How do you tie up with high tides coming

mdolesh

mdolesh

Active Member
Dec 18, 2019
432
Edgewater, MD
Boat Info
370 Venture 2013
Twin 300 L6 Verados

- Previous boat: 290 Sundancer 2006
Engines
...
We just got an email from our marina that they are expecting exceptionally high tides over the next 48 hours. They are shutting off the power and closing the docks (because of no walkway lighting). What should I do differently in my slip, if anything? I typically have two bow lines, a spring line, and two lines crossed at the aft. Fenders? Additional lines?
 
Are you side tie or stern in?
If you are stern in, if possible, move your boat forward in the slip and double your lines. Cross your stern lines and leave slack. Remember you're going higher.
Fenders:
Imagine your boat going much higher in the slip and place fenders accordingly.
 
In general, you want all your lines as long as possible.

Good luck!
We are having some pretty crazy high tides here the past few days.
Screenshot_20211028-163703.png

this is less than 30 min ago
Water over the seawall
 
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We just had a storm come through and I saw three boats (just adjacent to my slip, that I could see) have their bow lines all snap. Luckily for them they all still had one line attached, but their bows were slamming into the dock or other boats all night.

The closest one is a 250DA and she had 3/8 lines :eek:

So in addition to the above, hopefully you have thick enough lines?
 
Up the road from you. I use 1/2” lines on a 250DA setup as you describe. Trick is tend to the boat in case you need to let out lines as it rises and falls. I will be at mine at 7am, 12pm, 4pm.
Don’t worry too much about winds, those are on open Bay. In marina maybe 15. So it will be a high tide, but not a storm.
What marina you at?
Just re-read, your marina is not allowing access to your boat? wtf! Nobody does that. Good luck.
 
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Thanks guys! Pirate I am at Chesapeake Harbour Marina. At the mouth of the Severn. Most people know where Sams on the Waterfront used to be (they sold this year and someone else is reopening next season).
 
Honestly, if like most weather forecasts this summer around here, it will be a non event.
Few weeks back we were supposed to have an extreme tide, some harvest moon crap. Went to marina, un did shore cord, all the prep. Nothing. Pier didnt even get wet. Had go back next day plug it all in.
PS thats a fancy marina.
 
Looks like Anne Arundel County might get it. 5 warnings up including Gale and Coastal Flooding. 25MPH winds with gusts to 45 forecast out of the east will tend to exacerbate the tides which are forecast to max out at +5 ft. I was at my boat today and the water was within 6 inches of overtopping the dock, so we're pretty sure that dock will need to close. I agree with the others that lines need to have lots of slack. Also check the shore power cable; we had one on our dock that was already taut. It's best to have some slack in the cable or reel it in if possible.
 
I'm a lake boater and obviously don't deal with tides. However, I have seen damage to boats when the boat's rub rail rises above the fender boards. Old fenders with the bottom cut out can be placed over the fender boards to try and avoid damage when the water is high.
 
I went down to the boat at 9pm last night and the water was up to the dock. Today its supposed to blow and bring more water in. We shall see. They canceled school for Anne Arundel county today. Thanks for the advice everyone. I made adjustments accordingly and dont think I will have any issues.
 
mdolesh said:
We just got an email from our marina that they are expecting exceptionally high tides over the next 48 hours. They are shutting off the power and closing the docks (because of no walkway lighting). What should I do differently in my slip, if anything? I typically have two bow lines, a spring line, and two lines crossed at the aft. Fenders? Additional lines?
Click to expand...

While a little late here, one thing not asked was if you were on a fixed or floating dock. If you're on a floating dock all lines attached to the dock should remain the same and you will rise relative to the dock. All lines to fixed mounts like poles (if they are not on traveling rings) should be lengthen to accommodate. Unfortunately there is no one best answer.

-Kevin
 
My fixed dock is underwater and the power is off. Local roads are flooded so the facility is shutting down food service as well. Looking at the tide chart it seems we might be having it worse next week:
upload_2021-10-29_11-38-27.png

Where the wind is coming from will make a big difference.
 
Same here. Interesting fact that I found....if this tide goes over 4ft above MHHW like they are forecasting in Annapolis it will be the 3rd highest tide ever recorded. The highest point is expected around 10pm tonight.
Capture2.JPG
Capture.JPG
 
mdolesh said:
We just got an email from our marina that they are expecting exceptionally high tides over the next 48 hours. They are shutting off the power and closing the docks (because of no walkway lighting). What should I do differently in my slip, if anything? I typically have two bow lines, a spring line, and two lines crossed at the aft. Fenders? Additional lines?
Click to expand...
Ha, I was there yesterday looking a two boats, (Kent Narrows) water was over the docks. I drove up from Richmond, VA. I thought is was from rain until the broker told me. Said winds were blowing in from the south. I've seen the reverse as well where winds blew water out of the creek/marina.

This happened to me years ago with my Regal 3780 in a covered fixed dock slip. I was 3 hours away. Bizarre high wind high tide. Everything was ok, except for a nail some idiot had driven in a pilon years prior way up high that ended up scratching my starboard side. So, check your pilons/docks for things up high you'd normally not notice.

Had it happen before on a floating dock, no issues except we could not get to the boat because the ramp to the dock floated up too high.
 
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I just tie up to my neighbors boat, he seems to know what he’s doing…
Just kiddding.

I’m on the Delta here in California. I just assumed everyone’s dock floated, so we don’t have that issue. But we do have a lot of tide action. That literally sucks!
 
In Savannah the tides are 8', swift current, everything is floating down here. Our dock neighbor who has a 35' trawler recently went to Brunswick for a month to avoid an exceptional high tide due to potential storms. He has been at the marina for some 25 yrs, and said he once saw the fuel dock rise up over the pilings and disconnect. Fortunately it did not get that high and we were fine.
 
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