Tips for Mooring Your Boat Properly

Properly mooring your boat is important not only for safety reasons and theft prevention, but also to be compliant with marine insurance standards. The Law Dictionary explains that a vessel is moored safely when it is “moored to a wharf or dock, free from any immediate danger from any of the perils insured against.”

Large vessels, recreational boats and specialized ships each have their own anchoring, docking and mooring guidelines. Generally speaking, solid dock lines, properly preparing before mooring a boat and using the correct kind of knot are the key components of mooring a vessel properly.

Using Good Mooring Lines

Synthetic rope, particularly nylon, makes the best mooring line. It has good elasticity and holds up well to the elements.

Safe Boating Card (SBC) recommends the following for most boats:

• a minimum of six dock lines (two each for the bow and stern and two spring lines);
• each dock line should be at least two-thirds of the boat’s length;
• spring lines should be equivalent to the boat’s length; and
• the diameter of rope you choose depends on your boat’s length (boats smaller than 20 feet should use 3/8-inch rope. For every additional 10 feet, add an additional 1/8-inch in diameter to the rope, e.g., a 30-foot boat would need half-inch rope).

Rope maintenance is another important part of mooring safety. Regularly inspect lines for wear and tear. Keep lines knot free because knots reduce the breaking strength of a rope by up to 50 percent, according to SBC.

Think Before You Dock

Docking takes practice -- and a lot of it. Maneuvering a large, several thousand-ton vessel to an exact spot near a docking point is no cakewalk. Boat owners can all empathize with how unnerving mooring can be. The best thing to do is to take your time when docking and avoid making any rash or quick maneuvers.

Take a look at your surroundings as you approach the dock and ask:

• Is there enough room at the dock for vessel?
• When is high or low tide, and how will they affect docking?
• Are your fenders in the right position?
• Are the mooring lines secured correctly?
• Are crew members ready to step onto the dock with rope?
• Is your route to the dock clear of vessels and other objects?

Properly Knotting Your Lines

It’s important to learn how to make various kinds of boating knots, including dock line tying. Boats can be damaged easily without proper securement. Know how to perform a cleat hitch to secure a line to a cleat.

There are numerous online resources and books that demonstrate good knotting and docking methods. Practice knotting and maneuvering your vessel to improve efficiency in mooring.

Learn More about Vessel-Related Topics

For more topics of interest to mariners, take a look at other articles on the My Vessel Logs blog.