachments, etc. Do you set the eye to the dock or to the boat? My configuration of dock lines is strictly designed to facilitate leaving and aproaching the dock specifically for when single handling. I leave my dock lines behind when I go out so to maintain a set lenghth for each they are tied to the dock and pylons by the bitter end. When coming back I just have to slip the eyes of the lines over the cleats and the boat ends up in the same position every time. Besides bow and aft docklines I use bow and aft spring lines tied to dock poles amidship. To further facilitate the releasing and tying of the boat I have tied the stern lines to the stern spring lines making a single eye for each and the bow lines to the forward spring lines making again a single eye for each. The only drawback which really don't bother me is that when I release the lines they go in the water. The Hunter cleats do not have a big enough openings to thread the lines though them so in making the eyes I allowed for adequate length for double loops. I allow the boat to rest up against the piling of the finger pier on the starboard side and protect it with a fender board. A line is tied from the piling to a winch to help pull the boat in for boarding. This configuration served us well through the two killer storm seasons of 2004 and 2005. I just raised the spring lines on the pilings and losened the bow lines to allow for storm surge. The heigth offset between the bow lines and the spring lines maintained the boat centered in the slip with the ability to raise 10-12 feet by allowing movement up, down and back. The electrical cable I tie to the bow pulpit with velcro strips. When leaving the dock I curl up the cable and hang it from the line stop on the port side piling. The only lines that are adjusted from time to time are the bow lines. In the winter the North wind blows the water out of our cove so the tide line is much lower so the lines are loosened as compared to the summer time when the reverse is the norm. I use 5/8" multi strand lines which are going into their 5th year now and are still very good. I think it would easier to loose a cleat from the dock than to break one of these lines. What's your pleasure?
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Leave mine at the dock
I'm on a finger dock with my H356, and I back into the slip. I use a bow line to the bow cleat (loop end on the bow, and tied to the cleat nearest the bow on the dock. I come from that same dock cleat to the center cleat with a springline. I use the loop end at the center boat cleat. From the cleat on the dock closest to the stearn, I run a springline to the same center cleat with the loop end on the center boat cleat. Both springlines use the same center boat cleat. On one side, I use a stern line with a loop over the boat stern cleat (port side). On the other (starboard) side, I use a stern line without a loop and tie it off. This last action fixes the boats position in the slip both forward and side to side. This is for a U shaped finger pier slip on Kentucky Lake and works very well for us. I generally take off the bow line(s) when I first go out and don't put them back until I plan on leaving unless the weather is forecast to be gusty. I have to use a boat hook to reach them, so they are more difficult to put back on. When we go out (if the bow lines are off), the first line off is the tied line on the starboard stern. This allows the boat to move in the slip. I then remove the springlines, leaving the looped stern line to last. I use it to pull the boat where I can get on, and then unhook it. Use the reverse procedure when coming back in. Works great for me as I generally do all the docking and undocking by myself.
I'm on a finger dock with my H356, and I back into the slip. I use a bow line to the bow cleat (loop end on the bow, and tied to the cleat nearest the bow on the dock. I come from that same dock cleat to the center cleat with a springline. I use the loop end at the center boat cleat. From the cleat on the dock closest to the stearn, I run a springline to the same center cleat with the loop end on the center boat cleat. Both springlines use the same center boat cleat. On one side, I use a stern line with a loop over the boat stern cleat (port side). On the other (starboard) side, I use a stern line without a loop and tie it off. This last action fixes the boats position in the slip both forward and side to side. This is for a U shaped finger pier slip on Kentucky Lake and works very well for us. I generally take off the bow line(s) when I first go out and don't put them back until I plan on leaving unless the weather is forecast to be gusty. I have to use a boat hook to reach them, so they are more difficult to put back on. When we go out (if the bow lines are off), the first line off is the tied line on the starboard stern. This allows the boat to move in the slip. I then remove the springlines, leaving the looped stern line to last. I use it to pull the boat where I can get on, and then unhook it. Use the reverse procedure when coming back in. Works great for me as I generally do all the docking and undocking by myself.
No need for boat hook
Jerry, my setup is exactly the same as yours except that I have a pole made of about 1 inch polypipe with a hook on it near the top positioned out near the end of the finger. It stands a bit higher than the lifelines. As we leave the slip the bow line is placed over the hook and as we reverse in past it is a simple matter of reaching across, picking it up & dropping it over the cleat. No need for a boathook. I experimented using the pole for the spring but this wasnt as effective so now I use both.
Jerry, my setup is exactly the same as yours except that I have a pole made of about 1 inch polypipe with a hook on it near the top positioned out near the end of the finger. It stands a bit higher than the lifelines. As we leave the slip the bow line is placed over the hook and as we reverse in past it is a simple matter of reaching across, picking it up & dropping it over the cleat. No need for a boathook. I experimented using the pole for the spring but this wasnt as effective so now I use both.
try a dockcatcher!
Jerry, we use a similar system-the dockcatcher is a comercial product (about $40 at defender). we have our permanent lines attached to the dock-as we back into the slip, we pickup the springline from the dockcatcher pole and drop it on the midships cleat. with the engine idling in reverse, the hull is held on the dock while we secure the bow and stern lines. the top of the pole is bout lifeline height so a crewmwmber just has to reach over the side and drop the line on the cleat. if I'm singlehanding there's time to leave the helm, get the springline on the cleat, then secure the boat bow and stern, even in a crosswind.
Jerry, we use a similar system-the dockcatcher is a comercial product (about $40 at defender). we have our permanent lines attached to the dock-as we back into the slip, we pickup the springline from the dockcatcher pole and drop it on the midships cleat. with the engine idling in reverse, the hull is held on the dock while we secure the bow and stern lines. the top of the pole is bout lifeline height so a crewmwmber just has to reach over the side and drop the line on the cleat. if I'm singlehanding there's time to leave the helm, get the springline on the cleat, then secure the boat bow and stern, even in a crosswind.
Rig a breast line. No, I mean a line
from near the centre (fore and aft) of the boat, with a fender a couple of feet on each side of where the line is attached. once that line is attached to the dock, the boat is at the dock and you can take all the time you need to fasten your other lines. Also, if there is a helpful person on the dock, you can throw them the breast line without losing control of the situation. Throw somebody a bow or stern line, they pull (and they usually will), you can't steer. If they pull the breast line, in you come. I learned this from an old salmon troller. He pointed out that all the fishermen had a line tied to the base of their trolling poles. He said "If you pull the centre of the boat in, the ends usually come too".
from near the centre (fore and aft) of the boat, with a fender a couple of feet on each side of where the line is attached. once that line is attached to the dock, the boat is at the dock and you can take all the time you need to fasten your other lines. Also, if there is a helpful person on the dock, you can throw them the breast line without losing control of the situation. Throw somebody a bow or stern line, they pull (and they usually will), you can't steer. If they pull the breast line, in you come. I learned this from an old salmon troller. He pointed out that all the fishermen had a line tied to the base of their trolling poles. He said "If you pull the centre of the boat in, the ends usually come too".
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