need dock line advice

[dbetterred]

I will be slipping my boat (Wellcraft V20) for a weekend tournament in may and a full week in late July. And I realized I do not know how to tie up if the boat is up against the dock on one side only, with nothing on the other side to keep it away from the dock. I can obviously tie up short term with out a problem, but how do I account for tides with out the boat floating away from the dock a few feet?

I am fine if I have two opposite points to tie up to but not sure about this. I don't know if this will even be a problem, but figured I should be ready.

Anyone have any links to a boat tie up reference?

fyi, my boat has cleats in rear corners, spring cleats amidships (hardly a ship though), and center bow.

Thanks for any help!

[Siggi Churchill]

I assume you are talking about a fixed (not floating) dock. If so, your boat will float away a few feet if the wind is off the dock.

Good call on the tides - you must leave enough slack. I've seen more than one boat hung up with too short lines...if not cut in time the can pop cleats off (usually off your boat). Depending on the tidal range, and assuming you have 2 low tides/day....you have to monitor your boat as the tide ebbs, and once you hit low tide you can set your lines and leave them there. Do not shorten them as you ride up the tide, or you will have to monitor them as the tide drops again. No one likes getting up at 2AM to check your lines, but if you haven't had a chance to see how low low is before 2AM...I know I would be checking at least..

To keep the boat off the dock use fenders. It depends on where you are tying up what fender setup to use. On pilings I strongly suggest using a fender board (big piece of wood laid across your fenders to make it easier to "aim" at a piling...dock may have them, if not they are easy to make). On a dockish dock or a wall, fenders rigged at the widest part of the boat (probably the rub rail) should do it, although a fenderboard may not be a bad idea.

As for lines - bow, stern, fore and aft spring should be sufficient. The springs are necessary to keep the boat from going too far forward or aft due to the slack left to accommodate the tide. Short term you can get away without them, but overnight I'd have them.

As for the boat floating away...I'd say that is ideal...keeps your boat off of the wall. Much worse to worry about rubbing. Really the direction of the wind will determine where you float at high tide though (when your lines are the most slackened) You may want a fifth line tied straight from wall to boat (kept slack) to make it easier to pull the boat back in. It's a pain to pull a boat in by angled spring lines, but with a 20' boat, it might not be too bad.

good luck!

[dbetterred]

Aha! That is exactly why I asked I forgot the whole floating dock thing. I assume it will be as most of the docks around here are, will be sure to check!

I don't know how i missed that. with floaters tide changes will be not quite the issue I was concerned about.

I just wasn't sure of the docking etiquette of having the boat floating somewhat free like that. I'm glad it isn't a problem. I should be good for fenders and the like, I can improvise pretty well if needed.

Thanks prompt reply!

[Chisox]

As Siggi said, fenders are a must. Springlines will keep your fore and aft movement to a minimum, and make sure you tilt the motor all the way up and have clearance from the aft dock (if their is one, or any vessel tied up aft of you) in your boats furthest aft condition.

Catch some fish!

[dbetterred]

Yea, I am hoping for the fish, but if not, always a good time on the water.

shh, don't tell anyone, but I'm still looking for my first keeper striper. This year for sure!

[Siggi Churchill]

so the stripers are allergic to you too? Speaking from experience that's a tough disease to live with...no one understands that it's a random genetic mutation and has nothing to do with my fishing skills...

tight lines!

[jamisjockey]

Tie off something like this.

Use fenders to keep from beating up your boat. The more the merrier. Oh, and as stated, enough slack line for the boat to slide down at low tide.

[dbetterred]

Excellent diagram. I used the source and read the article. This is the type of information I am looking for.

Thanks!

[jamisjockey]

Happy to help.

I left my boat in the water for the first time last sumer, for a week. And I was an hour away. It was an L shaped dock finger with 2 posts as well. Tied the boat off with enough rope to reach the moon.....