Mooring Pendant Length

[upei1]

I have a lot of problems with my mooring. The mushroom and the chain are loaned to me by a friend who doesn't have a boat in the water. I have a pick up pendant and 2 bridles. They are forever getting entangled around on another. I pick up the pendant and then run the bridles through the chocks and secure them to the main cleat on the deck. Some people leave the bridles in the water when they leave the mooring. If i do this I have a spaghetti factory when I get back.

Maine sail: Do you have a drawing / photo of your setup?

It's the only part of sailing so far that drives me a little batty. Ideally I guess I would like to get out to the mooring, drop the bridles, sail, come back in and hook up, and go on my merry way.

Asking too much?

[follysurf]

What do you guys use for chafe gear? I am on a mooring and have tried several different styles of protection including some that are heavy fabric and secure with wire ties and one that wraps around the line and is secured with tightly wound electrical tape, which seems to work a bit better. The one with wire ties tends to bunch up into one place over time. Last night I checked on the boat and one of the pennants had broken free from where it was rubbing against the ball. I am guessing barnacles got the best of it. I am thinking of using plastic flexible tubing from Lowes to cover the entire pennant. Any ideas?

upeil1: I have a similar set up and have been succesful with securing the two pennants to the dingy and have the pick up line (which is much longer) strategically placed on the dingy so I can retrieve that first and tie off the boat and then grab the primary pennats. This has kept them from wrapping around the chain. I am also looking at getting a couple floats and putting them about 1-2 feet off the ball, and then evry 2 feet (similar to Maine Sails photo) which should solve the problem without having to tie them to the dingy. Ultimately it is about being able to drop the lines and go!

[cb32863]

Here is a pic from Defender's site. Something similar is what I plan on using.



Here is the link to the bridle plate shown in the image.

As for chafe gear, I have heard of folks using swim noodles, cheap and work well from what I have been told. YMMV

[Capt Len]

How about a short length of fire hose fed onto the line before deployment ?

[follysurf]

I spoke to someone this weekend who also suggested fire hose. I am going to try that route.

I also installed a 'back up' pennant this weekend with 6' of chain from the mooring chain/ ball connected to about 6' of 3 strand that is cleated off on the bow.

[Capt Len]

I keep a number of 18" bits of 1 1/2' fire hose onboard for use on my tie up lines where they run thru fairleads etc. Also cat's butt for towing skiff in heavy weather. May have to seize them in place so a short slice on each end helps fold it in.Tared marline ,For every thing else, there's duct tape.

[wmmulvey]

Lou,

Do not go to the cheap on chafe guards and pennants. Your boat will in danger of breaking loose in a storm.

A few boats in our fleet have broken loose and badly damages in storms. Upon inspection, the main reason is that the owner did not maintain their chafe guards and pennants.

Some rules from my yacht club.


8. Pennant length from surface to chocks should equal two and one half times the height of the chocks above water and not to exceed three times.

9. All shackles and swivels used in the heavy chain shall not be smaller than the chain size used.

10. All shackles used in the light or upper chain shall not be more than one trade size smaller than that of the upper chain or a minimum of 3/8 inch.

11. Use proper chafe guards on the pennants at the chocks.

12. Pennants must be maintained in safe condition. No nylon upper pennant shall be used more than two seasons. It is recommended that pennants be replaced annually.

13. Chocks and cleats are part of the mooring system and should be attached securely through backing plates.

14. Double pennants shall be used for all moorings. It is recommended pennants be of equal length. Pennants must be maintained in safe condition. No nylon upper pennant shall be used more than two seasons. It is recommended that pennants be replaced annually.

Bill

[lillia28]

Bill,
Thank you for the info. My original question came from watching the mooring field at slack tide on windless days, with a 25ft boat on a 20 ft pendant. It seemed that we could make the field a bit more compact if we shortened the pendants. Then the hurricane passed by. When the boats are being driven by 80mph winds, it looks different! Some of the comments in this thread were very helpful also.
I plan on two pendants, a 12 ft 5/8 everyday and a 15 ft 3/4 with a "cyclone" storm pendent, total 21feet. The cyclone is the new "Blue steel" and advertised as "Chafe proof" at the boat end (!?). Back up lines for heavy weather.
Our mooring guidelines call for 1.5 to 2 times waterline to deck chock as a MINIMUM. Some folks are more than 5 times. But we came through the Hurricane with no losses, and now I am on a chafe gear kick, having finally understood the dramatic increase in chafe with a short pendant in a storm.

Thanks again.
Fair Winds.
lou