How to control a large heavy boat with 1 dock line using a Slip Lock Cleat Hitch

[Deltasailor]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

It would be wise for many motorboat skippers to teach their wives how to do this. It used to amuse me watching small women try to haul the stern line of their hubbie's 30,000 pound boat to pull the stern closer to the dock after hubby dropped them off and then blew the docking maneuver.

It no longer amuses me, because it is quite possible that these women can get hurt or, worse, pulled into the water and the hubby wouldn't even know it because he's too busy bellowing but not looking.

One of the very first things we learned was how to use the line around a cleat. You use mechanical advantage. You cannot pull on a line and move a huge boat. You can hurt yourself. You can hurt your boat. You can hurt a neighboring boat.

Why the hell these dunderhead husbands don't teach their wives this basic technique is beyond me.

Doesn't matter what you call the thing.

Why doesn't the DUNDERHEAD husband do the dock lines and let the lady do the "difficult bit steering"?

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

It would be wise for many motorboat skippers to teach their wives how to do this. It used to amuse me watching small women try to haul the stern line of their hubbie's 30,000 pound boat to pull the stern closer to the dock after hubby dropped them off and then blew the docking maneuver.

It no longer amuses me, because it is quite possible that these women can get hurt or, worse, pulled into the water and the hubby wouldn't even know it because he's too busy bellowing but not looking.

One of the very first things we learned was how to use the line around a cleat. You use mechanical advantage. You cannot pull on a line and move a huge boat. You can hurt yourself. You can hurt your boat. You can hurt a neighboring boat.

Why the hell these dunderhead husbands don't teach their wives this basic technique is beyond me.

Doesn't matter what you call the thing.

Stu, Your my hero.
You understood exactly where I was going.
I like the way you think.

And since I showed my wife how to use it. Docking has been Awesome.
Now if I could just get her to drive this ship.

[BruceS]

Anything works better if both ends of the cleat are still intact!!
Many of the pump out stations on the River Murray (Australia) have one or both wings broken off. Beats me why they insist on using cast aluminium on 'em? Some big boats use them.

[Alan j]

Stu M got it right and as someone else said you are not going to control a 30,000 lb boat by pulling on a line--especially if there is any wind. For most docking situations motoring forward with an aft spring line tied to the cleat or at least one complete round turn will allow the skipper to motor forward and bring the boat up to the dock so other lines can be tied on at leisure.

[Three Sisters]

Ah ha ! I wondered what that was called. Thanks much StuM.

The latest in my accomplished knot tying; a slip knot. Proudly I'd like to report a decades-long proficiency with the half-hitch. Those are the only two I know. Lol.

[jacktheflyer]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Coming into a dock with unknown dockhands I always insist (rather forcibly sometimes) that they put the line on a cleat. Amazing to me how many supposedly experienced hands will try and muscle our boat into the dock. At 30.000# I tell them it ain't gonna happen.

"Put a turn on the damn cleat! And for gd sake, don't put yourself between our boat and the dock!!"

The number of times I've had to say "Take a turn". The first diagram above will not hold certainly my cat with a bit of a breeze blowing. I had one bloke say "I can hold my boat of 27 tonne" as my mere 7 tonne boat slipped through the cleat he was trying to hold.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Three Sisters

Attachment 151089

Ah ha ! I wondered what that was called. Thanks much StuM.

The latest in my accomplished knot tying; a slip knot. Proudly I'd like to report a decades-long proficiency with the half-hitch. Those are the only two I know. Lol.

Now learn the bowline and the zeppelin bend.

--
It's better to know a knot and not need it that to need a knot and not know it!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Coming into a dock with unknown dockhands I always insist (rather forcibly sometimes) that they put the line on a cleat. Amazing to me how many supposedly experienced hands will try and muscle our boat into the dock. At 30.000# I tell them it ain't gonna happen.

"Put a turn on the damn cleat! And for gd sake, don't put yourself between our boat and the dock!!"

Skill level must be higher in these waters.

Nevertheless, if single handed, I prefer to throw a loop over the cleat from the deck, and bring the end of the rope back on board so it can be adjusted from there.


The tip in the original post would not work that well with 1" dock lines like mine, I don't think.

And in any case, I would not normally need to adjust the midship spring. If I'm being blown off the pontoon, then I just power against it to hold the boat on, then get bow and stern lines on. This works even in quite strong winds.

If I do really need to adjust the length of the midship spring -- and the one case I can think of offhand is being blown off the berth but there is no room fore or aft to power against the midship spring to hold the boat on -- then what I do is different -- I use a a lighter line (old 16mm sheet, make it fast to a midship cleat, loop it through the other midship cleat (the one further aft, put it on a big electric primary winch. Then I throw (or a crewman throws) the loop over a cleat or bollard, and I winch it in. Simples. And no one needs to be on the pontoon.

Last time I used this trick, a couple weeks ago, I was being blown off in 20 knots of wind, and I was single handed. It worked fine. A bonus of the lighter line is that it is easier to throw on, than the regular dock lines.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Stu, Your my hero.
You understood exactly where I was going.
I like the way you think.

And since I showed my wife how to use it. Docking has been Awesome.
Now if I could just get her to drive this ship.

All you need is a large loop attacked to a centerline cleat on your boat, as in twenty feet of rope with both ends tied to the same cleat. Wife then drops the loop over the dock cleat from the safety of the boat, then you motor forward steering away from the dock. The other dock lines are then attached at your leisure.

Nobody jumps off the boat with dock lines, nobody's in a hurry, nobody gets hurt, no external assisance required from strangers, no knots to remember. You can even do this easily single handed.

I watched from a distance last month when a woman jumped off her boyfriend's boat to secure a dockline.... she misjudged the distance, broke her shoulder when she hit the dock & fell in. I showed them the loop method a week later when they returned.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Skill level must be higher in these waters.

Nevertheless, if single handed, I prefer to throw a loop over the cleat from the deck, and bring the end of the rope back on board so it can be adjusted from there.


The tip in the original post would not work that well with 1" dock lines like mine, I don't think.

And in any case, I would not normally need to adjust the midship spring. If I'm being blown off the pontoon, then I just power against it to hold the boat on, then get bow and stern lines on. This works even in quite strong winds.

If I do really need to adjust the length of the midship spring -- and the one case I can think of offhand is being blown off the berth but there is no room fore or aft to power against the midship spring to hold the boat on -- then what I do is different -- I use a a lighter line (old 16mm sheet, make it fast to a midship cleat, loop it through the other midship cleat (the one further aft, put it on a big electric primary winch. Then I throw (or a crewman throws) the loop over a cleat or bollard, and I winch it in. Simples. And no one needs to be on the pontoon.

Last time I used this trick, a couple weeks ago, I was being blown off in 20 knots of wind, and I was single handed. It worked fine. A bonus of the lighter line is that it is easier to throw on, than the regular dock lines.

+2

[Jannie Radiance]

Originally Posted by StuM

First time I've very heard a single turn around a cleat given a formal name.

Seems to be a first for Google too. A search on "slip lock cleat hitch" returns exactly one hit - this thread

And technically, I disagree your name.

1 It is not a "slip" knot - a slip knot is where the running end is doubled back so that a pull on it releases the knot:


2. It is not "locking" - letting go of the working end releases the line.

3. It is around a cleat


4. It is not a hitch - to quote Ashley - "a hitch makes a rope fast to another object". See point 2.

Still, I guess 1 out of 4 ain't bad.

Added: And that's a good illustration of how NOT to tie a proper cleat hitch. Multiple weather hitches followed by a normal turn??? You've got it all bass ackward

I am with you on this issue. this is a friction lock for want of a better name.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Skill level must be higher in these waters.

Nevertheless, if single handed, I prefer to throw a loop over the cleat from the deck, and bring the end of the rope back on board so it can be adjusted from there.


The tip in the original post would not work that well with 1" dock lines like mine, I don't think.

And in any case, I would not normally need to adjust the midship spring. If I'm being blown off the pontoon, then I just power against it to hold the boat on, then get bow and stern lines on. This works even in quite strong winds.

If I do really need to adjust the length of the midship spring -- and the one case I can think of offhand is being blown off the berth but there is no room fore or aft to power against the midship spring to hold the boat on -- then what I do is different -- I use a a lighter line (old 16mm sheet, make it fast to a midship cleat, loop it through the other midship cleat (the one further aft, put it on a big electric primary winch. Then I throw (or a crewman throws) the loop over a cleat or bollard, and I winch it in. Simples. And no one needs to be on the pontoon.

Last time I used this trick, a couple weeks ago, I was being blown off in 20 knots of wind, and I was single handed. It worked fine. A bonus of the lighter line is that it is easier to throw on, than the regular dock lines.

Dockhead,

UNfortunately the vast majority of boaters have no idea of what you are talking about here. I our travels we are constantly amazed by how few boaters have even heard of docking using only the spring

[SVCASSANDRA]

OK GUYS. I'M A WOMAN CAPTAIN With 10 + years cruising w/my awesome husband and 41' Northstar ketch RE. DOCKING Easy -- Tie a large loop in the end of a decent size line - no plastic! - bout 15+ feet-- and hook on boathook then wrap other end couple turns round winch midship and run tail to cockpit. When you get near you can drop the loop over a piling or clet on dock or ask dock hand to put the large loop over a piling or drop it over a clet. NOW U CAN CONTROL PULLING YOU BOAT ALONG SIDE SLOWELY AND SAFELY FROM THE COCKPIT. If you have a first mate or wife she can man the boat hook part and be safely onboard until your vessel is safely along side. This works like a charm and no one risks life or limb. When you are safely alongside you can finish with dock and spring lines to suit you. BTWAY...To newibes...NEVER WRAP LINE ON ONLY CLET HORNS..ALWAYS TAKE FULL TURN ROUND BASE OF CLET FIRST. HORNS CAN BREAK OFF🤗 HAPPY SAILING OR MOTORING. CAPT. C

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by SVCASSANDRA

OK GUYS. I'M A WOMAN CAPTAIN With 10 + years cruising w/my awesome husband and 41' Northstar ketch RE. DOCKING Easy -- Tie a large loop in the end of a decent size line - no plastic! - bout 15+ feet-- and hook on boathook then wrap other end couple turns round winch midship and run tail to cockpit. When you get near you can drop the loop over a piling or clet on dock or ask dock hand to put the large loop over a piling or drop it over a clet. NOW U CAN CONTROL PULLING YOU BOAT ALONG SIDE SLOWELY AND SAFELY FROM THE COCKPIT. If you have a first mate or wife she can man the boat hook part and be safely onboard until your vessel is safely along side. This works like a charm and no one risks life or limb. When you are safely alongside you can finish with dock and spring lines to suit you. BTWAY...To newibes...NEVER WRAP LINE ON ONLY CLET HORNS..ALWAYS TAKE FULL TURN ROUND BASE OF CLET FIRST. HORNS CAN BREAK OFF�� HAPPY SAILING OR MOTORING. CAPT. C

We tried your idea six years ago with limited success, then came up with the fool-proof jumbo loop method which hasn't failed us. It takes needing to have any skill out of the equation... just drop the loop over the cleat. When the loop is twelve feet in diameter, you can't possibly miss.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

It would be wise for many motorboat skippers to teach their wives how to do this.

It would be wise for many motorboat skippers to get their egos out from behind the wheel and their upper body strength on the deck. Their wives can drive.