Tying up to dock

[cobblestone1820]

Would there be a reason I should not use a metal snap clip on the end of my mooring lines for when I tie up to the dock ? Just clip it on to the dock instead of tying a knot each time. This would be to the same dock each time so the length of rope would be the same each time and it would not be real taut in case the water level of the lake receeded. Maybe there is a reason NOT to do this, just curious.

[MH Hawker]

thats how i have been tiring my up for the last 6 years

[cobblestone1820]

Thank You. I will do mine that way also.

[mrlouis]

make sure you buy a quality clip with a strong spring otherwise a cheap clip will fail

[mpilot]

We do ours the opposite and leave the lines on the dock and have clips to clip to the front pontoon eye and a u bolt that is under the deck about one third down the deck. This gives us control over the boat. We then have two lines for the front cleat and two for the rear that are setup where you just have to pass the eyes through the cleats and you are done. All those lines never leave the dock and then we have two 15 foot and 2 25 foot lines on board for tieing up to boats and docks away from home.

[cobblestone1820]

Yep, it will be top quality clips.

[NonHyphenAmerican]

We do ours the opposite and leave the lines on the dock and have clips to clip to the front pontoon eye and a u bolt that is under the deck about one third down the deck. This gives us control over the boat. We then have two lines for the front cleat and two for the rear that are setup where you just have to pass the eyes through the cleats and you are done. All those lines never leave the dock and then we have two 15 foot and 2 25 foot lines on board for tieing up to boats and docks away from home.

Pretty much the way we do it.

Works.

[joe20toon]

Do not use dissimilar metals if - you are attaching to your boat's cleat. I did that on my old flats boat and, over time some corrosion showed up. The front cleat didn't have a metal 'clip.' The rear did and the problem was there.

[cobblestone1820]

Yep, that will happen. Thank you.

[Bamaman]

I always use hollow core nylon ropes on my boat, and I thread a loop into each end sticking the end of the rope inside the hollow core.

I'll usually loop one end through the hole on a cleat at each corner of my boat.

When I tie up at most docks, I'll tie up to a cleat on the dock using the figure 8 knot where I flip last loop under to keep it from unraveling. We learned that knot in the Boy Scouts--Motorboating Merit Badge.

And I carry a number of extra ropes with loops on each end. I can loop them through each other and make longer ropes when needed. It's much easier to unloop ropes than untie ropes with hard knots.

[gmdfst]

I added stainless eye loop to my rail that goes around the deck, lines and fenders on the dock with a clip. Just pull in and clip. Very easy.

[zoom650]

I'm a fan of learning to tie up multiple ways. Conditions change and lines may need to be adjusted. Waves and wind off the water encourage use of spring lines to limit travel of your boat at the dock. Tides can cause lines to need to be reset.

My slip on a lake is dam controlled, so I set my bitter end to proper length (figure-8 wrap with a twist and neat coil) and use the braided loop to my cleats. Easy to come and go, and easy adjustment from the dock if needed. Lots of other boats do what the original poster suggested with a fixed set.

If we're going to another dock, a flip of the twist and my lines come with to be set again.

I keep 4 6-ft lines plus 2 25-ft. The longer lines being greater than my boat's length.

Leftover from whitewater sport, I carry a old 60 foot throw rope in a bag that could be tossed to a dock or needy person in the water.

[Bamaman]

Speaking of Ropes:

I also carry a really heavy 1"+ rope in case I have to tow another boater in--or in case another boater has to tow me in. And it's been used plenty of times.

[Bugsbunnyboater]

I also use a carabiner on my elastic dock lines that are on my slip. It's easy for me to hook,them with my boat hook when I dock

[illinoid]

I do all my lines with hollow core rope threaded into itself like Bamaman. This week I was tied up to the dock with very little current and wind and my loop came out...luckily the Admiral caught toon while I was off getting the trailer. I think i am going to use Knots from now on unless I can find how to make the thread back more secure....Maybe if I thread it in and out and back in.