This is my first year on a mooring with my '85 25.5, and the winds here in the Western LI Sound are rivaling the San Francisco Bay this year. Isabel at 40-45, the week following brought 50mph, and since then it's been plenty of 20 to 35mph days. The toerail on my boat stops about 2 feet from the nose - from that point on it's just the fiberglass, with 2 cleats mounted right on the edge - no chocks. The glass lips out and down - there's a gap between the underside of this lip and the hull. The mooring has held well, and I guess it's fine if the boat is directly in line with the mooring, but with all the heaving to and fro, the boat's been tossed left and right. Seems as the bow goes left of the mooring ball, the port line takes the strain to the right, putting all the pressure on that hollow lip below the cleat, and vice versa. The lines are starting to chew up that unsupported lip (the lines show virtually no chafe, by the way)- I'm seeing cracks and the glass mat underneath one chip. I certainly don't want this to continue - has anyone had this problem? I'm thinking there must be a way to beef up this area. Molded steel plate? Glass the hollow lip solid? Thanks all.
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No chafe?
You indicate that the mooring bridle (rope?) is chewing up the boat, but not (itself) suffering from chafe. This is very counter-intuitive. The softer material should show the first signs of damage, where two rub (rope should be softer than FRG). This sounds more like a"stress" issue. I know I’m dense, but I think I need more info’. Regards, Gord
You indicate that the mooring bridle (rope?) is chewing up the boat, but not (itself) suffering from chafe. This is very counter-intuitive. The softer material should show the first signs of damage, where two rub (rope should be softer than FRG). This sounds more like a"stress" issue. I know I’m dense, but I think I need more info’. Regards, Gord
Do you have a bow eye?
If you boat is trailerable, it should have a bow eye that you could use for connecting to the mooring. Or you could install one. It would keep the pulling force in a natural place that won't interfere with the deck of the boat. --Hise
If you boat is trailerable, it should have a bow eye that you could use for connecting to the mooring. Or you could install one. It would keep the pulling force in a natural place that won't interfere with the deck of the boat. --Hise
No chafe, no bow eye
I don't have a bow eye, and that is a possible solution. I think the reason there is no chafe on the line is that it's not a back and forth rubbing - perhaps stress is a better word. It's a downward, pulling pressure of the eye splices on this lip, formed by the deck extending about an inch beyond the hull underneath, then down about an inch. This creates the hollow, making the downward edge of the lip fairly thin for this sort of pressure. Maybe I'm not doing the best job describing it - I'll try to grab a picture in the next day or so. Thanks all.
I don't have a bow eye, and that is a possible solution. I think the reason there is no chafe on the line is that it's not a back and forth rubbing - perhaps stress is a better word. It's a downward, pulling pressure of the eye splices on this lip, formed by the deck extending about an inch beyond the hull underneath, then down about an inch. This creates the hollow, making the downward edge of the lip fairly thin for this sort of pressure. Maybe I'm not doing the best job describing it - I'll try to grab a picture in the next day or so. Thanks all.
Mooring Line Chafe
Brad If the line is chewing up the fiberglass why not just install rub strakes on the edge of the deck? Stu
Brad If the line is chewing up the fiberglass why not just install rub strakes on the edge of the deck? Stu
Epoxy Filler
Sounds like you need under support for the fiberglass overhang. I don't know your configuration, but I would be tempted to fill the unsupported area with epoxy filler. Just a thought.
Sounds like you need under support for the fiberglass overhang. I don't know your configuration, but I would be tempted to fill the unsupported area with epoxy filler. Just a thought.
How long is your pennant?
Off hand it sounds like to me your pennant, that is the bridle and line leading up from the mooring ball, is too short. I am aware that in crowded mooring fields, as you are probably in, both scope and pennants are kept to a minimum. In high winds this will put the kind pressure onto your boat as you describe. The person who did your mooring may have just placed on basically any old pennant that he had around, or, as your boat is "relatively" small, that is under thirty feet, he may have used a pennant more applicable for a smaller vessel. I personally found I had to set up my own pennant to get the proper length and line size. Further, I think using double braided line on the pennant is wiser than three strand as it may place the stress of the line more evenly on the bow where as three strand may have just ine of its "strands" pressing against the bow. To do this with a bridle, I use both three strand and double braided line. A single line of three strand is on the bottom half of the pennant with a thimbled eye splice attached to a shackle attached to chain and the ball. At the other end of the three strand I splice in another eye. Through this eye I clove hitch in a double braided line with en eye splice at each end. Hence, for the part that attaches to the cleats, I have double draided line that very smoothly secures to my cleats. Then with the three strand, I am able to attach a single line to the chain and ball.
Off hand it sounds like to me your pennant, that is the bridle and line leading up from the mooring ball, is too short. I am aware that in crowded mooring fields, as you are probably in, both scope and pennants are kept to a minimum. In high winds this will put the kind pressure onto your boat as you describe. The person who did your mooring may have just placed on basically any old pennant that he had around, or, as your boat is "relatively" small, that is under thirty feet, he may have used a pennant more applicable for a smaller vessel. I personally found I had to set up my own pennant to get the proper length and line size. Further, I think using double braided line on the pennant is wiser than three strand as it may place the stress of the line more evenly on the bow where as three strand may have just ine of its "strands" pressing against the bow. To do this with a bridle, I use both three strand and double braided line. A single line of three strand is on the bottom half of the pennant with a thimbled eye splice attached to a shackle attached to chain and the ball. At the other end of the three strand I splice in another eye. Through this eye I clove hitch in a double braided line with en eye splice at each end. Hence, for the part that attaches to the cleats, I have double draided line that very smoothly secures to my cleats. Then with the three strand, I am able to attach a single line to the chain and ball.
Stu, and all...
What is a rub strake and where would I get something like that? I think that's what I'm calling a "molded steel plate." Don't think the pennants are too short - at least they don't seem so - the guy who sets up the moorings here has quite a rep for doing the job right. Perhaps the strakes and/or filling in as Jim suggested. Thanks again
What is a rub strake and where would I get something like that? I think that's what I'm calling a "molded steel plate." Don't think the pennants are too short - at least they don't seem so - the guy who sets up the moorings here has quite a rep for doing the job right. Perhaps the strakes and/or filling in as Jim suggested. Thanks again
Bow Eye works for me!
I support the bow eye idea. I have kept my C&C 26 on a mooring for the last 3 years (Summer - I live in Canada) I use 2x6 ft long nylon lines. One end has an eye splice (for mounting on the buoy), the other end has a "Wichard" stainless snap hook for the eye. The eye is a "Wichard" U bolt with rubber collar mounted through the stem, into a hardwood backing strip which has been glassed into the bow. Each line has a rubber snubber. I also add a loose backup from the deck - just in case, but there's no load on it. No chafe, no skuffed gelcote - peace of mind. There's a lot of wind here & the lake gets very rough.
I support the bow eye idea. I have kept my C&C 26 on a mooring for the last 3 years (Summer - I live in Canada) I use 2x6 ft long nylon lines. One end has an eye splice (for mounting on the buoy), the other end has a "Wichard" stainless snap hook for the eye. The eye is a "Wichard" U bolt with rubber collar mounted through the stem, into a hardwood backing strip which has been glassed into the bow. Each line has a rubber snubber. I also add a loose backup from the deck - just in case, but there's no load on it. No chafe, no skuffed gelcote - peace of mind. There's a lot of wind here & the lake gets very rough.
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