I've been reading messages so far and hope I can add something. We actually
have a grapple, and have used it when docking at those piers where the only
tie-up is a 4"x4" wood.

We use it from the midship cleat of our 34' trawler. We bend a turn around the
cleat which can be tightened immediately. The grapple is tossed onto the dock
well behind the rail. In our experience it always has caught against the rail.
After that point it is necessary to keep tension on the grapple, thus the need
to be able to take up the slack quickly.

To picture this, one has to recall that the reason you used the grapple in the
first place was that you were being set off the pier. Therefore, once you have
taken the slack out of the line, that setting force should maintain tension for
you, and since the middle of your boat is tethered, the pointy and blunt ends
aren't going too far. There is time to do things deliberately.

Now if you are too far from the dock to get other lines across, you can try
something cautiously: Use the grapple line as a spring line. You put your boat
in gear and go forward. If you turn toward the dock, the bow will come in. If
you turn away from the dock, the stern will come in. Of the two, we have found
that getting a stern line over and secured is better, because then we can use
*that* as a spring to bring the boat alongside.

We bought the grapple from a store that sells supplies to commercial fishermen.
It's little and light, about 14" long and 8-10" wide. I'd be willing to bet
that they are still available.

The commonest mistake people make when just starting to use a grapple is not to
have enough free line to throw the grapple as far as needed. It's true that the
more 'free' line you have, the bigger the scramble to get the slack out when
you've thrown it. Experience teaches the happy medium.

Another subject: Coming to rest against another vessel. With enough fenders,
there should be no problem and as one reply said, it's pretty common in the San
Juans and Canadian Gulf Islands. But the operative word is "fenders" never,
NEVER "boat hook".

Finally: We are considering an "E-Z Docker". This is a special weighted hook
which is designed to grab and hold onto a 4x4, 2x4, etc. I've seen them at boat
shows, and believe they are superior to the grapple. I found an add in
"Yachting" and their info address is There's a website
about it at http://www.boatshowproducts.com/EZDocker.htm It's pretty pricey,
though - so we're still considering.