mooring anchors

[Phil9039]

I have a question for those that moore their boats. The last two seasons, I have used a mooring anchor that I made from two farm tractor wheel weights which weigh around 400 lbs. I use 60' of 3/8 chain with this but do not feel real secure and when the wind hits 20 to 25 mph from the south (lots of fetch and exposed)I pay the trancient fee in the marina soooo, my question is what type of anchors do you guys use for mooring? This is for a 30' O'Day.

 

[Hal]

Moorings - chain size and length, anchor weight

I put in a mooring this spring and spent a lot of time talking to people and researching different types. I wanted a mooring system which could accomodate up to a 25 ft boat, although we had a 17 footer this summer. I decided on a 250 lb mushroom mooring from Inland Marine in S. Dartmouth, MA. They were very helpful in recommending chain size, shackles, etc, and the price was very reasonable, even including the truck shipping charges. I ended up getting 1/2" long link grade 43 hot galvanized chain for the bottom chain (1 1/2 x the maximum water depth) and 3/8" long link grade 43 hot galvanized for the top/light chain (1 x the max water depth). So I'd say you are undersized on the chain for a 30 foot boat. I'm not sure about your 400 lb of tractor wheels - it depends on the type of bottom - whether they can dig themselves in and provide more holding power than their weight alone, which is diminished under water. I suspect the 400 lb may be borderline OK, maybe not. Google the website for Inland Marine, email Steve and he will advise you about size for anchor, chain, etc. And also look at the discussion on the link posted here.

 

[Craig Smith]

You can use proper anchors

http://www.morganscloud.com/rants_and_musings/ramanchoring.htm2nd entry, "Why We Don't Trust Moorings and Do Trust Anchors (John, 2007)"

 

[higgs]

Back in Racine, WI

We used railroad wheels for our moorings and they worked pretty well. In the old days, the harbor was open to the NE which on southern L Mich can get bad. My reccolection is that broken mooring lines was more of a problem than dragged moorings.There is a screw like mooring anchor that a diver must put in which is supposed to be quite secure. http://www.helixmooringsystems.com/

 

[Denise]

my O30 sits

on the Delaware River where the current runs about 5-8 knots. right next to a active ship channel. Most of the moorings for 30ft and larger Sailboats are close to a 1000 lbs. that we make out of cement. I also have 5/8" bottom chain and in 30 ft of water the whole length is about 80ft. she's not broke loose yet!

 

[shorty]

2500 lb granite

2500 lbs of granite, which we have a lot of on the Maine coast, 30' 1" galvanized, 30 ft. 1/2" galvanized. For a 34' 11,700lb Pearson 34. Meet these specs, and have it inspected every three years or you don't get to put it out. Probably one of the best investments made for this boat.

 

[Brian M H23]

Denise

Didn't you lose my boat (back when she was yours) off of that mooring??I haven't lost her, though this past summer in a rainstorm, a stinkpot on the other side of the finger pier sunk, drug the pier under, and broke 2 of my dock lines!

 

[Maine Sail]

Storm mooring is 6800..

My storm mooring is a 6800 pound 7 foot diameter granite block with 25 feet of USCG surplus bottom chain (18 pounds per foot). My top chain is 30 feet of 3/4 inch ACCO long link mooring chain. The boat is 36 feet 17,000 pounds..My regular mooring is a 600 pound mushroom with 25 feet of USCG chain and 40 feet of 3/4 inch ACCO long link top chain. Both moorings use a 1 inch swivel at the mooring ball then dual, unequal length, 7/8 inch Yale Polydyne pendants.

 

[Denise]

Brian yes

that mooring block was very small and the chain was too short. glad your enjoying the H23 Brian!