Snubber Wanted

[Jangada]

I need to add some sort of 'shock absorber' onto my dock lines but I really don't like those black rubber things. Anyone know of any other good products that will do the job? Preferably something I can add and remove easily. Thanks.

[Sailmonkey]

small three strand is a great snubber. Just add it to the dock lines, a little tighter than the main lines.

[sy_gilana]

Try the old fashioned way. Heavy dock lines hanging about 2' lower than a thin, say 1/2" stretchy (Nylon 100%) that is rigged taut. The 1/2" line will take the surge and the heavier dock lines will stop them parting. Sit at the cleat, tune it, then mark the positions. If possible to not run through a fairlead. They waste lines. Try to go from Bitts/Bollard/Cleat directly ashore.

[Jangada]

Thanks. I've actually tried that but there's so much surge where I am that they wore out/broke after just a few days. I'd like something that will hold my boat close to the dock yet stretch a foot or so pretty much constantly. Isn't there something commercially available? It seems like this would be a pretty common problem.

[atoll]

try car tyres with chain looped thru them,or scooter tyres for smaller vessels.
works great ,and the price is right!

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Jangada

Thanks. I've actually tried that but there's so much surge where I am that they wore out/broke after just a few days. I'd like something that will hold my boat close to the dock yet stretch a foot or so pretty much constantly. Isn't there something commercially available? It seems like this would be a pretty common problem.

would the metal springs work

[Ex-Calif]

I am having the same issue at my marina. 4500 pound boat. 1/2 inch 3 strand lasts about 4 months.

I am sourcing really thick bungee, I am planning to make 3-4 lengths, bind the ends and make covers out of some spare sunbrella. A guy at our dock has done this but the bungee is not going to hold up well in the sun hence the cover.

I was shocked at the price of those black snubbers. Ridiculous...

The second problem is our double berths dont have a center post so springing the boat off the dock is a problem. Everyone here has well rubbed gelcoat from fenders. A disaster that I havent found a solution for.

The final problem is I looked at a couple of other maxis here. Two of them have significant fiberglass repair work where the forward cleats are. I checked mine and sure enough the dockside cleat is loose. Only a matter of time before it breaks.

I am considering moving back to a mooring ball...

[nhschneider]

My friends on Totem recently published a posting on their blog about this very subject that I thought was very good S/V Totem Family: Managing surge with docklines and snubbers. Especially their creative use of an old small fender.

Fair winds and calm seas.

[ozskipper]

A large rubber o ring. Or series there-of. Cheap and easy to make up. Get them from a plumbing suppliers.

[HopCar]

There are two types of black rubber stretchy things. One type has loops at each end where the line is fastened and allowed to hang down. This is the style made by Davis and others. The other style allows you to wrap the extra line around the rubber which makes for a neater appearance. I also think it is a lot stronger. Sea-Dog, Whitecap and others make this style. I know you said you didn't like the rubber thingies but the second type seems to work pretty good. We have a catalog from a Chinese company kicking around the office that shows a snubber made with a stainless compression spring. It looks like the tensioners they used in the old outboad cable steering systems. I've never seen the real thing so I couldn't tell you if it was well made or not.

[daddle]

Those with surge might want to try less spring in the lines. Use long and heavy nylon spring lines. Winch them tight. Avoid rubbing in toerail chocks. They may not wear as fast this way.

Ex-Calif: When I was stuck on a side tie in bumpy surge-y Labuan last year the boat was primarily held between a long spring from the dockside aft corner to the finger, and a long spring from mid-ships on the outside forward to a point in the neighbor's slip. These two springs winched rather tight against each other. The boat otherwise held lightly in place by looser short docklines. She almost never touched her fenders against the dock. But a mooring is far better for many reasons.

I don't have toerail chocks. The line runs directly from the winch or deck plate to the dock. To keep it from rubbing on anything I will artfully suspend it from the lifeline, or whatever, with a small line.

I use 20mm (3/4") braided nylon for this 9t boat. Three strand and the same tricks in very surge-y Monterey.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by daddle

Those with surge might want to try less spring in the lines. Use long and heavy nylon spring lines. Winch them tight. Avoid rubbing in toerail chocks. They may not wear as fast this way.

Ex-Calif: When I was stuck on a side tie in bumpy surge-y Labuan last year the boat was primarily held between a long spring from the dockside aft corner to the finger, and a long spring from mid-ships on the outside forward to a point in the neighbor's slip. These two springs winched rather tight against each other. The boat otherwise held lightly in place by looser short docklines. She almost never touched her fenders against the dock. But a mooring is far better for many reasons.

I don't have toerail chocks. The line runs directly from the winch or deck plate to the dock. To keep it from rubbing on anything I will artfully suspend it from the lifeline, or whatever, with a small line.

I use 20mm (3/4") braided nylon for this 9t boat. Three strand and the same tricks in very surge-y Monterey.

Might experiment with the outside genny winch. With the surge I still think I have to snub somehow but pulling the aft end out with the genny winch might help. Of course the forward outside end can be held off with a cleat on the end of the slip.

[Hydra]

I have had at least one bad result with a spring line tensioned on a genoa winch. There was so much surge in that harbor that the line was repeatedly shock loaded, and the winch too. The next day, the winch made a really different sound, as if the bearings inside had been damaged. Since that day, I prefer to avoid making docklines fast on expensive winches.

I am really satisfied with Unimer "Mooring Compensators". They are not cheap but my marina is exposed to the wake of freighters. It passes under the concrete pontoons, causing the yachts to pitch sharply. Since there is also a cross-current, I can't have any slack in the lines, or else my boat would bump on the next one.

Then, I found it necessary to add more stretch and damping in the setup, and I inserted these snubbers. After more than 1 year in this berth, all the docklines and the snubbers are still in perfect condition.

Alain

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Jangada

I need to add some sort of 'shock absorber' onto my dock lines but I really don't like those black rubber things. Anyone know of any other good products that will do the job? Preferably something I can add and remove easily. Thanks.

You might also consider tying the boat differently. My first boat I tied one way, but my second boat (same size and marina dock but much heavier) required a completely different rope pattern. Also, I use nylon for bow/stern lines, but polyester for spring lines; when I used nylon for spring lines it seemed to set up a harmonic in certain winds.

Experiment with diameter, material, pattern, and tension. I think that may be all you need to do.

[bobconnie]

It all depends where your spring cleats are attached! some times companys missplace them a bit and it takes a little playing to get the spring lines adjusted!! sometimes ya need to tighten the fore or aft a little tighter but theres always a way to spring a boat away from a dock !ya just need to play a bit ! Those spring cleats are your best friends if you learn to use em!! they can get ya in and out of a slip a lot easier if ya use em !! just my 2 cents