Advice on putting my sailboat on a mooring buoy

[Huntertime]

Hello Sailnet
Can I get some advice on how to put a sailboat on a mooring buoy and not have the mooring buoy scar or tear up the side on my sailboat.I have just bought a used 240 Hunter that is really good shape and I dont want to abuse the hull of the sailboat.

Thanks again for any and all post.

[hellosailor]

Hunter, you don't tie the boat directly to the buoy. Typically you'll tie two ten-foot long lines to the ring on the top of the buoy, and bring each of those up to a bow cleat on your boat. The wind or current will keep your boat off the buoy most of the time. Yes, sometimes it will rub up but mooring buoys are usually required by law to be large WHITE buoys with blue marks, and the white vinyl(?) doesn't seem to mark hulls.

All of the hardware, from the bottom of the mooring to the rod in the ball and the connections to the lines, has to be inspected for chafe and wear regularly. If something pops and your boat breaks free--that's a much bigger worry.

[sailortjk1]

As HelloSailor has stated, some are required by law to be white and blue.
In some areas this is not enforced. I know an area where it is not enforced and a great many of boaters use protection like this to protect the boat. In areas of no currect and known calms it can be a hull/paint saver.
Check with the local authorites having jurisdiction or check with other boaters in your area. If the law enforces the White and Blue Strip, than disregard my post. If it's allowed they are easy to make.

[jjablonowski]

In a slip you get to rub up against concrete and/or wood with maybe a little rubber or canvas coating.

On a mooring you get to rub up against ... water.

Which will do less harm?

That said, there are indeed dangers on a mooring. Nothing to be petrified about, but you should go in with your eyes open.

Fellow SailNetter 'Maine Sail' has put together a Very Impressive set of postings on his local Web site. This particular link shows some of the prep you must consider.