Two ropes on one cleat

[JimC]

I customarily hitch the bow/stern line to the cleat and then hitch the spring over the top of it on the same cleat, each hitch consisting of a half turn round the base of the cleat followed by two or three crossing turns with the final one locked. There's just room for this on my cleats using 14 mm rope. I just wondered whether this is considered "good practice".

On a related topic: when using docklines with a spliced loop at one end, is it customary to have the loop on the boat or the shore/pontoon.

 

[l'escargot]

There is seldom an alternative to putting 2 lines to one cleat on a boat, some will argue over whether a locking turn is needed though. Put the loop to the cleat on the pontoon, then other people can do the same if they need to share the cleat. You can also adjust the lines from the boat and any excess is stored on the boat rather than occupying space on the pontoon/cleat

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I doubt that is is good practice but we all do it and I certainly wouldn't worry about it other than to be aware that it can make it a bit more difficult to release one line.

If you put a looped line on a shared pontoon and others put their lines on top of it then you will have to take every other line off to get to your own. For that reason I wouldn't put an eye on a pontoon cleat.
Having said that, I was taught to hand a line to a third party with a bowline already on it. The theory being that they just have to drop the bowline onto a cleat and you haul any loose line in from the boat.

Personally, I don't worry to much about these things. So long as I come in to land without a bump or injury then it's good enough for me.

 

[l'escargot]

...If you put a looped line on a shared pontoon and others put their lines on top of it then you will have to take every other line off to get to your own...

Not if they put theirs on properly and thread it up through your loop before dropping it over the cleat - still a lot easier than having to undo lots of lines all wound round the cleat over the top of yours though.

 

[Spi D]

Depends on the situation, IMO.

My own berth has permanent lines to easily put and keep the boat where I want it. Loops at poles and bridge, in this occasion.

When visiting other berths I prefer to keep both ends on the boat, like in locks. Makes it easy to adjust and recover when you move on.

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Not if they put theirs on properly and thread it up through your loop before dropping it over the cleat - still a lot easier than having to undo lots of lines all wound round the cleat over the top of yours though.

Yes, I know. But the point is that that can only be done if others loop through the other lines. It rarely happens, hence my comments.
Personally, I would never have a spliced eye on mooring lines unless perhaps I had dedicated lines for a marina berth.

 

[l'escargot]

Yes, I know. But the point is that that can only be done if others loop through the other lines. It rarely happens, hence my comments.
Personally, I would never have a spliced eye on mooring lines unless perhaps I had dedicated lines for a marina berth.

You could always loop it through for them if you took their lines...

 

[Stemar]

Personally, I would never have a spliced eye on mooring lines unless perhaps I had dedicated lines for a marina berth.

Interesting. I'm the exact opposite. I splice eyes into both ends of my lines. It means I can get the lines set up quickly on board - and trust SWMBO to do it right (she doesn't do knots) - then get a line ashore and set up quickly with an OXXO. Finally, I tidy up at leisure leaving just the eye ashore so the cleat's also available for others and I can adjust if necessary from aboard.

I appreciate that there's a theoretical risk of an eye fouling the cleat when slipping, but it doesn't seem to happen in practice.

 

[rivonia]

Hmm we do it very differently. We have LONG warps and pass the line BACK on board. This means we can go at leisure without assistance. Yes we do put two line on one cleat.

Peter

 

[JimC]

Interesting. I'm the exact opposite. I splice eyes into both ends of my lines...

The harbour staff at Conwy don't like this as it makes it difficult/impossible for them to adjust the position a boat when needed on the long council pontoons.

 

[Seajet]

If the cleat is the type with a gap in the middle, put a bowline through that so as to keep clear of others. Any other line can go on top, with ' once round, figure of 8 and a hitch '.

 

[l'escargot]

Hmm we do it very differently. We have LONG warps and pass the line BACK on board. This means we can go at leisure without assistance. Yes we do put two line on one cleat.

Peter

The danger with that is that you end up with a wear point halfway down your line and ultimately end up with 2 short lines you can do nothing with. If the loop at the end wears at least you can cut off the last couple of feet off, form a new loop and you still have a usable line.