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Old 05-04-2020, 11:13   #1
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Dock lines so loud

I have been using double braid unknown material dock lines for years, they came pre-spliced and have held up to numerous storms and were fairly quiet. A little over a year ago a splurged and got nice three strand nylon lines (5/8”) and after much practice made beautiful eye splices in them to set them up as my dock lines. I have aluminum cleats on either side of my transom and cleat off my three strand lines around those (I am med moored at my marina). As of late I have been spending some time in the boat and there is a considerable swell going on outside the marina. Unless I significantly loosen my dock lines and let the boat roam, the docklines are very loud! Very creaky. I have antichafe socks around the part where it goes through the fairlead but the sound seems to be coming from the line rubbing onto the cleat as it gets pulled.

I figued the stretch of the nylon would give the boat a gentler tug during the swells but I am afraid it is creating all this creaking noise. Is this normal for nylon lines on aluminum cleats? Any recommendations to quiet this down?
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Old 05-04-2020, 11:33   #2
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Describe the chafe socks.
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Old 05-04-2020, 11:58   #3
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Re: Dock lines so loud

I wrap a plastics bag that I get from grocery store around the lines where it goes thru the cleat.
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:11   #4
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Sounds like you are tied too tight. "Let 'er breathe" a bit! Use plenty of fenders though!
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:22   #5
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Try a full euro cleat hitch OXXO a full belay turn before the locking crosses. It will not creep and cry so much with stretchy nylon with a full turn for purchase.

Be careful to go the far horn to make your first quarter belay or it may jam fairly tight under load otherwise. The full cleat hitch will tend to be harder to loose even when tied properly, but not too hard
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:29   #6
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Re: Dock lines so loud

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Originally Posted by thinwater View Post
Describe the chafe socks.


Old firehose sleeve with velcro. The noise is coming mostly from where the lime stretches and rubs on the hardware though.
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:29   #7
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Re: Dock lines so loud

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Sounds like you are tied too tight. "Let 'er breathe" a bit! Use plenty of fenders though!


There is plenty of slack, I’ll release a bit more and see of that helps
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:30   #8
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Re: Dock lines so loud

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Originally Posted by moctrams View Post
I wrap a plastics bag that I get from grocery store around the lines where it goes thru the cleat.


Interesting, where does the bag go exactly?
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:37   #9
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Re: Dock lines so loud

We don’t use mooring lines anymore, we have our boat on a swing mooring. But when we did, we had nylon braided line with strong bungy cords inside the core that acted as springs between the boat and the dock.

These kept the boat normally floating where we needed it to be (for boarding, etc.) but without the strictly limited movement that caused creaking at the fairleads. I’m sure one can still buy these but in truth, they’re not that hard to make yourself.

Essentially a piece of bungy is threaded into the braided line, the line is “collapsed” up and then seized onto the bungy with a section of tight whipping at both ends of the bungy. So when the line is stretched it pulls on the bungy until the braided line is fully extended at which point the original strength of the line takes over. If the design is right, the boat will be fully cushioned before the bungy runs out of stretch.

Edit: Found these on line in NZ to demonstrate the idea.

https://www.smartmarine.co.nz/produc...rope-18mm-x-8m
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:37   #10
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackHeron View Post
Try a full euro cleat hitch OXXO a full belay turn before the locking crosses. It will not creep and cry so much with stretchy nylon with a full turn for purchase.

Be careful to go the far horn to make your first quarter belay or it may jam fairly tight under load otherwise. The full cleat hitch will tend to be harder to loose even when tied properly, but not too hard


OK, this definitely helped. Thanks. I was about to use a spare halyard instead of the nylon line.
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:44   #11
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Re: Dock lines so loud

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Any recommendations to quiet this down?
I pour a kettle of warm water over the eye and splice - simple and works every time for me
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Old 05-04-2020, 12:55   #12
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Quote:
Originally Posted by hd002e View Post
Old firehose sleeve with velcro. The noise is coming mostly from where the lime stretches and rubs on the hardware though.

That is confusing. The chafe gear should be wear it is rubbing.


Nylon tubular climbing webbing is much quieter. REI has it, as well as Amazon.
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Old 05-04-2020, 15:05   #13
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Glad to be of service You can use old fire hose or special anti-chafe at fairleads, hawseholes, boweyes, etc. But that obviously can't be used at the cleat itself.

The US/Canada 3/4-belay cleat hitch is so universal here on rhe American sode of the pond that many have never even heard of the Euro OXXO version. Not only is the European version more secure, but it is quieter too, especially with stretchy Nylon and Polypropylene rope..

Downside is that it can be just a little harder to untie if a big load was put into it over time, and if tied wrongly around the nearest horn first can jam very tight..

https://youtu.be/BBqsF72xNSU
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Old 06-04-2020, 08:27   #14
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Squirt liquid dish soap on the lines where they are creaking - acts as a lubricant. Of course you'll have to reapply after rain.
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Old 06-04-2020, 08:33   #15
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Re: Dock lines so loud

Good link, BlackHeron. Thanks!
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