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Old 09-03-09, 12:07 PM   #1
nofearengineer
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Default Tying off at the dock

I tie off to the dock cleat with the standard cleat hitch. I would assume most people know and use that knot.

However, how do you tie your rope to your boat?

My boat has the standard cleats. My ropes have pre-made loop at one end. Rather than take that loop and run it under the cleat, and then pull the loop back over the two horns, I put the loop around the horns, and then pull the rope through the loop, so that the dock end of the rope is on top of the loop.

This way, it is impossible for the loop to come undone from the boat because of some fool making a wake in the no-wake zone.

Does anyone else do this too? I see a lot of other boats with the loop on top of the line. That could be undone in one second, or even worse, by accident.
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Old 09-03-09, 12:55 PM   #2
Nater1300
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Never thought of that nofear
My ropes have premade loops also and I run them through the standard way so If I am going to tie off there more than once, I can leave the rope attached to the dock. I may have to change my way of thinking
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Old 09-03-09, 02:39 PM   #3
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My docking rope also has the loop at one end. I always run the loop through the center of my cleat and then back and around the "ears", I don't think it can come undone. Then use the cleat hitch on the dock and the rear of my boat. I always tie up both ends of my boat because I have seen too many times boats at the ramp turned around the wrong way with the skeg sitting on the concrete.

I also carry a couple of portable cleats similar to these:

The ones I have are a little different and I don't remember the name. They are a lifesaver if you come to a wooden dock without any tie down points.
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Old 09-03-09, 04:47 PM   #4
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Nofear, in 30-some years of mooring to a dock with the standard "loop through and over" I gotta say, I have never once seen it come undone, and the lake we commonly use it on is primarily a waterskiing lake, so it is non-stop wakes rolling by. Doesn't your method there require you leave the ropes on the cleats though?
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Old 09-03-09, 05:31 PM   #5
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i sling shot my docking rope around the base of my cleat. as for dock cleats the first thing i do is wrap the rope around the horns and give it a yank. if it don't move i go around the base and triple up the horns..a tie job i learned a long time ago with a much larger boat..

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Old 09-03-09, 06:23 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wargoth View Post
Nofear, in 30-some years of mooring to a dock with the standard "loop through and over" I gotta say, I have never once seen it come undone, and the lake we commonly use it on is primarily a waterskiing lake, so it is non-stop wakes rolling by. Doesn't your method there require you leave the ropes on the cleats though?
Yes, it does, though I suppose you could just pull them off when you head out on the lake, just like the other way.

I'm glad to hear the other way hasn't been bad either though. I'm just over-conscious of it since the first time I got around these guys at KY Lake, my boat floated away where I ran it ashore, and WTL luckily saved me from swimming after it. Obviously, that wasn't a rope-cleat thing, but I don't want to lose any more boats.

Zooker, I'm not sure if I understand what exactly you're describing. Maybe you'll show me at the next get-together?
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Old 09-03-09, 06:56 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nofearengineer View Post
Zooker, I'm not sure if I understand what exactly you're describing. Maybe you'll show me at the next get-together?
hopefully with out the help of the zara spooky boat recovery team..


i'll have to get a pic of my triple up tie job.

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Old 09-03-09, 10:04 PM   #8
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Quote:
Doesn't your method there require you leave the ropes on the cleats though?
Do you pull your ropes off the cleats after you leave the dock? I leave mine on and just coil the ropes in the boat. I do pull the fenders in ... most of the time (hehe).
I do use the conventional loop up through the cleat and wrap around the horns which seems really secure to me. With the exception of stiff rope, I can't imagine them coming off unintentionally, regardless of the bobbing around. But hey, if you're more comfortable with the tie off, well, it's yer boat!
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Old 09-03-09, 10:20 PM   #9
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Do you pull your ropes off the cleats after you leave the dock? I leave mine on and just coil the ropes in the boat. I do pull the fenders in ... most of the time (hehe).
I used to pull them off, but these days I leave them around the cleat, and coiled up in the boat. I do this after taking an unexpected swim one day this summer. I discovered how "not" easy it is to get back into a bass boat in open water. Hopefully, if that were to happen again, I could grab the rope and use it to help me back in. It's easier than a diet, I guess LOL.
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Old 09-04-09, 01:36 AM   #10
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Usually, we leave our ropes tied off to the dock and unhitch them from the boat. Extra ropes laying around while we are waterskiing is just more hassle than we need. Also it is easier to just pop the loops through and over the cleats each time we dock rather than to retie at the dock each time.
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Old 09-04-09, 09:37 AM   #11
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So you have your own dock, Wargoth? I fish at public reservoirs. My ropes would last about 30 seconds if I left them.
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Old 09-04-09, 10:15 AM   #12
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c'mon nofear....them ropes would last 2 minutes easy!!!
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Old 09-04-09, 11:51 AM   #13
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I pull my boat up onto the dock . It is not that heavy.
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Old 09-04-09, 02:36 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nofearengineer View Post
I used to pull them off, but these days I leave them around the cleat, and coiled up in the boat. I do this after taking an unexpected swim one day this summer. I discovered how "not" easy it is to get back into a bass boat in open water. Hopefully, if that were to happen again, I could grab the rope and use it to help me back in. It's easier than a diet, I guess LOL.
I haven't done that (knock wood), but 'stuff' happens...makes me think though that I've been 'reckless' lately with my "un-water-protected" cell phone in my pocket...
Anyway, I leave the ropes right on the cleats - when I come back into the dock at an angle at putt-putt speed, I turn off the motor with just 'nuff momentum to kiss the dock, then step off the bow, rope in hand and tie off. Works well except the stern sometimes swings out so the girls throw me the stern line - alone, I'd need a slightly different method.

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Old 09-05-09, 01:31 AM   #15
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So you have your own dock, Wargoth? I fish at public reservoirs. My ropes would last about 30 seconds if I left them.
Yeah, we have one we haul out to camp with us. Either way though, like I said, never seen one come undone looping through and over like that. and it is easer to get undone when you moor like we do anyway.
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Old 09-05-09, 11:32 PM   #16
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I pull my boat up onto the dock . It is not that heavy.
I love it,no need for ropes.
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Old 09-07-09, 12:51 PM   #17
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I just beach my boat.
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