How many dock lines?

[dhays]

I could use some experienced advice from the collective wisdom of TF.

I have a 2010 North Pacific 43'. I have way too many dock lines on board so am going to take some off the boat and free up some lazarrette space. I have permanent dock lines that stay on my home dock. I am NOT talking about those.

How many lines, and of what length, should I carry with me when I leave my home slip. I would use them for tying to docks while away and the occasional rafting with another boat. I don't need lines for locking.

 

[SaltyDawg86]

I'd say 4. 2 about 10ft and 2 about 15ft. How many do you have now?

 

[psneeld]

I have 5 docklines and 4 other lines, 3 lighter (1/2 inch, 3 strand) at 50 and 100 foot lengths. Plus one 50 footer at 1 inch.


The 5 docklines get used all the time, the others are for emergencies or storms...the 1 inch, 50 footer (old towboat towline piece) gets used more than any extra line where stretch and chafe aren't wanted if things goes south.


My docklines are 2-15ft, 2-30ft and 1-40ft.

 

[kchace]

I would carry 2 about the length of the boat 40-50 feet and at least 2 a little shorter - say 30'.

Ken

 

[Hawgwash]

What did you have on the Catalina?
What do you have at your dock?

For that boat, I would probably have 8 + 1.
2 sets of 4 for each side (or spares).
Bow
Stern
Spring X 2
+ 1 for mooring buoy.
Length I can't answer because I don't know how many or where your cleats are but I would want each line long enough to go to the dock cleat or bull rail and back. Springs long enough also to go to the same dock cleat as bow /stern if needed. Just guessing here but what; bow & stern 20-30' springs 40-50'?

Then, just for fun, I might throw in a couple more, shorter ones.
Have I caught up to the "way too many" you have now?

I like lots of lines. Always somebody needs a loaner.

 

[psneeld]

If you always tie alongside, 4 lines are adequate...tie in a slip where there is a lot of wind or tide...the fifth line comes in handy as a spring...some marinas are quite adamant about it.

 

[Biggusstickus]

I could use some experienced advice from the collective wisdom of TF.

I have a 2010 North Pacific 43'. I have way too many dock lines on board so am going to take some off the boat and free up some lazarrette space. I have permanent dock lines that stay on my home dock. I am NOT talking about those.

How many lines, and of what length, should I carry with me when I leave my home slip. I would use them for tying to docks while away and the occasional rafting with another boat. I don't need lines for locking.

Always better to have a few extra lines onboard for those unforeseen moments. I do agree however somethings we tend to have too many. If rafting up you would generally just need Bow, Stern and Springer lines, other vessels will also have lines as well most likely. So 3 main lines plus 3 spares should be plenty for any trips done. I would vary the length also a bit, no need for a 15m line just holding stern to stern so a couple of 5m lines 2 x 15m and 2 x 20m should cover you for most occasions. A few good fenders also come in very handy

 

[Donsan]

We have 6 cleats so we carry 6 lines on board. Probably overkill but we are comfortable with it. Of course, they all came with the tub.

 

[markpierce]

I use four on each side (on bow and stern and two amid-ship), assuming there are tie-ons on both sides.

 

[menzies]

Five the same length as your vessel.

One bow, one stern to dock from outside boat cleat.

Two springs.

One for tying to an outside pile if available and necessary.

No sense going shorter than vessel length, as you don't want to be worrying about grabbing the wrong length.

 

[dhays]

Good suggestions. In my own mind I was thinking 2 long and 2 short as well.

To be honest, I didn't even know how many lines I got with this boat. Here it is, all black double braid. The lengths are approximate as I don't feel like going out onto the dock in the rain to measure accurately but I think they are 20 and 40 feet.
5/8" x 20' - 4
5/8" x 40' - 1
3/4" x 20' - 5
3/4" x 40' - 3
1/2" x 20' - 1

I also have a couple extra lines left over from my sailboat, as well as lots of extra 3 strand dock lines, as well as a few extra double braid at home in my garage.

Btw, none of those lines are lines for use with mooring balls or anchor bridles, those are forward.

 

[markpierce]

My boatyard provides a bottle of wine or length of rope after each service. Now having sufficient lines, I choose the wine. I get a charge telling my guest that this bottle of wine cost $8,000, :lol:

 

[Drake]

Our traveling lines for normal use are four 5/8" x 50' (boat length) and two 75' for spring lines. For storm use we also have four 3/4" x 50'. All braid.

We also carry 300' of 1/2" for stern tying.

 

[O C Diver]

At the home dock I have 2 bow, 2 stern, and 2 spring lines. Works in either a traditional slip or side tie. I have a second identical set for cruising. In addition I probably have 6 other lines for things like towing and rafting. If I side tie in an area where rafting is required, I want enough lines and fenders between my boat and the dock, and my boat and the village idiot who may be rafting off of me.

It's a good idea to clean and inventory your lines once a year. Inherited some spare lines with the boat that had been in the lazarrette so long, they were stiff as wire rope.

Ted

 

[markpierce]

...
We also carry 300' of 1/2" for stern tying.

Are your serious? Please explain.

 

[Drake]

Are your serious? Please explain.

We do a lot of cruising in rivers. Frequently we need to tie the stern to something ashore to keep from swinging into the channel.

 

[Giggitoni]

We do a lot of cruising in rivers. Frequently we need to tie the stern to something ashore to keep from swinging into the channel.

Yeah, Mark. If you'd come into the Delta with Al and me this summer, it would all become clear!

 

[markpierce]

Still, 300 feet!

Last time, we simply anchored in 12 feet of water.

 

[Hawgwash]

Still, 300 feet!

I agree, way too short.

 

[menzies]

Keep your old anchor rode for stern tying to shore, or buy someone else's if you have chain.

 

[Drake]

I agree, way too short.

I wish I had more, but out of storage space.

 

[HopCar]

I always recommend you carry six, all about the length of your vessel.
Pretty much the same reasoning that Menzies used.

All the same size because you can grab any of the lines and it will be long enough.

If I back into a slip, I'll use all six.
Two bow lines to the outer pilings. Two stern lines crossed. Two forward springs to the outer pilings to keep the stern off the dock.

I splice big eyes, about three feet, in one end so it will be easy to drop over a piling or a cleat. A twelve or 18" eye is too small to drop over a piling. When I talk about the size of they eye, I mean the distance between the splice and the furthest point where the rope turns back to the splice if the rope is stretched out. A three foot eye, 36", could form a circle with a 72" circumference or about a two foot diameter.

The other ends are tied to the onboard cleats which allows me to adjust the length from aboard the boat.

 

[DHeckrotte]

We have settled on 12. Six to remain at our home slip and six to carry with us. That's four, one for each corner and two longer for springs (...times 2). We've tape-marked the home lines so that we simply pull 'em in to the mark and cleat 'em.

Lazy is good! (If expensive!)

 

[markpierce]

Take all my lines with me. Once left a 50-foot water hose on dock from my permanent slip. It disappeared. Someone might have thought I'd abandoned it. If you're feeling guilty, please return the hose.

 

[dhays]

I agree, way too short.

I ended up buying a full spool of Samson MFP Floatline. 3/8" . I used 100' of it to make some lines for my kayaks, but still have 500' on the spool for stern tying. More than I need but I will use up some of it for things over time.

 

[dhays]

We have settled on 12. Six to remain at our home slip and six to carry with us. That's four, one for each corner and two longer for springs (...times 2). We've tape-marked the home lines so that we simply pull 'em in to the mark and cleat 'em.

Lazy is good! (If expensive!)

I like to use 3 strand for my permanent dock lines. I splice loops in one end. The lines are tied to the dock cleats and the loops on the boat. The 3 strand holds up well, is relatively inexpensive, and has good shock absorption. These lines are just left in place. I have yet to have a line go missing.

 

[Giggitoni]

Still, 300 feet!

Last time, we simply anchored in 12 feet of water.

The line can be looped around something on shore and doubled back to the boat. Makes it easy for leaving. Like Ayala Cove on the moorings.

 

[cardude01]

What's better? Braided or three strand?

 

[Drake]

What's better? Braided or three strand?

Depends on the application. Three strand stretches more, so it's better for anchor rode and snubbers. It's also easier to splice. Braid is a little stronger size for size, and IMO feels better in hand, so we use it for docklines.

 

[dhays]

What's better? Braided or three strand?

As I mentioned, I use three strand for permanent dock lines in my home slip. I like the stretch and they are less expensive.

Braided are easier to handle. They stay more flexible, easier to coil and store, and look better (important to my wife). I keep braided on the boat for my traveling lines.

I left 7 lines on the boat. One 5/8" x 40', two 5/8" x 20, two 3/4" x 40', two 3/4" x 20'. While I use the 3/4" most of the time, I kept the lighter lines for those times when a dock may not have adequately sized cleats, or I want to use my slip knot technique for leaving.