Slack in spring lines - how much?

[smoothmove]

Ok this is probably one of those questions so basic, I didn't want to ask but..

Every Spring seems to bring an oportunity to improve the mooring lines a little over last year and I've been wondering about spring lines lately. I've always left a little slack in the spring lines, maybe enough to allow 2 feet from full front to full rear position. Why? I don't really know, except that it makes it a little easier to catch a line when docking. My question is this. Is there any real advantage to leaving this slack. Each time I've tightened things up, it seems to improve the lurching motions of the boat. I should mention that I tie to a floating dock so the relative level of the boat to the cleat does not change. What would be too tight?
Any comments?
Eric

 

[Pascal]

if you have enough room for the boat to move back and forth, slack is fine although pretty much uneeded on a floating dock.

 

[ThirdHatt]

Great question! I have no idea if this is "right" or not, but I usually keep little slack if any in my spring lines when in a slip. Floating docks are another matter where I have the spring lines tied to the floating dock very tight and the stern lines crossing each other in a tight "X". The boat barely moves more than the dock, so it works well for me.

I do see alot of other similar sized boats on floating docks with slack in their lines and they move all around in their slips. Maybe I'm the one doing it wrong!

 

[Genesis]

Enough to cover the tidal range + a safety margin assuming a fixed dock.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Most times I find that if I tie them fairly tight, they end up stretching and leaving a little slack anyway.

 

[ohiohatteras]

Up here on the Great Lakes we don't get much up & down water levels!!!!
I like to keep my spings tight like piano wires....can't stand having the boat move fore & aft when docked...plus it prevents the fenders from rolling off the posts.

 

[Traveler 45C]

On a floating dock you only need to leave enough slack to get the lines off easily (assuming the eye splices are on the boat).

 

[MikeP]

On my floating dock slip in Long Island I had the fore/aft springs tight so there was less movement/jerking when the wind came up. I did the same with all other lines - Worked great. I'm still trying to figure out lines with these fixed docks! Can't seem to find any length that will handle the tide AND not rub the poles and squeak/groan all night.

 

[Skip]

We keep our springs pretty tight because of the old style satellite dish. Do you mark your lines? It speeds up the docking process. We use electrical tape to mark where the line should cross the pier edge or boat edge). Once you find a good position for all the lines, just mark the proper reference point.

 

[spartonboat1]

Up here on the Great Lakes we don't get much up & down water levels!!!!
I like to keep my spings tight like piano wires....can't stand having the boat move fore & aft when docked...plus it prevents the fenders from rolling off the posts.

Unless you have a bow out slip facing the harbor on Mackinac Island in the peak of the ferry schedule...sleep in that V berth!