Dock Lines....How long should they be?

[9Ball]

OK.... So we were having a discussion in the office about how long "Docking Lines" should be.

Kinda of a basic question but it seems to be a difference of opinions here.... what say you folks!!! lol


Todd

[seapuppy]

well...it kinda depends on the size of the boat really....so...you have a 2700 scr....for instance.....I had 20 ft lines for all 3 cleats on each side of the boat.......

for smaller boats I figure that the dock line should be at least 1/2 - 3/4 of the boats length.....now my 340 is 35 ft long....I have 25 ft lines on all three cleats on both sides of the boat....they are all double braided...


SP

[biggerseagar]

Here is what the usps says........at least four lines....two the length of the boat and two 1& 1/2 times the length for your spring lines....any smart boater is going to have more .............or else they should be shot ..........at least twice:-)

Roger

[9Ball]

Don't shoot Meeeeee... LOL I said 4 lines the length of the boat... some others (who will remain nameless..LOL) said 1.5 X the length of the Boat.

Todd

[ss3964spd]

I think there is a guideline to determine how long the lines should based on the length of the boat but I don't recall off the top of my head.

I keep four 25' dock lines and one 35' spring line aboard our boat.

Dan

[biggerseagar]

Get your Chapman's book gents.......he will tell you............

Roger

[shrew]

Here comes the monkey wrench.......It also depends on the dock and whether you're in tidal or non-tidal waters. If you're typing beam to or in non-tidal waters, they may not need to be as long. If you're tying up in a slip, then the width of the slip and how far the pilings are placed will dictate the length of line needed. If you in a slip with a floating dock, then less than if you're in a fixed dock. In a fixed dock with a tide, then longer lines. Makes is simple right? LOL

The key is, too much line can always be coiled, while a line too short is useless.

[mcoffey]

Yep, agree with Shrew here. I run in a lake. I always tie to the same dock or very similar. I have 4 lines each being 15ft. That is 1 for each corner (and each cleat) on my 21ft 2100SR. Now I do have 2 anchors (1 for front and 1 for rear) with plenty of rope on them. So if I really need more rope in a pinch, i can always grab one or both of them (they are 50ft each).

When I do tie up with current ropes, I always have about 6ft extra just coiled on the floor. I also normally only tie with 3 at a time. I use 1 in the front tying to an eye on a wall. Then I use 1 in each rear corner and wrap around a pylon.

[seapuppy]

a spring line depends on the location of the cleats....I have 2 cleats near the stern and i amidships and one on the bow....I spring the 2 stern cleats and then use the midships cleat as another spring depending on the cleats located on the docks....we mainly dock in floating docks...so..that's not an issue...but the spring lines are very important to keep the boat from rocking all over the place...


SP

[biggerseagar]

Shrew and Mac exactly! This is what works for you, your boat at your slip and in your neck of the woods. We can quote rule of thumbs rules until we are blue in the face.

I have a set up, which I use two 35 foot lines that I keep them attached to my mid-cleats on both sides of my boat. When not in use, I run the lines back to the stern cleats, tie them off and hang the excess in the cockpit. I use the loop ends on the mid-cleats.

The way our dock cleats are located in our slip ( I back in also) I take my 35 "er that is still attached to my mid-cleat on the boat and I run a loop around the middle dock cleat then to the bow cleat on the boat and finally down to the forward dock cleat and attach. Just enough length to keep the boat up against the dock with my fenders guarding the fiberglass and to tie a cleat hitch.

I have a seperate line for the stern cleat from the boat to the dock. That is the port side.....Now I have one 20 foot line for the starboard side the goes from the mid-cleat on the boat to the stern cleat on the dock. It straightens the boat out. Three lines and I am secured!

I use the 35' ers on both sides and stake them to the beach for when I do beach the boat.This keeps the boat's stern from moving sideways or back and forth when you get alot of wave action from other boats going up and down the river.

There thats my take.........

Roger

[shrew]

I have about 20 lines during any given season. 8 dock lines, 8 boat lines, and a few misc. lines. Teh 'Dock' lines are tied to the pilings on the dock. Once I tie them in the spring, they remain untouched all season. I tie them with a clove hitch finished with 3 half-hitches with the loop ends toward the boat. This way when I pull into the slip, they are all the exact size I need and all I do is use the loop ends on teh cleats. (2 Fwd Springs; 2 aft springs; 2 bow lines; 2 stern lines). The 8 boat lines reamin on the boat for rafting up and tying to transient docks and marina slips. I buy a new set of dock lines every season. Last years dock lines become this years boat lines. I keep my boat in tidal water in a marina with fixed docks. We are somewhat exposed to whether so the lines will take a beating throughout any one season. I use a different color line for the springs which are longer, as opposed to the bow./stern lines which are shorter.
I also typically use 25' and 35' lines for this process. In some places I could get away with a 20', while in antoher I could probably do with a 40', but I squeek out a 35'

[Bainic]

...but the spring lines are very important to keep the boat from rocking all over the place...

Ok so please forgive my lack of knowledge concerning tie offs, but could you please explain "spring lines" to me. Thanks

[seapuppy]

a spring line is usually used to prevent the boat from moving fwd or back at the dock....usually you tie it off from the mid cleat or stern cleat fwd to a mid cleat at the dock.....the object is to keep the boat from moving and banging into the dock.........


SP

[MCM]

I use four 5/8" thick 20' lines (2 fwd, 1 mid, 1 aft) and two 25' lines for a spring lines on my 3200.