If you moor your boat at a berth that requires you to tie up to pilings, you should check out this product. TideMinders are plastic balls that allow your boat to rise and fall with the tide in its slip without adjusting the lines. You string them around the end of your line like large beads, tie two knots to hold them in place, and loop them around the piling using a bowline. They roll up and down the piling as the boat moves. Simple, right? But brilliant!
The 3″ x 2 3/4″ balls move up and down the piling with your boat, delivering constant tension and shock absorption. Chafing is virtually eliminated because the holes in the balls through which your line passes are smooth and rounded. And if you drop your line in the drink, TideMinders float so retrieval is a cinch.
TideMinders are available at West Marine and at your favorite boating store and web site. They come in packages of 9 balls, and in different sizes to accommodate dock lines up to 1” in diameter.