Main Winches for Spring Lines...

scraph · #1 (**permalink**) 03-06-2010

Yes, you read that right. My boat (32' C&C displacing ~11000lbs) has cleats and open chocks bow and stern for bow and stern lines ... however, there is no such thing amidships. So ... spring lines are secured boat side by wrapping them around the main winch.

Opinions?

imagine2frolic · #2 (**permalink**) 03-06-2010

You can use the same breast line cleats for springs........i2f

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 03-06-2010

I would recommend using the cleats rather than the winches... the winches may not be mounted to resist loads from the directions of the docklines.

Another option is to install amidships cleats on the genoa fairlead tracks. Schaefer, Garhauer, and Forespar all make them.

FSMike · #4 (**permalink**) 03-06-2010

There's no law that says you can't run spring lines from the bow and stern cleats towards the dock cleat nearest the middle of the boat. As far as winches go, if you've got a fair lead go for it. Just don't trip over the lines.

chef2sail · #5 (**permalink**) 03-06-2010

On our C&C 35 MKIII we follow Saildogs lead. Cleats are on our Genoa Tracks for the spring line. makes a good central point also when rafting up for forward and rear spring line attachment to other boat to help "lock" the boats together to prevent banging. Also since the spring is our first line we attach we docking it is in a desirable location amidships the wides point on our boat when pulling up to reach and pull the dock line off the dock hooks. (not sure if I explained that correctly). We have the Carhauer ( 11/4" track) ones and are quite happy with them.

Not sure I would feel safe with all the different angles a spring line takes floating around in a slip that I would leave my boat attached that way in addition the the added strain it would put on your winches.

Dave

roline · #6 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010

Winches are set up for more of a constant load, the needle bearings are designed to transfer the loads as the rotate and come under load. There would be no harm in temporary using for a spring line, but for repeated cyclic loading it would be hard on both the bearings and the races, especially if an aluminum drum.

jackdale · #7 (**permalink**) 03-11-2010

You can also spring from shrouds - if you have chafe protection on the spring line.

sailingdog · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

This is a really bad idea IMHO... Putting stresses like that on the rigging is a BAD IDEA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackdale

You can also spring from shrouds - if you have chafe protection on the spring line.

AdamLein · #9 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

Recommend strongly against using shrouds. Also recommend against using stanchions, but I do it anyway :P

Also recommend against using bow and quarter cleats to spring the boat in or out of a berth. In this case it's crucial to have a midships cleat mounted as close as possible to the boat's center of lateral resistance, otherwise the bow or stern will swing out.

If you're using them statically to arrest fore and aft motion of the boat in her slip, bow and quarter cleats will work fine. In this case I think a winch will work reasonably well also, unless you happen to get hit by a tremendous and gusty storm.

sailingdog · #10 (**permalink**) 03-12-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamLein

Recommend strongly against using shrouds. Also recommend against using stanchions, but I do it anyway :P

Bad Adam...bad, bad Adam...

Quote:

Also recommend against using bow and quarter cleats to spring the boat in or out of a berth. In this case it's crucial to have a midships cleat mounted as close as possible to the boat's center of lateral resistance, otherwise the bow or stern will swing out.

Yup, true that.

Quote:

If you're using them statically to arrest fore and aft motion of the boat in her slip, bow and quarter cleats will work fine. In this case I think a winch will work reasonably well also, unless you happen to get hit by a tremendous and gusty storm.

The problem has to do with how the winches are mounted. If you have the winches mounted on the cockpit coaming, they're often pretty strong fore-and-aft, but fairly weak athwartships... and if you're using it as a spring line to pull the boat in towards the dock, they can often tear out.. I've seen some really gruesome photos where the winch basically tore the entire coaming off the boat because it was used for a dockline.