When you're expecting heavy/stormy conditions, consider doubling up your lines. As the diagram at the end of this article shows, you don't always need to use two bow/stern lines, but you should have them on board regardless, because there will likely be a time when you do need them. At a minimum, you should have one bow line, one stern line, and two spring lines. For spring lines, they should be equal to your boats length. Ideally, you should have two stern lines, two bow lines, and two spring lines on board. You can use a bigger line and often boaters prefer this because a larger line is easier to grip and handle than a smaller line (5/8"-3/4" line is the easiest line to grip in our experience).įor length, transient dock lines should be close to 2/3 of the boats length if being used on the stern or bow of the boat. This means a 20' boat should use 3/8" lines. Your dock line should have 1/8" of diameter for every 9' of boat with a minimum size of 3/8". What Size, Length, and Quantity Of Dock Line Do You Need? Conversely, lighter lines shower dirt easier than darker lines. While the color has no real practical use aside from aesthetics, keep in mind that darker lines will tend to fade quicker than lighter lines. If you plan to splice your own lines, do yourself a favor and purchase three strand lines instead of braided as they are a lot easier to splice.ĭock lines come in a variety of colors. Permanent lines which never leave the dock may have loops on both ends. non-permanent lines) will not have loops on both ends of the line as they will need to drawn to various sizes depending on the dock they are on. Double Braided Nylon: Strongest, easy to handle, abrasion resistant and controlled elongation, looks good.Īlmost anything you buy in a store labeled a "dock line" is going to have a loop on one end for fastening it to a cleat, typically around 12" in size. Transient lines (i.e.Braided Nylon: Stronger, easy on the hands, looks good.Three-strand: Abrasion resistant, stretches more, easier to splice, less expensive.There's subtle differences between these three types of lines listed below, but ultimately, any of these types makes an adequate dock line. Dock lines most commonly come in three weave types: three-stand, braided and double braided. Polypropylene degrades quickly in the sun, doesn't have the level of stretch needed, and has a low breaking strength so it is generally a bad choice. In this article we'll give you the skinny on dock lines. We'll tell you what the best types of dock lines are for strength, handling, and safety and also give you techniques for using your dock lines.
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