Mooring Overun

[Steve Braverman]

My O'Day 25 is having a problem. It seems that the boat is overrunning the mooring buoy, and the lines are getting wrapped around the bottom of the ball. This happened last year, and it cut through one of the lines. The guy that places the mooring felt that it was too close to the channel and traffic was pushing the boat over the buoy, so this year he put it away from the channel, but it's doing the same thing. Any ideas? I might try leaving the centerboard down to see if it makes the boat track any better.

 

[r.w.landau]

Use about 10' of mooring Line with a 5' swim noodle on it.

Then at the bow eye, use two reversed D snap rings. The mooring line is secured to the mooring ball via a spliced loop or a well tied bowline.It has work on my mooring for the last 5 years. It also extends the line so it is easier to pick up when returning to the ball.r.w.landaudon't leave the centerboard down, it just wears out the pivot connection.

 

[Buck 100]

Check with your harbor master

Steve i had the same problem last year. I used 5/8" three strand nylon with a thimble spliced in the end. The pendant would wrap around the mooring chain, the pendant would also unravele. I talked to the harbor master and the mooring expert at Hamilton Marine in Searsport Maine and they both said it was the current causing the problem. This year i hace spliced a thimble in a 5/8" double braid and i have shortened up on my pendant. They both think that may work. I hope.

 

[Joe11688]

Shortening the pendant

Buck, I wouldn't shorten the pendant line on your mooring ball. Your boat will lift the mooring block and you'll lose your boat on the very next storm. Moorings will generally bury themselves into the mud and that's what really holds them, whether it be a concrete block or a large mushroom anchor. Think of your mooring as an anchor. As long as there is a horizontal pull on the chains and line, your mooring should hold. The bottom chain is probably 1-1/8" large Navy chain, and your top chain is probably 1/2" with a large swivel between them, and that weight helps to keep your ground tackle at more of a horizontal angle. Shortening the pendant line will give you a more vertical pull, and the mooring is sure to drag. I would seriously rethink this one, Buck. I'd hate to have you lose your boat. There has to be a better solution. I'm surprised that your harbor master told you that this may work. Sometimes the wind is stronger than the current or visa versa, and this can cause a boat to ride up on the ball. It happens in our mooring field on the river. Maybe some "No Wake" signs would solve this issue, or maybe a different mooring location on the river. I've heard our guys complain about the boot stripe on their boats getting ruined because of this, but no one is having a problem with their pendant line getting wrapped around the chain if they are using some kind of pendant line flotation. I wish you luck!Joe

 

[LordNelson]

shorten pendant, add chain if needed

i had the same problem. i shortened the pendants and it corrected the problem. i read someplace they should be no longer than 2.5 times the freeboard. another place, no more than 1 ft slack when calm. (i used the 2.5 rule)i also ran the pendant through a section of foam swimming "noodle". if you are worried about lifting the mooring, add chain not pendant length.i also hang some weight off the chain in the form of steel plates on it's own section of chain. the weight chain connects to the mooring chain a little off the bottom. the weights sit on the bottom most of the time. in heavy weather, however, it will help hold the mooring chain down for a more horizontal pull. it will also reduce the shock of a wave on the cleats.

 

[Joe11688]

Mooring

Buck, I agree with you. A 2470 LBS block shouldn't move, and 5/8" double braid should handle your boat easily with no problem. Your ground tackle is better than what we are using at our club. My block only weighs about 630 LBS, but then I have a smaller boat and I'm moored in shallow water. I would still thread on about four or five Styrofoam floats. There's no way that the pendant line is going to sink and wrap around the chain with all those floats. I sailed to a small island yesterday called Dire Island near Newport, and we beach combed the island and found three of these floats. I usually take them back with me and give them to the guys in the club for their pendant lines. I think that your boat will continue to ride up on the mooring, but at least your pendant line won't around the chain which is the worse thing for a pendant. I guess that you'll just have to do some experimenting. With all the their faults, I'll take a mooring any day over a slip, and when I'm out cruising the bay, I prefer my anchor to someone else's mooring. I hope that you find a cure for this problem real soon.Joe

 

[Steve Braverman]

Shortened pennent

I've got more than enough chain between my mushroom and the buoy. So maybe shortening the pennent is the way to go.

 

[Buck 100]

Give it a try.

Steve if your in a position to check your boat everyday, why not try the shorter pendant? My boat has been in the water for a week now with no problem, yet. If i do have a problem i think i will try R.W.'s swim noodle. Well, the wife just told me she has things to do so why dont i go play with my boat. Some things i dont have to be told twice. Later guys......