Best dock line handler

[wbpenney]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... WYgcgkreoI

[Wind Chime]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JjpMSqOf8ic

[Russ]

Every time I walk down my dock to my slip I am irritated to see $80k boats with docklines wraped around cleats in the most idiotic fashion. My guess is 5% of the boats actually know how to cleat a line.

[yukonbob]

Or just tied on with a mess of knots, cause when it goes it's heading for someone elses boat and then it becomes your prolem as well.

[Russ]

Or just tied on with a mess of knots, cause when it goes it's heading for someone elses boat and then it becomes your prolem as well.

Yep. If I see something really messed up I'll fix it. Admiral keeps asking why I mess with other people's lines. "For their own good"

[Tomfoolery]

Or just tied on with a mess of knots, cause when it goes it's heading for someone elses boat and then it becomes your prolem as well.

"If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot."

[mastreb]

A lot of the boats at Marinas in San Diego leave the dock lines on the dock. That way the cleat knot stays, and they only have to do a loop head through their cleat. Not sure whom they got to originally tie their lines off. I've always found that odd--how do you tie off if you go anywhere else?

[Russ]

A lot of the boats at Marinas in San Diego leave the dock lines on the dock. That way the cleat knot stays, and they only have to do a loop head through their cleat. Not sure whom they got to originally tie their lines off. I've always found that odd--how do you tie off if you go anywhere else?

I always leave my dock lines on the dock. Keep the loop for easy docking. No need to readjust.
Others seem to do the opposite. They take their lines with them. Why?
I have spare lines I use for tying up on other docks. Why readjust everything every time I return. I have spent a lot of time getting my dock lines set just right. Just leave em on the dock for when I return.

Same with fenders. I set them on the dock. Also added dock guards. I have a spare set of fenders for when I tie up to another dock. So why keep them on the boat hanging off the side?
When I return to my slip, all the edges are bumpered and my well adjusted dock lines only need the loop to be wrapped around the cleats. Easy peezy lemon squeezy.

[Tomfoolery]

I have spare lines I use for tying up on other docks. Why readjust everything every time I return. I have spent a lot of time getting my dock lines set just right. Just leave em on the dock for when I return.

Same here, at least when I had a dock - it's now docked in my driveway. Two off the bow, one off the stern, a spring line to the mid cleat from one end of the dock (different boat), all with the eyesplice looped through and over, and lastly the other spring line in the opposite direction, which had to be cleat hitched over the top of the first spring line. I had (and still have) 75' long, really fat dock braided lines for traveling (easy on the hands - musta cost a bundle when new), since you never know what you'll need, and I use them now for launching and hauling.

But it was great coming in with dock lines ready to go. Loop the stern line over the cleat, motor gently against it, hop off and secure the two bow lines, then kill the engine and finish the dock lines. Took no time at all, and everything was preadjusted to be just right.

[dlandersson]

Ditto.

A lot of the boats at Marinas in San Diego leave the dock lines on the dock. That way the cleat knot stays, and they only have to do a loop head through their cleat. Not sure whom they got to originally tie their lines off. I've always found that odd--how do you tie off if you go anywhere else?

I always leave my dock lines on the dock. Keep the loop for easy docking. No need to readjust.
Others seem to do the opposite. They take their lines with them. Why?
I have spare lines I use for tying up on other docks. Why readjust everything every time I return. I have spent a lot of time getting my dock lines set just right. Just leave em on the dock for when I return.

Same with fenders. I set them on the dock. Also added dock guards. I have a spare set of fenders for when I tie up to another dock. So why keep them on the boat hanging off the side?
When I return to my slip, all the edges are bumpered and my well adjusted dock lines only need the loop to be wrapped around the cleats. Easy peezy lemon squeezy.

[Herschel]

I always leave my dock lines on the dock. Keep the loop for easy docking. No need to readjust.
Others seem to do the opposite. They take their lines with them. Why?

Interesting question. I am one of those guys that takes his lines with him. I suspect that it hardly makes much difference in the real world other than our own personal preference. I keep four mooring lines attached each to the bow and stern cleats at all times. When I am underway, I coil them and tie them off to the pulpit or stern stanchion. This way, wherever I am and whenever I want to tie up, I have my four main mooring lines ready to go. Same with fenders. While I routinely tie up at my own slip, I do stop at the fuel dock, different restaurants, other marinas, and occasionally nest with other boats. I just feel more comfortable having my gear with me and ready at hand. I suppose I could make the technical argument that cleating off at slightly different spots on the mooring lines makes for less chaffing in one spot, but I admit that is a weak argument at best. Another reason I keep my mooring lines aboard is that I always "double up" my lines. I am in Florida and 45 minutes away from my marina. I like know that if a bad storm comes along, or I am out of town when a hurricane hits, I am already "doubled up". Lastly, its a Navy thing. That's the way we did it on the ships I served on, and it is hard to undo that kind of learning.

[dlandersson]

Worth a bump.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

If I have a slip, I leave my dock lines on the dock. If I'm going somewhere, often by myself, I have 4 15' dock lines. On each side I have a line on the stern cleat going forward and a line on the bow cleat going aft and I tie the 2 ends together. When I get where I'm going, I can step off my Mac, grab the lines on that side, and control both ends of my boat.
If the water or wind makes it difficult to dock, I have a monkey fist that I throw over the dock (make sure the bitter end is tied to your boat). I can usually get it snagged on something, and pull myself in. Or somebody will see me and pull me in.

[OverEasy]

Interesting question. I am one of those guys that takes his lines with him. I suspect that it hardly makes much difference in the real world other than our own personal preference. I keep four mooring lines attached each to the bow and stern cleats at all times. When I am underway, I coil them and tie them off to the pulpit or stern stanchion. This way, wherever I am and whenever I want to tie up, I have my four main mooring lines ready to go. Same with fenders. While I routinely tie up at my own slip, I do stop at the fuel dock, different restaurants, other marinas, and occasionally nest with other boats. I just feel more comfortable having my gear with me and ready at hand. I suppose I could make the technical argument that cleating off at slightly different spots on the mooring lines makes for less chaffing in one spot, but I admit that is a weak argument at best. Another reason I keep my mooring lines aboard is that I always "double up" my lines. I am in Florida and 45 minutes away from my marina. I like know that if a bad storm comes along, or I am out of town when a hurricane hits, I am already "doubled up". Lastly, its a Navy thing. That's the way we did it on the ships I served on, and it is hard to undo that kind of learning.

Hi Herschel!

While this may be a decade ago it still makes sense to us as well!
We get out and about as often as we can and have repeatedly found it of more convenience to “be prepared”… both with having 4 lines at the ready as well as sufficient fenders for both sides of Over Easy. We visit the fuel pier at different times and tide/current conditions for refueling. Same with various town piers to grab a quick bite to eat or to stroll the waterfront. There are also several decent restaurants that have piers we’ve stopped at for the occasional nicer meal. Once when a sudden thunderstorm squall over took us we hurriedly aimed to tie off at a nearby marina on our port side only the be forced to change over in a moment to the starboard side as the winds changed direction and broadsided us. Being prepared for either side basically made that change over seamless and a non-event (the best kind IMHO ).

The convenience of carrying our lines and fenders with us has far out weighed any issue with stowing them.
We’ve set-up a simple system to retrieve, stow and deploy our fenders from the cockpit (three per side).
Similarly we have two lines looped through the fwd and aft sets of deck cleats.
When when we are away for awhile or heavy weather is anticipated, we have a separate fore/aft spring line that we deploy that also doubles up our standard lines. This runs primarily to the mid-deck cleats we added to our boat as the main tie off. The tails run fwd and aft to the dock cleats then back up to the respective boat deck cleats. The cleat ties are such that even if any line were to fail the other connections will still hold fast.

This spring line serves double duty as we use it when launching and retrieving Over Easy to help guide her on/off the trailer in crossing currents and winds.

But as was said, Each to their own and what works for their situation.

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[dlandersson]

"If you can't tie a knot, tie a lot."