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Helix Mooring Anchors... one or two?

7K views 21 replies 6 participants last post by  SailNet Archive 
#1 ·
We are trying to figure out what the best system for mooring our 27' Pearson will be. We're interested in the Helix anchor but i wanted to get input from other experienced Helix users. I've been in contact with Helix and have been told that our conditions are perfect for them... (the bottom is muddy and it's pretty firm with some sand and clay mixed in.) Although we have a dock to keep our boat at, we want a mooring for use in time of hurricanes. I was told by a Helix rep that "Generally we advocate the use of our high load Square Shaft anchors for severe storm situations. These anchors are installed by trained installers with special equipment, and there are no installers in your area." And they went further with: "Another option for your consideration is our "lower load" Round Shaft anchor series. The Round Shaft series is our do it your self anchors and are installed without special equipment. Fully installed in a firm soil such as you describe these anchors can deliver meaningful holding. Model H1066 is our largest do it yourself anchor and fully installed in firm soil should deliver an estimated 3000-4000lbs of holding. For comparison purposes a 4000lbs concrete block set on the same firm soil will deliver about 3000lbs of holding. If you are interested in more than the estimated 3000-4000lbs of holding from the H1066 you could install two of them and bridle them together with chain."

I guess my question is... wouldn't having two anchors and a chain be problematic as far as getting tangled? Should i even bother with two or would one be sufficiant? Our boat has 6000lbs of displacement so i'm worried that one would not be enough. Of course... i could just go with one and keep my fingers crossed but i want peace of mind during a storm. I guess if we got "the big one" and our boat snapped loose our insurance would cover it but i want to be as prepared as possible.

Thanks and sorry for being long winded... i'm good at it. :D
 
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#3 ·
If you connected the two helix anchors with a short bridle using a three-way swivel, and then lead a single chain up to the buoy, there would be little if any problem or risk with fouling.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the input guys... we have decided to go with two. Even though i know it won't affect us this time, that tropical Storm that just formed out in the Atlantic scared me into two Helix anchors. Better safe than sorry.

One further question though. Even though our Pearson 27' has 6000lbs of displacement... that doesn't neccesarily mean that it will be exerting 6000lbs of pull/pressure... correct? This would have more to do with wind speed, waves, and the area of our boat exposed to the wind. Am i correct in this way of thinking?
 
#5 ·
The surge level of force your boat can exert could well be more than 6000 lbs. If you think about how much force the boat can exert by moving up and down... the higher the seas, the more force it can exert. However, those forces are generally momentary, rather than sustained. IMHO. This would also take fairly heavy winds and seas to do, and if you are in a well-protected anchorage, it isn't all that likely to occur.
 
#7 ·
One last thing (ok maybe not the last, but...) We will be mooring "At Last" in about 6-7 feet of water. I understand needing 1.5 times the absolute depth of water for chain length... so during a hurricane storm surge we could possibly see around 14 feet of water... so that means we need 21 feet of chain. Here's the question: Would a 15" (for up to 46lbs) Jim Buoy mooring ball be sufficiant... OR do we need an 18" (for up to 90lbs)?
 
#9 ·
Joel-

I'd go with the 18" mooring ball. The extra flotation can sometimes help reduce shock loading when tied up to a mooring. It will also float higher and make picking up the pennant easier. :D
 
#10 ·
I ran accross a great deal on Craigslist today... a complete mooring system for 100 bucks. The problem is that it's too small for our boat i think...

"150 lb mushroom anchor, 15 feet of 5/16 galvanized chain connected with swivel to 15 feet of 3/8 galvanized chain, mooring ball is 15" Jim Buoy, model 4401"

Our boat is a 27... can i use the chain and the mooring ball? Or is that too small... :eek:
 
#11 · (Edited)
How heavy is your boat? You could probably use the chain, mooring ball and possibly even the anchor, but it really depends on what size/displacement boat you have.

If you have a standard Pearson 27, it comes in around 5800 lbs... and you could probably use that rig. Might want to go up to 3/8" G4 chain IMHO...but YMMV, depending on how well sheltered your anchorage/mooring field is.

However, most of the recommendations I've seen say you should have a 200-250 lb. mushroom anchor for your boat, with 3/8" or 1/2" chain.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Yes... it is a standard P27. I'm thinking the anchor is of no use for us and that doesn't matter anyway because we just ordered two (just to make sure) helix anchors which should be here next week. I'll put the mushroom anchor on consignment at our local shop to try and get back some of the 100 bucks. It's the chain and mooring ball i'm primarily interested in. I'm thinking that since the average water depth is 7 feet that the ball won't have to support that much chain and that the 15" would be fine. It would only be during storm surge that it would have to support more weight... and even then it's not too big a deal if the ball is floating lower... as long as the chain holds.

The area we're mooring in is fairly protected in the grand scheme of things. We're not in the ocean, the sound or even the river... but on a creek that's off of the river so we should be over protected with two helix's bridled together. Probably overkill but i'll be feeling pretty good about it when (not if) the next hurricane blows through.

Thanks again Sailingdog... i really appreciate your input.
 
#13 ·
glad to help... if the chain looks at all worn or old...go get new G40 chain. :D No sense in having a weak link between the helix anchors and your boat. Also, double check the shackles, and make sure the ones you get are load rated—most aren't.
 
#14 ·
:( Well... i went and looked at the "good deal" and what i was told about the chain having "very little rust" was very much BS. The 5/16 chain was G3 and the 3/8 chain was G4 but it wasn't looking so hot and i figured i'd pass on this one. If i had needed the anchor then it would have been an alright deal because it actually looked good... but like you said... "No sense in having a weak link between the helix anchors and your boat." So i'm just gonna forget about "deals" and go straight for the new stuff. I'm gonna get the 18" ball too... what the hell. :D
 
#15 ·
Mooring in 7' of water

I am not sure of this, but 7' of water seems a shallow place for a storm mooring for a boat that draws 3'3". I'm picturing the boat bucking waves as they develop in a storm and bottoming out in the troughs. Does anyone out there have any real knowledge about what happens in these situations?
 
#16 ·
I'm delighted to hear that Helix, who originally would ONLY sell a professionally installed system, will now sell "inferior" anchors for self-installation.

I'd be worried about multiple helixes and chains fouling up, I would think a multiple installation should be set as 3-4 symmetrically places screws, each with a chain rising to a submerged center float and pivot point, and the mooring line/chain rising up from that central point. That way each contributes to the strength, but nothing can wrap or foul, and only one clear line surfaces.

" 7' of water seems a shallow place for a storm mooring for a boat that draws 3'3". " Yeah, I'd think so to. Also making it hard to install the multiple apparatus the way I'd want to, not enough depth.

Seven feet of water...let's say two feet blow out from winds, there's a two foot chop left, and the boat hobbyhorses on that...starting in only seven feet, the rudder is going to be smashing into the bottom pretty badly.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I'm delighted to hear that Helix, who originally would ONLY sell a professionally installed system, will now sell "inferior" anchors for self-installation.

I'd be worried about multiple helixes and chains fouling up, I would think a multiple installation should be set as 3-4 symmetrically places screws, each with a chain rising to a submerged center float and pivot point, and the mooring line/chain rising up from that central point. That way each contributes to the strength, but nothing can wrap or foul, and only one clear line surfaces.

" 7' of water seems a shallow place for a storm mooring for a boat that draws 3'3". " Yeah, I'd think so to. Also making it hard to install the multiple apparatus the way I'd want to, not enough depth.

Seven feet of water...let's say two feet blow out from winds, there's a two foot chop left, and the boat hobbyhorses on that...starting in only seven feet, the rudder is going to be smashing into the bottom pretty badly.
This is what i was told by Helix:

"Place the anchors 8-10' apart, connect the anchors with 9-11' of heavy chain (align the anchors and chain so the expected path of wost wind will hit perpendicular to the chain). Put an oversized shackle around (not through a link) the chain, and connect your up chain to this oversized shackle. The oversized shackle will be able to move along the chain between the anchors, fetching up as it travels. This will help spread the load over the two anchors."

I don't like the idea of "Put an oversized shackle around (not through a link) the chain, and connect your up chain to this oversized shackle." So i thought it may be better to go with Sailing dog's idea of "If you connected the two helix anchors with a short bridle using a three-way swivel, and then lead a single chain up to the buoy, there would be little if any problem or risk with fouling."

Foul weather: My other option is leaving it at the dock which is about 5' on average. I don't like the idea of leaving it there because i would prefer it to be able to float free in a 360 radius... far away from the dock. It can also float up and down easier than being tied at the dock.

As far as the weather and the rudder... this has occurred to me already. It's a chance i'll take knowing that over the past 30 years no other boat owner has had this happen in this area (to my knowledge.) I'm not new to this area where i'm talking about putting her... and there are several other boats moored there. I know... i know... blind leading the blind you might say. Did you guys catch my previous post?

The area we're mooring in is fairly protected in the grand scheme of things. We're not in the ocean, the sound or even the river... but on a creek that's off of the river so we should be over protected with two helix's bridled together. Probably overkill but i'll be feeling pretty good about it when (not if) the next hurricane blows through.
 
#18 ·
Makes sense.

I was thinking of moorings last night, and wondering why I couldn't just get some junkyard automotive coil springs, have a welding shop put a nice "eye" in each end, and then use them as springs in mooring lines or chains. They're cheap, they're durable, so what if you galvanize them and replace them every couple of years?
 
#19 ·
I don't know if having a giant spring in the chain is such a good idea... the shock loading that could occur could be really wicked. :eek:
 
#21 ·
Just got the Helix anchors in today. Thought i'd post a photo in case there are people interested in seeing them. We are going the legal route and applying for a permit so hopefully we'll get approved before any big storms roll through. Just for the record... we own the property that they will be installed in front of. :cool:



 
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