Docking (slip) advice

[newtoboat101]

1988 thompson 240 HT .I have always trailered my boat, but want to get a seasonal slip. Need advice on 2 things. first, i have canvas cover on boat, but cleats on both starboard and port side aft are under canvas ,please see pictures, would it be ok to tie and leave under canvas ? second ,i have attached pictures of my boat showing cleat setup what i need help with how to tie my boat in slip as respect to my boat cleats and the slip should i add cleats to hold tie lines or to hold bumbers ( how many bumpers would you run 2 on 1 side,3 on 1 side,or 2 on both sides or 3 on both sides) ,what's the norm thank you

 

[ThomW]

I guess it depends. Will you be in a single slip (docks on both sides) or sharing a slip (dock on one side, boat on the other)? Looking at your boat, it seems like the best idea would be to back into your slip for docking so you can easily enter, exit, and load the boat. Depending on the type of slip, that will determine if you will be using cleats on port, starboard, or both sides. It appears that you have sufficient cleats on the boat already. You will need to tie a line from the stern to the dock, then have that same rope come back as a "spring" line. Same with the bow. A line will come from the bow to the dock, then back to the boat to a different cleat as a "spring" line. The spring lines keep the boat from moving in the opposite direction of the original line.


Here is a very basic idea of what I am talking about.

 

[alldodge]

Inland slip with walkway on both sides I use 4 lines and no fenders. Boat stays in the middle
Inland slip with only one walkway, 2 to 3 lines to maintain position, and enough fenders to keep hull off dock. After securing, rock and move the boat to see if you can get it to touch

Tie to AFT cleats and leave snap at cleat unsnapped.

Ocean dock, more lines and fenders

 

[newtoboat101]

shared slip thank you for advice

 

[newtoboat101]

first picture is from actual slip

 

[newtoboat101]

from pictures and being there ,everyone seems to pull in ,didn't see any backed in and i just assumed it was harder to get on boat for thieves ,and alot of boats have kicker motors ,harder to steal

 

[mr 88]

from pictures and being there ,everyone seems to pull in ,didn't see any backed in and i just assumed it was harder to get on boat for thieves ,and alot of boats have kicker motors ,harder to steal

That slip is to shallow to back your boat in. You can clearly see the trailer in the water . A few reasons why many boats back into there slips. The first is the finger piers are shorter than the boat , so if you went in bow first your climbing on the bow to get into it. It's easier and closer when backed in to put supplies into her. You are heading in the right direction when leaving and can clearly see if anything is in front of you , I have seen people that are slipped bow first back out without really looking to see what's coming down the channel towards them. Anyway it has nothing to do with thieves , if they want something they will get it , doesn't matter if the boat is in the slip sideways and doesn't matter if it's locked. That's there profession and they will kick in your louvered cabin door if that's what it takes for them to get what there after.

 

[newtoboat101]

thanx mr88 gotcha that makes more sense ,i always wondered why to back in over pull in ,and yes its shallow right there