Preventing Chafe on Dock and Anchor Lines
Chafe is the most common reason dock and anchor lines fail. The fix is cheap: find the rub points and protect them.
Where chafe happens
- Chocks and fairleads, especially with sharp or rough edges
- Dock edges, pilings and cap rails
- Where two lines cross
- At the bow roller or anchor bridle fairleads
Wrap-around vs. tubular protection
| Wrap-around (hook-and-loop) | Goes on a line that's already rigged or has eyes at both ends. Easy to move as the wear point changes. Check that the closure stays shut. |
|---|---|
| Tubular sleeve | Slides on over a free end before the line is made fast. No seam, slimmer profile, but must be positioned before use. |
Good habits
- Look at every line where it touches something hard, at every tide and wind shift.
- Put protection where it actually rubs, then check it again after the boat has moved on the line.
- Inspect the line under the guard, not just the guard.
- Replace lines with cut, fused or flattened fibers.