Thomas,

3/8” lines will be plenty strong enough.  Just be aware of chafe & install chafe guards at wear points.  This would also be an issue with 1/2” lines.

3/8” lines have some other advantages vs. 1/2” lines:


  1.  There is room on your cleats for two 3/8” lines – i.e. bow line + spring line, doubled up lines, etc.  1/2” lines barely fit one per cleat.
  2.  The 3/8” lines have more stretch and thus less “jerk” when you are tied up to a dock vs. 1/2” lines.
  3.  3/8” lines with a loop will fit thru the center hole on the cleat and then loop back over the horns of the cleat while still leaving enough of the horns free  to cleat off the line.  This is very useful to run a line from the boat, around a piling on the dock, and then back to the boat.  Then, you don’t need anyone on the dock when it comes time to cast off.  You can’t do this with 1/2” lines.
  4.  3/8” lines are less expensive

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows

From: Lee Kuhn<mailto:lvjkuhn at gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2021 10:32 PM
To: THOMAS POLISE<mailto:tvpolise at aol.com>; The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Dock lines

During one of our severe tidal surges on the Cheapeake, my boat was suspended above the water.  Cleats and 3/8 line did fine.

1/2 lines look cooler.

Lee
1999 Rhodes22. AT EASE
Claytor Lake, VA

On Sun, Oct 31, 2021, 10:22 PM THOMAS POLISE via Rhodes22-list <
rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:

> I keep my Rhodes 22 docked  all season on Barnegat Bay  with lines on both
> sides.  I had old 1/2 “ lines and need to replace all lines next season.
> Everything I’ve read says that 3/8” line should be fine. I’d prefer 3/8” to
> save cost and have an easier time on cleats.
>
> Just curious what the experience is with 3/8” line……..
>