Dock & Deck Essentials
Good lines, enough fenders and a boat hook within reach make docking calmer and keep keys, phones and people out of the water.
What to Look For
Size dock gear to your boat, not to the package. These three questions cover most small-boat setups.
Line diameter and length
A common rule of thumb is about 1/8 in. of line diameter per 9 ft of boat length; follow the maker's guidance for your boat.
Fender size and count
Choose fenders sized for your boat's length and carry enough to cover the hull where it meets the dock.
Reach
A telescoping boat hook should reach the dock or a cleat from the deck without anyone leaning over the rail.
Our Picks
A four-pack of double-braid dock lines, an inflatable vinyl fender, and a telescoping boat hook.
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How to Choose Dock Lines, Fenders and a Boat Hook
Most dropped keys, phones and people go over the side during docking, when everyone is busy and reaching. Having the right lines, fenders and a boat hook ready before you approach the dock makes the whole process calmer. These rules of thumb are a starting point; your boat's manufacturer and local conditions may call for something different.
Dock lines
Nylon is the usual choice for dock lines because it stretches and absorbs shock when the boat surges. Double-braid nylon is soft on the hands and resists kinking; three-strand nylon is a little stretchier and easy to splice. A common rule of thumb is about 1/8 inch of line diameter for every 9 feet of boat length, rounded up in heavy weather. For length, bow and stern lines are often about two-thirds of the boat's length, and spring lines about the boat's length, but your slip layout decides what works. A spliced eye at one end makes it easy to drop a line over a cleat or piling.
Fenders
Fenders protect the hull from the dock and from other boats. Fender makers publish size charts by boat length; follow them rather than guessing. Carry enough fenders to cover the length of hull that will touch the dock, and adjust their height so they sit where the hull meets the dock or piling. Ribbed and center-tube designs can hang vertically or horizontally depending on the dock. Inflatable vinyl fenders can be topped up when they soften.
Boat hooks
A telescoping boat hook lets you pick up a mooring line, snag a cleat, fend off gently or retrieve a floating hat without leaning over the rail. Choose a length that reaches comfortably from your deck height to the dock, and a head designed for both pushing and pulling. Stow it where you can grab it without moving other gear, and never use it to stop a moving boat by bracing against the dock with your body.
Keep the small stuff from going overboard
Docking is the moment to have keys on a key float and phones in a floating pouch or dry bag. If you operate a boat with an engine cut-off switch, keep the link attached until you've come off plane and are maneuvering at idle, and remember that the Coast Guard notes it doesn't need to be attached for docking maneuvers.
Care
Rinse lines and fenders with fresh water periodically, check lines for chafe where they cross a hull edge or chock, and replace lines that are stiff, faded or worn through the outer braid.