MarshallE wrote:
Hi,

Can a large boat be safely docked on a T-head longterm as compared to a
slip? If so, what will need to be done?


There's no problem as long as its relatively protected. The obvious
issue is that there is no way to pull to boat away from the dock, so
the fenders will be doing work whenever there's an "on-dock" breeze.
"Whips" can be used for smaller boats, but I don't think many marinas
would allow them. I would not do it where there is a frequent chop or
wake. I use springs fore and aft so motion is limited but leave the
bow and stern lines eased so that it will normally sit away from the dock.

I've been doing it for 6 years now with my catamaran. (Ever try to
get a slip for a 18 foot beam?) I just waxed the topsides and still
have no dock related flaws. (I have a few caused by other boats!)
However, I did find one problem that took a while to figure out.
Although the starboard side glossed up nice and even, the port side
(the normal dock side) was patchy, and I thought it was my new high
speed buffer getting away from me. The I realized that there were
four spots where the fenders, in fleece covers, had been buffing the
topsides, while the rest of the hull had a bit of oxidation. Although
the oxidation is still minor, it is noticeable against the heavily
buffed spots. So the fenders aren't hurting the boat, but they are
cleaning it unevenly!

(This brings up a buffing question - should oxidation be removed ASAP
or can it be allowed to build for a few years? I'm nervous about
doing a major compounding every year.)