The other day at our marina a sailboat was hauled out of the water with signficant hull damage. The owner kept his boat tied to a mooring buoy in front of his house. The mooring line chafed through during the night sometime, and he found the boat in the morning pounding up on the rocks in the wind and the waves. It wasn't a pretty sight. While we keep our boat in a slip, we do use mooring buoys frequently at the state marine parks around here. I've always used a dock line tied to one bow cleat, run through the bale on the mooring buoy and tied off on the other bow cleat. We've not used chafe protection, but we're usually tied up for only a night or two. We've also never sat through a real blow on a mooring buoy. What do you use for chafe protection on a mooring buoy? I've heard a rubber hose can be quite effective. Any other ideas?
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Technique
You know what I've always wondered... is the tieing technbique you describe the best way to go to prevent chafe? I've always tied off as you have, using both cleats. But as these fin keel boats sail side to side on the buoy, the line can come into contact with the anchor, or on some boats the brace for the roller. Could it be better to tie off to one cleat so the line is well away from all that hard, rough metal? BTW, I did spend a night on a buoy in a blow: about 30 knots on Sucia Is. in the big bay (Echo Bay?), with that lee shore behind us. Not a pretty night, but everything held up fine except my mood.
You know what I've always wondered... is the tieing technbique you describe the best way to go to prevent chafe? I've always tied off as you have, using both cleats. But as these fin keel boats sail side to side on the buoy, the line can come into contact with the anchor, or on some boats the brace for the roller. Could it be better to tie off to one cleat so the line is well away from all that hard, rough metal? BTW, I did spend a night on a buoy in a blow: about 30 knots on Sucia Is. in the big bay (Echo Bay?), with that lee shore behind us. Not a pretty night, but everything held up fine except my mood.
Firehose
I've read a lot about using old firehose. I've use clear plastic hosing for my dock lines but I'm pretty protected. LaDonna
I've read a lot about using old firehose. I've use clear plastic hosing for my dock lines but I'm pretty protected. LaDonna
Everybody seems to like old fire hose, but...
...where do you get the stuff? I use clear vinyl water hose on my docklines. You can buy it by the foot up to about 2-inch diameter in Home Depot. I once had to overnight in a blow while moored the same way you were. I added a second mooring line (single and slacker than the primary line) and then eased the chain on the windlass until the anchor was hanging just below the water. I was NOT taking any chances (it wasn't my boat). Peter H23 "Raven"
...where do you get the stuff? I use clear vinyl water hose on my docklines. You can buy it by the foot up to about 2-inch diameter in Home Depot. I once had to overnight in a blow while moored the same way you were. I added a second mooring line (single and slacker than the primary line) and then eased the chain on the windlass until the anchor was hanging just below the water. I was NOT taking any chances (it wasn't my boat). Peter H23 "Raven"
Firehouses?
I think I read that you can call around to firehouses & see if they have any old stuff. I should ask my brother since he's a firefighter!! LaDonna
I think I read that you can call around to firehouses & see if they have any old stuff. I should ask my brother since he's a firefighter!! LaDonna
Another Technique
This applies more to those of us who always use a mooring. There are usually two lines coming from the mooring ball of equal lenght. This can cause the boat to swing back and forth in the breeze/current and cause significant wear and heat to the mooring lines. Basically, the boat pulls tight against one line, swings around, and then pulls tight against the other line. This constant stretching and shrinking of each line causes increased friction and wear. What can be done is to lengthen one of the lines so that it is slack. This lets one line be constantly loaded while the other is in standby as a spare in case the first goes. The boat is more stable into the wind/current (less swinging) and thus is not constantly loading and releasing the line. This becomes especially important in a strong blow. Les Murray s/v Ceilidh '86 C-36 #560
This applies more to those of us who always use a mooring. There are usually two lines coming from the mooring ball of equal lenght. This can cause the boat to swing back and forth in the breeze/current and cause significant wear and heat to the mooring lines. Basically, the boat pulls tight against one line, swings around, and then pulls tight against the other line. This constant stretching and shrinking of each line causes increased friction and wear. What can be done is to lengthen one of the lines so that it is slack. This lets one line be constantly loaded while the other is in standby as a spare in case the first goes. The boat is more stable into the wind/current (less swinging) and thus is not constantly loading and releasing the line. This becomes especially important in a strong blow. Les Murray s/v Ceilidh '86 C-36 #560
mooring chafe
I used the technique of using one line from cleat to mooring to opposite cleat once in Cuttyhunk. After about two hours of sailing on the mooring the line was severly chafed. I went to two lines, but each line tied to the same cleat and had no problems. The problem is when the boat sails around the mooring, it slides thru the mooring attachment and is a serious chafe point. Re firehose. I put a call into a couple of politically connected freinds I have and about 250 feet show up within a week. So I now have a two life time supply. Seems the firehose can still be used for chafe protection but its no longer safely usable for firehose. Bryce S/V Spellbinder H410
I used the technique of using one line from cleat to mooring to opposite cleat once in Cuttyhunk. After about two hours of sailing on the mooring the line was severly chafed. I went to two lines, but each line tied to the same cleat and had no problems. The problem is when the boat sails around the mooring, it slides thru the mooring attachment and is a serious chafe point. Re firehose. I put a call into a couple of politically connected freinds I have and about 250 feet show up within a week. So I now have a two life time supply. Seems the firehose can still be used for chafe protection but its no longer safely usable for firehose. Bryce S/V Spellbinder H410
Mooring Lines
Having lived on a mooring for ten years I always had one long and one short mooring line as previously described. Another trick is use an anchor riding sail connected to your backstay!! this minimizes the sailing around. When I travel and pick up strange mooring I always take a good 5/8 line and make a bridle that goes from cleat to cleat and I run it through the eye in the mooring line preferably with a piece of hose for protection, thus the old mooring line isn't chafing on the anchor, or your chocks or cleats or even the deck. Just a brand new 5/8 line with appropriate chafe protection. I've been in serious blows including Hurricane Bob ( a little outside the worst hit area) and while the line started to melt a little in Bob I've never even come close to chafing thru. Dave
Having lived on a mooring for ten years I always had one long and one short mooring line as previously described. Another trick is use an anchor riding sail connected to your backstay!! this minimizes the sailing around. When I travel and pick up strange mooring I always take a good 5/8 line and make a bridle that goes from cleat to cleat and I run it through the eye in the mooring line preferably with a piece of hose for protection, thus the old mooring line isn't chafing on the anchor, or your chocks or cleats or even the deck. Just a brand new 5/8 line with appropriate chafe protection. I've been in serious blows including Hurricane Bob ( a little outside the worst hit area) and while the line started to melt a little in Bob I've never even come close to chafing thru. Dave
Double your lines
I've also used double mooring lines on the state park mooring buoys when the weather was nasty. I also use a larger diameter mooring line than is typically used to tie the boat to the dock, and just use those lines for mooring buoys. I was once in the small Matia Island bay, when the wind was blowing 30 kts off Georgia St., opposite the current direction through that bay. In a big blow, the odds are you won't be sleeping much anyway with the boat bouncing and the wind howling. Plenty of time to check your lines with a flashlight at night.
I've also used double mooring lines on the state park mooring buoys when the weather was nasty. I also use a larger diameter mooring line than is typically used to tie the boat to the dock, and just use those lines for mooring buoys. I was once in the small Matia Island bay, when the wind was blowing 30 kts off Georgia St., opposite the current direction through that bay. In a big blow, the odds are you won't be sleeping much anyway with the boat bouncing and the wind howling. Plenty of time to check your lines with a flashlight at night.
I have lots of firehose
Being an EMT has some benefits. Anyone local who wants some, drop me a line and I'll hook you up. Probably not worth shipping it. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Being an EMT has some benefits. Anyone local who wants some, drop me a line and I'll hook you up. Probably not worth shipping it. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Try a Round Turn
I have seen buoy lines chafe through overnight and believe there is much less chafe if the mooring warp is passed through the buoy loop twice to provide a round turn. A second warp is also a good idea if the weather looks dodgy. If the boat is to be left for a time then tie a round turn and two half hitches to a large shackle and attach this to the buoy, then pull it up short.
I have seen buoy lines chafe through overnight and believe there is much less chafe if the mooring warp is passed through the buoy loop twice to provide a round turn. A second warp is also a good idea if the weather looks dodgy. If the boat is to be left for a time then tie a round turn and two half hitches to a large shackle and attach this to the buoy, then pull it up short.
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