Just because you tied your boat up properly, doesn't mean that it is still tied up properly! The marina I'm in is currently re-planking the piers and replacing the cleats as they go.
Progress is slow, but steady as planking the pier is not as simple as it may seem. The problem comes into play when they reach a cleat. Boats that have been tied to these cleats for years need to be untied so the new planks and cleats can be installed. This means that the guy laying the planks is also the guy who ties your boat up when he is done!
The spring cleat on this large motoryacht was replaced when the pier was re-planked. The new knot tied to secure the spring cleat is "interesting".
The cleat was tied this way after the job was completed.
By morning, the knotted mess began to untangle itself.
If this were your boat and no one noticed the poorly tied cleats, imagine what could happen as the lines begin to fail. This is why it is so important to regularly inspect everything on your boat. Just because you did it correctly the first time doesn't mean it's still done that way!
