Setting up dock lines in a wet slip.

[JVM225]

But if you cross the bow lines and go to the cleat on the opposite sides then the line fleet angles will better hold the boat's bow in position.

Bow rail would interfere on my boat if I crossed them.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Same here. My bow cleats are probably 5'-6' apart. If I crossed the lines they would either have to lay on the deck and chafe it or pass beneath the anchor pulpit and chafe the bow.

 

[Woody]

I can't because of the way my boat is. Right now I have it set and it doesn't move anywhere, high winds or not.

If you're exposed to winds, wave action, remember.....the longer the lines the easier they are on the boat. I've walked my marina when conditions were bad watching different boats. It's always the same that one line or the other gets slammed tight first even if only by a second, huge forces are involved. When I tie up I try to keep lines as long as possible and I allow the boat to move. This dissipates some energy that is otherwise transferred to the cleats. I also have a rubber snubber in a couple lines to help.

It rained the very first night my wife and I spent on our 420DA. We were sitting in the cabin grinning at each other and I spotted water trickling down the wall. Oh no, please, not on the first day. I went out side to inspect, the midship cleat was near the leak area. I found it was loose, the hole slopped out about an 1/8". You could tell where some of the lines that came with the boat were used. I think that cleat had a fore/aft spring on it, tied too short and too tight it took a beating.

 

[sbw1]

Spring it fore and aft with two springs attached amidship and running back to dock cleats near the stern. Run two springs from boat's stern cleats to dock pilings at the fairway end of the finger. Cross the stern lines. Use the admidship cleats to tie two more lines to each of the pilings at the end of the finger to keep the boat centered in the slip. You now have a four way tie with fore and aft springs. It does not get any better than that.

 

[Lazy Daze]

 

[sbw1]

Nothing to stop it from rubbing on the fingers with this set up.

 

[Lazy Daze]

View attachment 81180
Nothing to stop it from rubbing on the fingers with this set up.

He said he has a pretty wide slip, though. Stern lines will keep it from the fingers. I've had boats tied similar to that and it has seem to work well. You could add those short ones back in, but make them as long as possible - but just short enough to keep the rubrail from hitting the outer piling, if it was necessary. That way, for the most part, their not being used.

 

[Creekwood]

To add to the confusion, assuming you have cleats on the finger piers or can put them on

 

[dtfeld]

Seems like the real problem here is not having a set of bow pilings. Is the slip damaged or set up for smaller craft? Guessing that might be an issue based on your reported location. But this is what I had when docket at Clearwater Beach Marina in a 2001 410 (very similar in size and setup to yours).

This setup prevents both fore and aft movement and side to side (both fore and aft). The bow line can have enough slack to allow the bow to almost reach the opposite piling allowing for tidal changes.

More of a long term solution, but does the marina have a slip more favorable to your boat?

 

[bahamabreisus]

Looks to me like the slip is designed for a much smaller boat. I would hate to be in that setup in a storm.

 

[Mightychan]

So for now, I have added Tideminders to the midships lines. I am going to see if I can rig some real bowlines from the outside piling over the weekend.

 

[sbw1]

So for now, I have added Tideminders to the midships lines. I am going to see if I can rig some real bowlines from the outside piling over the weekend.
View attachment 83025 View attachment 83026 View attachment 83027

Pure genius. -)

 

[Mightychan]

So, last night, a line of strong storms spawned a tornado that touched down a couple hundred yards from the boat. Sailboats in the marina were healing 15-20 degrees, and there was debris everywhere. Our boat rode it out just fine. Thank you, Tideminders!