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Suredock system - Ropeless Docking (solution for bumper burn)

Kells

Kells

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There was a post a few weeks back about getting the right bumpers for your boat and dock, and I commented about my bumpers starting to burn the sharkhide on my pontoons after I spent countless hours polishing them  I posed a couple pics there...  Burning my sharkhide just 24hrs after dropping my boat in the water was infuriating, so I needed to find something that didn't involve bumpers and rope.


I started googling some things hoping to find a solution like "bumper-less / ropeless docking" etc...  I was mainly going through the image search to get some ideas of how I can dock my boat without ruining all my hard work and found this gif:


dockloop2.gif



not sure if the image loads with all


This appears to be a perfect option!!  I couldn't find any info on the company on the forum, or anywhere else really so I reached out to them via phone.  They just started selling/manfucturing this year so it's a relatively new product.  There is a demo of it at my dealership which I didn't realize until talking with them, but I did get a pair ordered and I should be able to install in the next week , I promised them I would review this product also so I'll be following up soon with everyone on the outcome...


here is their site http://suredockusa.com/ for anyone interested.


In the meantime i'm wondering if anyone has used something like this before.


Any thoughts on this?  Anyone think the bumper would be better than something like this?  pros/cons?
 
That would probably be pretty loud with the metal on metal. Not to mention the cleats would get beat up in no time. In my opinion, great for a one day hold, not the best for your boat after a season. I could be wrong.
 
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lakeliving said:
That would probably be pretty load with the metal on metal. Not to mention the cleats would get beat up in no time. In my opinion, great for a one day hold, not the best for your boat after a season. I could be wrong.
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I agree if connecting the stainless to an aluminum cleat or noscone, it could eventually wear through.  I am imagining stainless on stainless should be OK.
 
The metal on metal and short throw would worry me, even on our small lake, with wake boats and such.


Other options are traditional mooring whips and something like the SlideMoor HERE. I'd think there would be better range of motion as those are designed to handle tidal changes.
 
TomS said:
The metal on metal and short throw would worry me, even on our small lake, with wake boats and such.


Other options are traditional mooring whips and something like the SlideMoor HERE. I'd think there would be better range of motion as those are designed to handle tidal changes.
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I have a lot of wakeboarding on our lake also because of it's shape, the bumpers sometimes get pulled up on the dock!  
 
Why not get a lift? No rubbing, no boat bouncing around, and it stays dry!
 
Looks like that would get pretty tweaked as soon as some big rollers came thru. 


I've used whips before.....  they work well.


Currently I am using Airhead bungee ropes (x4)  at my "L" shaped dock.  Using the "L" and the seawall at the other end, I am able to hold the boat away from the dock by having the bungees pulling against each other.   I have one non-bungee braided dockline to keep the boat from moving too much.


So far, this is the most forgiving setup I have found.....  see below picture in next post
 
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http://
 
I would love to get a lift... but a 30' with a canopy and can hold 6000LB is not within the budget at the moment lol!
 
From some of what I've read and seen here lately, money doesn't mean a whole lot on this site. Lol.
 
It's real easy spending someone else's money! Although we make suggestions here I would only hope no one would commit financial suicide and make a purchase they could not afford solely for the sake of some random guys on a forum! 
 
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I find it hard to justify some investments.  250 for this system to avoid bumpers and burns on my boat seemed justifiable.  6K on a hoist? Well I have an outdoor kitchen that I would rather spend that on  ;)


Although the thought of not having to cover my boat when in done every night makes that hoist a lot more appealing.
 
You can find used ones on Craigslist. That is where we bought our last one. When we upgraded to this boat we bit the built and bought new. It is nice not worrying about the boat during storms, winds etc. 
 
As far as I'm concerned. A lift is one of the most important options on the boat. Especially since it will actually save you money in a long run,and help you spend more time on the boat.It saves many hours of cleaning the toons. I'd spend less one the outdoor kitchen an buy a nice grill.You probably can guess where my special place in life is. LOL
 
I have a fiberglass boat on a lift.  It is so convenient not to have to cover every time, or worry about rain during the day. The lift has also given me the confidence that my boat could last a lifetime now....  fiberglass/gelcoat absorbs moisture over time, stains to the point of almost permanance, can develop blisters, and can crack if left in the water.   In fact most warranties on high end ski boats are voided if the boat is left in the water !  


Aluminum on the other hand is quite the opposite.   I can deal with minor staining of the pontoons, as long as I know it is not going to affect the longevity or the warranty.  I'll wipe them down once in a while, and maybe even polish them one day....  but for the thousands of dollars for a lift, I'm fine with tossing the cover on........
 
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I think this system is going to serve 2 purposes, keeping the boat OFF the dock which should improve the longevity of the dock, and also minimize the burning from the bumpers.


I WANT a lift Only for the sole purpose of not having to cover the boat every time i'm done... i've even considered buying one of those aluminum car ports with the fiberglass top, or even canvas and putting it in the lake!  I still think is not a terrible idea... it's just a covered area for the boat.


51FqCV6WWbL._SL1000_.jpg



Has anyone see that or tried that?
 
Kells said:
I think this system is going to serve 2 purposes, keeping the boat OFF the dock which should improve the longevity of the dock, and also minimize the burning from the bumpers.


I WANT a lift Only for the sole purpose of not having to cover the boat every time i'm done... i've even considered buying one of those aluminum car ports with the fiberglass top, or even canvas and putting it in the lake!  I still think is not a terrible idea... it's just a covered area for the boat.





Has anyone see that or tried that?
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Hewitt, Sea-Legs, Lakeshore Products, among others make a standalone system just like this. They use extra long heavy duty galvanized or aluminum pier type poles with augers so it doesn't fly away.
 
I can see cleats being torn completely off with that docking system. Not for my boat!
 
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