Stupid Question Friday - Dock Lines at Pilings

[woodster]

Our home port has floating docks.

ahh living large...... those are nice but not available that much around here living on the other side of town i know of some in p cola and barber marina but not so much her on the bay

 

[woodster]

Why not buy a sheet bag from WM and attach it to the lifeline(s) and keep 4 docklines in the bag for use at
other marinas / clubs where you may visit....that way you always have your lines ot your dock, ready for use, and you have an extra set of 4 lines with you for locations where you visit....plus, this setup gives you instant access to lines in case of an emergency near your slip where you need to toss someone a line...and your not messing up your own boats security. Great for raft-up's as well.

if you drop the thimble and use a eye splice only they will stay put with just a noose......

 

[capta]

I've always used a clove hitch around the piling with a couple of half hitches, and as you mentioned, secure the line to the cleat on the boat. No eye splice needed. If it is a dock I use often, I will mark the line where it goes through or crosses the chock.

 

[Ron20324]

During hurricane Isabelle we had 28 inches of water on the docks. The dock boxes were 6 inches underwater. One fellow tried to adjust his bow lines on a piling on the bulkhead. They were underwater, and he could not even see them, and barely reach them with face in the water. That told me to have adjustment at both ends of the dockline when you know a storm is coming.

 

[Ward H]

This

I've always used a clove hitch around the piling with a couple of half hitches, and as you mentioned, secure the line to the cleat on the boat. No eye splice needed. If it is a dock I use often, I will mark the line where it goes through or crosses the chock.

and this

During hurricane Isabelle we had 28 inches of water on the docks. The dock boxes were 6 inches underwater. One fellow tried to adjust his bow lines on a piling on the bulkhead. They were underwater, and he could not even see them, and barely reach them with face in the water. That told me to have adjustment at both ends of the dockline when you know a storm is coming.

is why I am thinking of going away from dropping eye splices over my stern cleats.

My dock lines are semi permanent. The yard takes them off when they pull the boat and I put them back when I splash. I have extra lines for visiting other docks.

Interesting to read all the solutions other sailors have for dock lines in their slips. I got a few good ideas for when and how a line with an eye splice will be real handy but for my semi permanent stern lines I will tie them to the pilings and to the stern cleats as capta does.

As far as marking the lines, A few times I have marked various lines for various reasons with blue painters tape. I marked the main halyard where it should be at the rope clutch for preparing a reef. It lasted two seasons. I'll use some colored seizing thread this year. As someone else said, it will look a bit more nautical but the tape does hold up well.