Dock Lines: Is a long eye splice better chafe protection?

[sgharford]

I had the same muse for this question as MikeP did.

While pulling out every line I had out to secure the boat for Irene, I came across a spare that came with the boat. It was ¾” nylon 3 strand with a 2+ foot eye splice that I used as a spring line. I noticed the line laid across the boat rather nicely from boat cleat on its way down to the dock cleat. Later that day a small commercial tug tied up for the storm. I noticed ALL his lines had 2’ to 3’ eyes and laid across the boat in similar fashion to mine. Got me wondering if a long eye splice makes for better chafe protection then your standard 1 foot eye. A longer eye is definitely easier to work with. Included pictures below as I was down there this morning undoing the spider web.

Long Eye Splice (2’+)


Standard Eye Splice (1’)

[Canuck Dennis]

The eye should never be on the boat cleat, only the bitter end, in an emergency to get the boat off the dock and under line strain, you may never get that eye released.

[J's Dream]

The eye should never be on the boat cleat, only the bitter end, in an emergency to get the boat off the dock and under line strain, you may never get that eye released.

And how do you propose I get 3 or 4+ lines on one cleat for a storm without using the eye? In an emergency, you use a knife, ax, whatever.

And pulling back into the slip, I use the eye on the boat because the length is already set. No one else seems to know how to tie up a boat when you need them to.

[Jaxfishgyd]

ALWAYS use chafing protection when a hurricane is coming......
I too put the eye on the boat cleats... I can put 3 lines on one cleat that way... Have done 4.
Easier to adjust from the dock than a rocking boat....(well, in most cases)

[sgharford]

So what's the good word about extra large eye splices?

That commercial tug I mentioned in my first post had then exclusively for all 20+ dock lines he had out. I like em allot, only downside I can see is paying a couple extra bucks for extra line to make larger loop.

[rsmith]

If you look at the left side of the pic you will see a 3/4" line parted in the middle and on the right side the long loop is worn thru and starting to unwind. Having been thru 2 cat 3's within 3 weeks in 04 I found a lot of the things you read in the boating mags dont work. For frances I had chafing gear as shown in the above pic.The first time the lines streched the wire ties popped and the sleeve worked its way down where it did no good.(garden hose is worthless as it melts under the load) But the chafing was not where the lines crossed the boat but where they bent on the cleat and there is nothing you can do about it. I can only get 2 3/4 lines on each cleat. Since there is no way to even think about working with lines even over 80 I had the third set on the poles and secured them loosly to the bow rail stantions. the first line on the cleat I left loose then the second I tightened up as the working line. As it chew thru and parted I took the line off the stantion and secured it. By the time Jeanne came thru 3 weeks later I was running low on lines and used 2 3/4 braided lines. Jeanne had more dramatic gusts than Frances and most time it was hard to even stand in the boat with out getting knocked off your feet as the boat shot back and forth in the slip. Both braided lines parted in the surges with a crack like a rifle shot. Looking at the lines later on they were actualy melted. I would asume the tention of the braid when its streched creats a lot of heat. both lines parted mid way between the cleat and the pole.
Where I use chafing gear now I thread the wire ties thru the strands of the rope then with an awl poke holes thru the sleeve. I dont cinch the wire tie ip but leave it a little loose. I would not put the loop end on the cleat because when the surge comes you need to pay out line quick and you dont want to cut the line because you need all the lines you can get.
You def want long loops on the poles. If you choke the pole with a short loop it will eat its self thru in no time where the line bends around the loop. I keep a 600' spool of 3'4" line in the garage and splice my own. I did use Bowlines on the springs cause I ran out of time between storms.

[rsmith]

This is my current setup. I added 3 more poles to the tie offs which gave me a cluster of 6 and added a cluster of 3 on the dock side.

[Messi26Deigo]

If you look at the left side of the pic you will see a 3/4" line parted in the middle and on the right side the long loop is worn thru and starting to unwind. Having been thru 2 cat 3's within 3 weeks in 04 I found a lot of the things you read in the boating mags dont work. For frances I had chafing gear as shown in the above pic.The first time the lines streched the wire ties popped and the sleeve worked its way down where it did no good.(garden hose is worthless as it melts under the load) But the chafing was not where the lines crossed the boat but where they bent on the cleat and there is nothing you can do about it. I can only get 2 3/4 lines on each cleat. Since there is no way to even think about working with lines even over 80 I had the third set on the poles and secured them loosly to the bow rail stantions. the first line on the cleat I left loose then the second I tightened up as the working line. As it chew thru and parted I took the line off the stantion and secured it. By the time Jeanne came thru 3 weeks later I was running low on lines and used 2 3/4 braided lines. Jeanne had more dramatic gusts than Frances and most time it was hard to even stand in the boat with out getting knocked off your feet as the boat shot back and forth in the slip. Both braided lines parted in the surges with a crack like a rifle shot. Looking at the lines later on they were actualy melted. I would asume the tention of the braid when its streched the soft dog creats a lot of heat. both lines parted mid way between the cleat and the pole.
Where I use chafing gear now I thread the wire ties thru the strands of the rope then with an awl poke holes thru the sleeve. I dont cinch the wire tie ip but leave it a little loose. I would not put the loop end on the cleat because when the surge comes you need to pay out line quick and you dont want to cut the line because you need all the lines you can get.
You def want long loops on the poles. If you choke the pole with a short loop it will eat its self thru in no time where the line bends around the loop. I keep a 600' spool of 3'4" line in the garage and splice my own. I did use Bowlines on the springs cause I ran out of time between storms.

it can be difficult to control the wear and abrasion critical parts of the rope are exposed to. Our range of chafe protection helps to significantly extend the service life of ropes.

[Pascal]

The eye should never be on the boat cleat, only the bitter end, in an emergency to get the boat off the dock and under line strain, you may never get that eye released.

It depends on which line.

For spring lines at home slip I ALWAYS rig the eye on the boat clear since it guarantees the boat will never be able to back into the dock. Bow and stern, yes I use the bitter end aboard

When a transient, we almost always double up lines so we can release from the boat without having to rely on someone ashore