Help with Broken mooring ropes

[Always-willing]

I bought some pre-made mooring ropes for my new 20' pontoon. This is my first boat so I have no experience with rope for boating. I figured rope is rope and they were recommended by the guy who worked there BUT I guess it matters. After tieing the boat up in all four corners and leaving it in the slip for two weeks I came back on to find two of the four ropes broken right at the cleat on the dock. So my question is what is your favorite rope for mooring your boat? Size, style and brand? I am only up at our cabin once or twice a month and our slip is on the very outside of the marina so it gets pretty bumpy and windy. I'm afraid if the ropes break the boat would float away and get damaged. I appreciate all of your input!

 

[MH Hawker]

i use 1/2 dock line

 

[robert graham]

I like 1/2 inch braided nylon rope for mooring as well as anchor line.....

 

[Scott Danforth]

Im using 5/8 dockline with my 24'

 

[JoLin]

1/2" on my boat. It stays slipped all season. I use the same lines for several years and I've never had one break.

 

[ondarvr]

So how did you tie it up and what body of water are you on?

 

[blamtro]

Did you check to see if it was a rough edge on the cleat slowly cutting through the rope?

 

[tpenfield]

In nautical terms, as soon as a rope has a purpose, it is called a 'line'. Anchor lines are called rodes.

I'm more in the camp of the line being cut by someone or something, like perhaps the cleat or by chafing on parts of the dock.

What size line do you current have? I would think 3/8" or 1/2" braided would be fine. You may have to use chafe guards to protect the line at the dock and the rubrail of the boat. Maybe double up on your lines as well

 

[Chris1956]

3/8" braided nylon line is plenty strong, but I use 1/2" or 5/8" to be more chafe-resistant.

Your lines should not have broken, under normal circumstances. Either they wore through (chafed) or they were broken by waves or rising water. My guess is that they were simply too tight.

I would recommend some chafe guard, rubber snubbers can work well to allow the boat to move some. Normally, with a 4 point mooring, you would cross the stern lines (spring lines), and allow some extra line for water changes. How are the other boats in the marina moored?