Yale Vizzion for Dock lines?

[Kiltmadoc]

Before I start splicing and cutting my cheaply-bought 1/2 inch vizzion, has anyone used these type of lines for docklines? I am only planning on using them for my stern lines (3/8 lines that came with the boat parted like tissue paper last season). I realize that it's low stretch, but I was going to use some snubbers anyway.

I was originally going to use some 3-strand 5/8 inch lines I eye-spliced, but they dont fit through the cleats!

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Kiltmadoc

Before I start splicing and cutting my cheaply-bought 1/2 inch vizzion, has anyone used these type of lines for docklines? I am only planning on using them for my stern lines (3/8 lines that came with the boat parted like tissue paper last season). I realize that it's low stretch, but I was going to use some snubbers anyway.

I was originally going to use some 3-strand 5/8 inch lines I eye-spliced, but they dont fit through the cleats!

No..................! You WANT stretch especially if a snubber fails..

Vizzion is a very low stretch line and not a good choice for dock lines. It's about as close as you can get to using chain.. It does however make for excellent halyards or other running rigging where you want low stretch.

On a 310, I think that's what your boats is IIRC, I used 5/8" dock lines and chafe gear. 3/8" is pretty small if you add any sort of chafe to the equation..

Where did you find the Vizzion deal & what color, I need some more??

[JimsCAL]

Maine Sail is right (as usual). You want a stretchy line (like nylon) to absorb the energy. A low stretch line will just snap. Surprised 5/8 won't fit. Is it the eye splice that won't? If so, use a bare line without an eye and cleat if off.

[Kiltmadoc]

1/2 inch Yale vizzion is currently selling for $1 per foot at the endicott west marine store, in Danvers Massachusetts. There is about 200 feet of it left (if my guess at what's on the reel is correct). They are trying to get rid of old stock. It's black and white.

Based on your good advice, I suppose just taking the eye splices out of the 5/8 3-strand and just running the stuff around the cleats would be the way to go.

I Guess I have about 60 feet of 1/2 yale vizzion to sell...only $1.10 per foot ;-)

[pdqaltair]

As Mainsail said, chafe gear is the real solution. Generally the smallest of lines will do IF the boat is tied with spring lines to limit surging AND all chafe is eliminated. I've had docklines last 18 years (when the boat was sold and they were recycled for low-value use).

[Kiltmadoc]

When my lines parted, we had nice spring lines, tied well and I had the velcro type chaff guards on the stern lines. The boat was backed into the floats and we had about 2 feet of clearance between the stern and the floats. There was a 1-2 foot surge onto the floats, it was raining, and the lines were 3/8 inch at the stern. They may have been tied with a bowline.

Regardless, the line failed and the back of the boat got a nice chewing-out by the the various hardware attached the to floats. Mostly cosmetic and definitely embarrassing.

[pdqaltair]

1-2 feet of surge; No question, this is a tough application. I can see why 3/8-inch would fail. Even more reason, though, to stay with (big) nylon.

Also, though, consider alternate ways to tie the boat to reduce the "snatch" at the end of each surge. It can often be enlightening to sleep on the boat through a stormy night and tide cycle. You may notice motion patterns that have escaped casual notice and have time to consider solutions. At least that is the way it has worked for me.

[NCC320]

If you boat is a 310...Catalina 310, it probably has the same cleats as my Catalina 320. Instead of using a single eye spliced, 5/8" line, consider two 1/2" eye splice lines. Combined holding strength is greater than the single 5/8" and the double line splices pass easily through the cleat. In fact, for storms, I can get three liine splices through the cleat. I use two lines routinely at bow and stern cleats because it gets rough a times at my slip and I want the second line anyway as a backup against possiblity of chafe.

[FishSticks]

I talked to the manager of a 300 slip marina in Little Creek,VA after Hurricane Isabel. This storm was attended by a lot of surge. The marina has floating docks. There were many, many parted dock lines of the braided type but zero failures of 3-strand lines. Under high cyclic loading the core of some braided lines will melt.