tying up to dock

B

blackfish

New member
seeking some advise from all you experienced sailors.
what arrangement of lines do you recommend to secure a 22cd at a well protected dock for 2 or 3 hrs (the boat will be left unattended )
would the bow and stern lines do along with fenders of course
or should I be attaching spring lines.
If using spring lines where would you attach theses on the boat.
from what I've read the forward spring line might be tied off to the bow cleat then past through a chock.

thanks
 
I find it easier to bring the bow line to the forward cleat and from there to the dock cleat. being there are no cleats or chocks at the bow this works well. I also use one rope for both sides of the boat. what I mean is that the rope is double up and has a loop in the middle that goes over the bow cleat then the two side are run down each side of the boat. This gives you one long rope if you need it and now you only have one rope tied to the bow.
 
Ha ha...well that is some bad luck at the dock.

If you're securing to a non-floating dock you would tie the line on your cleats differently as well as other precautions.
 
I always use the fenders, a stern line, and the bow line from the bow, over to the dock chock or rail, then back to the midship cleat to act as a spring. The spring only takes a few extra seconds and I feel just makes a more secure tie-off.
 
I used a bow line about 20 ft long on my 22 cruiser. The bow line goes from the bow cleat to the dock cleat or rail and then to the boats midships cleat. This acts as a bow line and bow spring.

A stern line about 10 ft long goes from the stern cleat to the dock cleat or rail. The stern line can be led aft of 90 degrees to act as a stern line and stern spring.

Because the 22 is wider amidships I brought the stern in closer than the bow so the fenders at the stern and amidships take the chafe and the bow fender hangs free.

This system worked well for me at the typical Canadian wood dock with bull rails.
 
matt_unique":3k08s2qw said:
For a 22' boat all you need is a stern line, a bow line, and three fenders.
Click to expand...

Actually, for casual docking I get by quite nicely with a stern line, bow line and two fenders. Many times just the midship cleat and stern cleat is sufficient. I was taught by a C-Dory expert that it's not absolutely necessary to have the boat itself parallel with the dock, only the stern area where people are exiting/entering.

Obviously dealing with a strong wind calls for more formal tieups, but dinner stop? Even overnight? No problem.

Now if I could only remember to pull the fenders in after getting underway.... :embarrased

Don
 
When I come to a dock, I secure a line from the midships cleat or a folding "D"Ring on the deck outside the window (harder to reach the foreward side cleat on the 25 and TC 255). I loop this line from the foreward side cleat around a bull rail, piling or cleat, and then go aft and bring the stern cleat line around the bull rail. piling or cleat. I usually leave these a little slack and put on a foreward side cleat to aft dock cleat spring line. This allows for some fore and aft movement and if there is some tide, so tidal movement. I prefer this method, because I do not have to go onto the foredeck--and can just reach out the window.
 
Anyone ever think about tying a light line to the bottom of the fenders and pulling all the slack out and tying it off to a rear cleat, making the fenders horizontal near the deck? I hate those cold showers when I forget to pull in the rear fender on my 16'.
 
Heres the thing about the above photo. It was tied to a floating dock. the problem was that they tied to the post no the dock. The dock went up and the post did not. boat got sucked under. so tie to the dock not the post. i have caught people doing it wrong around here many times. If you are at a non-floating dock you have to have longer lines in case you have a big tide. the east coast guys know more about that. I have not seen a non floating dock around here yet.
 
One of the problems with non floating docks around here is if they aren't constructed properly you run the risk of getting your gunnel or other part of the boat hung up on the dock or piling as the tide rises possibly sinking the boat. When I was a kid and we keep old boats in the water all the time we had a piling set about 40 feet from the dock. It had a block in it at the top with a line running through it with the bottom tied to a concrete block. As we approached the dock we would hook the line around a bow cleat and back up to the dock. We would then tie off to the dock get out of the boat loosen the line on the dock and let the concrete block pull the boat back away from the dock. Worked like a charm.
 
That boat tied to the post reminds me of the time I went through the Willamette Falls locks and was tied behind about a 27 foot wood cruiser, with the usual two drunk couples in lawn chairs in the stern. We were handling our lines but the neighbors were tied off. The Corps guys didn't say a word, just let the water out. Before you know it that cruiser was at about a 45 degree tilt and those folks were crammed into the low gunnel. The only thing that saved them was when the chocks pulled out of their boat.
 
Each docking situation presents a different challenge, depending on wind direction, current, and the space at the dock. Generally, we put three fenders over the side: a large round one towards the bow, coming behind the bow rail, one off the mid-ship cleat, and one off the cockpit rail. With two of us on the boat, Joan is usually on the bow, with a line ready on the bow cleat, and another tied off on the stern cleat, ready for me to get on my way out. With a bow line on first, I can maneuver forward or back to bring the boat parallel to the dock. Then secure bow and stern lines as breast lines. Unless it is a very quick stop, we run a spring line from the mid-ship cleat fore and aft.

If I am by myself, I run one long line from the bow cleat run back to the cockpit, generally tied off to the stern cleat. With that, I can step off the boat and have control front and rear. Drop that line over a cleat, then tie off as usual with the other lines.

If the tide is a concern and it isn't a floating dock, balance the length of the breast lines with the spring lines (running the spring lines further out - it will keep the boat from getting too far from the dock).

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
starcrafttom":1rpcgnzy said:
I find it easier to bring the bow line to the forward cleat and from there to the dock cleat. being there are no cleats or chocks at the bow this works well. I also use one rope for both sides of the boat. what I mean is that the rope is double up and has a loop in the middle that goes over the bow cleat then the two side are run down each side of the boat. This gives you one long rope if you need it and now you only have one rope tied to the bow.
Click to expand...

Tom, this is a GREAT idea. I had to cut my favorite 25-foot dock line on Sunday (long story...tell ya later), so today I went out and bought a new 25-foot dock line. I thought about getting a pair. Wish I'd read this first, but Fisheries will take my dock line back. Instead, I'll just buy a 50-foot length of rope and tie my new favorite knot, the Alpine Butterfly, in the middle. Or maybe just a clove hitch. What knot do you use?

Oh, and in answer to the original question: I use just two lines, and I always tie a spring in addition to bow and stern lines. I've got a long line set up on the bow cleat. It goes to the dock, and then back to the midships cleat as a forward spring. The stern line angles back slightly, serving as an aft spring. Really, though, the primary pull is between the midships cleat and the stern cleat, because this keeps the cockpit gunnel right alongside the dock for easy boarding. In other words, if you have to leave one of these lines slack, leave the bowline slack.
 
thanks for all the great advise
I'm taking a boat course through the local power squadron and wanted to apply what I'm learning in the class room to real situations. When we where out last sunday we tied up to the floating dock at Wallace island I didn't bother with a spring line but later thought this could have been a mistake if we had left the boat unattended.
 
"We were handling our lines but the neighbors were tied off. The Corps guys didn't say a word, just let the water out. Before you know it that cruiser was at about a 45 degree tilt and those folks were crammed into the low gunnel. The only thing that saved them was when the chocks pulled out of their boat."

Isn't it interesting that, by law, boaters are obligated to help another boater in distress unless they risk harm to themselves and their craft whereas this power-tripping tax paid Army Corps of Engineers jerk just let his grim sense of humor endanger four others (hapless though they may be).

Take the high road, educate, lend a hand, help enlighten, even if they are jet skiers. Not everyone has the same depth of experience, but those that are aware and caring, are usually willing to learn. Who here hasn't screwed up and been thankful someone else made a point to help you avoid a sizeable mistake? Then again, if someone chooses to ignore a conscientious warning... let the chips fall where they may.

I'd be tempted to tie that guy to a barnacle encrusted pole at low tide and lecture him while the water climbed up his neck. That might get his attention.


Oh, and there's nothing like boating a few miles only to realize that the gentle thumping you hear along the hull .... was a couple of salmon tied off with a rope and forgotten about. Then you realize that was what the other fishermen were laughing about as you pulled away. C.W.[/quote]
 
I tied at the back of the lock, there were only the two boats in there. I stayed as far away as possible because they were more than obnoxious and I wasn't paying that much attention to them. Busy with my own.
 
CW,

Having gone through locks on both coasts, and in three countries, I've come to appreciate the help lockmasters give. They have invariably been willing to give help and work with you. Even if you don't speak French (Canal du Midi.) I agree that it's their job to see that boats get through locks safely, and whether it's a commercial lock or on a cruising canal, they've always helped me, to the point of reminding me that I've violated several rules, (left motor running, get forward, etc.)

I feel it's unfair to condemn a lockmaster just on a post which makes a point. You don't know what went on between the boat and lockmaster before the water went out. For instance, I'd think that the lockmaster would remind them to tend their lines. I've been reminded to do so. I'll also show you the bend in the stern rail where the line got tangled and I had to cut it. Judy will not let me straighten it out, since it serves as a reminder to pay attention (or my stupidity, pick one.)

Boris
 
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