Spring lines

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by simonmd

I call them 'ropes' but then, that's me!

bell rope to ring bell
foot rope to stand on in a square rigger
pull rope on an outboard
bolt rope in a sail

Sorry no ropes to tie a boat to the dock.

John

[Paul Elliott]

Originally Posted by southace

Actully if you check the Capt.Dick Gandy Australian boating manual the forward spring leads aft to the dock. I agree with you but I think tecnectlly we are wrong! haha

But remember, Australia is in the southern hemisphere, where everything is backwards: hurricanes, bathtub drains, nut/bolt threads, Christmas, and, to confirm the rule, spring lines.



















(just kidding)

[Cotemar]

cal40john,

Everywhere else in the world they are called Dock Lines.

Defender.com Search Results: dock lines

[DennisM]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

Left by a bikini top after a hot day.

LOL!!!

[susanna reiter]

this is marvelous...I never thought about it much....I just did it...now I have all this technical stuff to try to assimilate and make sure I can state exactly what it was I did when I did it and .....ya "Southace"....what did you start..??? LOL

[Mexdon]

The bow line leads from the bow to a point of attachment forward of the bow on the dock.
The forward breast line leads at almost right angle from the boat to the dock.
The after bow spring line leads from the bow on the boat to a point aft (almost to the stern of the boat) on the dock.
The forward quarter spring line leads from the stern on the boat to a point forward (almost to the bow of the boat) on the dock.
The quarter breast line leads at almost a right angle from the boat to the dock.
The stern line leads from the stern of the boat to a point of attachment aft of the stern on the dock.

A typical mooring scheme

Name Purpose
Bow line Prevent backwards movement
Forward Breast line Keep close to pier
After Bow Spring line Prevent from advancing
Forward Quarter Spring line Prevent from moving back
Quarter Breast line Keep close to pier
Stern line Prevent forwards movement

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by southace

I have noted a bit of an argument or confusion starting about forward and aft spring lines.

The line that runs from the bow to the aft cleat on the dock is the forward spring???

And the line that runs from the stern to forward cleat on the dock is the aft spring????

Correct or incorrect??

Incorrect. It is just the opposite. The spring line running from the aft quarter of the boat forward to the dock is the "forward quarter spring" ... It is the direction of the line toward the dock that determines forward or aft.

[markpierce]

When docking, I almost invariably use the line from a mid-ship cleat on the boat (have two mid-ship cleats spaced along each side of the boat). I run the line from a midship cleat to the dock's cleat, and then back to the boat's other mid-ship cleat. Thus, the one line is used to create both forward and aft spring lines preventing forward/backward movement and to hold the boat close to the dock. Breast lines are then run from stern and bow to keep the boat parallel to the dock.

[simonmd]

Paaa, I use 'Med mooring' anyway but they still look like ropes to me....

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by DennisM

What's a breast line, then?

A breast line goes from the boat to the finger dock and you use it to pull the boat sideways to the dock for easier boarding and unboarding.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

cal40john,

Everywhere else in the world they are called Dock Lines.

Defender.com Search Results: dock lines

They're ALL dock lines, but the names really are broken down by purpose. The spring line that travels from the front of the boat to a pont toward the stern keeps the boat from moving into the seawall or forward dock. The other one keeps the boat from entering the channel or fairway.

I have a double-ended spring line on one side of my boat. It has a carabiner that gets clipped to a specific point on my toe rail. It acts as both bow and stern spring line. With one clip my boat is secured in the slip. I can't hit the seawall; I can't leave the slip; and I can do the rest of the dock lines at my leisure.

[susanna reiter]

Information overload.....information overload....aaauuuugggghhhh ! Just be sure your electrical chord is NOT in the water...and can't fall in the water from the dock plug..please ....thanks

[jackdale]

No midship cleat
1. Bow breast line
2. Aft spring line (keeps boat from moving ahead)
3. Forward spring line (keeps boat from moving back)
4. Stern breast line

Some variations

[susanna reiter]

Originally Posted by jackdale

No midship cleat
1. Bow breast line
2. Aft spring line (keeps boat from moving ahead)
3. Forward spring line (keeps boat from moving back)
4. Stern breast line

Some variations

Thats got it !!! Thanks Jackdale..and you remember the fenders too...good on ya

[Capt Phil]

That's the way I learned it, Jackdale... we must have gone to the same 'school' in Canada! Perhaps because were are inverted up here compared to Australia and New Zealand and vica versa, we use opposite terms (?). I can't resist replying to Simonmd's comments about ropes... to clear up any use of language aboard remember that lines are for boats and ropes are for sex! Thank You!
Capt Phil