The issue of safety for the boat remains paramount, but another factor is
comfort. It can be subtle (or not), but elasticity in docking lines can make
a difference in how comfortable and restful the occupants find a boat.

And, smaller lines have more elasticity. So I don't go for the "as big as
you can manage" policy. Snubbers have been mentioned. Another simple
technique is to make the lines as long as practical. If you can tie the
stern up from the further away cleat, do so. If you can run a spring line
one cleat further along the dock, it will not jerk the boat and passengers
around as much.

Twisted lines have more elasticity than braided - but a little less
strength, and they say they're not as comfortable to handle (wimps! s). I
can't find them in the shops very easily in the larger sizes and lengths
anymore.

I know one guy who sat out a long storm at dock using very long, small
spring lines, and said it made a big improvement. He also laid out heavier,
shorter lines as back-up - just left them slack, and, as usual, got by with
much smaller lines than most people would intuitively feel adequate.

Half inch lines on my 26-footer provide a good deal of reserve strength (if
in good condition).

Charles

====

Charles T. Low
www.boatdocking.com

====

wrote in message
oups.com...
I don't know if this topic has been done to death, but I am interested
in finding out what various boaters use for dock lines. The
information on the internet can be very confusing, and I have seen web
sites that recommend completely different rope sizes for the same size
boats. The rule of thumb is 1/8 inch diameter for every 9 feet of
boat. This is also what West Marine says in their literature. Other
sites say that boats over 25 feet, for instance, should use 1/2 rope.
I have moored my Bayliner 2859 all winter with just 3/8 inch lines, but
it has been in a protected slip.

wrote in message
oups.com...

wrote:
I don't know if this topic has been done to death, but I am interested
in finding out what various boaters use for dock lines. The
information on the internet can be very confusing, and I have seen web
sites that recommend completely different rope sizes for the same size
boats. The rule of thumb is 1/8 inch diameter for every 9 feet of
boat. This is also what West Marine says in their literature. Other
sites say that boats over 25 feet, for instance, should use 1/2 rope.
I have moored my Bayliner 2859 all winter with just 3/8 inch lines, but
it has been in a protected slip.


Suggestion: select the heaviest line you can reasonably use with your
cleats. One wouldn't need 5/8" line for a little runabout, for example,
which is a good thing because most have cleats that will just about do
maybe 3/8. If it seems like there is a huge surplus of space on or
under the cleat when you are made fast to the dock, odds are the mfgr
envisioned larger mooring lines than are being used and that could be
an initial indicator that a larger diameter line would be a better
choice.

2005 17.5 foot Bayliner runabout 5/8" fits fine
in the cleats "with" fenders w/ 1/4" line. Plenty
of room. 20 foot 5/8" pre-looped doc line at
GI Joes is like $8-$9, and is great, good and flexible.