Have your dock lines become stiff and worn with age? Are they hopelessly discolored by mold, or weakened by chafe? If so, the time to replace your dock lines has arrived. In this article, we discuss our dock line selection and make suggestions to help you choose the best dock lines for you.
- Permanent versus Transient Dock Lines
- Nylon Line is Your Best Choice for Docking Applications
- Pre-Spliced Nylon Dock Lines
- Dock Line Options to Consider
- Three-Strand, Single-Braid and Double-Braid Features and Benefits
- What Diameter Dock Lines Do You Need?
- Strength versus Stretch: How Dock Lines Compare
- Non-Premium (Economy) Options
- Conclusion
Permanent versus Transient
Dock Lines
West Marine Premium Double-Braided Dock Lines are offered in eight different colors.Dock lines can be either permanent or transient. The difference is that permanent dock lines are cut to the precise dimensions required by the slip or dock where the boat is berthed. While permanent dock lines are (as the name implies) permanently installed on docks, transient dock lines are simply long lines with an eye splice at one end that can be taken to wherever the boat travels.
In practice, many boaters use transient dock lines, unmodified, at their permanent slips. However, for a professional appearance, and for the ultimate in seamanship, we suggest that in addition to a set of transient dock lines, boats kept in slips should have permanent dock lines that are cut and spliced to the precise length needed. These lines should include chafe protection where they contact surfaces that might abrade them.
If you happen to be a do-it-yourselfer and would like to try your hand at splicing your own dock lines, see our West Advisor article Do it Yourself: Upgrading Your Dock Lines. This article includes an instructional video and a list of tools and materials you will need to create custom docklines yourself. If splicing line is not your forte, West Marine Rigging Services can help by creating a set of custom permanent dock lines to your specifications.
Nylon Line is Your Best Choice for Docking Applications
Three-strand dock line made fast to a cleat.The stretchiness of nylon makes it is your best choice for docking applications. Typically, boats that are moored to docks are in motion due to the effect of waves, wake, surge and wind. This motion creates shock loads which can damage boat and dock hardware. However, because nylon dock lines stretch, shock loads are greatly reduced. Where a steel cable, or a length of low-stretch line might load up in a fraction of a second, nylon loads up and releases its tension slowly. This greatly increases the life of dock and boat hardware.
Pre-Spliced Nylon Dock Lines
For most boaters, the most convenient option is to purchase pre-spliced West Marine or New England Ropes dock lines “off the shelf”. Pre-spliced dock lines eliminate the need to splice your dock lines yourself. All come ready-made with a professionally spliced 12" eye and bitter end that is heat sealed and whipped. Pre-spliced three-strand and braided dock lines are offered. If you decide to pursue this option, we suggest that you add chafe protection in the form of leather or rubber chafe guards where the lines pass through your boat’s chocks. Alternatively, you can have West Marine Rigging Services create custom dock lines to your measurements, in your choice of materials.
Dock Line Options to Consider
Chafe protection helps to extend the life of dock lines.There are several factors to consider when selecting pre-spliced dock lines:
- Diameter: As with all line selection, diameter largely determines the strength of the line. Larger boats use larger diameter line. Larger line will also resist chafe better, although it will stretch less.
- Length: Dock line length is generally related to the length of the boat, and the location of the cleats on the dock.
- Color: Pre-spliced, double-braid dock lines are offered in a wide variety of colors to match your boat’s décor. Available colors include White, Black, White/Gold, Red, Green, Teal and Blue.
- Construction: We stock dock lines and double-braided, single-braided, or three-strand nylon. Braided line stretches less but does have a neater appearance.
Three-Strand, Single-Braid and Double-Braid Features and Benefits
Prespliced Mega Braid Dock Lines are popular with owners of larger boats because they remain supple and easy to handle even in larger diameters.- Premium Three-Strand Nylon Dock Lines have the most stretch and rank second only to Premium Double-Braid in terms of strength. Manufactured to stringent standards, these lines boast a lay that is tighter than most other three-strand nylon line, resulting in greater abrasion resistance while remaining easy to splice. They are also pre-stretched and stabilized so that it does not change its properties in use.
- Premium Single-Braid 12-Strand Nylon Dock Lines, what West Marine sells as Mega Braid Dock Lines, are the most flexible, easiest to tie, and have moderate stretch. Offered in White or Black, these lines are available in larger diameters that range from 5/8” to 1 1/2” for Black and 5/8” to 1” for White. Due to their flexibility, Mega Braid Dock Lines are popular with boats over 45’ that require larger diameter dock lines.
- Premium Double-Braid Nylon Dock Lines are flexible, feel smooth in the hands, and have the greatest strength. They also have the least stretch, which can be an advantage if you want to position your boat more accurately in the slip. West Marine offers double-braid dock lines in eight colors, which is great for boaters who want to match the color of their boat.
What Diameter Dock Lines Do
You Need?
The length, size, weight and type of boat you have coupled with your dock’s exposure to wind, waves, wake and surge should all be considered when choosing the size of your dock lines. Following are general recommendations based on boat length. Heavy conditions may require heavier lines.
| Boat Length | Diemeter |
|---|---|
| Up to 27’ (8.2mm) | 3/8” (10mm) |
| Up to 28’-31’ (8.5-9.4mm) | 7/16" (11mm) |
| Up to 32’-36’ (9.7-11mm) | 1/2” (13mm) |
| Up to 37’-45’ (11.3-13.7mm) | 5/8” (16mm) |
| Up to 46’-54’ (14-16.5mm) | 3/4” (19mm) |
| Up to 55’-63' (16.8-19.2mm) | 7/8” (22mm) |
| Up to 64’-72’ (19.5-21.9m) | 1” (25mm) |
Strength versus Stretch: How Dock Lines Compare
For some additional perspective, the following table rates the premium dock lines we offer in terms of strength and stretch. Values for tensile strength use our Premium Three-Strand Nylon Line as a baseline for comparison. Values for stretch are at 20% of breaking strength.
| Tensile Strength | Stretch | |
|---|---|---|
| Black Mega Braid | 82% | 10% |
| Premium Black Three-Strand | 87% | 16% |
| Premium Navy Three-Strand | 87% | 16% |
| White Mega Braid | 99% | 10% |
| Premium White Three-Strand | 100% | 16% |
| Premium Double Braid | 110% | 6.5% |
Non-Premium (Economy) Options
12-Strand Inland Polypropylene Dock Lines can be a good choice for boaters looking for inexpensive dock lines for light-duty applications.Up to now we have focused on the premium dock lines offered by West Marine. For boaters in search of value-priced (economy) options, West Marine offers several. These include our Economy Three-Strand Nylon Dock Lines which are ideal for use as transient dock lines, for trailered boats, and for other applications that don't require maximum strength or heavy-duty abrasion resistance.
Choices also include single-braid, 12-Strand Inland Polypropylene Dock Lines. Offered only in 3/8” diameter, these lines are a good choice for boats up to 20 feet that need dock lines for light-duty use. While these lines mimic the look and feel of 12-strand, braided, premium nylon, they are far less abrasion resistant and are more easily damaged by the sun. However, unlike West Marine Mega Braid Dock Lines, they float and are offered in nine colors to match the décor of most boats.
Conclusion
We hope that this overview of our dock line selection will help you with choosing a set of dock lines that are best for you.