One sided slip?

[RaqLake1916]

Hello,

I'm curious to know if anyone's experienced a one-sided boat slip? I have a finger pier off the main dock but no pilings to secure off on the other side.
I'll be docking at one for the season; is there any particular way to tie off that is best? Should I be bow or stern in?
I appreciate any advice on this..

Thanks!



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[Factor]

Most berths (what we call slips) in AUS are one sided. Heres mine. Tie off much the same.

[valhalla360]

The only difference is the side to side constraint on one side will be via fenders rather than ropes.

Some questions:
- Tides?
- Currents?
- Floating or fixed docks?

Generally:
- Plenty of big fenders.
- Fore and aft spring lines
- Breast lines fore and aft, if there is room, I prefer to bring them in from the outside corners of the boat.
- If there are tides and the docks are fixed, make sure the lines are running a fairly long distance from cleat to cleat. A 2 ft distance cleat to cleat will be an issue with a 2ft tide.

Bow or stern in is generally not an issue unless you have an issue with one end being shallow or for some reason it is easier to approach.

[StuM]

It depends on where your cleats are and what cleats/bollards are on the slip, but the principle is common. You need bow and stern lines and springs.

Here are several links with diagrams of slightly different configurations which should give you the idea:

How To Set Up Your Mooring Lines

American Boating Association:.Docking Manuevers

Mooring Alongside - Diagram

Mooring

[delmarrey]

Don't think I've ever had anything but a side tie slip. Always had to share with another boat.

Just hope it's on the leeward side so the wind doesn't keep blowing you against the fenders.

Fore or aft in, is usually an option of choice depending on wind direction or skill level.

Right now I'm on an end/side tie and have to deal with the waves of passing boats.

[TeddyDiver]

You can ask the neighbouring boat if you can use spring between the boats to keep both of the finger. When you leave the slip move the spring on your side finger and vice versa..

[Ex-Calif]

We have double berths and a lot of surge as we have southerly exposure to the Singapore straits and ship wakes hit us a lot. I have had docklines last as little as 2 months.

I was also getting knocked against the pier a lot and actually burst a fender!

I took a diagram from StuM's last link and penciled in what I have done.

I used to run the springs from forward and aft cleats but the lines chaffed seriously on the hull paint and I had to figure out how to hold the boat off the dock and stop the lines from chaffing the boat.

I added (am adding) midships cleats and I have been for a while putting a breast and spring from the port stern to the head of the dock. The spring from the stern has to be snug but I have figured it out so the starboard quarter doesn't hit the dock.

This arrangement may not work for a longer boat as the geometry isn't right.

Every line also needs a serious snubber where I am at.

Our marina probably has the worst conditions I've ever regularly been in.

[JPA Cate]

Ex-Calif, and OP,

We use a spring from the 'midship cleat to the same cleat as what in your drawing would be the port bow line, but it is usually a non-stretchy line, the only one in the setup. Then port bow line, similar to you, with the normal bow, stern, and two springs, one fore, one aft on the other side. It works well for keeping much of the load off the fenders when the wind is from that side, and spreads all the loads better, IMO.

Ann

[RaqLake1916]

Thank you all for the advice. Hey main issue is that the boat is longer than the finger pier. Because I have no piling and my aft cleat is longer than than the dock, nothing is keeping my bow from hitting the main dock. Any way I can do this?


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[carstenb]

Originally Posted by RaqLake1916

Thank you all for the advice. Hey main issue is that the boat is longer than the finger pier. Because I have no piling and my aft cleat is longer than than the dock, nothing is keeping my bow from hitting the main dock. Any way I can do this?


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Run a line from your bow cleat or your midships cleat, aft to the most aft cleat on the finger.

If you don't have room on your cleat and don't have a midships cleat - use the bottom of your fingerside shroud as a a cleat. It will take the strain without problems

[RaqLake1916]

That makes perfect sense. Thanks


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