Mooring Question

[OhioSailor]

I am currently on a mooring with my 23 Seaward. Is it best to use chain or rope? Or both? If rope is used, what kind of knots? I am currently using 500lb painted chain with a 5/8 inch rope for a backup. I this sufficient? Forgive my ignorance, but this is one of the few sources I can count on. Thanks again.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by OhioSailor

I am currently on a mooring with my 23 Seaward. Is it best to use chain or rope? Or both? If rope is used, what kind of knots? I am currently using 500lb painted chain with a 5/8 inch rope for a backup. I this sufficient? Forgive my ignorance, but this is one of the few sources I can count on. Thanks again.

I am definitely not an expert on mooring. But it seems to me it would depend on how well protected the anchorage is, how long the boat is left unattended and how well you have protected the line from chafe.

[JohnRPollard]

Try here:

Hamilton Marine 2008 Online Catalog - Page 8

I recall that West Marine has a similar advisory in their catalogue. Also, reference Chapman's.

[sailingdog]

Ohio-

What exactly is a 500 lb. painted chain?? Does this mean you have a 500 lb. mushroom anchor for the mooring, and are using painted chain to connect your boat to the mooring ball??

Generally, if your boat is going to be left unattended for longer periods of time, I would recommend that you have both chain and rope connecting your boat, with the rope taking the majority of the strain and the chain as a backup in case the rope chafes through. 5/8" rope is more than sufficient for a 23' boat.

[Siamese]

I spent a lot of time on a mooring and always used rope. I like it because it has some stretch to it. I used a galvanized steel eyelet(?) with 3 strand rope whipped around it. Attached it with a shackle. On the boat end, I just tied off on a deck cleat.

One year, when I'd sold my 26 and got a 20, I used all chain. We had a blow and I received a call from the sheriff that my boat had washed into the rocks. Greeeeeaat. My little O'Day had a nice factory installed eyelet glassed into the bow, onto which I had attached the chain. It pulled the fitting right through the glass, allowing my O'Day to roam free. So I dunno, maybe the fitting wasn't all that secure, or maybe there was no "give" in the setup, so when the conditions caused the boat to snap to the end of the line the momentary stress was to great. By the way, O'Day was undamaged...yeeees.

Anyway, I went back to rope.

I don't have any strong input regarding best knots on either end, but personal experience leads me to rope with a backup. Do watch for chafe, obviously.

[Maine Sail]

[JimsCAL]

JohnRPollards link above is a good start. Only change I would suggest is put the swivel between the lower and upper chains, and I don't like their use of a shackle to connect the pennant to the ball - it can turn sideways and greatly reduces the strength.

I have had my boats on moorings for the last 30 years and haven't lost one yet. Just use good quality chain and shackles and don't go undersize. Chafing at the pennant is the most common cause of problems.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by JimsCAL

JohnRPollards link above is a good start. Only change I would suggest is put the swivel between the lower and upper chains, and I don't like their use of a shackle to connect the pennant to the ball - it can turn sideways and greatly reduces the strength.

I have had my boats on moorings for the last 30 years and haven't lost one yet. Just use good quality chain and shackles and don't go undersize. Chafing at the pennant is the most common cause of problems.

#1 - Actually Hamilton sells shackles specifically designed for the Polyform and Scanmarin balls they sell and there is NO WAY they can turn sideways.

#2 - Putting the shackle at the ball allows visual inspection, I check mine about twice per season, because it is the HIGHEST wear item, other than the pendant, which is also visible, in the mooring system.

Wayne Hamilton knows moorings. These guidelines were born out of many, many years of experience and keeping Maine's off shore islanders alive and able to get to and fro the islands during the winter when we have SEVERE weather.

Summer moorings see nothing compared to what our off shore island moorings see in the winter.

My mooring guy uses the same method, with some tweaks, shown in Wayne's catalog and he services over 800 moorings. In the last five years, and many Nor' Easters, he has lost not one boat!

I ALWAYS suggest going over sized with the swivel, mine is a 1", and the chain. Caternary is very, very important in a properly designed mooring system to prevent shock loading. Nothing will kill a pendant faster than shock loading (when the chain snaps straight) as in this:

Originally Posted by Siamese

My little O'Day had a nice factory installed eyelet glassed into the bow, onto which I had attached the chain. It pulled the fitting right through the glass, allowing my O'Day to roam free. So I dunno, maybe the fitting wasn't all that secure, or maybe there was no "give" in the setup, so when the conditions caused the boat to snap to the end of the line the momentary stress was to great.

This is my bottom chain for my 36 footer! We take moorings seriously up here!!

[tdblanchard]

just don't drop the pin!!!

[JimsCAL]

Originally Posted by halekai36

#1 - Actually Hamilton sells shackles specifically designed for the Polyform and Scanmarin balls they sell and there is NO WAY they can turn sideways.

#2 - Putting the shackle at the ball allows visual inspection, I check mine about twice per season, because it is the HIGHEST wear item, other than the pendant, which is also visible, in the mooring system.

Glad to hear they sell shackles that won't turn, but that certainly is not what is shown in that diagram. Someone using that as a guide and buying parts somewhere else should be aware of that potential problem.

I agree totally that the swivel should be checked regularly for wear. I prefer to have mine down on the bottom where it works less than it would at the ball. Lower oxygen levels there too. Either location will work.