We have a marina slip and a mooring but for ice protection I always remove the ball and mooring
line from the 3/4"
anchor chain for the winter. During a low, slack tide and before disconnecting the ball, I pull the ball onto my tender and
shackle a winter float to the top end of the
anchor chain. I made the float from a 3" dia x 48" long pvc pipe with both ends glued & capped and my mooring number painted at the top portion.
The pipe is weighted with enough sand to keep it floating vertically. The bottom end is double-capped, enabling a SS through-bolt connection without breaking the inner cap''s watertight seal.
This is not an original idea . . . many boaters use a brightly painted length of wood; I prefer this technique for it''s permanance. Also, make sure you log the
anchor location with your
GPS . . . just in case. I donned my scuba gear, searched and tagged a friend''s mushroom
anchor last Spring after thick ice and an unusually high tide snapped his ball
shackle. The pipe has much less resistance.
Steve
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