Mooring line length ?

[Phill]

I'm off to replace the mooring lines for my Princess 33 this weekend.
Are there any rules for ratios of length and diameter that I should be aware of. I'd always thought stern lines were 2.x lOA and bow lines were 1.5 x LOA. Also existing lines seem very thin. What diameter should I be looking for and lastly what types of rope is best suited?
The boat is only used on the upper Thames and your advice would be appreciated.

 

[boatone]

I think you will find that 10-12 meter lines alround will be plenty long enough and 12mm or possibly 15mm thick. Pop into the chandlers and try them for size.

I have a 36 foot cruiser on the tHames and the above is exactly what I use too.

 

[Steve Clayton]

Keep your new lines clean(er) by using your existing lines for the locks.

 

[Pinnacle]

Try this for size and this for lengths.

 

[nedmin]

mine are length + beam + a couple of yards you can then turn the boat round from the mooring while stood on dry land.but I use some deep locks also so handy for that.

 

[andy_wilson]

2 Lines LOA X 1.5
2 Lines LOA X 2
Diameter = 1.5mm per m LOA
ie 10m LOA = 15mm Diameter
Nylon. 3 strand easy to eye splice, or 8 strand. Nice to handle, good and stretchy, sinks if you drop an end in the water as you set off.

 

[DERF]

Buy the longest lines you can afford and lots of them... sort of penny pinching to buy lines that leave you short see.... or worse to have only a couple of lines on board!

See lots of that in the Solent area... bits of rope tied together coz owners wanted to save a few bob.....

Not good form at all!

As for diameter.... the bigger the better IMHO!

 

[pheran]

You cannot be serious......... Problem is lines have to be handled and excessive length or diameter tends to get in the way of this. On the upper Thames I wouldn't bother with anything longer than 1.5xLOA actually rigged on the boat with perhaps a couple of longer lines kept in the locker for those rare occasions when you might have to raft out and need to rig a shore line.

 

[hlb]

Well I for one am not farting about up the Thames. Main mooring rpes are 20mm and about 16 metres each. Though I do have some smaller ones for cruising, but also some bigger longer ones as well.

Had some nylon ones once, I gave them away, stiff as a board.

 

[powerskipper]

they need to reach from the boat to the shore, does that help. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Phill]

Thanks for that Julie! But if my lines are thirteen metres long and one end is tied to the boat and the other to the shore, how do I get off the boat? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Doh! I'll use the tender!!!

 

[hlb]

You obviously never tied to harbour wall then.

 

[pelicanpete]

Don't agree with Derf. Bigger better? Not always the case. Try getting a decent wrap around a small cleat with a big dia. line. Get the correct size. Also lines that are too long can be very cumbersome to handle.

 

[miket]

As a Thames boater for many years I am with Pheran.
Too long and they are a real pain in the ... for throwing and general use.
Too thick and you fill up the cleat with a couple of turns and totally unneccesary. If you go to sea, buy some longer and thicker ones but not 20mm.