Spring Line Shock Cords

[Roger Long]

The boat was snugging and jerking last night just after I turned in. I put my clothes back on and went out in the rain to put these shock cords on the spring lines:

She settled down immediately. This morning, with the wind backed around so it is directly on the beam, it's amazing to see how this slight but steady pressure keeps the bow and stern lines slack in all but the strongest gusts. There are a lot of lulls in such conditions and the tension pulls the boat slowly upwind. The keel makes it hard for her to surge back quickly so the result is nearly slack lines and less strain.

These won't help as much when the wind force doubles later today but the wind should have backed around so that I'm nearly bow into it by then.

 

[catsailor]

I did the same thing in Ocean City, Maryland once, in a marina that was exceptionally prone to surge. In my case I side tensioned one of the bow lines (on a catamaran they cross and angle something like spring lines). I never really felt the need other places, except during a thunderstorm, but they were brief and not worth getting wet.

I think Roger is on to something here. There are numerous snubber products on the market that address jerking by absorbing the energy head on. Rogers approach has 2 advantages:
1. By keeping tension on the lines, the surge energy is greatly reduced.
2. The snubber doesn't have to face the full force; it simple transfers it smoothly to the lines.

While his bungee cord "battle field expedient" won't provide long-term wear, I thinking the a similar methods would work for many boats in exposed locations. It could be applied to stern lines as well, and in the case of catamarans, bow lines. The bungee could be secured to the line with a loop tied in a prusik hitch, perhaps with chafe gear underneath.

Intriguing.

 

[Bluesharp]

Hope you have good chafe protection around those lines where they go through your chocks. Cut up old blue jeans and tie wrap them around the lines if you can't find anything else. Scraps of blue jeans worked well for me in the past during Irene when she went overhead.

 

[Shoaldrafter]

Report from King George, Va., on the Potomac

Report from Chesapeake Bay Cabin
Cruiser shortly after 5:10 p.m.[ from
his house overlooking the river]

Its been an ugly day but the highest wind so far
was only 49 - the flip side is is that its been blowing
since last night, also rained since last night. The
river never got up above an extra high tide level &
this morning the wind direction changed & is
driving the water out.


Everything is closed around here including the
Naval Weapons Lab where xxxxx works. I"m
not sure about the ABC stores but we're well
stocked.

The surprise for our subdivision is that we still
have power, that isn't a big problem for us because
we have a generator but my internet provider
doesn't have auxiliary power so my internet access
could go anytime.

The worst is still to come but so far it hasn't been
that bad here. The bad areas are north of us. This
isn't exactly a picnic but no big problem so far. With
these winds, the rains & leaves still on, trees are
going to be coming down.

------------------- // ------------------
via South Carolina
Ed K

 

[Shoaldrafter]

Long Beach Island, New Jersey

Pictures from Long Beach Island just before
dark on Monday. This is the main road down
the middle of the island. It is about three blocks
from the dunes.

relayed from South Carolina
Ed k