Save your vessel or your life with the right Cleat Technique

Before a Storm

Be sure to know the ropes...

Or to be more accurate, learn how to tie a line. One of the most basic and most used (or misused) methods to secure your boat is the simple line to cleat connection.

If you appreciate animation and would like to learn more about how to properly tie or fashion knots in line to secure your vessel, yourself or your bait bucket... You should check out this site: AnimatedKnots.Com

The image to the here shows a line which is improperly tied to a cleat with some high quality chafing gear in place for protection from heavy weather chafing. Why is this line improperly affixed to the cleat in the image?

I think the image was taken to show off the chafing gear, not how to tie lines to cleats...

If your wondering what the problem is, take a look at the bitter end of the line and the wrap with the chafing gear under the horn of the cleat. Clearly this line was not tied with adjustment in mind, nor was it tied with the very real possibility of heavy weather in mind (chafing gear not withstanding). Think about how difficult it would be to remove that line from the cleat when it has a heavy strain upon it. The line will be bound up upon itself and if you were to try and ease it off that cleat with a 50 knot wind providing enormous pressure on the line, your choice might just be to cut the line because it will be nearly impossible to make any adjustment on the cleat with the arrangement as pictured.

The point here is your chances of getting through a storm, or your boat getting through a storm are greatly increased if you spend the time to learn a few basic knots and ways to tie up your vessel correctly. If you learn when it is calm and you have the time, and you put that knowledge to use in your every day situations in mooring your vessel, then it follows that these procedures will come naturally when the wind is high and the tension is at its peak.

Always keep in mind when you make up your mind how to tie up your vessel that you may be put in the position of needing to untie that same vessel when the situation has deteriorated. You may need to change where your line is riding, or you may need to get out of the way of a boat which has broken free from another mooring. (This is only if you ignored my earlier post which indicated your boat is not worth risking your life for in a real storm situation). Just try and visualize how you would get free if your lines are wrapped around a cleat in a manner which places all of the pressure on the line and does not allow you to release that pressure under complete control.

So go to animatedknots.com and study up on your mooring techniques and knot work. The small effort you expend will serve you well throughout your boating lifetime.

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