My Beef with Dock Lines

My pet peeve is dock lines. Walking around marinas and yacht clubs, I continually see boats tied up with chaffed and worn dock lines or even worse with old halyards.

It never ceases to amaze me that people secure their boats – usually a big investment – with old, chaffed or no-stretch rope. Do they really not care about their boat? While this habit can be beneficial to a service or repair company it can lead to heartache, major expense and lost time on the water for the owner.

What’s the solution? Choose lines that fit their purpose. Good dock lines are pliable and have stretch to absorb any shock loads during the movement of the boat at the dock. They are typically made of nylon and are either 3-strand or double braid rope. While this type of line does break down in the sun and gets dirty, making the fibres stiff, washing lines at the end of the season will extend their life.

Dock Lines should be replaced as soon as they show significant wear or when they are no longer pliable. The cost of replacing your dock lines is small considering the dollars you have invested in your boat. To prevent damage to your boat and dock, or worse yet, finding your slip or mooring ball empty, invest in good dock lines.

Give us a call for help with all your dock line needs.