Doubling shore-lines

[Babylon]

As a matter of course, for anything longer than a quick pitstop, I always make-off our bow and stern lines on the pontoon cleats and then bring the ends back to be made-off on board. I don't use the excess on breast-lines as springs as as some people seem to; I use one or two dedicated nylon ones for this job, a quick bowline and they're in place. That way, when it comes time to go, I can just release the springs, reset the breast-lines as slips without touching their ends, and 'cast-off' from onboard.

What do others do - and why?

 

[Lady Campanula]

A very long time ago, at Gorey and expecting a gale ( taxied up to the airport and asked the forecaster ), I watched my then-skipper rig a very long bow- and stern-line to the quay, then a long bow and stern spring equally far f'wd and aft.

We tied car tyres into the catenary of these, and adjusted now and then.

With fenders trebled up in bunches, and keeping a watch throughout the night, we rode all the surges and scends with no damage. Not so, others.

 

[snowleopard]

I have fairly high freeboard so a breast rope to a pontoon is pretty near vertical. On one occasion in heavy weather the relative motion of boat and pontoon managed to drive a fairlead through the deck. I now rig breast ropes to the outer hull so they don't snatch when the boat bounces. That, combined with a pair of springs, is enough for most conditions. For more security I run a bow and stern line from the inner hull along the pontoon and a second bow and stern line from the outer hull if it looks likely to blow hard.

 

[LadyInBed]

make-off our bow and stern lines on the pontoon cleats and then bring the ends back to be made-off on board.

I don't make them off on the pontoon, just double them back to the boat.
IMO it's the obvious way if you single hand.

 

[john_morris_uk]

This is where I start to look old fashioned.

My problem is that I was brought up to use one line for each job and doubling back to the boat except for the shortest of stops makes me cringe. (You get a wear spot half way down your line and even if I tie onto a buoy I always put a round turn on.)

So - separate lines for each job usually. We usually put round turns and two half hitches on the pontoon or harbour wall cleat or ring. (Bowlines can't be undone under tension) All spare line coiled on deck. Seamanlike and ready for anything...?

If its a tidal harbour, then long bow and stern lines and springs. Breast ropes only if essential as you have to tend them all the time.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I take the same position as john_morris_uk when berthing away from the home port. The point about the round turn and two half hitches is particularly important in my opinion. Even on pontoon cleats a round turn made off with a longish tail allows easy access to your line; particularly if a snakes nest of bowlines ends up on top of the cleat.

The other point about the round turn and half hitches is that you can easily double up when its time to depart, even when the line is under tension. I use a bowline on my own marina berth, under and then over the pontoon cleats as a round turn and two half hitches can work loose.

Having said all that, on some harbours with big bollards a large bowline is preferred as this allows others to use the large bollard with ease. The diameter of the large bollard should prevent any wear on the bight. I still would not double up on a large bollard except when preparing to manoeuvre the yacht.

My mooring warps dont have loops in them, just plain ends, some whipped, some back spliced. If back splicing a mooring warp end try and taper the back splice and make sure that the tails at the end of the splice are flush with the warp. I once had a back splice wedge itself between the planks on the pontoon (in the middle of slipping) because the tails had fluffed up. The extra diameter due to the fluffy tails was enough to jam the warp.

 

[LadyInBed]

I was brought up to use one line for each job

Quite agree.

doubling back to the boat except for the shortest of stops makes me cringe. (You get a wear spot half way down your line . . . )

My lines are 25+ years old and no wear spots just general wear

I do carry a spare set of new (6 year old) lines, but can't bring myself to take them out of the wrappers

It never ceases to amaze me at the inadequacy of some boats lines.

 

[Resolution]

I have just switched to doing just the same as Babylon - breasts down to the pontoon cleat, tie off with OX, back up to the cleat on the yacht. Springs are longer lines, pre-rigged with a bowline to drop over the pontoon cleat, back up through midships fairlead and on to a cleat onboard at the far end of the yacht. (On my pontoon there are plenty of cleats so virtually no need to double up). Before departing, remove the slack spring completely, change breasts to "doubled back" status, then, with engine on, remove second spring, slip breasts and charge off!
One tip: colour code the whipping at the ends of your mooring lines to distinguish shorter (breasts) from longer (springs). Helps to avoid the wrong ones being used.

 

[Babylon]

I have just switched to doing just the same as Babylon - breasts down to the pontoon cleat, tie off with OX, back up to the cleat on the yacht. Springs are longer lines, pre-rigged with a bowline to drop over the pontoon cleat, back up through midships fairlead and on to a cleat onboard at the far end of the yacht. (On my pontoon there are plenty of cleats so virtually no need to double up). Before departing, remove the slack spring completely, change breasts to "doubled back" status, then, with engine on, remove second spring, slip breasts and charge off!
One tip: colour code the whipping at the ends of your mooring lines to distinguish shorter (breasts) from longer (springs). Helps to avoid the wrong ones being used.

Good man! A more eloquent version of what I was trying to say.

Re colour-coding, I had my friendly local rigger make up lovely new blue 3-strand 14mm breast lines at the start of this season (at half the price of Jimmy Green's equivalents). Springs are white 16mm nylon, so no confusion there. I've kept the better two of the old grey/white breast-lines for use on oily fuel pontoons, and can also rig these 'old ropes' as initial midships lines if I'm coming alongside shorthanded.

 

[alan_d]

I fear all this discussion of breasts may cause problems for people reading the forum in places with intrusive content-filters....

 

[jbweston]

This is where I start to look old fashioned.

My problem is that I was brought up to use one line for each job and doubling back to the boat except for the shortest of stops makes me cringe. (You get a wear spot half way down your line and even if I tie onto a buoy I always put a round turn on.)

. . .

John, I think the secret is not just to pass them round with a half turn but OXO them off on the shore cleat and then pass the bitter end back to make fast on the boat on the same cleat as the other end of the same line. That way you get no working of the bight on the shore cleat, the security of two lines doing the same job, no knitting caused by using the line for two jobs, both ends and the surplus on board nice and neat and, when you are preparing to leave, you can undo the OXO on the shore cleat to leave it as just a half turn so the line can be slipped from on deck.

I used to do shore lines as singles and then have to rig slip lines before leaving, but then I realised that the doubling method with the OXO is much easier, at least as secure and much less fuss on leaving the berth.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

It never ceases to amaze me at the inadequacy of some boats lines.

Parking all the technique debates for a moment, LadyInBed's point is the one that amazes me most.... I sometimes find myself utterly bewildered at why someone would park a very expensive and heavy boat in a location known for scend and then use skimpy little lines that will inevitably part eventually...

SWMBO is constantly complaining that our mooring lines are hard work to handle and heavy.... but I do sleep well at night knowing that she's made off with 21mm and 25mm plait

 

[andymcp]

We've never really got one solution that works in all places, but the basics we employ coming alongside a pontoon remain the same.

One rope made fast with the looped end round the midship cleat, someone jumps off and ties it to the aft cleat on the pontoon, then passes the remaining end to the helm to keep the stern in check on the boat's aft cleat. Grab the bow line, make that off on the forward pontoon cleat, use the remainder to bring a spring back to the boat's midship cleat. Rig a bow line on the other side to the pontoon and she's held tight. Most times that's how we leave her and she's survived gales and all quite securely. If it's going to be a real blow and the space next to us is clear, we'll swap to single lines for each job, doubled back to the boat, and also use the opposite finger to rig ropes to keep her off the pontoon slightly.

That's probably very unseamanlike but it works for us and - touch wood - never been a problem.

On moorings, two lines to the bouy, in unfamiliar pontoons I tend to play it safe and get the boat stopped then swap to one line per job, all doubled back to the boat.

 

[gandy]

Useful discussion for me. We don't do a lot of alongside marina mooring so have never settled on a standard arrangement. In the past I've always used the spliced loop on the shore cleat where possible, so I can adjust the length from aboard. Disadvantage is that to rig as a slip I have to redo the line altogether. I will try Babylon's method next time.

 

[alan_d]

SWMBO is constantly complaining that our mooring lines are hard work to handle and heavy.... but I do sleep well at night knowing that she's made off with 21mm and 25mm plait

What size do you use for the boat?