Does anyone know what a Catalina Mooring Coil is?

[caguy]

It was reference in another thread, but I cannot find any pictures of it.
I called Yacht Rigging Asoc. and left a message.
I am curious as to whether it works and how.

http://www.sailorschoice.com/Catalina/cat-tips.htm

 

[Stu Jackson]

Frank, it's instructions as to how to use the mooring buoys at Catalina Island harbors. Actually it's a pretty nifty setup, and I wish they'd installed them here at Angel Island State Park in Ayala Cove. What they now have is just dreadful.

 

[caguy]

I don't think so. I've used the moorings a Catalina and I think it's a ring of some sort that keeps you from getting your hands dirty while walking back the spreader line.
I am really hoping that it will aid in mooring when solo.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Frank, from what I hear the harbor patrol is very, very helpful there.

 

[Mrs. JimR]

It looks interesting, but I don't understand how it can help in crosswind situations. It would be nice to hear from someone with experience. It might be worth $60 to avoid slime all over my gloves, shoes and jeans and jacket sleeves every time. I'm always the bow person and bear the brunt of the mess. Washing gloves is always task #1 after getting the boat settled.

 

[Lee Coller]

It's a line a little longer than your boat with large heavy shackle on the end. The shackle needs to be heavy enough to quickly sink and large enough to easily go over the weights lashed into the sand line. How it works is that is that you run the line along the side of the boat you are going to tie off on with the shackle at the bow. The person who picks up the mooring attaches the hawser to the bow cleat than puts the shackle around the sand line. The skipper in the stern than just pulls the line which will eventually pull the sand line up to the stern. Really useful when there's only two of you.

 

[Richard19068]

It's a line a little longer than your boat with large heavy shackle on the end. The shackle needs to be heavy enough to quickly sink and large enough to easily go over the weights lashed into the sand line. How it works is that is that you run the line along the side of the boat you are going to tie off on with the shackle at the bow. The person who picks up the mooring attaches the hawser to the bow cleat than puts the shackle around the sand line. The skipper in the stern than just pulls the line which will eventually pull the sand line up to the stern. Really useful when there's only two of you.

It would be interesting to see a demo. I get the idea of how it works but wonder how it gets over the weights on the spreader/sand line without getting hung up. Lee, have you seen it in use?

 

[Lee Coller]

It would be interesting to see a demo. I get the idea of how it works but wonder how it gets over the weights on the spreader/sand line without getting hung up. Lee, have you seen it in use?

I've not seen one used up close, I've seen one that was made by a Staff Commodore at KHYC (I think he may have actually invented the thing) and I know he swears by it. The reason it gets easily over the weights is the shackle is about 8" across, so there's plenty of space.

I haven't seen what's actually advertised, so I don't know how big their shackles are.

 

[Rick D]

Yea, I use something similar.

A Catalina mooring coil is like a big split-ring cotter in that it is a coiled piece of stainless with an eye on one end to which you shackle a line. The coil is open about an inch. So, you run it outside the lifeline to the bow. After you pick up the mooring and attach the bow eye, you slip the coil over the sand line and walk it back so that you don't get filthy.

In my case, I use an anchor retriever ring (see link) which I spread apart and put a big, heavy, cheap shackle on one of the rings and then attached some 3/8 cheap poly line, about 50'. The poly line is because you don't want to store a wet line. Anyhow, that combination works well. I take the line to the ring and bring it back to the cockpit so that I can pull it from there.

I have used it for three seasons so far and it works well. The weights they use on the sand line are squared off; they used to be tapered, so you can get a momentary hang-up sometimes, but it is no big deal. I did wonder if the anchor retrieval coil might slip off since it isn't coiled over itself like the Catalina mooring coil, but so far, it has never happened.

http://shop.hunterowners.com/prod.php?3255

 

[Richard19068]

Re: Yea, I use something similar.

Interesting idea. Last week in Fourth of July the sand line had more growth on it than I had ever seen. Quite a science project.

 

[Rick]

Re: Yea, I use something similar.

We use an adaptation of what Rick D showed. Actually just the stainless ring. Run some pilot line long enough to go to helm. We almost always only have two in the crew when catching a can at Catalina. Steps and lessons learned.

1. Run the line to the ring OUTSIDE any stantions, catchalls forward to the bow.
2. Always play the stern to weather for the crosswinds.
3. Check to see what side your neighbors are moored. Port or Starboard
4. After connecting ring to slime line and attaching forward hawser, through the wand back in the water in case you have to waive off. They snag and break and you buy!
5. Jiggle the ring as you pull it to get it over the weights on the slime line. Unhook the ring when you get the slime line close to the stern cleat otherwise it will go to the bottom when you grab the stern hawser.
6. Always have a sundowner at the ready after your secure.. or before... Put the wand up in the bow so it doesnt keep you awake banging on the hull. Oh and stow your fenders unless you are paranoid.

The ring in the link works great. Watching people catch cans as Rick D will attest, is like "survival TV". Dont get much better than that.

Cheers

 

[FourPoints]

what is a sand line? never heard of this mooring arrangement before... here on the east cost, and in the BVI, I've never seen a mooring ball with more than just the 2 pendants, and sometimes the wand with a small line attached to one pendant.

 

[Rick D]

Catalina moorings have both an aft and bow mooring. They are connected by a 'sand line'. So the drill is, as Rick said, to pick up the bow line which is attached to the mooring can and wand, hook up the bow eye, and hand-over hand the sand line astern until you get to the stern eye. Sometimes if the mooring is too long for the boat, you just tie off to the sand line. The best practice, however, for longer stays is to run dock lines through the mooring eyes, forming a two-point bridle at the bow and a single point at the stern. This helps the boat not hunt so much, especially boats with bow cleats set a ways aft of the bow stem and the ability at the stern to play out or take in line as wind and tide changes. Way more than you wanted to know...

 

[FourPoints]

are they bow and stern moored so they don't swing (seperate moorings), or does the stern line also go forward to the mooring ball?

 

[Rick D]

are they bow and stern moored so they don't swing (seperate moorings), or does the stern line also go forward to the mooring ball?

Both the bow and stern lines are attached to separate moorings.

 

[caguy]

Rick what is your routine for mooring when you are alone. You've mentioned in the past that you often solo to Catalina. I have mostly used the string line and have occasionally pick-up a mooring at Avalon. The weather has always been calm when picking up a can at Avalon except once when it was blowing hard. That day the harbor patrol were escorting people in.

what is a sand line? never heard of this mooring arrangement before... here on the east cost, and in the BVI, I've never seen a mooring ball with more than just the 2 pendants, and sometimes the wand with a small line attached to one pendant.

 

[Rick D]

Rick what is your routine for mooring when you are alone.

It depends on conditions. If I have a cross wind or if there are boats tightly adjacent to my mooring when single-handing, I'll let the Harbor Patrol know so they can stand by. Although I think it's the prudent thing to do, they have caused problems a few times when trying to help unsolicited. I always orbit the mooring once or twice slowly to get a feel for current and wind. I have the pole extended on the bow and the mooring coil rigged to the bow.

As far as picking up the mooring, I allow for wind and current which can mean approaching the mooring at a pretty big angle. I have learned to not put the bow right on the wand, but rather upwind from it to allow for drift. I motor just fast enough to allow steerage, stop the boat and get up to the bow, grab the wand with the pole, bring the eye up, take the coil and move it aft along the sand line, and tie off the stern. If anything in the process goes bad, I don't hesitate to cast off and go around again, taking care to keep clear of the lines.

Then I wait about 10 minutes or so to let the boat settle on the mooring before rigging my dock lines to the eyes and adjusting the lines. As Rick notes, this is an appropriate time to enjoy an adult beverage. :dance: It sounds like a fire drill, and it can be if you have a beam wind, but it usually goes fairly well. It's just about the same with crew except to really watch them so that they will cast off fast on your order if things go south.

 

[FourPoints]

Picture

Thanks, coupled with the above it makes allot of sense now.

 

[caguy]

Rick D, thanks it's good to know I'm doing something right, though it is still nerve racking.
I have often wondered if running a shackled line from the cockpit through the anchor cleat or an attached block and back to the cockpit would work. The idea is that you could pull the cockpit along side the stick, attach the hawser to the shackle. You would pick up the slimmey sand line at the same time (and now attach the coil). The coil could be attached with a loop to the winch or the stern cleat. The boat cold then be pulled back with the line while the coil takes up the sand line. Once the forward hawser is drawn up to the anchor cleat the stern hawser can be pulled up and attached.
It seems safer and less like a Chinese fire drill.
BTW: I second that celebratory drink.

 

[Rick D]

Heck yes, experiment! Whatever works is good for you. If it has problems, you will know real fast! Believe me, I picked up a string line for a lot of years, and it's way harder than a mooring.

In case you missed it, they will be making reservations for moorings on-line around June. I think they have already been doing it for string lines for a year or so. Also, you should try Cat Harbor a couple of times in the season. You can anchor very near the dingy dock and it is a great place for swing-keel boats. Let us know your schedule. I would love to offer that Adult Beverage!