Storing lines?

In my old boat I made use of some polyform line straps to make it easier to store the lines. I screwed them into the back wall of the lazarette. Made for a quick way to get the lines out without untying anything, while hanging them allowed them to dry.

I saw this posted somewhere and wonder if anyone else has tried something like it.

The downside would be having to tie/untie the lines from the rails. Especially while standing over an open locker. I could double up using rails like that and then the straps but then I'd hanging the lines pretty low once the hatch was closed.

Anyone else come up with a novel solution for stowing lines in a cockpit locker?

We have two SS hooks mounted on the underside of the hatch near the top when it is open. Half way down are very small SS eyes which very small bungees hook into. The lines are hung on the hooks and the bungee is drawn across the coil, holding the lines in place when the hatch is closed. Works really well and is easy. We have two of the same hooks mounted on the aft wall of the cabin facing the cockpit to serve as more line storage. Not on the boat so no photo. If I remember, I’ll try and get one some time.

https://www.thehardwarehut.com/cata...Ig_XD2o6Q2wIVBtlkCh0CfAvcEAQYFiABEgKXm_D_BwE#

I don't ever store my lines when they're even damp. If they're wet I hang them over one of the steps on the ladder to the flybridge. After a couple of days I'll bring them down, coil them over my forearm and toss them in a storage locker on the transom.

Greetings,
Mr. GFC. Dry lines, for sure. We have a dedicated locker in the v-berth for extra line storage. Working lines are secured to rails on deck using line hangers...

RT Firefly said:

Greetings,
Mr. GFC. Dry lines, for sure. We have a dedicated locker in the v-berth for extra line storage. Working lines are secured to rails on deck using line hangers...

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That's how we rolled too.

I have had this one for over 38 years and it works great. Never have to worry about wet lines. They are always dry, coiled and ready for the next destination. If you can find one like this I would highly recommend it.

I agree I picked this one about 27 years ago.

But all kidding aside I would love a better way but if they are in the locker they are dry

I have them on the starboard hand rail (the Marquipt steps are under the port handrail). They were originally on velcro but I am replacing those with the rubber reusable twist ties from Home Depot. which work extremely well.

Well shucks... that's what today's article is about. Well, that and small boat stuff -- using old halyards to make dock lines. It's what I did last autumn in anticipation for the February thing. That didn't work out for me, I'm sad to say.

But I digress...
After rinsing with fresh water before being stashed I hang them in the cockpit:


I would prefer to put away salt-free dry lines.

Once dry I installed two eye-bolts in my starboard cockpit locker. A line between the two supports the flaked lines:

(flaked, not coiled)

The article is here: Docklines from Halyards (snubber too) article on janice142

A fellow dock mate in Maryland made two canisters from 8"PVC pipe that fit perfectly in the fender holders on the bow. The bottom had a few holes so the canister could drain. Although I thought it was genius, we still haven't implemented it yet. It fit so well, I thought it was professional. Just a section of pvc and two caps though. ...

Gabe n Em said:

A fellow dock mate in Maryland made two canisters from 8"PVC pipe that fit perfectly in the fender holders on the bow. The bottom had a few holes so the canister could drain. Although I thought it was genius, we still haven't implemented it yet. It fit so well, I thought it was professional. Just a section of pvc and two caps though. ...

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That is a great Idea

Gabe n Em said:

A fellow dock mate in Maryland made two canisters from 8"PVC pipe that fit perfectly in the fender holders on the bow. The bottom had a few holes so the canister could drain. Although I thought it was genius, we still haven't implemented it yet. It fit so well, I thought it was professional. Just a section of pvc and two caps though. ...

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Not sure that rigging up something with PVC is all that great an idea for being out in direct sunlight. Most PVC piping isn't rated for direct UV exposure and it'd get brittle over time. That and I'd think better airflow would be preferable instead of just resting inside a tube.

I mentioned how the PO had setup some line storage on Kinship, but here is a photo. You can see the three small SS eyes that are screwed into the hatch. There are small bungees that were trapped in the center eye and used to hold the lines against the hatch cover when closed. The lines have never come off and there is enough ventilation in the hatch that they always dry out nicely.

dhays said:

I mentioned how the PO had setup some line storage on Kinship, but here is a photo. You can see the three small SS eyes that are screwed into the hatch. There are small bungees that were trapped in the center eye and used to hold the lines against the hatch cover when closed. The lines have never come off and there is enough ventilation in the hatch that they always dry out nicely.
View attachment 76498

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Yes, I think that's the route we're going to take as well. The use of bungees to help hold them up, and being hung from hooks should offer the least complicated way to store and retrieve them. Coil them as per usual, on a hook and then snap the bungee across the lower section. The only downside/question is how many hooks. A rail would allow more, but then we're back to tying them off.

Of course in digging through various hatches I discover one or two are missing their little cam that holds them down to the deck. Looks like I'll have a few pieces to get from Izerwaren. That and the gas lift strut on one has quit.

wkearney99 said:

Yes, I think that's the route we're going to take as well. The use of bungees to help hold them up, and being hung from hooks should offer the least complicated way to store and retrieve them. Coil them as per usual, on a hook and then snap the bungee across the lower section. The only downside/question is how many hooks. A rail would allow more, but then we're back to tying them off.

Of course in digging through various hatches I discover one or two are missing their little cam that holds them down to the deck. Looks like I'll have a few pieces to get from Izerwaren. That and the gas lift strut on one has quit.

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You will notice that the hooks are rather large. I can loop three coils of 5/8" line on each one. If you look close you will see that there is a stainless eye between the hanging coils and then one on either side. The bungee is trapped in the center eye and stretched from center out over the coil. That way there is never a loss of the bungee. One of them needs to be replaced. It was there when I bought the boat and I think is probably about 7 years old.


FWIW, I have two of those same stainless hooks on the back wall of the saloon mounted one above the other on the port side. It is just on the other side of the ladder to the fly-bridge. I usually have four lines hanging on those two hooks and just leave them there. Those lines are adequate for most of the docking we do when traveling. Our home dock has permanent lines that stay on the dock. It is under cover, easy to grab, they don't go anywhere, and are out of the way. Rain will get them wet, but they dry out. I use the lazarrette hatch to store additional lines that I may need.

We just hang them off the aft cabin rails with a clove hitch. Half port, half starboard.

High Wire said:

We just hang them off the aft cabin rails with a clove hitch. Half port, half starboard.

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Same here...both sides.

dhays said:

We have two SS hooks mounted on the underside of the hatch near the top when it is open. Half way down are very small SS eyes which very small bungees hook into. The lines are hung on the hooks and the bungee is drawn across the coil, holding the lines in place when the hatch is closed. Works really well and is easy.

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On my Eastbay there's a curved stairway coming down the flybridge. I've used that several times now to store lines. A gasket coil and then the running end tied off to a rail. Works well for drying wet lines but not how I'd like to store them longer-term.

Sugatsune also makes one with an additional inward curve to the hook. But it's triple the price!

https://www.thehardwarehut.com/catalog-product.php?p_ref=9717

My interest is in having the lines staying on the hook through bumpy conditions. No sense arranging to put the lines on hooks only to have them fall off and then have to climb down to retrieve them. That and my forward bow lockers don't really have enough length to accommodate the lines laying fully against them when open. That inward hook part better allow for dropping the lines over it and not having to use bungies at all.

Still haven't had this bubble up to the top of my to-do list... but it's inching upward...

Anyone used bungees with the ball on them?

I prefer to avoid hooks, especially the metal kind, due to corrosion and potential jabbing/cutting hazards when hands are wet. Additionally I'd want to avoid anything that wasn't secured on one side. No point in having the added hassle of a cord popping loose and going overboard.

I seem to recall seeing something on a boat (possibly at a boat show) that used the ball on a bungee with a socket of some sort for it. As in, just stretch the bungee by that ball in/out of a socket. But google image searching hasn't led me to anything like it.

Oh... a bit of paging along looking for a picture and I came across a Bungee Receiver that might be sort of what I'm after.

Not necessarily with the loop/ball bungee but with one side secured and the other with a ball that could go in/out of this receiver socket.

Bill,
This may be what you are referring to

Yes, that's closer to the idea. But it also opens up another avenue of search terms and images. So, thanks for that!

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=2561692

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/ronstan--shockcord-line-hangers-2-pack--142604

In addition to the lockers under the cockpit, I also have two at the bow, alongside the anchor locker. Using a hook on the underside of their lid is problematic as that would likely jab a fender that might be placed in there. Using one of these line hangers might be a interesting alternative.

The challenge is how well something holds the lines when the hatch is lifted vertical AND when the hatch is closed. Because on these lockers the hatch isn't tall enough to allow the line to be stowed against it. The line bundle would have to drape down into the locker when the hatch was opened, and then hang from this when the locker is closed.

wkearney99 said:

Still haven't had this bubble up to the top of my to-do list... but it's inching upward...



Anyone used bungees with the ball on them?



I prefer to avoid hooks, especially the metal kind, due to corrosion and potential jabbing/cutting hazards when hands are wet. Additionally I'd want to avoid anything that wasn't secured on one side. No point in having the added hassle of a cord popping loose and going overboard.



I seem to recall seeing something on a boat (possibly at a boat show) that used the ball on a bungee with a socket of some sort for it. As in, just stretch the bungee by that ball in/out of a socket. But google image searching hasn't led me to anything like it.



Oh... a bit of paging along looking for a picture and I came across a Bungee Receiver that might be sort of what I'm after.



Not necessarily with the loop/ball bungee but with one side secured and the other with a ball that could go in/out of this receiver socket.

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As I mentioned I have two SS hooks that are mounted on the back wall of the saloon on the port side of the aft cockpit, behind the ladder up to the flybridge. (The same that are under the hatch covers). They always have two sets of lines hanging on each. Despite some very horrendous seas that I stupidly got myself into, and lots of episodes of high wind, I’ve never had the lines fall off.

If you have an out of the way location with a vertical bulkhead, a simple hook works well. Not sure what your curved steps look like but I would imagine there would be a good place to put something there.

I am not a fan of bungees. (I would like to find a replacement for the bungees that are under the hatch cover). The type that you pictured are better than most however.

Agreed, if I had places outside for the hooks I'd consider it. But we use this boat recreationally more than anything else, so having lines stored outside during days we're not using the boat seems like a waste. And kinda looks messy (or so I've been told by the wife).

For ready access we've had good success leaving a long enough tail to secure them to the handrail on the flybridge stairs. Handy for short trips between stops.

It'd be nice to have a way to secure two lines at the bow to make it simpler for my wife that's often handling the bow lines. Pop open the hatch, retrieve a line and then a fender. As opposed to "oh, go back to the stern, get a line and then do it over again for a fender". Meanwhile the seconds tick away while current and wind conditions challenge the docking plan... and soon we're veering perilously close to violating one of the most important boating rules... "you can't un-yell at your spouse".

I share your perspective on bungees. They're rarely suitable for anything other than temporary use, but they often get left set up permanently. And then fail when least convenient. At the very least I'd want to make sure they're at least replaceable without undue hassle.

I have used the rail mount version of the Schaefer, the second pic in post #21 on both our former sailboat and our current Mainship Pilot. The line is not a bungee but a small, 1/8"?, line. They are easily replaced or shortened as needed. They have worked well for me, even under heeling on the sailboat.. On the Mainship, I mounted a rail in the cockpit under the gunwale on each side with 3 of these. Furthest forward is bow line, then spring, then stern.

Good luck in your quest

Tonic1 said:

I have used the rail mount version of the Schaefer, the second pic in post #21 on both our former sailboat and our current Mainship Pilot. The line is not a bungee but a small, 1/8"?, line. They are easily replaced or shortened as needed. They have worked well for me, even under heeling on the sailboat.. On the Mainship, I mounted a rail in the cockpit under the gunwale on each side with 3 of these. Furthest forward is bow line, then spring, then stern.

Good luck in your quest

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Thanks, I don't expect to find the perfect solution, or expect what I'm after will make sense to anyone else... but find it helpful to hear how others have approached the problem.

The hassle is the bow locker lids slope downward when closed. Not by a lot, but potentially enough to make it a challenge for anything handling a load to avoid pulling off. So finding something with a wide range of holding angles is kind of key to this particular need. The cockpit lockers are flat, so there wouldn't be as much of an issue.

I don't have a picture of it, but the finish on my original anchor locker hatches failed. The coating delaminated and the underlying wood got saturated and likewise started to delaminate. My wood guy came up with a nice solution using HDPE panels and some wood dogs that turn to hold them in place. I mention this because a similar arrangement could be considered as a way to further ensure a line didn't pop out if the molded part isn't deep enough.

For line storage when wet we have two 4’ long rails mounted on the bottom of our sundeck hardtop that we hang the wet lines with a clove hitch. When they are dry we put them either in a bow mounted dock box or a sundeck mounted large Igloo cooler. I replaced two rod holders with the rails for hanging wet lines, jackets or towels. We added the dock box on the bow for dock lines and backup anchor lines. The cooler on the sundeck is for dock lines and enclosure panels that we have down temporarily. For bungees I make my own up with S/S hooks and S/S hog rings. I make them up to the size that is needed.

wkearney99 said:

Agreed, if I had places outside for the hooks I'd consider it. But we use this boat recreationally more than anything else, so having lines stored outside during days we're not using the boat seems like a waste. And kinda looks messy (or so I've been told by the wife).

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Yeah, a lot of my decisions are made based on my wife’s sense of what is aesthetically acceptable. While I might consider those concerns as less than practical, logical, sensible, or even in the neighborhood of what might be considered sane and rational, I keep those thoughts mostly to myself.

Since our back cockpit is covered, the hanging lines don’t get too wet even in our climate. However, when it is rainy and blowing they get a good fresh water rinse. They are protected from the sun which would be a bigger concern.

The under the hatch storage works great for being hidden away. I agree with you about storage in the bow. When we are moving from dock to dock a lot, I’ll hang the bow lines on the forward rails as you do. That is also where I hang the two legs of my anchor bridle between anchorages when we are on the move. But I don’t have good protected storage for lines.

I’ve a port side anchor locker that doesn’t have rode it in and I’ve been trying to think of a way to mount something on the inside of the hull where I could hang lines. So far, I’ve not had any particularly great ideas.

Maybe glass a plywood block to the hull so you can screw a line hanger to the plywood?