Seasonal docking problem

SirDonavin

New Member
I purchased a Capri mod one last summer that has no upgrades and the only modification is that the jib haylard is one line instead of 2 lines. We are also new to the lake here in Weare,nh this being our second season. The wakes are really strong at our dock and my boat is getting slammed around a bunch. I dont want to launch the boat every time that i want to get a quick sail in. The winds are not really that great as is since the lake is small and narrow. How are others tying of there dock lines to their boats? Since this model has not modifications there really is no good spot for lines. Im at a breaking point of saying this is a boat that is better for raising out of the water every time for usage but dont want to purchase a small boat lift that cost more than the actual boat. I really love this boat cause i can get more that one other person onto it. One of my options would be to put in a mooring however there is still the question of were should i tie of to. My dock is about 4 ft short that the boat so another option would be to get whips or a floating extension for the current dock. Both options still leave me with asking myself where can i tie of too. Thanks for you support in answering this question. Not used to smaller boats and some what new to boating life in general.
 
I have a very similar issue. I tie one line to the bow eye and the other line has a spring hook on the end which I snap around the traveler line. I have lots of bumpers on the dock itself. I have a number of cleats on the dock and I tie the boat up differently depending on the depth of the lake (it's been really low this year, so a bit further out).
 
After I took delivery of my Catalina 14.2K, one of the first upgrades I "did" was to add mooring cleats on both port and starboard sides of the boat on the stern end, about six inches from the back of the boat. The boat is a 2016 Mod 3 and I was able to through bolt the cleats, after bedding them, through the upper deck where it is pretty flat and rolls over to the rubrails. On the forward deck, in the portion of the deck in the center area without antiskid molded in, I also mounted a mooring cleat with a backing plate under the cleat and also inside of the forward cuddy. That let me through bolt, bed, and then secure from below decks. The deck cleat was positioned to not interfere with jib sheets. I am able to secure the boat to the dock using one of the stern cleats, the deck cleat, and the bow eye. Additionally, I attach spring lines to the cleats. Finally, I have two large dock bumpers which are tied to the boat and positioned to keep the broadest portion of the boat away from the dock. One of the bumpers is attached by line to the barney post using a carabiner and the other is attached to the mast by a line which is simply tied around the mast. I can quickly release the bumpers and leave them on the dock as well as leaving all of the lines on the dock, the lines having loops in them at the correct distances. The line attached to the bow eye is just released from the dock cleat and pulled aboard and secured when I leave the dock. Lines are tensioned just enough to allow the boat to drift a few inches away from the dock at the widest part of the boat. Finally, I added two bumper supports to the side of my dock and hung two large bumpers from them to further insure that the boat would not ride up or hang up on the dock. Because this is a keel model it does not have as much roll when wakes come to the dock, which helps. Maybe this is "graphic" enough to help you understand what I have done. The most important piece is adding the mooring cleats to the boat; they have never interfered with sailing or snagged sheets, lines, etc. while sailing. You just have to use some trial and error to figure out placement before proceeding. And, properly securing the bow cleat with a backing plate and bedding caulk eliminated any chance of leakage.
 
Failed to mention, when I pull the bow eye attached line onto the deck I wrap it (about two wraps) around the deck mounted cleat before passing it into the cockpit. That pretty much keeps the cleat "eyes" from protruding and hanging up any lines. Learned that procedure sailing a 19 foot Cape Dory Typhoon and a Tanzer 22, both with a docking/anchoring cleat mounted on the forward deck. Hope this helps.
 
I ordered these Regatta Marine Essentials Dock Line for a weekend out on the Lake , rented a slip and wanted extra dock lines. Ended up using these to keep the boat tied up all weekend in the slip just off the main channel. Anyone that's been down there on a holiday weekend knows it's more like being out on the open ocean with all the boats and wake. Kept my boat safe in the slip, no tearing or unraveling, and nice and long lines.
 

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