How to tie spring lines to a narrowboat

[Tony Brooks]

59 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Generally it is far better (and the normally taught method) to reverse out of your berth.

Go forward on the Spring using the taper on the bow to allow the back end to swing out, once the back end is out, then reverse and as you pass the spring line crew can bring it back on board, continue to reverse until you have room to straighten up.

 

It always amazes me watching some boaters 'bouncing along the bank side' trying to get the bow out and not realising that the boat pivots around its centre - if there is norwhhere for the back to go to, then the front cannot move either.

 

If nothing else, get off and push the bow out.

 

 

I agree - if there are two of you, one who can deal with the spring on the bow. If there is only one of you, a decent wind with have you back alongside by the time you have gone forward, retrieved the spring, and got back to the tiller and controls. Much the same applies if you are trying to pole the bow away from the bank. Don't ask how I know!

 

At least with the typical elliptical narrowboat stern, a stern spring has room to swing the stern towards the bank.

 

My preferred method of getting away is to start the engine, untie both ends while holding the centre line, walk forward along the bank and give the bow a good shove out into the stream.  That, as you say, tends to push the bank towards the bank, so walk back, step aboard. By now the bow is usually well out into the canal, so move the tiller away from the bank and drive off, so the boat turns parallel to the bank.

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, jupiter1124 said:

I think I get it. With two lines at one end, you want them as oblique an angle to each other as sensible, as each line is responsible for just that one direction. The other line at the other end is actually best off being at 90 degrees to the boat and bank as this line becomes responsible only for the one direction.

Can you help me understand why adding more lines is useful? Once you have two lines in opposing directions, isn't adding a third going to be pointless, as the tighter of the two would be the one that takes the strain?

I may put an extra line out if the wind increases significantly or changes direction, or that is likely. I can then sleep soundly. I do have a lot more ropes than the average boater, so I don't need to re set the lines. The extra line would not be a duplicate.

Edited May 3, 2023 by LadyG

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 hour ago, jupiter1124 said:

I can't see from the diagram how spring lines can absorb a 10-12' rise. These four lines are tight, aren't they? If the water level rises with the mooring points staying fixed, this is still going to roll the boat over, isn't it?

yeah that’s always got me too,

I guess it must be easy but an acquired knowledge. 

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

The boat rises and descends vertically and because of the fact that the springs are tight against the wall and the lines are not stretched tight (my springs generally have a 'bow' (catenary) in them. The 'short' normal mooring lines reduce the fore and aft motion and the spring hold the boat into the side which minimises the swing and snatching.

The spring lines are basically pivoting around a central point - either the central cleat on the boat, or a 'central' cleat / bollard / ring on the bankside

and I still don’t get it,

I think I’d have to be there to see it and ask the obvious questions. 
 

😃

 

next time I visit the Cornish Rivière I will go ask how it’s done. 

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

yeah that’s always got me too,

I guess it must be easy but an acquired knowledge. 

and I still don’t get it,

I think I’d have to be there to see it and ask the obvious questions. 
 

😃

 

next time I visit the Cornish Rivière I will go ask how it’s done. 

Very long lines. not 30" like you see on  canals, more like 30 foot and they are not tight

[Ken X]

With the caveat that I have limited knowledge in this area,  I have seen snubbers used to act as a spring in mooring lines.  I guess this adds to the compliance needed in length without adversely affecting line tension.

[Scholar Gypsy]

With very long lines, Pythagoras comes to your help.  For example if the line is 30' from boat to bollard, and horizontal, then if the boat falls 6 feet then the boat only moves towards the bollard by 7 inches. I use this effect when using ropes going down in a lock. Tie off one as above and adjust the other.

 

(30^2 - 6^2)^0.5 = 0.6 feet = 7 inches. 

[DandV]

The deployment of springs really distinguishes the boaters that have tidal and strong flow experience from those that haven't.

 

Their deployment also makes for more comfortable mooring on well trafficked narrow shallow canals where passing boats create uncomfortable disturbance. 

In lumpy stuff,  a pair of tight long springs coupled with some slack in the bow and stern lines will allow the ends of  boat to ride the waves rising and falling as  the waves pass. I have witnessed a snatching stern line tearing a mooring cleat off the deck, when the stern rose rapidly on a passing wave to suddenly run out of stern line length. 

 

But deploying springs on narrowboats always seemed to require comprimise because of the location of the limited mooring points in relationship with boarding locations and  deck house paintwork. Fairleads either side at the bow are good, and like another poster I sometimes used the recessed below gunnel fastening points provided for my hated pipe fenders.

 

 

Edited May 4, 2023 by DandV

[Scholar Gypsy]

6 hours ago, DandV said:

The deployment of springs really distinguishes the boaters that have tidal and strong flow experience from those that haven't.

 

Their deployment also makes for more comfortable mooring on well trafficked narrow shallow canals where passing boats create uncomfortable disturbance. 

In lumpy stuff,  a pair of tight long springs coupled with some slack in the bow and stern lines will allow the ends of  boat to ride the waves rising and falling as  the waves pass. I have witnessed a snatching stern line tearing a mooring cleat off the deck, when the stern rose rapidly on a passing wave to suddenly run out of stern line length. 

 

But deploying springs on narrowboats always seemed to require comprimise because of the location of the limited mooring points in relationship with boarding locations and  deck house paintwork. Fairleads either side at the bow are good, and like another poster I sometimes used the recessed below gunnel fastening points provided for my hated pipe fenders.

 

 

Here's my favourite example, with two spring lines running between each pair of boats - stern to bow and bow to stern. With slack cross lines at bow and stern we rode the waves quite comfortably. (only one person was seasick).  Gravesend, June 2022.

[ditchcrawler]

And please dont use a centre line from the roof as a spring line for mooring

[MtB]

24 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

And please dont use a centre line from the roof as a spring line for mooring

 

I'd say please don't use the centre line from the roof for ANY sort of mooring. It's a line put there for boat handling.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I'd say please don't use the centre line from the roof for ANY sort of mooring. It's a line put there for boat handling.

 

On a canal maybe, but on a river tied loosely it can serve as extra security.

 

There is no rule saying it can only be used for boat handing.

 

They can also serve as a quick way of securing a boat on a lock landing whilst waiting for a lock.

[Tam & Di]

OK, but don't then moan if your boat rocks when another boat passes or when someone works the lock.

 

Tam

[Paul C]

39 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

On a canal maybe, but on a river tied loosely it can serve as extra security.

 

There is no rule saying it can only be used for boat handing.

 

They can also serve as a quick way of securing a boat on a lock landing whilst waiting for a lock.

 

 

Not strictly a rule but there's the laws of physics..............I'd not argue with them though.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Tam & Di said:

OK, but don't then moan if your boat rocks when another boat passes or when someone works the lock.

 

Tam

 

Never found it to be a problem. If I was waiting for a boat to exit and then pass me I would simply untie my boat as the gates opened.

 

If I was simply waiting for a boatless lock to fill or empty it didnt matter.

Just now, Paul C said:

 

 

Not strictly a rule but there's the laws of physics..............I'd not argue with them though.

 

See above.

 

Oh gosh....here we are doing it again at Foxton.

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

15 minutes ago, M_JG said:

 

Never found it to be a problem. If I was waiting for a boat to exit and then pass me I would simply untie my boat as the gates opened.

Standard ain’t it?

If I have to wait any length of time then a loop with the rope around the bollard and back to boat seems simple.

Puzzles me to see someone struggling to hold a boat in when there’s a bollard at their feet. 

I do Prefer drifting about though and getting ready to enter lock.

 

[Tacet]

23 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

With very long lines, Pythagoras comes to your help.  For example if the line is 30' from boat to bollard, and horizontal, then if the boat falls 6 feet then the boat only moves towards the bollard by 7 inches. I use this effect when using ropes going down in a lock. Tie off one as above and adjust the other.

 

(30^2 - 6^2)^0.5 = 0.6 feet = 7 inches. 

Agreed.  The longer the line, the greater the rise and fall that can be accommodated for the same change in tension.

 

The direction of the lines is only a factor insofar as it is usually more practical to have long lines in a fire and aft direction than perpendicular to the vessel.

 

It also helps resist surging - but not so good at keeping the vessel tight alongside.