Boating Lifestyle

In boating lingo, as soon as you step from the dock to the boat, that rope becomes a “line”. And whichever particular lines you use to tie your boat to the dock are called—you guessed it—“docklines”.

• Nylon is the most popular material for docklines. There are a couple of reasons for this. One— it’s strong. And two—it has some give—it will stretch a bit as your boat rocks to and fro at the dock.

Next let’s talk about construction. There are two main types of nylon docklines.

• Three strand docklines tend to stretch or give quite a bit and are abrasion resistant.
• Braided nylon docklines are stronger, come in lots of cool colours to match your boat colours and generally feel more substantial. You’ll probably pay more for braided lines, however, they tend to last longer then three strand lines.

Docklines come in different sizes and lengths—naturally, the size and length you’ll need is based on the size of your boat. For example, if your boat is less than 27 feet long, your best bet is 3/8 inch diameter docklines, about 2/3 as long as your boat for bow and stern lines and the same length as your boat for spring lines. Naturally, dockline diameter and length increase with the size of your boat.

If you keep your boat tied up for very long, you’ll also want to protect your docklines from chafing, that is rubbing against the boat or dock. There are lots of anti-chafing products on the market—your local marine retailer can help you choose the right one.

Now that you’ve got the right docklines, you’ll want to protect your boat from beating against the dock with “fenders”. Fenders are special cushions that function like car bumpers and are placed along the side of the boat to protect it from hitting the dock. They’re usually made of soft, inflatable plastic or closed cell foam and come in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors.

One more note about fenders—while you always to hang them over the side while you’re idling up to the dock, be sure to remember to stow them inside the boat before hitting the open water. Not only will they splash your guests as you power along, it’s also not very aesthetically pleasing. You’ll notice that all boaters bring in their fenders when they’re out on the water. Nothing says “novice” more than fenders flapping in the breeze as you merrily cruise along.

Finally, don’t skimp when it comes to docklines and fenders—your boat is the place where you and your family enjoy your time together and make memories.