Cleats or Bollards?

They're bitts, not bollards. Bollards are the upright lumps of steel on the quay to which you make fast.
But yes, bitts every time, just as long as they're not too small to be useful, otherwise cleats are probably better.
 
jrc1983 said:
They're bitts, not bollards. Bollards are the upright lumps of steel on the quay to which you make fast.
But yes, bitts every time, just as long as they're not too small to be useful, otherwise cleats are probably better.
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My biggest reservation is that most bitts have small short cross bars, and it's very easy for the rope to fall off.
What do you think?
 
To be honest, the best thing to do might be to see what size of mooring line you're intending to use for the boat and do a bit of a road test, ideally on another boat with them already fitted. A lot of it will come down to personal choice and what you feel most comfortable with using.
 
jrc1983 said:
To be honest, the best thing to do might be to see what size of mooring line you're intending to use for the boat and do a bit of a road test, ideally on another boat with them already fitted. A lot of it will come down to personal choice and what you feel most comfortable with using.
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I was always told that you must be able to slip bow and stern lines, but I've seen lots of boats tied up with a fixed loop over the boat end of the bollard,surely that bad practice if your rope gets snagged?
 
rustybarge said:
+1

But most commercial boats have bollards.....What's the advantage?
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I've only ever seen very large bollards on commercial boats - ferries and cargo boats - which take ropes that are so thick you would not be able to tie knots or wind them round cleats. Those bollards seem to assume that a large loop spliced into the end of the mooring warp will simply be dropped over them.
 
Ropes on bitts are easier to slip than cleats as the line is made fast in a series of figure of eights on the bitts, friction is what keeps it secure. So flick off a few turns and any tension in the line will run out.
With a cleat, letting go is a bit more up close and personal and not ideal in a hurry.
 
maby said:
I've only ever seen very large bollards on commercial boats - ferries and cargo boats - which take ropes that are so thick you would not be able to tie knots or wind them round cleats. Those bollards seem to assume that a large loop spliced into the end of the mooring warp will simply be dropped over them.
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I think large ships normally throw the loop end over the shore bollard, and have twin bollards on deck to wind the ropes around.......so they do keep bow and stern lines as slip lines.

The standard bollard above seems to have a very short cross bar, maybe that's why people put a loop over it?
 
rustybarge said:
Problem is they look very large and would look daft on a small hull....
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Perhaps I've over done it...

DSC_0714_zps55b97f7d.jpg
 
Perhaps I've over done it...
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Looks good to me....it's in proportion to the size of your boat.

Have you noticed that boats with bollards seem to have a 'bird nest' tangle of ropes attached to the bollard, which consistes of a permanent loop around the bollard, then a bundle of rope hooked over it, then a figure of eight loosely wrapped over the top cross bar......doesn't inspire confidence!
 
The advantage of a set of bitts is that you can throw coils on from a safer distance. With a cleat your hands need to be closer to the pinch points. This is of little issue if coming along side in a sheltered marina but if your in a situation where you would be making fast a line that is running then the further you can get your hands from the pinch the safer your fingers will be. Bitts with bars protruding from them (Stag Horns/Sampson Posts) are only supposed to be used on one side, ie, you bend the line in figure 8 fashion between the top and one of the side protruding bars only (opposite side to the load). You should not use both protruding bars at once.
In situations where lines may need adjusted under load you can also wrap a line around one side of the bitts as if it were a windlass warping end. That way you can unwind a couple of coils until it starts to slip then add them back when you want to make fast again using the friction to your advantage.
 
rustybarge said:
Problem is they look very large and would look daft on a small hull

this bollard seems to have a proper cross bar, or is it more of a Sampson post?

View attachment 31853
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Alarm - the old Poole Police launch - was an Aquabell 28 or something like that and she these fitted to her. Looked good and really easy to use. You could take a loop underneath the crossbar and then drop it back on itself and under the outer bit of the cross bars and it would never come adrift or you could just use it as a cleat and put a figure of eight or two on it.

stainless-steel-mooring-bitt-for-boats-and-docks-26094-219159.jpg
 
OP top right is my preference as sometimes we moor alongside a quay that is way above deck level and you can pass the line through the eye before making fast and it cant slip off.

The bottom on in op is only any good if the deck line is level or above where you are mooring alongside ie a pontoon or another boat at the same level.

The single bit with a cross tree I have on my boat at the stern and its difficult to secure more than one line on it.

Give me top right in op each time.
 
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