Hello, I've recently purchased a daysailer hull #3141 and I would like to moor it in a nearby river (Bass River) next summer. Does anyone know what size mushroom anchor would be suitable to moor it on for the summer season? I would also appreciate any other pertinent information folks might like to share. Thanks, Len Phelan
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My daysailer mooring
Len, I don't know the Bass River, so I don't know the conditions you'll be moored in, but my Daysailer's mooring is in Casco Bay up here in Maine. It can get pretty exposed when the wind comes from either the NE or SW (which, of course is the prevailing). It not uncommon to get three foot waves in the anchorage. I used a 150# mushroom on 3/8 chain with a float, and I used 1/2 three strand nylon as the mooring pennant. I spliced a snap shackle on the end, and attached it to the bow eye so that the load was more horizontal. You could probably get away with a 100# mushroom, but I had the 150 so I used it. Your boat has low number, which probably means its as DS1. Is that right? If so there are two more thoughts. 1. The boat is not self bailing, which means if you are going to get really heavy stuff, take it home. Once you play with it enough you will be able to rig and derig it inside a half hour, so its usually not that big a deal. If its even remotely possible you are going to get waves more than three or four feet high (rollers are ok, I mean steep ones that could break over the bow and put water in the cockpit) or more than four or five inches of rain, take the boat home. 2. There is a lot of debate over whether the centerboard should be left up or down on the mooring. My take on it is that it ought to be down. I installed a bungie that would hold it in the down position even in the rough stuff but still give some shock absorbtion. I like the board down because it will keep the boat bow to the waves, even if the wind veers. You only have a few inches of free board, so you don't have whitecaps breaking into the boat. This shouldn't scare you off. Daysailers ride moorings all the time. There are at least five of them in the anchorage where mine is. Enjoy. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Len, I don't know the Bass River, so I don't know the conditions you'll be moored in, but my Daysailer's mooring is in Casco Bay up here in Maine. It can get pretty exposed when the wind comes from either the NE or SW (which, of course is the prevailing). It not uncommon to get three foot waves in the anchorage. I used a 150# mushroom on 3/8 chain with a float, and I used 1/2 three strand nylon as the mooring pennant. I spliced a snap shackle on the end, and attached it to the bow eye so that the load was more horizontal. You could probably get away with a 100# mushroom, but I had the 150 so I used it. Your boat has low number, which probably means its as DS1. Is that right? If so there are two more thoughts. 1. The boat is not self bailing, which means if you are going to get really heavy stuff, take it home. Once you play with it enough you will be able to rig and derig it inside a half hour, so its usually not that big a deal. If its even remotely possible you are going to get waves more than three or four feet high (rollers are ok, I mean steep ones that could break over the bow and put water in the cockpit) or more than four or five inches of rain, take the boat home. 2. There is a lot of debate over whether the centerboard should be left up or down on the mooring. My take on it is that it ought to be down. I installed a bungie that would hold it in the down position even in the rough stuff but still give some shock absorbtion. I like the board down because it will keep the boat bow to the waves, even if the wind veers. You only have a few inches of free board, so you don't have whitecaps breaking into the boat. This shouldn't scare you off. Daysailers ride moorings all the time. There are at least five of them in the anchorage where mine is. Enjoy. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Mushroom mooring size
I have a 100# mushroom anchor for my mooring. I would first check with the Harbormaster in either Dennis or Yarmouth (depending on which side of the river you are on) to see if they have a suggested size of mushroom. The general rule of thumb is 10# of mushroom for each 100# of boat, so for a DS, that means 10% of 528# or 53#, since they don't make a 53# mushroom, you will need a 75# one as a minumum. My mooring location is sheltered, but ocaisionally will experience strong wind and swells, on a southeast wind the waves build for 3-4 miles, the only really bad wind direction for me.
I have a 100# mushroom anchor for my mooring. I would first check with the Harbormaster in either Dennis or Yarmouth (depending on which side of the river you are on) to see if they have a suggested size of mushroom. The general rule of thumb is 10# of mushroom for each 100# of boat, so for a DS, that means 10% of 528# or 53#, since they don't make a 53# mushroom, you will need a 75# one as a minumum. My mooring location is sheltered, but ocaisionally will experience strong wind and swells, on a southeast wind the waves build for 3-4 miles, the only really bad wind direction for me.
75 would make me nervous
The rule of thumb I grew up with is 5-10 pounds of mushroom for every foot of boat. Obviously, any rule of thumb will have to bend to logic of windage. The DS has comparatively little windage, but it still presents some sail at anchor. I guess it really depends on when you are willing to haul it. I know people who leave their Daysailers on the beach, and take them home if it looks nasty. I realized that I might not be able to get to the boat to get it ashore (I had a tipsy dink at the time) so I bought a mooring I knew would hold if I had to leave it out there. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
The rule of thumb I grew up with is 5-10 pounds of mushroom for every foot of boat. Obviously, any rule of thumb will have to bend to logic of windage. The DS has comparatively little windage, but it still presents some sail at anchor. I guess it really depends on when you are willing to haul it. I know people who leave their Daysailers on the beach, and take them home if it looks nasty. I realized that I might not be able to get to the boat to get it ashore (I had a tipsy dink at the time) so I bought a mooring I knew would hold if I had to leave it out there. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
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