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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

which side of the dock

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jm
Captain

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Canada
290 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/10/2002 : 11:08:00

When the wind is up, and the boat is in its slip (tied off), it is better to be pushed against the dock and let the fenders do their stuff, or be pushed away from the dock and let the lines/cleats take the load ?

The wind is up today (40mph+) and I've got the choice of being on either side of my finger dock

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2002 : 12:02:39

I would put my boat on the leward side of the dock. Let your mooring lines and spring lines do there job and let the dock take some of the fetch. If you let the wind blow you against the dock what hapens when the boat rocks up and down and a fender pops out of place ? Possable hull damage. What happens if you have your fenders suspended from your life lines like I have seen so many times and the fender pinches or is caught under the lip of the dock ? Stress or damage to the stantions. With a fore and aft dock line and a fore and aft spring line you have lots of security and the boat cant bang the dock is she is to lee. 40 Kts isn't that big of a storm.

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2002 : 12:28:34

Well said Douglas.
That's brings up another issue that is not widely discussed. Friends of ours use to tie their fenders to the lifelines. They didn't understand why their stanchion bases leaked so soon after rebedding them. Long story short, it's better to attach the fenders down low at the base of the stanchions. Granted, that little bit of extra leverage when tied to the life line (when the fender gets pinched and pulls downward) may not seem like much, but multiply that by thousands of times per season.

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jm
Captain

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Canada
290 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2002 : 16:51:52

Thanks gents ! The attachment of fenders to stanchion base vs. life lines makes good sense. btw - no storm, just a brisk day of sustained 40+ kt winds that is creating some big waves some of which are jumping the breakwall, and keep rolling in.

Did anyone go out sailing on Lake Ontario today ?

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2002 : 16:57:46

Ok,
The wind has been blowing and the pollin and mold <img src=icon_smile_dead.gif border=0 align=middle>is in the air. If it weren't for my boat life wouldn't mean much. What really gets me is those <img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle> motor boats and the wake they make. Having that go by your boat puts a strain on everything, ears, nose, and dock lines.

Matt
EC Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK SR

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2002 : 18:57:23

Its going to be in the 70s this weekend for the first time this year. Im leaving for the boat right after work and will just spend the night on board. I have some last minute cleaning up to do and perhaps Ill just spend the hole weekend on the water. One last thought on fenders. I have a couple of old Gen track slides I use to secure the fenders, they work great. Dont forget to air up your fenders for the season they dont work to good if they are flat.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2002 : 00:22:53

Mooring lines and springs! No doubt about it. You may add the rubber springs to the mooring lines too (see West Marine catalog). And when it gets tougher and you have room, it is better to get out of the slip and to anchor. I did it when Hugo came close to Columbia, SC.

Sailynn

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2002 : 03:01:44

OK, The pseudophed has taken affect<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>, I am away from the Junior high (where I work) the kids are asleep... all is well with the world, the boat is at rest after +20 mile an hour winds. Normal wind is off of the port bow when in the slip with the dock finger to starboard. I use 3 fenders and also set up a spring board set up on the dock. Spring board is made of a 6 foot pressure treated 2X4 with 4 inch 2X4 blocks at the end. Over this I nailed down a cushion I got at west marine. The spring board is probably all I need but I like the added security. Now I have to go down there and figure out how to attach the fenders with out having them hanging on the life lines. The old boat didn't have them so it is a new concept to me.

Matt
EC Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK SR

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John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 05/11/2002 : 21:42:49

I hear you regarding motor boats going by the dock and the havoc they can produce with your tie-up. In the St. Mary's River between Lakes Superior and Huron We have a 9 mph limit for any vessel over 60 tons but some of the ones that go by are 60,000 tons and nearly a quarter mile long. They pass about 100 yds off my dock and can pull more than a foot of water out as they pass by. I tie the boat away from the dock with spring lines that hold her about a foot away. With the SK up I can keep her about two ft off the bottom but when a ship goes by sometimes the boat settles a bit too much. A new dock is on order which will give us a tie at the end with the bow into the current and the four miles of fetch which produce the most chop. I guess the best thing said here and I will concur that the orientation of the boat to the variables of wind and weather will produce the best result in docking. The one problem I have with docking down wind is where will the boat go if the lines let go. At least against the dock the boat will stay put.

I havn't visited this side of the forum for a while, good to see the rest of the gang is over here too. Been busy fitting out, actuall completely re-doing my C25 so most of my questions have been model specific.

John V. Nin Bimash II
77 C25 sk/sr #153

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2002 : 13:07:23

In reply to MattL. You can tie the fenders to the base of the stantions using a clove hitch.

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 05/12/2002 : 13:28:19

Wow, quarter mile long ships going by so close. Hard to imagine that around here.
In the past I used pullied weights to center a boat evenly between piles. Usually a cement block suspended from a line strung over a pulley attached to the pile and then to one quarter of the boat. With one on each quarter and a control line from the bow to the dock the boat can be centered away from any hard surface and when the bow line is pulled the boat comes forward lifting the weights. I use a diferrent system this year mainly because I'm starboard to a bulkhead and a pile to port. In this situation I use one pulley to the port pile with a line across the boat to the dockside and after leaving the boat I pull in the line and the boat moves off the dock.
I also use a capture system of lines that I drive into when entering the slip. Singlehandedly motor into the H and leave the motor idling in forward, then go forward to attach two large rabbit ears to the forward cleats and secure the stern and it's done.
Val on "CALISTA" #3936
Tall Wing
Patchogue,N.Y.

Val Bisagni

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2002 : 09:28:47

We found a great product for securing fenders - called "Gorilla Grips". They use ~1" webbing plus vinyl for chaffing and attach via heavy duty velcro. They're adjustable, quick and secure.
Okay, okay - I found them in a stink boat store <img src=icon_smile_shock.gif border=0 align=middle> ! But I've since seen them in the West Marine catalog.

Edited by - OJ on 05/13/2002 09:30:01

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2002 : 13:24:33

We went for a little mothers day ride yesterday and when tieing up at the dock I moved the fenders to the teak grab rails. I like the idea of using the base of the stancion a little better and I think I'll also look into the velcro ties.
Thanks to all, even though I didn't start this thread<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Matt
EC Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK SR

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