How to tie up for tide?

[koberlee]

OK in a previous post I was convinced that it is a good Idea to towe my boat down to the keys on our vacation.

But last night a new question snuck into my head and I can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for.

This may sound stupid but how do you tie your boat up to a dock while on a body of water affected by tide? Up here in michigan you just tie to the dock and everything is good. But how do you adjust for high tide and low tide I know a lift or a floating dock would be ideal but it looks like where we are staying is on a channel and there is a sea wall with some pylons.

Is there any special equipment I need to be able to dock up or something else.

Thanks,
kyle

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

I've talked to a few people at my dock a couple weeks about about docking to pylons or pilings...

What they did, is tie their dock line to their boat cleat just like your normally would, and take the other end and make a big loop to either go over the pylon/piling if you can, or wrap it around the pylon/piling. be sure to keep it loose enough for the loop to slide up and down the piling, and tight enough to keep the boat close.

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

seems like the bowline knot, or the buntline hitch may be good knots.

 

[nlain]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

I was in PCB last year and the docks where I was had piling to tie the boat to, the tide swing is only a couple feet there, we took the line and hooked to the front cleat, made a wrap around the piling and tied to the rear cleat on both sides of the boat, boat stayed centered and could move with the tide.

 

[arks]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

First thing to find out is the tidal range- how much difference is there between low and high tides? With that information we can help.
At my location, the tidal range averages about 2- 2-1/2 feet, and I like to tie up for the first time at one end of the cycle (high or low, doesn't matter). Leave just enough slack in the bow and stern lines to compensate. With fixed docks, spring lines are very important- they prevent the boat from moving forward or back in the slip.

Done correctly, the boat will not rub any part of the dock at any time.

 

[Five O'Clock]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

nlain i like you're method... come to think of it i've seen people tie up to pilings like that... great way.

 

[nlain]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

nlain i like you're method... come to think of it i've seen people tie up to pilings like that... great way.

That worked real good there, the dock was behind the boat, I could not use that method at home in SE Ga, 6 to 9 foot normal tide swing, gotta have a floating dock or some type of slider on the piling.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

buy a couple cheap pulleys from the Home Depot and attach them to the tops of the pilings. You can attach them with rope to avoid drilling into them. Then run your lines through the pulleys and tie a cinder block (or two)on the other end. $15 worth of equipment max.

 

[bowman316]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

Do you want the spring lines tight? do you want a spring line on each side? Do I HAVE to cross the stern lines? I can't really cross them with my cleat set up.

Seems like other people have the stern lines tight, and all other lines loose.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How to tie up for tide?

Old thread. But the only way to get instructions is to ask someone who is standing on YOUR dock looking at YOUR boat, YOUR tide and YOUR piling set up. I could help you if I was there; nothing anyone says here will help you.

 

[dingbat]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

That worked real good there, the dock was behind the boat, I could not use that method at home in SE Ga, 6 to 9 foot normal tide swing, gotta have a floating dock or some type of slider on the piling.

6-9' tide swing? Did they move SE Ga a heck of a lot further north, like 1500 miles north while no one was watching?

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

Come on you guys! You are responding to a 4 year old thread!

 

[PSG-1]

Re: How to tie up for tide?

6-9' tide swing? Did they move SE Ga a heck of a lot further north, like 1500 miles north while no one was watching?

Here in northeast SC, we have 6 foot tide ranges. At Bull's Bay, near Charleston, it can be as much as 9 feet.

And then travel 250 miles to the northeast, to the NC OBX, and the tide ranges there on the Pamlico Sound are measured in inches, and are mostly influenced by wind (the tide ranges of the inlets there, like Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Oregon Inlet, are about 2 feet on average)


I know one thing....I'd hate to have to try to tie up for the tide at Nova Scotia, where the tide range at the Bay of Fundy can be over 30 feet!!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How to tie up for tide?

old thread or not, since it has surfaced, I would never recommend using a loop of line to slide up and down a piling. There are many correct ways to tie up and that isn't one of them; it is the makings of a sinking.

In fact, using the proper knot or a chock on the piling to prevent sliding is the starting point. Some slide devices are used here and there but they are disfavored, other than for a very small boat. Not speaknig to extreme tides and what you would use there. Where extension ladders are involved is beyond my skillset.