To Leave or Take Them?

[Jerry Shenkman]

I intend to leave mine as I will be docking at my own slip behind my house on Barnegat Bay. No other boat will use that slip.

 

[Gunni]

Perhaps you can get away with leaving them on the dock if you have a smaller boat, but the more proper way to dock a boat, especially if the winds kicked up blowing into the slip while you're away, is to use one of the lines (spring line, or stern line) to stop and control the boat as it enters the slip (around the back horn, then around the other horn and straight up, let it out, let it out - STOP). You can't do that unless you take them with you and have them attached when returning. And, perhaps you'll need them to get yourself into that transient slip when someone steels your berth while you're away; or into that neighboring harbor when the weather picks up unexpectedly.

You are making this WAY more complicated than it needs to be. Have your spring lines set in the slip, and marked for easy deployment, drop them onto the appropriate cleat and go about setting the rest of your dock lines. I regularly singlehand a 41' boat into and out of a slip, and having my dock and springs in customary positions is the secret. My neighbors are commercial fishermen and they always singlehand their boats, mostly with 6 or more completely useless hyper passengers who watch their skipper do the job. It is a thing of beauty.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Regardless of boat size, one should have enough lines for leaving all at the home port as well as enough for transient use, both docking and rafting (i.e., brests and springs).

 

[Greg Reardon]

I keep a set of lines on the finger - unless I'm cruising for a while and my slip is going to be used in my absence. Since I tie up with five lines I don't want to go to the trouble of resetting every time. I keep another set of lines in rail mounted bag. When approaching my slip I deploy a "throw line" from the boat for a dock hand to temporarily secure the boat. When secure, the "extra" set goes back in the bag always ready for use in short sail tie-ups.

 

[Ron20324]

Don't know about world-wide practice, but around here if you are short-term in someone else's slip, it is customary you DO NOT use their dock lines. Nada.

 

[Jackdaw]

This is so simple.

If you reasonably choose to leave your primary lines in your regular slip, you should have a full second set to use away, either at a guest dock or while rafting. Full stop.

We leave ours, but use a 2nd as a spring to stop or control the boat if needed.

 

[Mike4116]

I leave them if I am just going out for a couple of hours on the bay. If I am leaving for an extended trip I take them along with the hose and power cord.

 

[MSN-Travelers]

Leave `em . . . .

I asked about dock lines before. My 1st season I bought new double braid pre-sliced dock lines so I could get "pretty ones" (Admiral's request). When doubling up for a storm I noticed that the "double lines" of 3 stand nylon stretched more and gave less a jolt than the DB.

This season I followed Stu's and others advice and bought a length of 3 strand nylon. I spliced in my own eye splices sized to fit the cleats on the boat so they would not easily slip off the cleats. I also cut them to length to fit my slip. Using a spring line and bridle set up in the slip, I slide in, put the OB in forward and just a bit more than idle, to keep from drifting out and can take my time walking around and grabbing the four lines with the hook. No rush and no stepping off the boat to tie up.

Same setup. Custom 3-strand attached to the dock, double braid for travel and doubling up for storms.

 

[Doug/Karen]

We leave 'em.

 

[FDL S2]

Every dock line is attached to a pylon and they are all set to the proper length, so I leave them. When coming into the slip singlehanded I grab the starboard

 

[FDL S2]

(continued-the dog hit enter for me) stern line and hook it on the cleat, then hook the port stern line. after that I hop off and hook the bow lines. I always have two complete sets of spare lines on the boat and one line ready when I'm docking.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Lines? You don't need no stinking lines! Just idle her in forward, 1 bell, until you're ready to head out again.

 

[woodster]

Don't know about world-wide practice, but around here if you are short-term in someone else's slip, it is customary you DO NOT use their dock lines. Nada.

also when using some one else's slip and they have line tied to the pilings you should tie below there lines not on top of them

correction here if you tie up to a piling that some one else is tied to you do not tie on top of there lines

 

[frankies56]

dock line take em, or leave them??

hello folks!
I have a dedicated dock line on the dock. my wife and I sail olmost every wekend and when coming back to the slip thing are easy as every line is pre messured and all that has to be done is grab a hold with the boat hook put it on and for get it. it,s easyer than having to reset just to get it right. as for other marinas we carry lots of lines ready for any thing that might come up. but when we come back warn out from sailing we just want to tie up and leave.