Moving my boat to Kaw Lake, OK and the only slips available are 11'X26'. My C250 has a beam of 8'6". Given the strong thunderstorms in Oklahoma which generate 60-80 kt blows is this slip too small for my boat? I currently keep my C-250 in a 12'X28' slip in Kansas with no problems. The extra width does seem to offer some line stretch protection. Thanks for any advice you can offer.
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Should be Plenty big
Bigger is better but many larger boats are insmaller slips. Mine for one. 32' boat in a 30' slip.
Bigger is better but many larger boats are insmaller slips. Mine for one. 32' boat in a 30' slip.
Fixed or floating?
Are the docks fixed or floating? If they're floating then it's easy, just tie up snug to which ever side you plan on using to climb on and off the boat. The boat will become one with the dock and ride out bad weather nicely. If they're fixed docks then your still in pretty good shape since you normally won't have a tidal swing on a lake. As previously stated use the recommended dock lines and tie her so that even in a good blow she'll stay off the pilings. Just remember dock lines do stretch so take that into consideration. And of course don't forget to set your fenders to help keep her from bumping the dock or pilings. Good luck.
Are the docks fixed or floating? If they're floating then it's easy, just tie up snug to which ever side you plan on using to climb on and off the boat. The boat will become one with the dock and ride out bad weather nicely. If they're fixed docks then your still in pretty good shape since you normally won't have a tidal swing on a lake. As previously stated use the recommended dock lines and tie her so that even in a good blow she'll stay off the pilings. Just remember dock lines do stretch so take that into consideration. And of course don't forget to set your fenders to help keep her from bumping the dock or pilings. Good luck.
My 31 footer
with 11.3 beam is in a 12 foot wide slip-no problems, fenders and properly adjusted dock lines and springlines
with 11.3 beam is in a 12 foot wide slip-no problems, fenders and properly adjusted dock lines and springlines
What is your exposure?
In a sheltered harbor where the biggest wave is the trawler coming through at a little higher than the posted speed limit once on Friday night and again on Sunday afternoon you can get by with quite a tight fit. If however your slip is exposed to any kind of significant fetch you would be well advised to up the clearance. As Mike indicated a floating pier relaxes the requirement and higher tides increases it. The amount of shelter makes a big difference in what you can get away with.
In a sheltered harbor where the biggest wave is the trawler coming through at a little higher than the posted speed limit once on Friday night and again on Sunday afternoon you can get by with quite a tight fit. If however your slip is exposed to any kind of significant fetch you would be well advised to up the clearance. As Mike indicated a floating pier relaxes the requirement and higher tides increases it. The amount of shelter makes a big difference in what you can get away with.
Your dock lines being nylon, stretch in responce
to the load as a percentage of breaking strength. If 1/2 inch lies stretch too much then use 5/8 inch line. They must stretch some to absorb the shock of reaching the end of free movement. Some of the power boaters here run their outer lines through single sheave blocks on the piles with a heavy weight attached to the fall. when they tie up, the weights pull the boat to the center of the slip and away from the dock.
to the load as a percentage of breaking strength. If 1/2 inch lies stretch too much then use 5/8 inch line. They must stretch some to absorb the shock of reaching the end of free movement. Some of the power boaters here run their outer lines through single sheave blocks on the piles with a heavy weight attached to the fall. when they tie up, the weights pull the boat to the center of the slip and away from the dock.
Prevailing Wind
I think the new slip size will adequately take care of you. Also, if the prevailing wind is apt to be from the non-secured side of the boat a larger set of fenders may be appropriate between the dock and the boat (leeward side) to take care of the push created by a storm. Then you can use the older fenders on the windward side (just in case).
I think the new slip size will adequately take care of you. Also, if the prevailing wind is apt to be from the non-secured side of the boat a larger set of fenders may be appropriate between the dock and the boat (leeward side) to take care of the push created by a storm. Then you can use the older fenders on the windward side (just in case).
Keepers
Ross some of us use the reverse process and rig a line about the size of clothes line from a boat cleat through a block attached to the finger pier then to an apx 5-10 lb weight (base it on boat size/displacement). It'll pull the boat over to the pier/dock and hold her there in all but the strongest of winds. It makes stepping on and off the boat easier and safer. We only attach them when at the boat. When we leave we take the line off the boat and attach it to a small cleat on the dock, she then rides back to the center of the slip out of harms way. You just have to make sure you use a line that resistant to abrasion if you have any part of it up against a piling or the barnacles will eat through it in a week. It also works great on keeping a dinghy tied between a slip's center piling and the dock. You just have to rig two lines for each end of the dink.
Ross some of us use the reverse process and rig a line about the size of clothes line from a boat cleat through a block attached to the finger pier then to an apx 5-10 lb weight (base it on boat size/displacement). It'll pull the boat over to the pier/dock and hold her there in all but the strongest of winds. It makes stepping on and off the boat easier and safer. We only attach them when at the boat. When we leave we take the line off the boat and attach it to a small cleat on the dock, she then rides back to the center of the slip out of harms way. You just have to make sure you use a line that resistant to abrasion if you have any part of it up against a piling or the barnacles will eat through it in a week. It also works great on keeping a dinghy tied between a slip's center piling and the dock. You just have to rig two lines for each end of the dink.
Over the years, my boats
have survived a number of storms, bad weather, and hurricanes in and around the mid-Chesapeake Bay western shore area. I used to think I knew how to tie up a boat in a fixed piling slip to prevent damage from bad weather. Hurricane Isabel in 2003 rearranged my thinking when I had a boat totaled which had been tied up with six spring lines,ten dock lines. and five fenders on each side. It was clear to me that boats in the tightest slips got the worst beating, even when tied up about as "appropriately" as seemed possible, with multiple lines and fenders. My sense of slip size is that I would want a minimum of a foot "wiggle" room on each side of the boat. While a boat with less space on its sides can be snugged up and damage avoided from sideways motion some of the time, such a slip offers virtually no options for a rising tide or a massive surge. Even if the slip is floating, the height of the pilings could be exceeded. So, if there are options for a wider berth at an affordable rate, I would always go for the wider slip.
have survived a number of storms, bad weather, and hurricanes in and around the mid-Chesapeake Bay western shore area. I used to think I knew how to tie up a boat in a fixed piling slip to prevent damage from bad weather. Hurricane Isabel in 2003 rearranged my thinking when I had a boat totaled which had been tied up with six spring lines,ten dock lines. and five fenders on each side. It was clear to me that boats in the tightest slips got the worst beating, even when tied up about as "appropriately" as seemed possible, with multiple lines and fenders. My sense of slip size is that I would want a minimum of a foot "wiggle" room on each side of the boat. While a boat with less space on its sides can be snugged up and damage avoided from sideways motion some of the time, such a slip offers virtually no options for a rising tide or a massive surge. Even if the slip is floating, the height of the pilings could be exceeded. So, if there are options for a wider berth at an affordable rate, I would always go for the wider slip.
Steve, One of the most common challenges
of boating is that you often have to use what's available, either at a dock or at anchor. No slip or anchorage is perfect, and if the hurricane comes, you may be out of luck. The slip that's available is a bit narrow. You can't make it bigger. The question is; how can I adapt to the slip? What we do as sailors is to try to improve our odds. Good fenders, well thought out arrangement of mooring lines, extra cleats on the boat or the dock all improve our chances. The owner of the other boat, if it's the usual two boat to a slip arrangement, is as inportant as all your precautions. Talk to them about fenders and how they rig their lines. I have sometimes made a deal to tie across the stern of my slip mate when we were both getting ready for a predicted storm. Anchoring is even worse. The connection to the bottom is not very solid in the best case scenario, but we do the best we can. Good luck!
of boating is that you often have to use what's available, either at a dock or at anchor. No slip or anchorage is perfect, and if the hurricane comes, you may be out of luck. The slip that's available is a bit narrow. You can't make it bigger. The question is; how can I adapt to the slip? What we do as sailors is to try to improve our odds. Good fenders, well thought out arrangement of mooring lines, extra cleats on the boat or the dock all improve our chances. The owner of the other boat, if it's the usual two boat to a slip arrangement, is as inportant as all your precautions. Talk to them about fenders and how they rig their lines. I have sometimes made a deal to tie across the stern of my slip mate when we were both getting ready for a predicted storm. Anchoring is even worse. The connection to the bottom is not very solid in the best case scenario, but we do the best we can. Good luck!
Fenders
Over the years I have picked up quite a few fenders. I now have enough to line my slip with them. They stay permantly at my slip and it makes preparing the boat for docking easier as we don't need to put fenders on the boat as we pull in, since they are already lining the dock. I came into some of those ball types, which are horrible to store on board, but work great attached the slip wall. The bigger ones I use where the bow and stern sit.
Over the years I have picked up quite a few fenders. I now have enough to line my slip with them. They stay permantly at my slip and it makes preparing the boat for docking easier as we don't need to put fenders on the boat as we pull in, since they are already lining the dock. I came into some of those ball types, which are horrible to store on board, but work great attached the slip wall. The bigger ones I use where the bow and stern sit.
Lucky in Isabel
Warren, we got lucky in Isabel, we're on the Sassafras and there was only one boat in the entire marina that took any damage. They were under a shed and when the tide rose to max their antenna and misc gear struck the top of the shed. Minor damage for them though. As for us we doubled all the lines and set them for an extra high and low tide. Some folks got down to the marina at high tide and the hulls were sitting apx 4' above the docks. The marina lost all their electric but that was it. Inner Harbor East in Baltimore has floating docks that came within apx 1-2' from floating off. Both Baltimore and Annapolis still have high water markers on buildings, in stores, etc. Gentle reminders of her.
Warren, we got lucky in Isabel, we're on the Sassafras and there was only one boat in the entire marina that took any damage. They were under a shed and when the tide rose to max their antenna and misc gear struck the top of the shed. Minor damage for them though. As for us we doubled all the lines and set them for an extra high and low tide. Some folks got down to the marina at high tide and the hulls were sitting apx 4' above the docks. The marina lost all their electric but that was it. Inner Harbor East in Baltimore has floating docks that came within apx 1-2' from floating off. Both Baltimore and Annapolis still have high water markers on buildings, in stores, etc. Gentle reminders of her.
Max Beam is usually higher
Max Beam is usually higher than the level of the dock. Like Sceptre I have an 11+ beam in a 12 foot slip; but a dock level my beam is much less. You should have plenty of room to spare. Once you are used to it you will enjoy the tight fit.
Max Beam is usually higher than the level of the dock. Like Sceptre I have an 11+ beam in a 12 foot slip; but a dock level my beam is much less. You should have plenty of room to spare. Once you are used to it you will enjoy the tight fit.
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