Proper Slip/Dock Etiquette

[AKBASSKING]

On the way home today I was day dreaming of splashing the tub. So I started to ask:

1. Do you park bow or stern first?
2. Depending how you park, what is the proper way to tie up? Which end of the dockline goes on the boat (loop end)
3. Do you coil up the excess line on the dock?
4. Shore Power? (I know the cable is not to be in the water)
5. Does the above change if you have a single slip or a double slip?

Have a jet riverboat on a trailer thus have not faced these small, yet very important information...

 

[Hampton]

Stern is pretty standard.
Floating Pier - cinch it down tight and walk away.
Not floating:
Starboard (boat) cleat to port, aft cleat on pier.
Port boat cleat to starboard, aft cleat on pier (criss-crossed across stern).
Midship (boat) cleat to forward and aft cleat on pier on both sides.
Need more? Forward cleats to respective pilings - leave plenty of line for tidal changes.
The goal is to not allow your boat to move, except up and down with tides - use long lines, but don't leave a lot of slack.

Coil excess neatly.

Run power lines across your cleat, and once around dock cleat, arcing to not hit the water, and not to be pulled on as boat moves and tides move. Plug into shore power lastly. Turn breakers on after that.

Double slip, Make sure you cannot contact your neighbor's boat.

 

[mwph]

1. I back in stern first. Access is so much easier & time spent at the dock much more comfortable.

2. I am able to use the loop end on the boat, the bitter end wrapped & tied to the slip's poles, nothing actually on the dock. BUT....I have a floating dock & no tides to deal with.

3. My shore power cord is affixed to my dock box with only about 4 feet loose to reach into the boat.

4. I'm going to say that everything is dependent on your specific slip configuration.

 

[jrcinnh]

What's the logic about crossing stern lines? Longer line equals more stretch to compensate for tides?

 

[320Bob]

1. Stern in always, pier on Starboard side of my double slip. Pilings separate both sides.
2. Lines remain attached to pier posts with looped ends attached to boat cleats. All excess lines are coiled neatly.
3. Lines are attached to the 4 cleats on the starboard side of boat. One additional line is attached to a cleat on back of the slip and the port rear cleat to keep the swim platform close to the step down pier at the back of the slip so the dogs can step on easily.
4. I leave both my shore power line and cable cords at the slip when out on the water but use 2 plastic handcuff type clamps to run lines along a PVC waterloope to the power pedistal. We have no tides and water level does not fluctuate more than a foot.

 

[Presentation]

Do you coil up the excess line on the dock?

I had coiled my excess dock line for years until earlier this year.

A friend showed me how to braid the excess line.

I became obsessed with this new look. I’m sick I tell you. I have "line braiding addiction."

The braided line looks so complex yet so symmetrical.

To the casual observer it looks like I would need to spend a lot of time getting that braid back out. One pull from the bitter end and the braid comes apart like a Rinker in rough water.

Its sexy. Its cool. Its naughty.


Others at the marina asked me to show them how to do it.

Now I see the disease is contagious. It’s starting to spread thru the marina.

During the week when I’m gone from the boat I can’t help it. I need to braid something.

This morning I braided my used dental floss before I tossed it in the trash.

This winter I may need to join a 7 step braiding addiction program.

 

[garryowen]

i cross all lines. both sides and stern lines


when the lake is running or we get a large roller come in the longer lines allow the boat to move up and down with out snapping on the cleats as short lines do

the difference in part being the angle form the dock cleat to boat cleat more shallow. allowing the boat to move more up and down with less movement at the dock cleat.
allso i feel the longer lines do help absorb more shock as well as being able to tensioned tighter holding boat in center of slip better.
with the loop end of line on boat cleat i am able to adjust dock cleats with just enough slack to get one boat line loose. after this its a simple matter to pop off remanning boat lines with out uniting anything. up on return to slip its easy to reloop boat lines and not have to retie. every thing is centered and boat always stays in same spot in slip. saves much time docking and undocking

 

[Slippery When Wet]

I have a 2-sided, floating dock, 10' x 26' slip. Bow first. I dont have a current pic, but I took this pic when I first put the boat in. I then moved the front (bow) cleats to the edge of the dock (after stubbing my toe on them twice and almost tripping:smt013). I then bought (2) 1/2" x 15' double-braided dock lines, had them splice a loop in the other end, then cut them in half, making (4) 7.5' dock lines. I leave them wrapped around the dock cleat with minimal leftover and slip the loop through the boat cleat...takes about 1 minute to tie her up. :thumbsup:

 

[Whitenights]

We are in a permanant slip so I leave the lines tied to the dock and use the loop end on the boat cleats. Always back in for easy on and off. Shore power hangs from the rafters so it can never possibly get in the water.

 

[Hampton]

What's the logic about crossing stern lines? Longer line equals more stretch to compensate for tides?

Yep, that's it. You can hold the boat in place and still allow it to go up and down.

 

[JV II]

its always a good idea to coil up the excess dock line to prevent your neighbor from tripping on it.

 

[jattea]

This may be a stupid question, but why can't the shore power cord ever dip into water? It's waterproof, right?

 

[Bel_Mar_Pointe]

I have a 2-sided, floating dock, 10' x 26' slip. Bow first. I dont have a current pic, but I took this pic when I first put the boat in. I then moved the front (bow) cleats to the edge of the dock (after stubbing my toe on them twice and almost tripping:smt013). I then bought (2) 1/2" x 15' double-braided dock lines, had them splice a loop in the other end, then cut them in half, making (4) 7.5' dock lines. I leave them wrapped around the dock cleat with minimal leftover and slip the loop through the boat cleat...takes about 1 minute to tie her up. :thumbsup:

Cleats right in the walkway? Don't make me read another cleat-between-the-toes story.

 

[LifeisGood]

I had coiled my excess dock line for years until earlier this year.

A friend showed me how to braid the excess line.

I became obsessed with this new look. I’m sick I tell you. I have "line braiding addiction."

I have the same addiction. The person that showed me said that sail boaters coil and power boaters braid. I find myself braiding others

 

[Presentation]

I have the same addiction. The person that showed me said that sail boaters coil and power boaters braid. I find myself braiding others

I love that line!

Can I use it?

 

[Slippery When Wet]

its always a good idea to coil up the excess dock line to prevent your neighbor from tripping on it.

Cleats right in the walkway? Don't make me read another cleat-between-the-toes story.

You two need to read my post a little bit more carefully. :smt021

 

[Rono007]

I pull into my slip bow first and have a line run across the front of the slip with a snap hook in the center. I pull in and put the snap hook in the bow ring, then I have 2, 1/2 inch lines I keep on the dock (dock is floating, one on each side of the boat). The line length is tied off to the port, stern dock cleat with the excess coiled around the cleat, and the loop on the line is used on the boat cleat (easy on and off). I then have 4, 23" fenders (2 stern and 2 midship). When I pull into the slip it only takes 2 minutes to tie up...less to depart.

 

[Slippery When Wet]

I pull into my slip bow first and have a line run across the front of the slip with a snap hook in the center. I pull in and put the snap hook in the bow ring, then I have 2 1/2 inch lines I keep on the dock (floating, one on each side of the boat). The line length is tied off to the dock cleat with the excess coiled, and the line loop is used on the boat cleat. I then have 4 23" fenders (2 stern and 2 midship). When I pull into the slip it only takes 2 minutes to tie up...less to depart.

yep, that is a very popular method of tying up the bow. I was going to do it that way but I cannot reach my bow ring.

I only use two fenders, midship. I permanently attached 2 old, smaller fenders I had horizontally to the dock at the ends (near the stern). These prevent my bow from hitting the corners of the dock as I pull in and they also serve as my stern fenders while tied up.

 

[tbirdvet]

I like bow in as we like to sit on deck and sometimes the people are shore are too noisy and we like our privacy..

 

[billnpat]

I had coiled my excess dock line for years until earlier this year.

A friend showed me how to braid the excess line.

I became obsessed with this new look. I’m sick I tell you. I have "line braiding addiction."

The braided line looks so complex yet so symmetrical.

To the casual observer it looks like I would need to spend a lot of time getting that braid back out. One pull from the bitter end and the braid comes apart like a Rinker in rough water.

Its sexy. Its cool. Its naughty.


Others at the marina asked me to show them how to do it.

Now I see the disease is contagious. It’s starting to spread thru the marina.

During the week when I’m gone from the boat I can’t help it. I need to braid something.

This morning I braided my used dental floss before I tossed it in the trash.

This winter I may need to join a 7 step braiding addiction program.

TRYING TO IMAGINE HOW TO DO THAT, ANY PICS?????:huh: