I see narrowboaters hanging their looped up stern rope on the tiller pin, isn’t this an accident waiting to happen and it dropping off and fouling the prop. I never stow mine like that I always loop it up and lay it across the stern on the floor in front of the tiller across each rope post. Plus I hate untidy ropes 🤔

Much better to coil and place on the slide.

Just now, Rob-M said:

Much better to coil and place on the slide.

Sorry but what’s a slide ?

 

1 minute ago, Rob-M said:

 

Oh you mean sliding hatch not thought about placing it there actually. Much better though than on the actual tiller. 

Edited July 28, 20251 yr by Steve9007

Interesting- do you completely take the line off then Rob? I do as Steve does, only one snag is the dogs tail is the same calibre as the line, makes me a bit paranoid as to what I’m stepping on… 

 

if it’s completely off then for absolute certainty I will throw it unattached… 

I used to stand on a low step while steering and always coiled the stern rope under that. Easy to access but no chance of accidentally kicking it off into the propellor-fouling danger zone.

27 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Interesting- do you completely take the line off then Rob? I do as Steve does, only one snag is the dogs tail is the same calibre as the line, makes me a bit paranoid as to what I’m stepping on… 

 

if it’s completely off then for absolute certainty I will throw it unattached… 

Yes, completely detached with the loop that goes over the dolly positioned so I can grab that with one hand and the coils in the other.

If you're happy splicing your own loops, with a bit of trial and error you can size the loop to be a fairly tight fit over the top of the dolly, so it's easy to remove on purpose but stays put when you're on the bank holding the middle of the line.

As instructed at handover on our hire boat- was told under no circumstances to leave it on the counter unless it's actually in use! Takes seconds to loop it over one of the dollies when it's needed and it's out of the way until then. It must be the easier than untying one that's tied between the two dollies which seems quite common (and I'd be guaranteed to trip over).

 

I hadn't thought about Rob's suggestion of making sure the spliced loop is on the outside of the coil so it's easily grabbed- it's that way around in the picture but that's just coincidence! 

 

Edited July 28, 20251 yr by brianthesnail96

58 minutes ago, Wafi said:

If you're happy splicing your own loops, with a bit of trial and error you can size the loop to be a fairly tight fit over the top of the dolly, so it's easy to remove on purpose but stays put when you're on the bank holding the middle of the line.

 

A short bit of bicycle innertube over the spliced loop helps the rope grip onto the dolly. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

Yes, completely detached with the loop that goes over the dolly positioned so I can grab that with one hand and the coils in the other.

 Similar here too,

short rope with a splice either end,

means I can avoid knots most of time,

Hangs on hook by engine when travelling. 

2 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Interesting- do you completely take the line off then Rob? I do as Steve does, only one snag is the dogs tail is the same calibre as the line, makes me a bit paranoid as to what I’m stepping on… 

 

if it’s completely off then for absolute certainty I will throw it unattached… 

When at sea it was always referred to as a dog's c**k

I have a loop eyespliced onto the end of the line, but then form that into a cow hitch/larks head knot, which can be dropped over a stern dolly, and will tighten under load so it can't slip off the top, but is still easily loosened for removal (when the line is stored on the slide).

We stow our stern line on the slide at the start of the day and only pick it up again when its needed to moor at the end of the day. 

 

The only exception to this I can recall is on the Thames when we use it in locks.

 

As David Mack says, a loop at one end to form a larks head is important as it grips the stern dolly firmly preventing detachment at angles away from the horizontal.  Using the dolly at the far side from the bank can help reduce the angle if it is very acute, again particularly useful in locks such at the Thames where a stern line is required.

 

You can just see the larks head at the bottom of the dolly in the picture below.

 

I find the larks head way of doing it takes up too much room on the dolly. 

 

 

It is actually quite amusing looking back at older threads where storage location of stern rope was discussed. 

 

Some people take or took it enormously seriously. 

 

When I had narrows I did both. Sometimes on the tiller pin and later after I accidentally ejected the tiller pin I aligned with the 'proper way' which is coiled on the hatch. 

 

At the end of the day it makes no difference to anyone else how you do it unless you have opted to wrap it around their neck and drive away with it attached to your vessel. 

 

So I suppose the correct answer is to do it how you like. 

 

There is a potential impact on others if you keep it wrapped around your feet and fall overboard entangled in it because someone else may need to assist you. 

 

 

I use a larks head when the stern line is being used to hold the boat in a lock and there is a possibility of an upwards pull but generally when mooring I just put the loop straight over the dolly.

Just now, Rob-M said:

I use a larks head when the stern line is being used to hold the boat in a lock and there is a possibility of an upwards pull but generally when mooring I just put the loop straight over the dolly.

 

It was going through Thames locks which made me add bicycle inner tube and it worked brilliantly. The butyl rubber has a sort of binding effect and it never slipped off. I made it so that it had to be pushed down over the dolly. A snug fit but removable afterwards. 

 

It is remarkable stuff. If one wants to join for example a length of aluminium scaffold tube 48.3mm / 4mm wall and a 1.5 inch/38.1mm external dia tube just put bicycle innertube over the smaller, wet it and shove it inside the larger tube. It locks in place and is impossible to remove without heat or winches. 

 

Brilliant stuff. 

 

 

15 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I find the larks head way of doing it takes up too much room on the dolly. 

 

 

It is actually quite amusing looking back at older threads where storage location of stern rope was discussed. 

 

Some people take or took it enormously seriously. 

 

When I had narrows I did both. Sometimes on the tiller pin and later after I accidentally ejected the tiller pin I aligned with the 'proper way' which is coiled on the hatch. 

 

At the end of the day it makes no difference to anyone else how you do it unless you have opted to wrap it around their neck and drive away with it attached to your vessel. 

 

So I suppose the correct answer is to do it how you like. 

 

There is a potential impact on others if you keep it wrapped around your feet and fall overboard entangled in it because someone else may need to assist you. 

 

 

It’s more for newbie boaters, if they see it on the tiller then they will do the same and they won’t be knowledgable about the prop fouling if it drops on the water unlike a seasoned boater would. This is why I mentioned it. 

I rely on overlength centre lines for prop fouling duties; I have two, so that if the first one doesn't do the job properly I can throw the other one in after it. The problem I have with the stern line is that, having coiled it up and put it on the slide, it's the obvious place to put a windlass; that means I then have the extra job of taking the windlass off and putting it on a cushion in the cabin before I can use the stern line to secure the back of the boat. I suppose I should get one of those natty doormat things for the windlass, but with too much narrowboat bling I'm wary of being "that guy" with all the gear but no idea...

5 minutes ago, Steve9007 said:

It’s more for newbie boaters, if they see it on the tiller then they will do the same and they won’t be knowledgable about the prop fouling if it drops on the water unlike a seasoned boater would. This is why I mentioned it. 

 

I did hundreds probably thousands of hours with the rope on the tiller pin and it never ended up in the water. 

 

The tiller pin did end up in the water one day but never had any problems whatsoever with the rope being in that position. Never got tangled or caught on anything. Very handy place to put it actually as long as you coil it correctly. 

 

It is technically better to place rope on the hatch but I don't see an inherent risk to putting it on the tiller pin provided the pin is long enough and the rope is properly placed. 

 

The worst is when ropes are untidily dropped on the deck because that means the feet can get tangled or rope blown overboard by wind gusts. 

 

Of course the rope can also be blown off the hatch in a strong wind...

 

 

Just now, Wafi said:

 I suppose I should get one of those natty doormat things for the windlass, but with too much narrowboat bling I'm wary of being "that guy" with all the gear but no idea...

Can you not keep the windlass in the front of the belt? 

Long thick braid rope which is attached with a clove hitch and the rest is then coiled not tightly with a figure of eight round both dollies to its end which is then tucked under the weight of thr rope, easy to see.

I have my centrelines either side of the cabin roof to hand. One thick braid and very long, best for boat handling in windy conditions.. One not so long and not so thick three strand,.not my favourite. 

I did have a thin braid rope which soon found the propshaft. I now use it for a mooring spring  if very stormy.

I have two short bow ropes one either side which aŕe left hanging over gunnels while cruising or on two pins if im mooring up and i want to be more secure.

I thread a line through my best mooring pins or use a clove hitch on my pins with no loop so I dont lose them.

I have a spare long three strand rope for use at bow in deep locks.

I have a deck brush on the roof and use this to retrieve ropes which are just out of reach.

I dont use a larks tongie hitch as it cant be untied under pressure. I always tie my tugmans hitch clockwise so I can release it quickly by pushing the tail. The clove hitch is used as a secure fastening to the dolly.. I use a round turn and two half hitches if im expecting to untie or adjust, eg a mooring rope on land.

Edited July 29, 20251 yr by LadyG

38 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Long thick braid rope which is attached with a clove hitch and the rest is then coiled with a figure of eight round both dollies to its end which is then tucked under the weight of thr rope.

 

That must take quite a while to bend down and unwind the figure of eight having found the end meanwhile the boat could be drifting away from the bank. I think having the rope coiled on the slide with the loop which drops over the dollie uppermost would perhaps be easier. Also, when setting off, it is quick and easier to wind the rope and drop it on the slide than bend down and do figure of eights. 

 

Edited July 29, 20251 yr by haggis
added a bit more

1 minute ago, haggis said:

That must take quite a while to bend down and unwind the figure of eight having found the end meanwhile the boat could be drifting away from the bank. I think having the rope coiled on the slide with the loop which drops over the dollie uppermost would perhaps be easier. 

we have the life belt on top of the slide with the rope on top and it seems to work

It just lifts off the dollies and then needs to be coiled to throw,  as its tied to one dolly it can be thrown. If im using it continuosly I just have it coiled and ready to throw in this case it might be hanging over the tiller pin, but with a loop so it cant fall off accidently.

1 hour ago, Wafi said:

I rely on overlength centre lines for prop fouling duties; I have two, so that if the first one doesn't do the job properly I can throw the other one in after it. The problem I have with the stern line is that, having coiled it up and put it on the slide, it's the obvious place to put a windlass; that means I then have the extra job of taking the windlass off and putting it on a cushion in the cabin before I can use the stern line to secure the back of the boat. I suppose I should get one of those natty doormat things for the windlass, but with too much narrowboat bling I'm wary of being "that guy" with all the gear but no idea...

As per my photo I posted above I have an ocean plait mat for the windlasses to sit on.