"Maxprop" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Currently, I don't use snubbers (e.g., http://tinyurl.com/2bm2g3), but I
see a lot of boats using them. I'm using the standard three line braid
dock line and spring lines, so I don't really see the need, especially
since they apparently degrade rather fast. And, $35 each??

What do you think? Do you use them?

They are an absolute necessity where we are. Fortunately I'm now on the
leeward side of the floating dock from the prevailing winds and seaway.
When a storm kicks up out of the southwest, the long fetch down our lake
can produce some mighty big waves which cause boats on the leeward side of
the dock to roll violently and snap their leeward dock lines violently as
well. Without snubbers, even oversized lines would part in short order, or
cleats would be damaged or pull out of the boats. The snubbers on my
leeward lines has kept them solid and sound for years, and the snubbers
I've been using are at least a decade old. It only takes an annual
wipedown with Formula 303 to preserve them nicely. They are very cheap
insurance against disaster where we are.

Max

I'm in a single berth... barely enough for the 10 foot beam of the boat.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

* Capt. JG wrote, On 3/16/2007 1:56 AM:

I'm in a single berth... barely enough for the 10 foot beam of the boat.

I inherited them on my old boat and they made sense on a few of the
docklines. Where the distance is small, say under 5 feet, there is
not enough room for the stretch of nylon to take affect, but the
geometry sometimes means the short runs need the most stretch..

On the catamaran, every dockline has 20 to 30 feet from the deck to
the dock cleat, so there's plenty of room for stretch, and the boat
can move a fair amount without stressing any line. Also, the cat
doesn't do the nasty dock roll that seems to kill dock lines the fastest.

BTW, I also had a snubber on the mainsheet of the Nonsuch - it came in
handy when jibing.

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
* Capt. JG wrote, On 3/16/2007 1:56 AM:

I'm in a single berth... barely enough for the 10 foot beam of the boat.

I inherited them on my old boat and they made sense on a few of the
docklines. Where the distance is small, say under 5 feet, there is not
enough room for the stretch of nylon to take affect, but the geometry
sometimes means the short runs need the most stretch..

On the catamaran, every dockline has 20 to 30 feet from the deck to the
dock cleat, so there's plenty of room for stretch, and the boat can move a
fair amount without stressing any line. Also, the cat doesn't do the
nasty dock roll that seems to kill dock lines the fastest.

BTW, I also had a snubber on the mainsheet of the Nonsuch - it came in
handy when jibing.


Boom brake?

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
"Maxprop" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Currently, I don't use snubbers (e.g., http://tinyurl.com/2bm2g3), but I
see a lot of boats using them. I'm using the standard three line braid
dock line and spring lines, so I don't really see the need, especially
since they apparently degrade rather fast. And, $35 each??

What do you think? Do you use them?

They are an absolute necessity where we are. Fortunately I'm now on the
leeward side of the floating dock from the prevailing winds and seaway.
When a storm kicks up out of the southwest, the long fetch down our lake
can produce some mighty big waves which cause boats on the leeward side
of the dock to roll violently and snap their leeward dock lines violently
as well. Without snubbers, even oversized lines would part in short
order, or cleats would be damaged or pull out of the boats. The snubbers
on my leeward lines has kept them solid and sound for years, and the
snubbers I've been using are at least a decade old. It only takes an
annual wipedown with Formula 303 to preserve them nicely. They are very
cheap insurance against disaster where we are.

Max

I'm in a single berth... barely enough for the 10 foot beam of the boat.

Snubbers require some distance between the boat and the dock for
stretch/extension of the dockline. If you're in a tight situation, snubbers
will be of no value. In fact they might allow your boat to strike the dock
in wind or seaway.

Max

"Maxprop" wrote in message
ink.net...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
"Maxprop" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Currently, I don't use snubbers (e.g., http://tinyurl.com/2bm2g3), but
I see a lot of boats using them. I'm using the standard three line
braid dock line and spring lines, so I don't really see the need,
especially since they apparently degrade rather fast. And, $35 each??

What do you think? Do you use them?

They are an absolute necessity where we are. Fortunately I'm now on the
leeward side of the floating dock from the prevailing winds and seaway.
When a storm kicks up out of the southwest, the long fetch down our lake
can produce some mighty big waves which cause boats on the leeward side
of the dock to roll violently and snap their leeward dock lines
violently as well. Without snubbers, even oversized lines would part in
short order, or cleats would be damaged or pull out of the boats. The
snubbers on my leeward lines has kept them solid and sound for years,
and the snubbers I've been using are at least a decade old. It only
takes an annual wipedown with Formula 303 to preserve them nicely. They
are very cheap insurance against disaster where we are.

Max

I'm in a single berth... barely enough for the 10 foot beam of the boat.

Snubbers require some distance between the boat and the dock for
stretch/extension of the dockline. If you're in a tight situation,
snubbers will be of no value. In fact they might allow your boat to
strike the dock in wind or seaway.

That's what I was thinking also. They're not required.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com