How to Secure Boat to Piling

[DumnMad]

Its not so much the eye splice but how its used and whether the heavily loaded part of the rope can rub with the boat movement. I agree, CaptForce's method is great, the loaded rope will wrap or unwrap but not rub.

[David M]

Originally Posted by perchance

Doesn't that cause chafe on the bight?

Yes it would. I read the OP's post again and now I understand.

Consider using chain which would be more abrasion resistant.

[Tar34]

Originally Posted by perchance

In light of the the "Big Sandy", what happens when the boat floats above the top of the piles? Never having seen it I am curious as to how you keep the boat between the piles.

In cases where the boat may be above the piling, double looping the eye prevents slippage.

[MysticGringo]

Originally Posted by perchance

Doesn't that cause chafe on the bight?

This, IMHO, is not always the case... but you have to set it up correctly. You don't want the eye to loop the rope at the center of the piling, you want it to be at the edge relative to the point in the boat it's attached too. I've had my dock lines setup this way for 5 years, and inspect them every month or two for chafe, and never see any at that point.

I agree that there's more chance of it, but because of how I have mine set, I haven't noticed any.

I have been thinking recently of a better setup though. Like a metal ring, or a cable with rollers... so that I could attach several dock lines to a single place on the piling that would move up and down with the tide. Obviously it needs to be strong, but it would get rid of the cluster of lines on the piling that inevitably take some organization to control in surges.

[Kettlewell]

There is no single correct answer--different situations require different techniques and equipment. For example, when the Miami Beach Marina first opened up I arrived in my 30-footer and was assigned a slip that was about 100 feet long and maybe 30 feet wide. The pilings towered 10 feet above my deck. The only way to tie up was either to lassoo the top of the pilings, requiring a very large loop, or to simply tie lines around the pilings. Had to motor over to each piling to do this. As others have pointed out, there are times when you want to make sure your line won't pull up off the piling. For that situation I like to take several tight wraps around the piling and tie each line off very tight. Other times, you want to put a loop ashore so that someone can easily drop it over a cleat. Very few dock lines purchased from a store have loops big enough, and I find that plain lines with no loops fit more situations. If you take a couple of wraps around something and then tie it off with two or more half hitches something will break before the line will, assuming you've got strong enough dock lines. With a plain line you can make a bowline that is big enough for a piling, or small enough for a cleat. Yes, it is nice to be able to adjust your lines from onboard, but I prefer to come into a dock with just the end of the line cleated and a lot of extra line available for whatever the docking situation might bring. For example, frequently you have to toss a line a long ways over to someone. Later you can twiddle with the lines if you insist on adjusting from the boat end.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I totally avoid the eye splices altogether and, during the risk of storms, ensure that I am capable of adjusting the line from the boat or the dock. Of course the adjustment is not possible during a storm for a piling standing off the dock, but this is what many use at reachable pilings for storm preparation.



Assume the stainless pipe is the piling and the small line is the dockline. With several wraps aroung the piling before finishing with the clove hitch, it is possible to relaese the clove hitch; take in slack line or release line under load; and then retie. You are helpless with an eye splice.

The same technique can be the choice for some, like me, on board. If you lay an eye splice over a cleat or pull an eye splice through the eye of a cleat before circling the cleat; then, you can not release your boat or adjust the line other than with a knife. I choose to work without an eye splice, run the line once around the cleat and then belay it in the traditional manner. This way you can adjust the line under load. Sure, there are different procedures as standards for large commercial tugs where you are not adjusting lines by hand under load without the use of the engine power, but, for me...no eye splices.

For sandy I used a clove hitch finished with half hitches. I used two lines on the piling, one high and one low, so I wouldn't have to make any adjustments at the piling with the tides. The lines never slipped or moved on the piling so, no chafe.

[Richard5]

Heck, to completely eliminate any notion of chaffing, I would place an eyebolt through the piling with washer and nut on backside. To that I would clip my dockline with thimble with a rated carbiner.

Of course, the issue isn't keeping a taut line or chaff. The real issue is docklines which cycle through taut/slack. Where to place the eye on the piling depends on sea state, tide, surge, etc. Snubbing each line is the key.

As for the OP, it is in the delivery as had been pointed out. But there is also the matter of ego. That is, the OP's friend sounds like ego got in the way. I have low tolerance for coddling ego. Yes, that comes to bite me so I have learned to temper how I say what I intend to say. For me it comes down to doing things half-assed is worse than a bruised ego. The waters don't care one iota how much one thinks they know.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Richard5

Heck, to completely eliminate any notion of chaffing, I would place an eyebolt through the piling with washer and nut on backside. To that I would clip my dockline with thimble with a rated carbiner....................

Richard5's plan can do well for those with a permanent slip. I have a friend in central Florida that has a massive aluminum track on the back or his pilings with large slide cars that move up and down with his lines. This is behind his house. My needs have to apply to someone mobile and at different transient locations. As others have said the best plans will be different for many. In addition, back to the idea of adjusting lines during a storm. I like the idea of being able to adjust from the boat or the piling, but during a storm it is often safer not to try to get on and off a violently moving boat. The technique that I presented in the photo is not mine, but it was shown to me by the dockmaster of Marsh Harbor Marina in the Abacos where they require this tie during hurricane threats so they can protect boats during the storm without the risk of boarding the vessels.

[dgasmd]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Nobody likes to hear, "you're not doing that right."

I do it the way you suggested, too, and think that is the best way, but a better way to tell him might have been something like...

"Perhaps it wouldn't have chafed so much if you had..."

I would personally change your statement from the above to "stupid people can't stand hearing they are doing something wrong". Most intelligent people will thank someone for pointing out something wrong or how to do something better.