Heavy duty bungee cords for dock lines?

[newbiedmv]

What do you think? 

I have my boat setup with a bungee on the back right/ left cleat and I put semi retainer hooks on the top of the guide bunks, left and right. Specifically to keep the boat from slipping off during loading(all they have to do is hold it on the trailer straight for 5 minutes).Hook the right in, then left ,then shut down the outboard get out hook up and winch. It works in the garage and I'll find out this week it if works in real life.

I don't really like having to get dock lines out and hook them up before coming in, I'm to old. Was thinking two heavy duty black bungees drilled out to fit carabiners might be better.

I have a lot of them all sizes and I'm sure I'll have to play around a bit to find the right ones to keep the boat on straight .

For loading,, I'm still looking for a flush mount retaining hook as this has to be done by feel and done fast when coming up on the trailer. Kinda like a small tow hook with a spring retainer( an indoor "coat" hook doesn't have the strength if I have to pull in against it, tried it, bent like a coat hanger).

If anyone has tried this dumb idea let me know.

I'm 50/50 now for loading and keeping the boat on the trailer on river and power loads by myself. Sometimes it's easy Sometimes I get soaked and busted up. That's life I  guess 

[NHBull]

They make marine bungie cords that have a nylon sleeve to limit the stretch that might work.  I have used short term on docks that required some play from the boat.  Good luck

[newbiedmv]

Yep I have one. I'm not sure yet on that one. A little long and too easily stretchy.  I tried rigging it up shorter but I don't know yet. One thing is it's super easy to slip on the hook and the rubber pads I like a lot. I guess I can double a piece up and put 4 to 5 zip ties on it. It's one of the combos I'll try. 

Oh I store the other end on the motor lever, pulls it back down if over 3k rpm. Kinda like that little feature.

Thanks

[TOXIC]

Personally, I don’t want anything metal anywhere near my gel coat.  You talked about using a carabiner and I got chills.  I have and use the ones pictured in conjunction with bumpers and have docked for a week straight on the lake in some pretty bad weather.  There is also a product called “Dock Sticks” that have a solid center piece to keep the boat away from the dock.

 

[newbiedmv]

I knew there had to a a reason for no metal and all ropes. Thanks didn't think of it

[Starbanker]

There is nothing like the thrill of trusting a jerry-rigged but cheap way of keeping my $70,000 boat secured when I'm not there. Personally, I would spend the money and get something actually designed to hold boats securely (Happy Adverb Day).

[NHBull]

1 hour ago, Starbanker said:

There is nothing like the thrill of trusting a jerry-rigged but cheap way of keeping my $70,000 boat secured when I'm not there. Personally, I would spend the money and get something actually designed to hold boats securely (Happy Adverb Day).

They actually have a pretty high break strength since they are wrapped in nylon and many marinas recommend them for their floating docks that see wave action.

[newbiedmv]

Yeah I agree, I'll have a 100' bow backup line thrown in the back of the truck. I just need it to hold on for 5 minutes or so

I'll put the autoloader system on this winter. It's relatively cheap in price. I don't think I'm allowed to write the name

There are videos on YouTube for it.

I'll try it out when I can get back out. 

[WRB]

Make up dock lines with a loop on one end the length you need and use them. It takes just as much effort to do it wrong as it does right. How hard is it to put a loop over a cleat and tie the line down.

Your trailer strap hooks to the bow eye, that keeps the boat on the trail.

Tom

[Deephaven]

I moor our wakeboard boat.  It is tied up with ropes and snubbers:

 

By far the easiest and most robust.  You just wrap the rope around it so that it can stretch.  I've been using the same ones for more than 15 years and while they are sunfaded, they are still working great.

[newbiedmv]

I was considering that kinda stuff yesterday. I have hundreds of black bungee cords. Just drill them out and tie a rope to each end with a half hitch knot on the  outer loops.

I need some stretch as right know I have three points to hook onto. The guide pole first (at end of trailer) another hook a foot forward and another *** feet forward of it (I'm in the right middle of a 17')

On rough days I'll come it at an angle fighting the wind and current(generally don't have the room to.take advantage of the wind and current, I'd need 50 feet off to the sides to get washed up.on it straight and a lot of skill) The bow of the boat goes up but hits the down wind/current guide post and ***** at a 45° angle. If I don't play it right one of the bunk boards flip up 90° then I have to push off and try again. This happens real fast and I have maybe a second to get a line on and tight  with one hand before the flip.

There is a video on YouTube for that autoloader that shows it just about perfect (although this guy was loading on the wrong side of the ramp, guess he didn't want to get slammed into the dock). In any case I'll see how it works out.

Remember I'm doing this completely alone, there generally isn't a soul within a mile. I've already cracked my ribs trying to keep that boat on and steady to hook up the bow hook or pull it in with the bow line. It's  50/50 sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I've put guide bunks on to help with the flip, and it does greatly, but it still slides off as fast as it came on. I'll play around with leaving it in gear also.

 

I'm benched for a month now anyway from the ribs.

Oh, forgot once the initial right side it anchored I'll move over to the left side and work it up to the front hook.

Eventually I  will get it.

Oh I like those straps can you message me a link to them, I've never seen them before.

My goal is to keep it 1/3 on straight with some give to reset the bunk boards if needed. Then I'll get off and hook up taking my bow line with me.

I have no idea if this contraption will work, so far it looks like it will but it might crash and burn. A retired EE, 90% of my stuff crashed on the first try anyway,even after months of thinking what can go wrong and planing for it, that's life I'm used to it. Takes 3 tries usually. 

The Autoloader looks like about a week of adjustments to the various parts of the trailer. Nothing is welded so just a lot of tinkering at the boat ramp.

My apologies for being long winded, boredom and pain meds 

 

Please excuse the auto edits. They have this site set very tight for that.

It was three feet forward 

And the boats moves to a 45 degree angle.

[newbiedmv]

Below are two pics the first is the prep when I'm coming in the second is the loading/ fighting position( it's loose as it's on the trailer all the way up). If anyone sees any issues please comment.

Right now I have a short rope with half hitches  on the other side to  do this as I have the time not to need the stretching and holding.

They are super low res photos to fit.

Thanks

[WRB]

Does your boat launch ramp have a dock?

Glenn has a video on how to launch your boat.

Tom

[newbiedmv]

Some do Some don't.  Some have jettys of rip rap, some are in creeks and coves others in open water for a 1/2 mile.

Some docks are great others a major pain. Some have a gentle slope others you need 4X4 in low to pull out of(upper Potomac river).

Most of the are in the Appalachians where the weather changes fast particularly the wind. 

I saw a freaking expert last year. He backed the trailer in then just sat out 200 feet for awhile, gunned it and put it on the trailer perfect in red zone water( don't know if that's a entire US thing, ramps are marked here green yellow red, red is a dangerous level and current). I'm no where near that skill level.

Oh launching is a piece of cake now. Loading is the nightmare. I've seen dozens of videos and only 3 or 4 have the typical conditions I see.

I also rarely see anyone else load by themselves.  I get help if it's around.

[Deephaven]

Oh geez, ignore my snubber post.  I read the title dock lines and somehow missed the part on launching.  Even in wicked water the right trailer placement will resolve that.  You need to learn where  what waves will lift the boat off and what won't.  Once you know that you can ride the waves right onto the trailer pretty much.

[newbiedmv]

Oh I've limited my use now down to two by myself.  One Ramp has a detached dock 20 yds down, gental slope, in a creek off the Potomac with an old acqaduct (canal) over it. It's angled 45 degrees to the bank pointing downstream. Nothing big can launch there as they need to get under the acqaduct.

The slope is so shallow that I just pull on and grab the top of the winch with my boat hook then clip on. It called Rileys Lock C&O canal Darnstown MD.

The other is an electric only lake that everybody ends up swimming in. High fixed docks

3 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Oh geez, ignore my snubber post.  I read the title dock lines and somehow missed the part on launching.  Even in wicked water the right trailer placement will resolve that.  You need to learn where  what waves will lift the boat off and what won't.  Once you know that you can ride the waves right onto the trailer pretty much.

Yep saw that once last year I was amazed.  I drove to the Potomac o.ly to find it high in the red. I sat drinking coffee when I saw the guy come in. He laid that boat down like a child in a cradle 

[newbiedmv]

Wow man thanks.  I never considered small chop which is always there. It's a crappie boat 2 inches will send it away and over the dam.Guess I'll just put 1 foot of bunks boards in the water. 

Thanks again.

[newbiedmv]

That stupid concoction actually worked today. Power loaded and it started sliding back as fast as it went on. Had the strap on my lower arm slipped it over the right guide post, pulled tight and the boat stayed there. Got out hooked up, winched in, and pulled out.

I''ll get another for the left side when I see one.

[Deephaven]

If you are sliding back your trailer is in too deep

[newbiedmv]

Nope....I did a previous fix for sticky boards that was way way to much. Siliconed them down, they're slicker than wet ice. It will wear off in time.

There's only one Ramp shallow enough that it stays on. This one wasn't it. Busy yesterday, 3 people had to be pulled out just in the 2 hours I was waiting to load(they shredded there tires). I had to beach a 1/8 mile downstream and wait wait wait.

If you go to that ramp on a Sunday be out by 10 am.

If you have old sticky boards I recommend vegetable oil and not that silicone spray you see on amazon,bps,Amazon,, dealers etc.

Trailer dealers....$^^,# auto correct ?