Getting ready

The boys accompanied me to Ariel this morning to get her ready for the storm. I bought a length of chain to wrap around one of the concrete pilings and ended up using it to secure a forward spring or backup bow line. I also borrowed another length of chain from the anchor locker and wrapped it around the outer concrete post to rig a secondary starboard after spring line (or maybe a stern line if things get really bad).

Ariel currently has a spiderweb of 15 dock lines: doubled bow lines, stern lines, spring lines, single forward port spring line and a doubled forward starboard spring. Each line also has plenty of chafe protection. Even the relatively gentle 18-20 kt SW wind is already mixing things up a bit. Several boats left the marina today, heading upriver to protected water.




On a somewhat related note, a local realtor showed the slip next to us to a couple. As I was rigging up yet another dock line (number 15), I heard the prospective buyer say to the realtor, "You know, my biggest concern is the surge. Just how much surge is there in here?" Given the spiderweb of lines securing Ariel, one would think the answer to his question was rather obvious. Then again, maybe not.