Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

The mooring lines the dealer supplied with the new Benni are way undersized and I'm looking for some that will stand up to the really rough water here at Lake of the Ozarks.
I had some with the old Four Winns that I left with the boat because they were kind of color coordinated. Now I wish I had them back.
They were double braided, about 3/8" in diameter (by 15' in length) and had some type of rubber/shock absorber near the loop. I have seen waves as high as 5-6' rock the boat and not part the lines, while some neighboring boats had lines snapping.
I have stopped at practically every dealer along Highway 54 in Osage Beach, including West Marine in a fruitless quest and I am looking for some suggestions from those of you who have maybe found a solution.

Thanks!

You can find them all over Ebay and Walmart Actually carries a nice 3/8 braided mooring line.

rrhodes wrote: Walmart Actually carries a nice 3/8 braided mooring line.

Yep, I am going there to buy some new lines too.

Ron Burgundy wrote:

rrhodes wrote: Walmart Actually carries a nice 3/8 braided mooring line.

Yep, I am going there to buy some new lines too.

As far as strength, most of the lines that break are old and brittle. You are more likely to lose a cleat before a new 3/8 or 1/2 braided dockline gives.

Thanks. Has anyone used snubbers? There are several different iterations; some are semi-hard rubber that you wind line through and around and some are incorporated into lines. The ones I looked at are fairly expensive ($40 & up per snubber), but if they are effective it beats having to swim after the boat.

bassn

http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... rchID=4006

these what you looking for?

Well, I found what I was looking for in Overton's. It's a Dockmate line with a chafeguard in 3/8" X 15". This is what I used on the Four Winns for 11 years. Never parted, frayed or failed and the Four Winns was heavier than the Benni, although the Benni has more structure above the water line.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
Glad to be on this forum.posting.php?mode=reply&f=2&t=8657&sid=a ... 9483e6f3e3#

If you can splice, you can make some nice lines up with 3/8 or 1/2" line.

This will get you started

http://www.neropes.com/SplicingGuideChoice.aspx

Call Johnson Bros in Laurie. They may have what your looking for.

Ya, ya, I know, wrong side of the world.

bassn386 wrote:Thanks. Has anyone used snubbers? There are several different iterations; some are semi-hard rubber that you wind line through and around and some are incorporated into lines. The ones I looked at are fairly expensive ($40 & up per snubber), but if they are effective it beats having to swim after the boat.

Yep. I have used them for years. They work great and can save the dock or boat from damage in rough water. I had a 30ft heavy fiberglass boat that would tear up the dock without snubbers if it was rough. I have one on the rear of my pontoon line now. Get the kind that is rubber and that you wrap the line around it a couple of times. They last longer than the kind that you tie off. The snubber acts like a shock absorber and allows you to tighten your lines and still have a little give without the boat being jerked by a stiff line.

I always use 1/2 inch lines. 2 at the bow and one long spring line. My boat's not going anywhere unless a storm takes my dock with it.

Yup, we keep agreeing and people will start talking

"Dock" lines should be 1/2". I do like 3/8 for utility lines on the boat for tying up at the restaurant and such. I have mine made uo with an eye on one end and a back splice on the other. I usually keep a bowline with a snap half hitched on the butt end and the eye open on the other.
That gives you lots of possibilities with one line and you can hang it by the snap.

Isn't weight a factor in determining the correct size of dock line? A 32' 5000lb toon should probably have thicker (1/2") dock line than a 20' 2000lb 'toon? Is 3/8 to small for a 20'?

A lot depends on what you are tying up for. If this is just a short time at a place where you are around to monitor the weather, 3/8 is plenty for just about any pontoon boat but when you are tying up and going away 1/2" is about the minimum. I use 5/8" when I am tying up for a storm and I tie to the lift rings, not the cleats.
At that line size you are really able to pull out most cleats and even start lifting deck boards if you had a vertical pull. 3/8 is really about the minimum size, simply because of what is easy to handle.

Another problem I see with a lot of pontoons is the wimpy size if the cleats they provide. I think 8" is about the minimum you should use.

I think I would have difficulty using 1/2" line with my cleats. I'll probably pick up something more heavy duty for this hurricane season.