Marking your docklines

Post your technical questions or solutions about your boat's sails and rigging and here.

Moderator: KenKrawford

Post Reply
Bob MacWright
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:30 pm

Marking your docklines

Post by Bob MacWright »

My wife always complained how long it took me to adjust the docklines when we would head for home on Sunday night. I decided to mark them, so I wouldn't have to fuss with them so much every time.

My slip is too narrow to back in, so I am bow in, and when I get to the boat, I have to adjust the lines to bring the boat forward in the slip and bring the bow over near enough to the finger pier that it is easy to get on and off. So I wanted to mark the dock lines twice, one set of markings for when I am at the boat, and another for when I'm not there.

I got two different sizes of nylon twine, one about 1/8" in diameter, the other about 1/16". With the docklines set for when I am there, I used the smaller diameter twine to whip the lines about 1-1/2" each. Then I adjusted the docklines for when I'm not there, and whipped the lines with the larger twine for about 1-1/2" each. On most of my docklines, the whippings are about 12-18" apart. The whippings are at the point where the docklines first touch the cleat.

Now, when I get to the boat, I hop aboard and adjust the lines to the thin twine whipping. Before I leave the boat, I re-adjust the docklines to the thick whipping.

It only took about an hour to do all of the whippings; since the twine is fairly thick, it goes quickly. Having the lines marked saves me a lot of time, and my wife doesn't complain anymore!
Post Reply