otnmbrd wrote:
Guy standing between the line and bulwarks is asking to get a serious
rope burn or worse if the other holding it should suddenly let go, since
he has no "turn" on anything.

?? There is nobody between a line and a bulwark. There are three lines
in this picture

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...93692203gOXLkd

One dock line is secured at the port hawse. The second is led from the
samson post to the port hawse, then to the dock. The third is from the
samson post to the starboard hawse and then to an anchor which is just
starting to dig in.

These lines were sweated up pretty tight by hand, but I doubt that would
snap any of them. Since the boat was not in motion, and no line was
secured to anything that had any potential to move, the danger seems
very slight. Normally we are very careful of lines under strain and I'm
a little surprised you'd make this comment.

The boat was being secured for a hurricane and the anchor was set to
hold the boat away from the dock, also as a precaution against strong
current in the canal. We were in a canal above the locks, this was about
as a good place to secure for a hurricane as could be found on the US
East Coast. The other pictures that show the chafing gear, which worked
magnificently, might be of interest.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King