Explain to an idiot what spring lines are for

[Imagineou812]

Everybody knows that 'Spring Lines" are to pull you out of winter and into summer !!! Sheesh how much more obvious could it be ???

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Generally, no...as long as they are reasonably long. Ie: you don't want a 4ft spring line as it won't have much stretch before jerking the boat abruptly to a stop.

Personally I disagree. I always run my springs from a central cleat, one forward and one aft, to the dock. When we come alongside all lines are rigged and ready to go. Docks around here (PNW) can be incredibly slippery (therefore nobody ever, EVER, jumps or even long steps) and tend to have tie-up rails rather than cleats. They also tend to be long docks rather than slips.

As I'm coming in, one spring is led from the mid-ship cleat to the life-line opening. My job, as skipper is to bring Scorpius alongside the dock and stop her so that my crew (or me if I'm single-handing) can STEP onto the dock. (Rule #1: NOBODY leaves a moving boat - EVER!).

They (or I) then tie the one spring, as a breast line, as tight as possible to the rail or nearest cleat or ring. The shorter the better. This way the boat is secure and can't go anywhere regardless of wind or current (and we have some doozies. Ever try to come alongside the fuel dock at the Back Eddy pub at the entrance to Skookumchuck - arguably the fastest tidal rapids, at 14 knots, in the world. Google it for some amazing video).

With that tight central breast line secure, the boat is very limited in where she can go. She can't move fore and aft and if the bow swings out with wind or current, the aft fender presses against the dock to stop further swinging. You can then walk casually to the bow, taking the bow line off the top of the lifeline (where it was previously rigged during docking preparations), pull the bow in to where you want it, and tie 'er up.

If the bow comes in with wind or current, a forward fender contacts the dock preventing it from coming too far in. In this case one simply first pulls the stern breast line in and secures it - and deals with the bow line later.

Then the second mid-ship spring line is led and secured, as tightly as possible, either fore or aft to counter any wind or current trying to move you ALONG the dock (remember the Back Eddy!). Then the first spring, it's job done as the mid-ship breast line, is removed, led in the OPPOSITE direction, and secured, again as tightly as possible ('cause the current switches direction every six hours).

Bob's your uncle (actually he was my father - she's tied up and not going anywhere.

For maneuvering purposes I find a spring led from the bow to be a disaster. As soon as you put any power against it (remember those currents) the bow swings in uncontrollably and could put you in a real pickle. Also it requires someone on the bow to bring it aboard as you pull away. I'd far rather have them amidships where I can talk to them without shouting.

A related issue: I was once tied to a friend's dock which is right at the entrance to a small boat harbour where there are signs and buoys limiting speed to five knots. A BIG power boat roared up at probably 15 - 20 knots and killed the throttles at the signs - right beside us. As the idiot dropped off the plane, he threw up a HUGE bow wave which set both Scorpius and the floating dock rolling mightily. Scorpius, being steel with welded-in samson posts as mooring cleats and weighing 35,000 pounds, won. My stern breast line ripped the rail right off my friend's dock. I felt terrible and it cost me time and money to fix it.

Ever since, where possible, I run TWO stern lines, one as far aft as possible, and one as far forward as possible, like springs, to allow Scorpius to roll without putting undue stress on the dock fittings. This of course obviates the need for the normal springs - except for redundancy and maneuvering purposes.

Sorry to go on so long but this is a topic near and dear to my heart!

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by Sonny36

Does it make any difference if spring lines lead from the bow & stern to a cleat amidships on the dock, or if they lead from bow & stern cleats on the dock to a cleat amidships on the boat?

Oops. My previous response was to this post, not the comment (that springs from the bow and stern are as good as springs led from amidships). Sorry about that.

[nortonscove]

Here in Newfoundland where any wind below twenty knots is pretty calm springlines help with surging and shock absorption. They are a requirement in getting on and off the wharf using power if you wish to have any control. They can also be used to control the distance the boat gets blown off the wharf and will allow you to keep your fenders more effective relative to the boat.

I've spent a great deal of time on and around tugs and the effectiveness of using springlines properly in placement is the difference between working and moving ashore.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by nortonscove

Here in Newfoundland where any wind below twenty knots is pretty calm springlines help with surging and shock absorption. They are a requirement in getting on and off the wharf using power if you wish to have any control. They can also be used to control the distance the boat gets blown off the wharf and will allow you to keep your fenders more effective relative to the boat.

I've spent a great deal of time on and around tugs and the effectiveness of using springlines properly in placement is the difference between working and moving ashore.

Spot on. It's hard to grasp that you are closer to the Med (straight line!) than you are to me - yet we're in the same country!

[joelhemington]

Spring lines would have been very nice one time in Manele Bay Harbor. We came in after dark-as was our wont, and quickly tied up after a 48 hour sail. The next morning I woke up in the salon berth and noticed that something just didn't look right out the companion way hatch. The trees were wandering around so I got up to investigate and found that the boat was just roaming around in the slip channel. Fortunately I jump in and got the boat back in it's slip before we hit anything.

In retrospect I believe that we definitely were the people our parents warned us about.

[sailingchiro]

My first line on to dock is a spring line mid ship to prevent forward motion. Input light power and boat snugs up to spring line side of dock, then I can leave helm and tie up other lines.

Now the reasons for spring lines.
1. The deck cleat is stronger fore and aft. Breast lines are hard on deck cleats becasuse of lateral tension. Spring lines pull along the line of both bolts of deck cleat. Hence they are stronger fore and aft.

2. The longer the dock line, the more springy they are. Hence, the longer the spring line the less tension on the deck cleat. In a blow, they don't jerk like breat lines. They increase tension gradually and release it gradually.

Breat lines will jerk while the spring lines calm the tension on the lines. Have used up to 60 knots during hurricanes and tropical storms. Springlines ease the wear and tear on the deck cleats.

[Blue Claw]

Originally Posted by ferrailleur

Don't understand the usefulness of spring lines when docked at a slip. I read many manuals and asked many sailors..... No cleat cut/definitive answer. I still don't understand. Am I missing something big or an I a total idiot?
Don't hold back your comments please.


My docking situation: I have two bow lines (secured on pilings) and two stern lines cleated on the pier.... (reverse situation if berthing the other way).

The boat can move a little fore and aft and side to side to adjust with a max three feet tide.

How in the world a spring line going to help with fore/aft movement of the boat which is already tied four way fore and aft?

Thanks

The problem you may run into is one day the tide will be much lower than usual and your lines may be too short. The two lines on the aft of your boat should cross each other and tie off opposite from where they started. the length should be set just short of being too long at high tide. the two on the bow dont cross but there is more slack due to the boat being narrower there.This set up allows the boat to move up and down with great range but leaves too much front to back movement. The spring lines control this movement.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

Personally I disagree. I always run my springs from a central cleat, one forward and one aft, to the dock. When we come alongside all lines are rigged and ready to go. Docks around here (PNW) can be incredibly slippery (therefore nobody ever, EVER, jumps or even long steps) and tend to have tie-up rails rather than cleats. They also tend to be long docks rather than slips.

.....

Sorry to go on so long but this is a topic near and dear to my heart!

You are talking about lines used in maneuvering. Yes, that will require different line placement to achieve the desired effect.

The OP was talking about once the boat is in the slip (or side tie)...how do you secure the boat.

In that case, it really doesn't matter where the spring lines are attached to the boat as long as they are reasonably long to allow some stretch and lead in the correct direction (and don't chafe). We rarely use the stern cleat for the spring line forward. We typically board just ahead of that cleat and the line can be a tripping hazard. To keep the are clear instead we often use the one of the main winches and lead the line forward from there.

If doing a side tie, you typically fender well against the dock and use a bow and stern line to hold you against the dock along with a couple spring lines to keep you from going fore and aft. Side tying on a long wall, it's often possible and sometimes desirable to Use a cleat well forward or aft of the boat.

It's a good idea to understand the purpose as the idea that you will always attach a spring line to the same point on the boat often simply doesn't work as the docking situation doesn't always allow it. Not every dock has the same cleat layout, so you need to be able to adapt.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by sailingchiro

My first line on to dock is a spring line mid ship to prevent forward motion. Input light power and boat snugs up to spring line side of dock, then I can leave helm and tie up other lines.

Now the reasons for spring lines.
1. The deck cleat is stronger fore and aft. Breast lines are hard on deck cleats becasuse of lateral tension. Spring lines pull along the line of both bolts of deck cleat. Hence they are stronger fore and aft.

2. The longer the dock line, the more springy they are. Hence, the longer the spring line the less tension on the deck cleat. In a blow, they don't jerk like breat lines. They increase tension gradually and release it gradually.

Breat lines will jerk while the spring lines calm the tension on the lines. Have used up to 60 knots during hurricanes and tropical storms. Springlines ease the wear and tear on the deck cleats.

This covers it well!

[MartinAdelaide]

I keep my boats on the hard but I must say this (a line per corner) doesn't cover our club where there are two boats per berth in the marina. Spring lines does. You have two stern or bow lines (depending on which way you're in the berth, a bow or stern line and two springs. The bow and stern lines must be short enough that you don't go sideways into the other boat.

[desodave]

I tie my spring lines forward from the stern cleat, and then back from the bow cleat. If I tie both to the mid cleat, forward and back, the boat tends to rotate around that cleat (to the extent the bow and stern lines allow) and can get quite uncomfortable at the dock. This is especially the case if subject to some wave action or in gusty winds.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

You are talking about lines used in maneuvering. Yes, that will require different line placement to achieve the desired effect.

The OP was talking about once the boat is in the slip (or side tie)...how do you secure the boat.

In that case, it really doesn't matter where the spring lines are attached to the boat as long as they are reasonably long to allow some stretch and lead in the correct direction (and don't chafe). We rarely use the stern cleat for the spring line forward. We typically board just ahead of that cleat and the line can be a tripping hazard. To keep the are clear instead we often use the one of the main winches and lead the line forward from there.

If doing a side tie, you typically fender well against the dock and use a bow and stern line to hold you against the dock along with a couple spring lines to keep you from going fore and aft. Side tying on a long wall, it's often possible and sometimes desirable to Use a cleat well forward or aft of the boat.

It's a good idea to understand the purpose as the idea that you will always attach a spring line to the same point on the boat often simply doesn't work as the docking situation doesn't always allow it. Not every dock has the same cleat layout, so you need to be able to adapt.

Yes, one must adjust to each situation one encounters. However, in my 35 years of sailing Scorpius I have NEVER encountered a situation where spring lines from the bow and stern would have been preferable over those emanating fore and aft from the midship cleat. And why have one set-up for mooring and another for maneuvering? What are you going to do: add your maneuvering springs, then remove your mooring springs every time you go out? Then the reverse when you come in? Too much time and trouble. I believe in keeping it simple. Generally there are fewer screw-ups that way.

Isn't this forum great? Lots of different opinions and civilized debate!

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Scorpius

Yes, one must adjust to each situation one encounters. However, in my 35 years of sailing Scorpius I have NEVER encountered a situation where spring lines from the bow and stern would have been preferable over those emanating fore and aft from the midship cleat. And why have one set-up for mooring and another for maneuvering? What are you going to do: add your maneuvering springs, then remove your mooring springs every time you go out? Then the reverse when you come in? Too much time and trouble. I believe in keeping it simple. Generally there are fewer screw-ups that way.

Isn't this forum great? Lots of different opinions and civilized debate!

Have you had the same slip for 35yrs?

Just kidding but in doing the Great Loop, I would guess we were in well over a 100 different slips and side ties. Lots had odd dockside cleat layouts where you need to adapt.

As far as using the same line to maneuver as to tie up...if it works, great but again, it doesn't always work. Plus when using lines to maneuver, we often re-run them for quick release and retrieval from the boat...so forcing the same setup for mooring doesn't offer much advantage.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Have you had the same slip for 35yrs? [emoji3]

Just kidding but in doing the Great Loop, I would guess we were in well over a 100 different slips and side ties. Lots had odd dockside cleat layouts where you need to adapt.

As far as using the same line to maneuver as to tie up...if it works, great but again, it doesn't always work. Plus when using lines to maneuver, we often re-run them for quick release and retrieval from the boat...so forcing the same setup for mooring doesn't offer much advantage.

No, I've not had the same slip for 35 years. However I'm sure that in that time, counting both local and offshore cruising, I've moored to/at well over 100 different long docks and slips - probably several times that number. And yes, some of them were pretty hairy - sometimes having to run lines ashore, or across fairways, or running out an anchor, to get Scorpius safely out, or having to use the hydraulic anchor winch to pull the bow into the dock when the current was trying to rip it away (Port Neville off Johnston Strait at 2am - effectively single-handing. Don't ask).