I am thinking about having a secondary home for my boat away from my marina. At the moment, I have a slip at a great marina just minutes to the Gulf of Mexico with blue paradise like waters, however the Yacht club I belong to is a 50 mile sail away inside of the Bay and I’d like to occasionally sail out of there for regattas and events. The yacht club waiting list is about 3 to 4 years long, so the only option that I have when I sail the boat over is pay for transient dockage. This can get expensive. Understanding this, I have been thinking about placing a mooring in the basin where the club is. I spoke with the dock master at the club (the club and city do not have anything to do with the moorings) and he recommended the following: Anchorage Depth: 10 ft Boat Length/Weight: 28’/7200 lbs Current: Minimal as this is a small basin with one inlet Protection: Good “Take 20 feet of 3/8” chain and tie a large knot in one end of the rode to create a stopper. Drop it over the side into the desired area. Drop 25lbs barbell weights through the hole of each weight down the chain until all of the weight is deployed. 25 lbs barbell disc weights are available from used sporting goods stores for about 25 cents a pound. A 7K pound boat will need about 400 lbs of weight to hold it securely. Attach the other end of the chain to a mooring ball with a swivel. Mooring complete.” He said that he had a 30’ boat on one of these for 2years using 500 lbs without issue. I found links to a couple of sites for review. What are some other thoughts or best practices for creating a economical mooring solution? http://www.geocities.com/poole_sailing/mooring/mooring.htm http://www.inamarmarine.com/pdf/Moorings.pdf
- Status
Like it.
Smart way to get the weight needed, one barbell weight at a time down the chain. You could get a lot of weight cheaply at garage sales, nothing lasts a shorter amount of time than a gift of barbells.
The only addition I would add would be to use a cheap mushroom anchor on the end of the chain. Instead of the knot. Makes me wish we had a place to moor, would save me at least a thousand a year.
Smart way to get the weight needed, one barbell weight at a time down the chain. You could get a lot of weight cheaply at garage sales, nothing lasts a shorter amount of time than a gift of barbells.
The only addition I would add would be to use a cheap mushroom anchor on the end of the chain. Instead of the knot. Makes me wish we had a place to moor, would save me at least a thousand a year.Weight
Terrance We use bad engine heads, get them from the local wrecking yard, engine rebuild shops, etc very cheap or free. There are all sort of things at the wrecking yards and scrap metal relcimation sites, engine rebuild shops. Good Luck
Terrance We use bad engine heads, get them from the local wrecking yard, engine rebuild shops, etc very cheap or free. There are all sort of things at the wrecking yards and scrap metal relcimation sites, engine rebuild shops. Good Luck
Couple more suggestions
First of all, I agree with Ed that the solution proposed by the harbor master is a nifty one but that you may want to add some type of anchor. What worries me a bit is the relatively shallow depth. If you do not keep the riser chain (i.e. the part between mooring anchor/weight and buoy) short your vessel's keel or rudder might eventually get caught in the chain. On the other hand, a short riser chain will tend to put excessive force on the mooring. The best arrangement for shallow water may well be a three-point mooring using "old" anchors set at 120 degrees from each other. The three anchor chain leaders are connected to a strong central swiveling shackle from which a relatively short riser chain leads to the mooring buoy. Note that this arrangement does not require you to drag hundreds of pounds of rusty iron around. One more suggestion: if you have (and need) boat insurance, you may want to check whether your insurer requires you to leave the vessel in a 24/7 guarded marina...... Have fun, Flying Dutchman
First of all, I agree with Ed that the solution proposed by the harbor master is a nifty one but that you may want to add some type of anchor. What worries me a bit is the relatively shallow depth. If you do not keep the riser chain (i.e. the part between mooring anchor/weight and buoy) short your vessel's keel or rudder might eventually get caught in the chain. On the other hand, a short riser chain will tend to put excessive force on the mooring. The best arrangement for shallow water may well be a three-point mooring using "old" anchors set at 120 degrees from each other. The three anchor chain leaders are connected to a strong central swiveling shackle from which a relatively short riser chain leads to the mooring buoy. Note that this arrangement does not require you to drag hundreds of pounds of rusty iron around. One more suggestion: if you have (and need) boat insurance, you may want to check whether your insurer requires you to leave the vessel in a 24/7 guarded marina...... Have fun, Flying Dutchman
Another suggestion
I have always heard that the boat should be linked directly to the mooring wieght/anchor instead of tied to the mooring ball. The ball should be used only to support the chain/rode enough to help retrive the rode. A mooring ball, especially in choppy water will bounce, tug and pull excessively on a morring pennant and stress the deck fittings. Also, the working/maximum load on the components of the ball might be exceeded in severe weather. A length of chain rode, led directly from the weight to the boat will provide enough catenary to absorb much wave and wind motion and force and will smooth out their effects.
I have always heard that the boat should be linked directly to the mooring wieght/anchor instead of tied to the mooring ball. The ball should be used only to support the chain/rode enough to help retrive the rode. A mooring ball, especially in choppy water will bounce, tug and pull excessively on a morring pennant and stress the deck fittings. Also, the working/maximum load on the components of the ball might be exceeded in severe weather. A length of chain rode, led directly from the weight to the boat will provide enough catenary to absorb much wave and wind motion and force and will smooth out their effects.
more weight
I agree with the scrap metal yard guy. I sail my boat in the Beaufort, NC area. I have been diving in the Beaufort inlet and have seen all kinds of things used for mooring weights. My favorite was a section of railroad track used for a "no wake" bouy. 1 old V-8 engine block should do the trick!
I agree with the scrap metal yard guy. I sail my boat in the Beaufort, NC area. I have been diving in the Beaufort inlet and have seen all kinds of things used for mooring weights. My favorite was a section of railroad track used for a "no wake" bouy. 1 old V-8 engine block should do the trick!
So you can sleep
After reading the responses I came back to add; J. is right, I would have a direct connection from the boat to the weight, with a snuber line. Also, I would be concerned that boat motion would prevent the weights closer to the boat from sinking into the muck or... Alot of the holding comes from the weight sinking into the bottom. An old engine block would work great. I also agree that an Insurance check is an excellent idea. OK, now we can all sleep well.
After reading the responses I came back to add; J. is right, I would have a direct connection from the boat to the weight, with a snuber line. Also, I would be concerned that boat motion would prevent the weights closer to the boat from sinking into the muck or... Alot of the holding comes from the weight sinking into the bottom. An old engine block would work great. I also agree that an Insurance check is an excellent idea. OK, now we can all sleep well.
While you're away?
All good ideas. 400 lbs is a lot of weight, except it's not all connected like a solid engine block and could move (in sections) during a storm? One more thing. Who will use it while you're away? If they do, are you responsible? Z
All good ideas. 400 lbs is a lot of weight, except it's not all connected like a solid engine block and could move (in sections) during a storm? One more thing. Who will use it while you're away? If they do, are you responsible? Z
mooring in three fatham harbour/ nova scotia
i set a mooring in the harbour on the eastern shore of nova scotia so i would have a mooring when i take my 1980 hunter 27 down to my fishersman cottage about 15 miles from hfx harbour its home//i used 500 lb of steel left over from the warf rebuilding the interlocking steel they cut off after pile driving the warf// cut a whole in the 5 pieces floated them out on a made shift raft behind the MISTRAL on a calm day and set it in about 30ft of water at low tide on a galvanized 1/2 chain//i am sure the steel is 3 ft in the mud right now// i added weight at the end of the chain i used 5 old dick brake roters so the rode does not pull on the stone but in big weather it will just lift the counter weights//makes great shock absorber we get nor easters off Sable island and any time we have had the boat moored she road well with no great strain on the boat// i think the counter weights is the way to go//hope this helps//
i set a mooring in the harbour on the eastern shore of nova scotia so i would have a mooring when i take my 1980 hunter 27 down to my fishersman cottage about 15 miles from hfx harbour its home//i used 500 lb of steel left over from the warf rebuilding the interlocking steel they cut off after pile driving the warf// cut a whole in the 5 pieces floated them out on a made shift raft behind the MISTRAL on a calm day and set it in about 30ft of water at low tide on a galvanized 1/2 chain//i am sure the steel is 3 ft in the mud right now// i added weight at the end of the chain i used 5 old dick brake roters so the rode does not pull on the stone but in big weather it will just lift the counter weights//makes great shock absorber we get nor easters off Sable island and any time we have had the boat moored she road well with no great strain on the boat// i think the counter weights is the way to go//hope this helps//
- Status