How often do you replace your dock lines?

[Ross]

When I brought the dock lines home last fall they were showing some chafe and were very stiff and hard compared to the new line. So I am in the process of making up a new set of lines. The present ones went into service in 2003 after Hurricane Isabel. So they have at least three years of service and would probably serve for another season or two if we don't have a storm.

 

[Jadedcrew]

Dock Lines

Hello Ross. I change mine when I can't stand the feel of them (stiff, and green) which is usually about every three years. I use 1/2" three strand dock line. I try running them through the washing machine each spring, and this helps keep them pliable longer. I sail a 36' 14,000 lbs. displacement, and 1/2" is more than big enough for where my boat is kept.Let me know if you see any mistakes in my post (other than too many comas).

 

[r.w.landau]

Ross, I wash all my line once a year.

I am talking dock lines, halyards, sheets, if it comes off it gets washed!The stiffness and sometimes chafe is caused by dirt in the lines.I agree with you, if there is chafe, change them out. Give your old ones to someone near you with worse lines than yours!r.w.landau

 

[Terry Cox]

Hi Ross, I've been using our three strand nylon...

5/8th inch lines for over five years and the PO used them before we bought the boat. A bit stiff with some wear but still serviceable. I always use leather gloves to protect my hands, but they loosen up after a few dockings. It helps to keep them out of the sea water and I wash them down each time we return to the slip. Running them through the washing machine with fabric softener does help, but I just skip that step. I also rotate them so that a different part of the rope is tied to the dock cleat. TerryP.S. Mik, nice post. One slip up; comma is a punctuation mark, coma is a state of prolonged unconsciousness. It's amazing what one letter does to a word's meaning.

 

[newly anonymous]

replace?

More than a decade ago I dove on a fishing trawler that had somewhat recently taken up residence at a depth of 90 feet, during which time I salvaged a 40-foot lenth of one-inch diameter double-braid line, thinking it would suffice to pull a stump out of my front yard. I looped it around the stump, tossed the eye splice over the hitch, shifted the beast into four-wheel-low, and jerked the stump free of the Earth. The line didn't even groan, at which point it occured to me that this line might still be useful for boating purposes. It's been one of my spring lines since 1994ish, and shows very little wear despite the fact that I'm using it on the third boat I've owned since then. I've been buying one-inch double braid ever since, which is hideously expensive but which tends not to wear out. If one of these linse chaffes against a cleat, I feel sorry for the cleat.Last summer when I traded my eight-year-old boat in for a new model, I told the dealer to swap the new lines that came with the 30,000 lb. displacement boat for the old lines that I had on the 20,000 lb displacement boat. I have no doubt that the eight-year-old 1" lines will outlast those scrawny lines that came with the new boat.

 

[higgs]

John makes a point

As long as chafe does not enter into the picture, dock lines seems to last beyond the six years I give them. In the slip, I usually replace one line a year - I use six, so that is about as far as I let them go. Still, the ones I have retired seem to be in great shape and I use them as dock lines when cruising. I have, in 30 years, never had a line break. My old dock lines become tie ups for the hammock in my backyard. A lot depends on where you slip your boat.

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persistence]

Just replaced mine - 4 seasons old.

I just replaced my old 5/8" 3 strand nylon with 1/2" double braid on my 03 H356. Washed the old ones, but most are still very stiff. Have used the old ones for 4 years and will now use 4 out of the 6 them for transient lines.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Ross: Some good thoughts here

It seems quite easy to ignore one's docklines. Not a good thing to do. A friend of mine and fellow sailor used to call docklines "... ten cents worth of rope to protect a $10,000 boat (which is what he figured his boat was then wortth." He was commenting on how a lot of sailors economize on docklines by either keeping them in service too long or buying line of too small diameter-- a false economy. In my case, I typically use 7 lines to tie up my boat in a fixed slip. I've got a few double braid nylon lines that are probably at least 8 yrs old and still going strong with no chafe or noticeable wear. I wish I knew what brand they are. I've got some newer 3-strand lines that will soon be retired as they are so stiff that I believe all their stretch is gone. I've had good luck powerwashing docklines as that seems to get rid of a lot of salt and other crud that causes internal friction in the lines. But in the end, as soon as I notice any chafe, the line either gets "repurposed" (i.e, used for some non-load bearing function) or tossed.

 

[Ross]

Our Harbor master was talking with me the

other day and said that he is always astonished that someone would consider tieing up a 40,000 boat with a piece of clothesline. but it does happen. There is a great difference in the motion of the boat with thiry knots of wind out of the south here compared to five knots from the East.

 

[Ross]

nancy and I just took one of the old dock lines

and Dragged it back and forth across and 6x6 porch post several times, it went a long ways to restoring the flexibility in the line. It still gets retired to temporary service.

 

[higgs]

New England Lines

New England 3 strand is availabe at West. I found this line, at least in fresh water, to stay flexible for many years.

 

[Ross]

Higgs, I bought 600 feet of NE ropes 5/8 rope

for Bietzpadlin when I supplied her. It isn't the rope, it is the contaminates that cause it to become stiff just like starch in your pajamas. The line that I am pulling from stock is about 8 years old but still brand new.

 

[letterman]

not sure...but

My anchor line is stiff. My dock lines get that way after a season, but...I thing stretch has a lot to do with stiffness. i am in fresh water only. the lines are new every year. After a big storm, I always check the stiffness of the lines and darn if they aren't significantly stiffer. New lines, old lines, dirt may be a part of the equation, but I wonder.

 

[Ross]

Letterman, read my post about Nancy and I

working the lines over a porch post and restoring much of the flexibility. I think that much of the stiffness comes from the starch effects of the algea.