Mooring on a drying dock.

[SeaBear1965]

Hello. I simply can't get my head around this. When I moor my boat on a drying dock, what is the best way to secure her? By which I mean, after my bilge keels settle, the dock continues to go down, until it too settles, creating a situation where I need to constantly adjust the bow and stern rope, to avoid tight, tight lines. This is especially troublesome if low water is at 3am! I think the answer might be to lose the bow and stern lines and replace them with two spring lines, but I am unsure. Could somebody put me right please? Thank you in advance.

 

[JVL]

Hello. I simply can't get my head around this. When I moor my boat on a drying dock, what is the best way to secure her? By which I mean, after my bilge keels settle, the dock continues to go down, until it too settles, creating a situation where I need to constantly adjust the bow and stern rope, to avoid tight, tight lines. This is especially troublesome if low water is at 3am! I think the answer might be to lose the bow and stern lines and replace them with two spring lines, but I am unsure. Could somebody put me right please? Thank you in advance.

Long head and stern ropes, if the ropes are not heavy a running weight on each line (kellet) Often used by fisherman moored on harbour walls

John

 

[SeaBear1965]

Long head and stern ropes, if the ropes are not heavy a running weight on each line (kellet) Often used by fisherman moored on harbour walls

John

Thanks John. This was also my solution last weekend, when the scenario occurred, though I didn't use weights and ended up about 1 meter away from the dock at low water, when I woke up the next morning. I was lucky though, as there was zero wind. In windy conditions, could that create an uncomfortable situation, where one might be woken knocking against the pontoon side? I was informed, by members of the (newly joined) sailing club, that spring lines were a better solution, however I should continue to use bow and stern lines AND adjust accordingly, never mind the time of night. This struck me as odd. Would the "scissor" (difficult to describe) action of 2 spring lines only, take care of the differing levels during mooring, or could they also go super tight?

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Hello. I simply can't get my head around this. When I moor my boat on a drying dock, what is the best way to secure her? By which I mean, after my bilge keels settle, the dock continues to go down, until it too settles, creating a situation where I need to constantly adjust the bow and stern rope, to avoid tight, tight lines. This is especially troublesome if low water is at 3am! I think the answer might be to lose the bow and stern lines and replace them with two spring lines, but I am unsure. Could somebody put me right please? Thank you in advance.

In my book the customary method of tying up is to use both springs and bow and stern lines no matter what kind of structure you are tying to. In the event of being blown on to the pontoon, ('dock' means something bigger and considerably less mobile on this side of the Atlantic), fenders would deal with any worrying impacts.

 

[Graham376]

In my book the customary method of tying up is to use both springs and bow and stern lines no matter what kind of structure you are tying to. In the event of being blown on to the pontoon, ('dock' means something bigger and considerably less mobile on this side of the Atlantic), fenders would deal with any worrying impacts.

Make the springs as long as possible and shorten or slacken the bow and stern lines as necessary when you bottom, final length dictated by level of pontoon on the bottom. They shouldn't need adjusting again if weights (mentioned above) are hung.

 

[SeaBear1965]

Make the springs as long as possible and shorten or slacken the bow and stern lines as necessary when you bottom, final length dictated by level of pontoon on the bottom. They shouldn't need adjusting again if weights (mentioned above) are hung.

What do people use as weights? And how much weight for my Centaur (8m in length). Cheers.

 

[Graham376]

What do people use as weights? And how much weight for my Centaur (8m in length). Cheers.

Everything varies depending on wind and tide direction and strength. Water and fuel containers are handy weights but sometimes, if the pontoon is against a quay wall, then you can use shore lines to keep the boat tucked in. First time we dried our fin keeler out alongside Castletown outer harbour wall it looked like a cats cradle with ropes everywhere, soon found many were unnecessary.