We've been talking today below the equator about spurs and rowels. In taking a closer look at spurs through MW online, I found this term that is interesting regarding boats and spurs:

Main Entry: spur shore Pronunciation Guide
Function: noun
: a timber or spar designed to hold a boat away from a pier wharf or quay

A spur on a rider is shaped somewhat like a wishbone on a turkey. I wonder about this timeber that holds the boat away. Is it on the wharf or on the boat, I wonder?

And railroad sidings were sometimes called spurs.

I can't find dock spurs on the net (but I admit that I'm not the best at net investigations).

I found a naval glossary with this:
"SPURS, pieces of timber fixed on the bulgeways, and the upper end bolted to the ship's side above water, for security to the bulgeways.

I think it means hanging timbers over the side when ship
is moored alongside a quay that might chafe the ship.

We called these "fenders" on my ship.

Fenders! Thanks, JH, I've heard of those; not spurs, though. What are bulgeways, please?

Dear Jackiea: the sides of sailing vessel bulged out above
the waterline, and would come in contact with structure
they were being held to. So fenders would protect the
part in contact with the dock. I think.