Spring Ding!

[delevi]

Yo G. That Merc OB looks intimidating. She's hanging off a sailboat you know Mig motor envy???

[delevi]

Just ordered the parts through Arena Yachts. They had an extra port side half laying around, which they're letting me have for next to nothing and ordered the starboard half... so I'm looking at $775 plus tax & freight. Still quite the expensive accident, but much better than $1300+tax & freight.

[beene]

Would it pay off to go through insurance for this, or would your premiums go through the roof?

G

[delevi]

Nah. I'm getting the replacement for around $800. My deductable is $650 so no point in claiming it.

[Highlander]

Well Leon

Their goes 1/3 the cost of a cutter rig with 4ft bowsprit that does not include the labour

J

[delevi]

John,

How close are you on that for your ? I bet you may get a few takers on this site to purchase the bowsprit from you if you can produce it in some quantity.

[Frank C]

... springer-length lines permanently tied between bow and stern cleats, running along the outside. They are pulled tight and securely cleated. As soon as I touch the dock, even if not ideally straight, I just step off and grab the line, and it works like a huge handle along the length of the boat. ...

Good idea~!
I have a full-circumference dockline, but your approach sounds even better.

[johnnyonspot]

Sorry for the bad luck. Don't know if it would have prevented this from happening, and there are probably better ways, but when I leave the dock I take my bow line and bring it back outside the lifelines and loop it on a cleat on the cabin top where it ends to form the cockpit. So when I come into the dock I remove the bow line from the cleat right before I jump out and onto the dock, that way I have it with me, along with the stern line which I loop around the piling a couple times and then run forward to tie off the bow line. If the bow starts leaving the dock I just give it a tug back in.

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

when I leave the dock I take my bow line and bring it back outside the lifelines and loop it on a cleat on the cabin top where it ends to form the cockpit. So when I come into the dock I remove the bow line from the cleat right before I jump out and onto the dock, that way I have it with me, along with the stern line which I loop around the piling a couple times and then run forward to tie off the bow line. If the bow starts leaving the dock I just give it a tug back in.

That is our system likewise, and it works well when visiting a long dock and the need to "walk the Mac" along side the dock for a tie up & visit. If the Mac drifts too close to the dock during this procedure, just use the foot for a slight push off, and continue walking & pulling the Mac along side the dock to the tie up. It works real well. Before we slipped our Mac, this was the trailer loading procedure also. I havent found a better way, especially when single handling.

[delevi]

Well, $800 later, I'm back on the water. Just enjoyed two great days sailing Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Leon

[beene]

Glad to hear it Leon

Still

Wish you would have won a lottery and bought that 115 Etec.

Cheers

G

[RickJ]

... springer-length lines permanently tied between bow and stern cleats, running along the outside. They are pulled tight and securely cleated. As soon as I touch the dock, even if not ideally straight, I just step off and grab the line, and it works like a huge handle along the length of the boat. ...

Good idea~!
I have a full-circumference dockline, but your approach sounds even better.

Quick follow-up - here's some pics of "Milestone" hooked to a pontoon using the lines I described. I was just waiting to pick up some friends so was just temporarily moored at this point.

Cheers, Rick

[ALX357]

RE: the continuous dockline method .... use a pair of thirty-five foot docklines, long enough to reach from the bow cleat to a dock cleat either at the middle for spring lines to the fore and aft, or to both a forward cleat, and at the rear to another cleat, leaving slack between the dock cleats, and ending at the stern boat cleat passing thru the cleat's "hole" but not cleated, just ended with a stopknot. If the line is sufficiently thick, a figure 8 stopknot will never pull thru the cleat and never untie under pressure.
When underway, just pull all the slack thru the stern cleat and tie a slip-knot bight in the dockline as a temporary stop to keep it tight up against the boat - bow to stern - leaving the six feet or so of extra laying coiled on the seat there.
When about to dock, pull the slipknot out so the extra line can be pulled thru, but leave the extra on the seat until actually needing the docklines full length. The line will stay in place until pulled. As you get onto the dock, the line will be available to pull out and wrap around the nearest cleat, and then you will still have the bow under control from the same line. Holding the dock line go to the dock's forward cleat, leaving a slack line until you have pulled the bow of the boat to position and cleating it there. The middle of the line can be looped around the dock cleats and left loosely laying between them, on the dock or over the side but above the water.
As previously posted, wIth one of these long dock ines on each side of the boat, you can always be ready to dock anywhere, either side. Once landed you have a line to both bow and stern.
When leaving the boat, I add another dock line at the stern and bow, to supplement the boat's "built-in" docklines.
....Thirty-five foot docklines are available ready made up with eyesplice on bow end, whipped on the other end .... I bought them in black, to match the trim and hide dirt longer ..... works for me.