Vessel Operation
5-13
The bow and stern lines should be relatively at a 45 degree angle with
the dock. The stern line can be attached to the near-shore quarter
cleat, but will work more efficiently to the offshore quarter cleat. The
longer line will allow the boat flow with the tide with less time checking
the vessel.
Dock Line Sizing
Most dock lines today are made of nylon, either of twisted rope or
braided core and cover. The most often used material is nylon because
of its stretching abilities absorbing shock loads. It is chafe resistant for
extended life and is easier on bare hands.
The line’s size varies with the vessel. Normally, a vessel in the 20’ to
40’ boats will use 1/2” diameter nylon lines. Larger yachts use 5/8”
and 3/4” diameter nylon lines. Smaller boats can use 3/8” nylon lines.
Dock lines need to have the strength to hold the vessel and have enough
density to resist chafing. They shouldn’t be too heavy that they lose
their shock-absorbing capabilities. Use the right size line for the vessel
since a line to large for the boat will pull hard against the vessel since
it won’t be forced to stretch. If the line is too small for the vessel,
there is no margin for wear and chafe when under strain
Securing Lines
When mooring your boat, make sure the dock lines are secured at
both ends. Depending on your situation you may need to loop the eye
splice of the dock line around a piling. Sometimes the mooring line
will lead down sharply from the piling to the deck cleat. Loop the eye
splice around the piling twice to keep it from being pulled up off the
pile. Pull the line through the looped eye if the mooring line is too
small to go around the piling twice or too small to fit over once.
If you must drop a line over a piling that already holds another boat’s
line, run the eye of the line up through the first eye from below, then
loop it over the pile. This will allow either line to be removed without
Vessel Operation
5-13
The bow and stern lines should be relatively at a 45 degree angle with
the dock. The stern line can be attached to the near-shore quarter
cleat, but will work more efficiently to the offshore quarter cleat. The
longer line will allow the boat flow with the tide with less time checking
the vessel.
Dock Line Sizing
Most dock lines today are made of nylon, either of twisted rope or
braided core and cover. The most often used material is nylon because
of its stretching abilities absorbing shock loads. It is chafe resistant for
extended life and is easier on bare hands.
The line’s size varies with the vessel. Normally, a vessel in the 20’ to
40’ boats will use 1/2” diameter nylon lines. Larger yachts use 5/8”
and 3/4” diameter nylon lines. Smaller boats can use 3/8” nylon lines.
Dock lines need to have the strength to hold the vessel and have enough
density to resist chafing. They shouldn’t be too heavy that they lose
their shock-absorbing capabilities. Use the right size line for the vessel
since a line to large for the boat will pull hard against the vessel since
it won’t be forced to stretch. If the line is too small for the vessel,
there is no margin for wear and chafe when under strain
Securing Lines
When mooring your boat, make sure the dock lines are secured at
both ends. Depending on your situation you may need to loop the eye
splice of the dock line around a piling. Sometimes the mooring line
will lead down sharply from the piling to the deck cleat. Loop the eye
splice around the piling twice to keep it from being pulled up off the
pile. Pull the line through the looped eye if the mooring line is too
small to go around the piling twice or too small to fit over once.
If you must drop a line over a piling that already holds another boat’s
line, run the eye of the line up through the first eye from below, then
loop it over the pile. This will allow either line to be removed without
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