the things you see on the dock .....

[PuttingDoctor]

This subject makes me think it only second to the humor / horror show and entertainment to be had at a launch ramp.
Here at Halifax Harbor Marina our B dock residents often camp out on Saturday/ Sunday with lawn chairs and beer coolers right across from the ramps.

[kish]

Originally Posted by breezydays

In my view excess line should be back on the boat. Too much line on the dock/pontoon is a trip hazard. Too much line on the cleat is time consuming to untie and probably makes the cleat unusable for anybody else that needs it. (And it looks like c**p )

I agree that all excess length in lines should be taken back on board.
Extra line on the dock encourages cleats to be crocheted with the needless excess line.
It keeps dirt from dock away from lines.
It discourages passers by with a knife who may have an urgent need for a length of line!
It does take extra time to organise and it looks tidy.
Commercial shipping keep all their slack on board

[hamburking]

I agree with the comments about taking the line back to the boat. I usually take a few turns, then back to the boat and make it down over the loop on the cleat where it started. I've had trouble with people casting off my lines made down to dock cleats (too many boats, not enough cleats) so leaving a bitter end on shore is like asking for trouble. Also, this doubles up your lines. When I started sailing, I was taught to double up my lines if leaving the boat unattended.

[breezydays]

Agree completely with Nani Kai. I ran an engineering company for twenty years and in my experience the people that made sure the details were right also got the big things right. On a boat if you get the small things wrong , the law of unintended consequences can kick in and bite you very hard !

[danielamartindm]

Originally Posted by Olddan1943

one must do something with the excess line, I just wrap it around the cleat on the dock or coil it and hang it on the boat cleat.

I make those neat concentric flat circles with it that everyone sees and thinks "What a jerk, I bet he has a captain's hat like the skipper on Gilligan's Island." But that's only on my own dock. Sharing with others, excess line after a non-redundant cleat hitch should be routed back aboard.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Nani Kai

I was in the film industry for a couple of decades, starting out as an assistant cameraman. In that role my job was to load film in the magazines and put camera tape on each mag clearly labelled as to film stock, ASA, roll #, production, etc. Early in my career I was not very particular about the neatness of the way the tape was put on and labelled. I figured all the info was there what's the problem? A top 1st AC from NYC set me straight. He said if you're sloppy with this simple thing then that tells me you're also sloppy with more critical things. If you want me to trust you (and hire you again) then you have to be professional with everything you do. I apply that same evaluation to how someone secures their vessel, dock line to a cleat being the most common. If you don't know or don't care how to do this very basic, simple task then what else do you not know or not care about? In addition, however you secure your boat, the idea is to make it easily and quickly detachable. What if a vessel sitting next to you at the fuel dock catches on fire? What if a captain loses control of his boat upwind and up current from you and is now descending on your precious baby with 20 tons of momentum? Other posters are also correct in that you should strive to not create another trip hazard on the dock or to eliminate someone else's use of a particular tie off point. There, that's my two half hitches worth.

+1 Or put more simply, sloppy lines make for sloppy seamanship!

[Mike Banks]

Make yourself some canvas bags out of anything handy that is old, such as old sunbrella or other canvas and make a secure loop sewn into the top of the bag like a bosun's bucket. Hang these over the cleat so that they hang over the side--and put your flaked excess rope into the bag where it will be off the deck and act as an extra fender---maybe. Depends on how much rope there is.

Anyway--get the stuff off the deck. More fishing and lounging space is never enough.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Nani Kai

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In addition, however you secure your boat, the idea is to make it easily and quickly detachable. What if a vessel sitting next to you at the fuel dock catches on fire? What if a captain loses control of his boat upwind and up current from you and is now descending on your precious baby with 20 tons of momentum? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Nice post.

My pet peeve is those who take the loop on the boat end and put it through the eye of the boat cleat.

How will they ever get off without having to go on the dock?

Seen mostly on mobos.

[Lihuedooley77]

Yeah, cheers for the proper cleat hitch, and a neatly flemshed out tail of the dock line.

The tightly coiled tail of the dock line is laying flat on the dock, and unless a total spaz foot shuffling lubber comes slip sliding down the dock doing the 2 a.m, stroll, there is not a problem

But, to feel more comfortable, secure the vessel with a proper cleat hitch and run the tail of the line back to a topside boat deck cleat for a spring line. We use a midship cleat, and not a stanchon .

We find In walking most any dock in any marina, only about 5 to 10 percent of the vessels are secured properly. It is all part of seaman ship. However, some of the creative dock line securing methods, go right along with the super creative running rigging lines awards, including loose clanging mast slapping halyards while moored, anchored or at the dock.

But, we all love sailing, and all we can do is follow what to us are proper procedures and do our best to be good marina neighbors .

Dark rum and ear plugs help out . Keep the fun light illuminated.

[Mike Banks]

Ok--I wonder why anyone would leave their springs or mooring lines out on the wharf or jetty. That would be asking for trouble in my neck of the woods. The excess rope would be likely to be stolen--and with luck they would not set you adrift.

So bad is it in some places that a length of chain is fastened to the shore bollard and welded or padlocked--and the end of the chain is far enough outboard of the dock that an idiot with a clasp knife can not reach it to cut your rope and set you adrift.

At the end of the aforementioned chain is a shackle moused shut--and through that shackle is passed the mooring line so that BOTH ends of it are aboard the vessel. One then cleats it off on the vessel--with one end through and around the horn cleat--and the other end tied with the wraps and clove-hitch method. The excess if any goes in the bag and hangs from the cleat over the side.

When one wishes to leave the dock, one releases one end which then slips out of the chain. The chain remains in place until one returns. If one leaves permanently the chain is cut free or unlocked and taken aboard, to be used at the next docking.

In some areas it is a good idea to use rat baffles. These are set on the ropes, not the chain. You can buy them or make your own.

[Olddan1943]

IF you have that much concern and or evidence of boats being cast adrift for your dock lines, you should either find a safer neighborhood or use chains to secure your boat.
I have stuff taken from my locked dock boxes (now I have a cable around the dock box, an electric scooter stolen too. I'll be the thieves were a bit upset when they discovered the scooter had a broken axil LOL

[JPA Cate]

We sometimes Flemish the line, if it is too short to go back up to the boat. However, Unlike Pelagic's picture, we use a full round turn on the cleat and then make the cleat hitch. Lines that can come back to the boat are brought back and secured there, (on the cleat from which it came. We do not have a [semi] permanent berth anywhere, and take our dock lines with us when we leave.

We have spent a lot of time in Queensland, even leaving the boat there for an extended period of time, and never encountered any problem with someone messing with our lines.

Ann

[Pelagic]

Ann is correct, full round turn....
Honestly there isn't a "standard" way to do it as there are so many variables with.cleat size, line diameter and lengths, plus swell conditions.

There are however basic Do's and Don'ts.

Line should never bind on cleat so it cannot be released under pressure

Pay attention to line Chafe, and tail pieces ending up in water (Flemish helps if you need to keep some extra on dock)

Allow natural movement, but adjust springs to avoid harmonics if tied on both sides.

If a permanent dock line, nothing wrong with putting splice thru eye of cleat as it minimizes chafe and allows you to double up on cleat, if Typhoon is forecast.

Another tip is that I tie a small lube oil swatch of cotton on permanent lined to keep ants from migrating from dock as well as mark proper length for tie up on a regular basis.

I'm sure there are lots of other good tips.

[Olddan1943]

To mark the line length, when tied as you feel proper, I use wire ties worked though the diameter of the line. Makes it quick and easy to retie the line when coming in after a day on the water. Yes, the wire ties need to be replaced about every 6 months.
I guess a short length of copper wire would last longer but for me, the wire ties are good enough.
I own the slip so I leave the dock lines coiled when I leave. I have a second set of lines for traveling. These do not have wire ties.
Remember, if you don't have a pretty spliced eye, a bowline will terminate a mighty fine 2 or 3 foot eye.

[masou]

that you fir your responses , ill add these are all large 30 foots are larger , for one i use nothing smaller then one inch on my bowsprit , some of the cleat knots in the pictures are holding $100,000 yachts , its non of my business but Nani kai hit the nail on the head if you cant tie a proper cleat knot what else do you know know how to do ?
i can just picture my boy scout troup leaders giving me 100 pushups in the snow , for not tying the tarp to the tree with a "real knot".......