With boats going back in the water in the northern parts of the country and marinas further south beginning to fill up with the summer regulars, it’s time to make sure the dock lines you’ll be using are going to keep your boat in its designated spot. Carefully inspect the condition of all these lines, and if any show signs of chafe or abrasion, replace them. Once the wind has started to build and boats are moving around in their designated spaces it’s usually too late to run down to the local chandlery and get a replacement.
Two high chafe areas are the cleat, or bollard on the dock, and the on board cleats and chocks that lead to the cleats. Inspect these items and make sure that there are no sharp angles that might cut or abrade the lines. If there is potential spot for chafe minimize it by wrapping the line with a protective covering; leather, polyester or even PVC are all potential solutions.
