# How do you hang your dock lines?



## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

When we went out yesterday, I untied the bow lines and tossed them onto the dock, and my port side stern line was just fine on top of the piling by itself. But on the starboard side, I have both a spring line and the stern line. Apparently my lines have taken on the personalities of my boys and don't like sitting too close to each other for any extended period of time. One of them also likes to cause trouble. In this case, as we backed out of the slip, one of the lines snagged on a bumper that I had out (we were still in the slip after all!) and as we backed out, it pulled the starboard side like a spring line. My dad rushed forward to try to free it, and I bumped us into forward and ran to the port side to keep us from hitting the boat over there. Then I realized that we were still in gear and heading toward the front of the dock, so I had to run back to the cockpit, put us in reverse with a heavy burst of throttle, then back in neutral. My dad managed to free the line in that time and to get both of the lines back atop the piling, and we got away without further incident, but there was a point where my anchor was terrifyingly close to the boat on our starboard.

I think a lot of that could have been avoided if I a) pulled in the bumpers and b) had holders on the pilings to help keep the dock lines organized. a) is easy to do (even I can figure that one out), but I'm wondering what everyone uses to keep their dock lines organized. I know some take the lines with them, but how about the rest of you? Do you just use something like this Dock Line Holder, or is there something else that I should consider? I thought about 2 nails, but with my luck, I'll impail myself on them, so the blunted point of the holder seemed like a good option.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

IMO it's damn hard to control a docking boat with the lines on the dock, whereas if the lines are on the boat, you can handle them around cleats and pilings with no scrambling. So I hang my docklines from the pulpit and stern rail with prussic knots.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

Jim, 

We have six lines attached to the boat, one each on a piling. Before we move forward we remove all lines that are slack and place them on the dock or on the piling with the wooden hook. Usually that's the two spring lines and at least one stern line. The two stern lines get thrown onto the dock. John pulls the boat over to the slack bow line piling, removes the line, puts that on the piling hook. If that one falls over the neighboring boat's bow line it's no big deal as it's a charter and leaves the slip about twice a year. Then he does the same with the remaining bow line and places that line on the piling hook.

Then I move out of the slip. Until this point, 80% of the time our engine is in neutral. No need to joggle it unless it's really windy. Since our marina is kind of tight and we have to go past the fuel dock in a tight space, we leave the fenders on until we get out into the Swan Creek channel then part of the routine is to pull them in and put stuff away.

This is a new marina to you, right? Look around and see what your slip neighbors use. Our marina is good about letting us attach whatever is needed to make things easier.


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## tempest (Feb 12, 2007)

Jim, 

Don't know what your set up is. Two stern poles to Cleats on a perpendicular dock bow in..? 

Short finger dock? 

When I was in the 1st scenario, I ran two long lines (3 strand) from the front dock back to the poles on each side ( port and starboard) fore and aft. Helps keep you from getting too close to neighbors, and you can hang the bow lines over them for easy pick up. For the stern lines, spring line... I just used a big rubber coated hook you can buy at home depot...but your dock line holder serves the same purpose.


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

Yeah, I'm realizing now that I should have explained in more detail. Here's my slip:



We're bow-in, with a finger to starboard that separates us from the boat next to us. On the port side, there are only bumpers separating the boats. It's hard to see in the picture, but there are pilings that, when we're tied in, are just aft of the transom.

When we started to back out, after all the lines were off and "out of the way" (or so I thought), we actually slid the boat back by hand out of the slip. It wasn't until the bow was about 2/3 of the way out of the slip that I started to put the boat in reverse, and it was at that point when the line snagged the fender.

BLJ, I've toyed with your solution. I have read your comments on this topic before, and you make some valid arguments. In the end, though, I like the idea of having my starboard spring line set up and waiting for me as I enter. I've docked here twice now, and each time I've managed to grab the stern line instead of the spring line, but I'm going to add some color to that line (or replace it with a different color line) so I can distinguish it more easily. The theory is that I'll come in slow (I drift in), grab the spring line off the piling and throw it over the mid-ship cleat, then let the momentum snug us to the dock. I attach the starboard stern line while I'm there, then jump off and connect the bow lines, then back aboard for the port-side stern line.

Like I said, that's the theory...so far, I've grabbed the stern line both times and come up WAY too short in the slip. Thankfully, it's easy to fix and much better than if the stern line were too long.


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## Seaduction (Oct 24, 2011)

I use the hangers you showed in your link. I have learned via experience to bring all fenders/bumpers onboard prior to leaving the dock so they can't snag on anything. Since I use my home dock most of the time, having the lines attached to the pilings makes it super easy to just grab them and cleat them. I have the stern spring pre-adjusted so that I just loop the eye end over the midship cleat.


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

even when i am at anchor i have my docklines on my lifelines ready to use as tow lines or emergency whatever lines. when i have a slip for stormy season i dont leave dock and return, so i keep them tied to dock from boat. as this is furycame formationville, i am spiderwebbed into a double wide slip nose into approaching storm. i chose my slip because it has 4 pilings.


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## Omatako (Sep 14, 2003)

I'm in the lines-on-the-boat camp.

When we come into a dock I attach lines to fore and aft cleats and run them both to the gunwale at the centre of the vessel. When we come alongside my wife drives and I jump onto the jetty and control the boat with the help of what's happening at the helm.

We don't moor to a dock anymore but when we did, the boat was always made fast with lines from our deck cleats around the jetty cleats and back to the boat so that we could slip the lines from aboard as we left. They were never left on the dock.


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## paperbird (Sep 1, 2011)

We keep the lines on the dock. 2 stern, 2 bow and 2 spring. Also have a couple fenders tied to the finger pier (starboard side when bow in - just like OPs) at key points. Then also have a line tied between the pilings along the port side all the way to the dock. 

When leaving, the port stern line and spring line get hung on the line stretched between the pilings, bow lines on the dock, starboard stern line and starboard spring go on the piling at the end of the finger pier on a nylon cleat mounted up high.

When we come back into the slip, the spring lines are the only ones we worry about. As long as both of them get on the midships cleats, we can leave the boat in fwd at idle and we'll center up in the slip and stay just off the dock while we get the rest of the lines. 

The guy across from us has an extra line tied in a V that holds his bow centered and just off the dock. He just drives into that V and the line does the rest - it's a pretty nifty set up.

BTW - I have a second set of lines aboard that go with us for use elsewhere, or for rafting up.


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## deltaten (Oct 10, 2012)

Me? First in line on a floating dock, just out of the fairway channel.

I leave the fwd boat-to=stern dock springer on the dock; at the ready for hooking to the bow cleat.
All else travels aboard
Stern springer tied alongside to be ready to drop off and cleat, Fwd and stern vreast lines atthe ready with the bow line snugged against the next stanchion and the stern line in a bucket on the aft/stbd seating.

Works for me ....when I can back in! Today;s adventure was using a planned ahead spring line back-in routine I had in reserve IF the winds were not favorable. Din't go al the way with it, as we came to rest quite early against the dock; but *could* have backed it on line to position.

Have a Plan B.....C....D.....


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## Alex W (Nov 1, 2012)

I take my dock lines with me, which makes all of this pretty easy. We use them to control the boat when docking, and having them on the dock makes that harder to do.


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## Lake Superior Sailor (Aug 23, 2011)

My lines belong with the craft, you never know what a day can bring and I would want to have the equipment aboard to handle the challenge. Be it a raft-up ,another dock, being towed or towing,one never knows! Most of my trips include the unexpected, that's what I love about sailing........Dale


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

We have a set of lines on the boat, but also permanent ones in the slip. Since a singlehand a fair amount , short spring line to midship catches the boat net line is bow or stern spring to mid depending on wind direction. 

Don't like using fender down entering or leaving the lip. Sen to many snag thm and spin the boat around.

Dave


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## brokesailor (Jan 12, 2008)

I have a line permanently staged that runs the full length of the slip with a bowline on a bight set at about the position of the midship cleat. When pulling into the slip this is the first line that's placed on the cleat holding the boat. It is also the last line that's cast off if the wind is blowing into or out of the slip.


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

Jim,
Why don't you back in? I can't think it would be a lot easier to reach everything from the helm, and get on and off the boat. People tend to go slower when backing also. Slower is good when near hard pointy objects. 

I keep my lines on the dock, coiled on hooks or lying open on the piling top, I also keep my fenders rigged - but you know that. I also have a set of dock lines coiled on my life lines and another full set hanging properly in a stern locker with a set of fenders. 

From the picture, and coming in bow first I agree with the starboard spring line, pick it up as the bow passes the piling and in theory you are set as when it comes up taunt you are nestled against the finger pier.

The other thing I would toy with - take the spring on the port side (from the aft piling to the port bow cleat - and pass it through a eye on the starboard spring line. 
As the bow passes whichever piling the bow person can reach you will then have both springs in hand. 
I did something similar to that on my Gemini, made life easier.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

jimgo said:


> When we went out yesterday, I untied the bow lines and tossed them onto the dock, and my port side stern line was just fine on top of the piling by itself. But on the starboard side, I have both a spring line and the stern line. Apparently my lines have taken on the personalities of my boys and don't like sitting too close to each other for any extended period of time. One of them also likes to cause trouble. In this case, as we backed out of the slip, one of the lines snagged on a bumper that I had out (we were still in the slip after all!) and as we backed out, it pulled the starboard side like a spring line. My dad rushed forward to try to free it, and I bumped us into forward and ran to the port side to keep us from hitting the boat over there. Then I realized that we were still in gear and heading toward the front of the dock, so I had to run back to the cockpit, put us in reverse with a heavy burst of throttle, then back in neutral. My dad managed to free the line in that time and to get both of the lines back atop the piling, and we got away without further incident, but there was a point where my anchor was terrifyingly close to the boat on our starboard.
> 
> I think a lot of that could have been avoided if I a) pulled in the bumpers and b) had holders on the pilings to help keep the dock lines organized. a) is easy to do (even I can figure that one out), but I'm wondering what everyone uses to keep their dock lines organized. I know some take the lines with them, but how about the rest of you? Do you just use something like this Dock Line Holder, or is there something else that I should consider? I thought about 2 nails, but with my luck, I'll impail myself on them, so the blunted point of the holder seemed like a good option.


Hey Jim,

When we are backing out we lay them on top of the piling too - where possible. Sure don't want them trailing in the water for you or your neighbor to find with your prop!

If we are at a marina for a while, we often drive in a galvanized stake (running with the dock, you don't want to get hung on it) to easily lay the lines on. If they won't let you do that, or you have concrete pilings on the outer docks, you can run a 'guide line' from the outer most piling to the inner most. With those, you can drape your line across easier when backing/pulling out. You might even look at fashioning a coat hanger hanging from that line to set your loop into.

Easy cheesy.

Whatever you do, make it such that it is is easy and stress free to get in/out of the slip. If you do, you will find you get out and use the boat a lot more.

Take care,

Brian

PS On a side note, we throw our other lines on the dock. Find the line that works best for you when coming in (typically midships for most people, we traditionally use a bow line that runs from midships) and take it off first and drape it where the loop hangs just over the edge of the dock for an easy grab. Once that line is on, you can motor on/off to set your other lines. Plus, it gives you ONE line to concentrate on getting, versus a tangled mess of others. Also helps with dock hands and keeps you from hitting the end of the dock. Make sense?


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

Chuck,
I've been toying with backing in, but most of the people at our marina are bow in. Most do it so they can sit in the cockpit (or down below) and have a great view of the river. Honestly, except for the hung line as we left on Sunday, docking has been a piece of cake on this boat and in this slip so far.

For the record, I do have a spare set of dock lines onboard. I just really like having everything preconfigured when I come it, that's why I opt to leave them there.


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## jorgenl (Aug 14, 2006)

chef2sail said:


> Don't like using fender down entering or leaving the lip. Sen to many snag thm and spin the boat around.
> 
> Dave


Agree, fenders down is just a clusterfeck waiting to happen.


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## Donna_F (Nov 7, 2005)

jimgo said:


> Chuck,
> I've been toying with backing in, but most of the people at our marina are bow in. ...


Do what's best for you, not because your neighbors do it.

There was a thread a while ago in which someone was extremely indignant about the rude boaters who enter their slip bow first because they can't be easily chatted up by anyone walking down the docks.

We used to go in bow first because it gave us privacy when we wanted it and because the way our dock is oriented, we got a fantastic breeze down the open companionway and into the cabin. It didn't stop us from socializing at all.

We only back in now because it's easier for my mother to get on and off the boat.

Our immediate neighbors go bow in because that's what's easiest for them. They tried to back in and it was a pain. Others back in because on their boats that's the easiest way to get into their slip.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

We've always backed in because our finger docks are too short to reach the cockpit when bow-in, and the freeboard on the bow is too high to reach from our low floating dock. I also can't board amidships because the C250 has no side decks. It's WAY too high to get up to the cabin roof from the floating dock.

I've since discovered several other benefits to backing in:

- When we need to stop quickly, it's much more effective to "gun" the engine in forward than it would be in reverse. Props are designed to have more thrust in forward. This is doubly important with an outboard, that can unlatch and rise out of the water when you gun them in reverse. And it's critically important in those times when we have a 2+ knot current pushing us into the slip. In those cases there's no choice but to come in "hot" and use the motor's forward thrust to stop the boat.

- The boat steers much more predictably in reverse. It drives like a car in forward (front tires turn), especially if you stand in front of the wheel facing backwards.

- It's very easy to retrieve the dock lines from the cockpit when backing in.

When I first went to this marina I was the only sailboat that docked stern-first. Now, 4 years later, virtually all the sailboats go in stern first.

By the way, we put our large round fenders out before docking. Since it's a floating dock with no pilings, there's nothing for the fenders to get hung up on, and it's nice to just let the boat drift over and gently bump the finger pier. When I'm docking at a fixed dock, I never put the fenders out until after we're docked, because they can snag a piling and rip off the boat. After the boat is tied up, the fender board comes out (actually mine's PVC pipe instead of a board).

As far as how to hang the dock lines, I just rest them on the dock. The critical spring line that I always grab first is always carefully draped over the edge so I can grab it quickly on the way in. Once that's attached, there's no way the boat can crash into the dock on the way into the slip.


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## Gregrosine (Feb 10, 2013)

We use something like a dock line holder show from West Marine, but I just got something from the hardware store that you would use in a garage to hang something. A couple of dollars was all.

We also take some very light line and make a V across the front of the slip from piling to dock and to piling. When we take off the bow lines we simply lay them across the lines and they are there when we come back. 

We also make sure we have two boat hooks ready at all times when we pull back into the slip. Don't know why we didn't do that earlier.


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Gregrosine said:


> We also make sure we have two boat hooks ready at all times when we pull back into the slip. Don't know why we didn't do that earlier.


Bingo.


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