Mooring advise in a breeze

[oliversdad]

Went out earlier today for a sail.By the time I moored up the wind was gusting into the twenties.I sat in my truck and watched as it was raining and blowing straight in at me.Is there anything I should do to keep the boat from fishtailing left and right while on the mooring.I'm on a lake and in shallow water[about 4 feet].I tried lowering the centerboard partially and it seems to help a little.The rudder is secured above the water and tied off.Maybe nothing to really worry about but It's the first time I have seen this.When it blows southwest I'm on the lee side of about two miles of open water so there's a good amount of pitching action too.It's a friend's mooring and has no chain attached to the anchor.I know that would help.Thought some of you might have a trick or two.Thanks,Barry

 

[justsomeguy]

How about an anchor sail?

 

[whatfiero]

mooring

you can double Moore or drop an aft anchor or tie the stern to a tree but than runs the risk of having a driving rain on your hatch

 

[oliversdad]

How about an anchor sail?

Never heard of one of those.Will look it up.

 

[DeniseO30]

Put the rudder down.. even on a lake when the wind blows it makes current. on the surface.

 

[Sunbird22358]

I'd partially lower the CB, maybe about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way down. I'd remove the rudder completely and stow it below or at least in the cockpit, although with the tiller tied on center and the rudder kicked all the way up... it might act as a sort-of "anchor sail", think of the fin on a weathervane. Leaving the rudder down will cause more wear and tear on the rudder and may cause the boat to frequently "sail" up on the mooring, and possibly result in the boat getting hung up on the mooring and even pointing downwind if rudder gets caught on mooring.

On my DS II, I have the CB slightly down (about 14-18" deep), remove the rudder, and my mooring has a bridle on it with one eye-splice for each cleat. The bridle centers the mooring pull better and reduces the "sailing around" on the mooring.
My mooring is typical for my area, anchor (I use a 100# mushroom), then 10' of 1/2" chain (about 1.5 average depth of water at my mooring) ,then 8' of 1/4" (or is it 3/8"? I better measure!) to the mooring ball, and then a 7/16" double-braid Nylon pendant (5' long) with a short bridle of 1/2" 3-strand nylon, as I say, one loop to each of 2 bow cleats. We have a 4' tide change twice each day, so depth varies from just under 3' at low tide to around 7' at high tide.

 

[oliversdad]

Thanks everyone for all the help,It has helped to lower the centerboard a bit but removing the rudder is not an option as it is quite cumbersome,I can't leave the rudder down either as I'm in water just shallow enough to worry.And thanks Sunbird for your pics.I'm tied up the same as you except my pendant is shorter,about2- 3 feet.Could that make a difference?

 

[Sunbird22358]

I wouldn't think a shorter pendant would cause the problem, as long as it isn't too short (recommended length is usually 2.5X the distance from deck level at bow to waterline + distance from chock to cleat) Since, like my boat, yours has the 2 mooring cleats out on the deck edge, 2.5X the freeboard at the bow would be recommended length (mine is a bit longer than that, but not much.... I estimated length in my previous post, it was only 1 year ago that I made the pendant, but already have forgotten exact length!) If your pendat is less than 2.5X the bow freeboard....that might cause some of the sailing around at the mooring.....(theoretically?) since the boat can't settle far enough from the restraining point (mooring float) to lie properly to the wind..........(OK, I guess I am starting to "grasp at straws"?)
More pics, this time showing my mooring pendant that was new last year (2011)

I'm beginning to wonder if my sail cover forms a sort-of "anchor sail"?

 

[Joe11688]

I would make a small anchor sail out of polytarp. You can't glue polytarp but you could sew it and install three reinforcement patches and grommets on it.
Then tie it off to the end of your boom, the topping lift, and mast. Use a "Rolling Hitch to secure the line to the topping lift. All you need is some cheap 3/16" nylon braid line tied to the grommets.
If it works out for you, make another one out of better material or just keep using that one until it wears out. I once owned a small Sturdee Catboat that did the same thing while riding on the anchor.

Learn this hitch. It's very simple to tie and it will have a hundred uses. You don't need the loop or bowline on the end, but this is the end that would cause the wraps of rope to tighten down on anything and grab hold of it. Just take about five or six wraps around a rope, or wire, or anything, and take the rope back between that object and the standing part of the rope. Then come back with the line and tie two half hitches in front of the wraps that you made. You can move this hitch forward or backward with your hand very easy, but when you pull on the standing part of the line, the hitch stays put.

Joe

 

[oliversdad]

Thank you Joe for the helpful knot. I must learn that one.I think it is a climbers knot as well.
Sunbird, thanks I may have to try lengthening my pendant.My freeboard may be 3 feet so I may be quite short.It makes sense that it should be longer.
In a couple of weeks she should be safe and sound on a dock with whips.Just a matter of finishing up the dock project.That will sure make things easier!

 

[ebsail]

The problem is that the mast is forward of the center of resistance of the hull. Therefore the boat will always sail back and forth across the mooring. Of course you could moor from the stern, in which case the boat will lie there like a dead balloon, but this is not good in wave action. Soooo, its a small riding sail, think fin, as on an aircraft. Or just let it go back and forth. You could also mount a horshoe (life ring) on the stern rail to add some wind resistance area. Ernie

 

[oliversdad]

The problem is that the mast is forward of the center of resistance of the hull. Therefore the boat will always sail back and forth across the mooring. Of course you could moor from the stern, in which case the boat will lie there like a dead balloon, but this is not good in wave action. Soooo, its a small riding sail, think fin, as on an aircraft. Or just let it go back and forth. You could also mount a horshoe (life ring) on the stern rail to add some wind resistance area. Ernie

Thanks for that siimplified explanation.Makes perfect sense.I tried the longer pendant to no advantage.Just got all wrapped around the mooring.Next weekend she should be set up on a dock with whips.I may try making a riding sail as you suggest just for future mooring use.