Appropriate length for dock lines
 

Hello all,
I just got a good deal on 100 feet of 3 strand nylon and will be cutting it and splicing some eyes for new dock lines.
What is the typical length of line in comparison to boat length.
A general rule? Same length of boat? , or a percentage ratio?
It seems when docking and rafting up sometimes, the standard store bought dock lines are to short of length for the smaller diameter lines.
My LOA is 29 feet.
Thanks.
Bob

It's always good to check the Google.
http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/21.htm

The Boat/US article is pretty good I think.

In addition to the leave-behind lines in my slip, I carry six docklines about boat length with spliced eyes and one long 2.5 times boat length line with no eyes. I also have a full 100m reel of dockline (about 350 feet) that I keep moving around and have never actually used.

I've never used everything at once, but I have used up to five of the boat length lines at once, and often use the long line with two or three of the boat length lines.

For your boat and line I'd cut the line in thirds and splice the eyes. If you have room in your cleats to fit a doubled bight of line through the middle make your eyes big enough to fit through the middle of the cleat and flip over the ears. If not, make them big enough to fit over 10" or 12" dock cleats.

Dock lines
 

Thanks for the replies and link.
Very helpful. I think I will make up two sets. One to stay on the dock and one for traveling.
Fair winds.
Bob