Another trot mooring question!

[dleroc]

Please excuse my ignorance of all things mooring but I am about to use a trot mooring with bridle lines connecting between mooring buoys.

I want to know if the pick up buoy which I am providing is supposed to be connected to the mooring buoy with my mooring strop separately connected, or somehow linked on to the mooring strop.

In order to stop the strops from drifting too far away would it be best to connect it to the bridle line.

Look forward as always to your informative replies!

 

[LadyInBed]

I refer you back to my post when you asked about trot moorings previously.

When you leave the mooring, the mooring lines need to be attached to the pick up line so that they don't 'float off' down stream or snag someone's prop.

 

[dleroc]

I refer you back to my post when you asked about trot moorings previously.

Thanks for your reply. Can I assume that the pick up buoy is separately attached to the mooring buoy?

 

[LadyInBed]

You don't really need a pick up buoy. You just use a boat hook and hook under the floating pick up line that your fore and aft mooring lines are attached to.
My pick up line doesn't float so I have ties short lengths of heating pipe insulation along it so it does.

 

[dleroc]

Thanks, I think I will do that!

 

[LadyInBed]

This may help

 

[dleroc]

That is excellent - Thanks!

 

[alahol2]

This may help

Not totally sure I understand that. Does the 'spacer' line stay attached to the buoys and in the water all the time? What happens if the wind blows you over it?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Not totally sure I understand that. Does the 'spacer' line stay attached to the buoys and in the water all the time? What happens if the wind blows you over it?

No, I always take it off once secured onto the mooring, others might bring it up on deck. It's only there to prevent mooring lines floating off with the tide when you're not on the mooring.

 

[dleroc]

Most seem to drag it on board. I don't think the Harbour Authority would like it undone.

 

[ghostlymoron]

This may help

On my fore and aft mooring I have a similar arrangement but without the 'spacer' line. The pickup line is short so maintains the spacing as well when the boat is not there. Rather than tying/untying the pickup line I use a carabiner. This makes it easier to move the line to windward side when leaving the mooring so that you don't get snagged on your lines.

 

[wklein]

On my fore and aft mooring I have a similar arrangement but without the 'spacer' line. The pickup line is short so maintains the spacing as well when the boat is not there. Rather than tying/untying the pickup line I use a carabiner. This makes it easier to move the line to windward side when leaving the mooring so that you don't get snagged on your lines.

I used to use a similar system and generally works well, lines can load up quite a lot though in strong tides. I now have dedicated spacer line which has a snap shackle in the middle so it can be moved to windward side quite easily when leaving and then when tied up on mooring can be undone so line doesn't get too fouled up or rub topsides.

 

[wklein]

I used to use a similar system and generally works well, lines can load up quite a lot though in strong tides. I now have dedicated spacer line which has a snap shackle in the middle so it can be moved to windward side quite easily when leaving and then when tied up on mooring can be undone so line doesn't get too fouled up or rub topsides.

Something like this to plagiarise ladyinbeds graphic

 

[Aurai]

HNYC Guidance

Mooring methods on the trots:

It is important that the spacing is maintained when a vessel is tied between the buoys and when the vessel is away from the mooring. This means that mooring ropes must not be used excessively long or short. Failure to do this can cause other vessels to be subjected to unexpected forces and damage.

It is expected that each vessel will be moored with 2 bow and 2 stern ropes these will be fitted using a Ring Hitch (Ashley book of knots no. 1859) / soft eye splice with rope pulled through to the top of each buoy along with the marrying line.

This knot prevents wear of the rope and is easily removed when required. Metal fittings are not permitted as they increase the wear and corrosion of the moorings, especially as trot moorings have stainless steel fittings. It is advised that the mooring lines should be about half the length of the marrying line so that the storage of the warps when the vessel is away from the mooring can be easily and tidily carried out, and they won't become hard to recover from the buoy end or drift into the fairway. By putting a length of a light line about a foot long through the strands of each of the marrying lines the mooring lines can be tied off ready for your return, at an easily accessible point. This line can be used as the last securing point when leaving the trot. Other methods such as mooring lines with loops at a specified length can also be used.

MOORING LINES MUST BE TIED TO THE MARRYING LINES (they must not be allowed to float free into the fairway)

To moor on a trot mooring, it is suggested to approach with the tidal flow against you and the wind blowing you onto the marrying line. Stop the vessel adjacent to the mooring and slightly up tide and drift onto the marrying line. With a boat hook pick up the marrying line and mooring ropes at your mid position and lay the bundle of rope over the guard wires, this
will retain the vessel temporarily. Disconnect the up tide mooring ropes and attach them to the boats mooring cleats. Then connect the down tide mooring ropes and pull them tight to release the tension on the marrying line and maintain the buoy spacing. Disconnect the marrying line, untie the halves and coil them at the ends of the vessel so they are out of the water but not taking the load from the buoy. (Nor rubbing away at the hull)

It is better to use the forces of wind and tide to drift the boat onto the marrying line rather than use too much propeller thrust at the last minute which from experience is where lines get caught on the boats propeller. As they say practice makes perfect but in the case of mooring on a trot this is not always the case. In the past I’ve had lots of practice but have still been swimming under Heather’s propeller.

To leave a trot mooring, it is suggested to have the wind blowing you off the marrying line.

Reconnect the marrying
line with a sheet bend or the small line to connect the eye splices and lay it on the guard rail on the windward side, release the down tide mooring lines and attach to the short length of rope on the marrying line. Repeat with the up tide mooring lines. Throw off the rope bundle and let the boat drift away from the marrying line and down tide, before engaging any gear, this minimises the chances of collecting the ropes with the propeller.
Dinghies left on a trot mooring MUST be tied at the centre point of the marrying line so as not to cause damage to adjacent boats when the tide turns.

 

[dleroc]

Mooring methods on the trots:

It is important that the spacing is maintained when a vessel is tied between the buoys and when the vessel is away from the mooring. This means that mooring ropes must not be used excessively long or short. Failure to do this can cause other vessels to be subjected to unexpected forces and damage.

It is expected that each vessel will be moored with 2 bow and 2 stern ropes these will be fitted using a Ring Hitch (Ashley book of knots no. 1859) / soft eye splice with rope pulled through to the top of each buoy along with the marrying line.

This knot prevents wear of the rope and is easily removed when required. Metal fittings are not permitted as they increase the wear and corrosion of the moorings, especially as trot moorings have stainless steel fittings. It is advised that the mooring lines should be about half the length of the marrying line so that the storage of the warps when the vessel is away from the mooring can be easily and tidily carried out, and they won't become hard to recover from the buoy end or drift into the fairway. By putting a length of a light line about a foot long through the strands of each of the marrying lines the mooring lines can be tied off ready for your return, at an easily accessible point. This line can be used as the last securing point when leaving the trot. Other methods such as mooring lines with loops at a specified length can also be used.

MOORING LINES MUST BE TIED TO THE MARRYING LINES (they must not be allowed to float free into the fairway)

To moor on a trot mooring, it is suggested to approach with the tidal flow against you and the wind blowing you onto the marrying line. Stop the vessel adjacent to the mooring and slightly up tide and drift onto the marrying line. With a boat hook pick up the marrying line and mooring ropes at your mid position and lay the bundle of rope over the guard wires, this
will retain the vessel temporarily. Disconnect the up tide mooring ropes and attach them to the boats mooring cleats. Then connect the down tide mooring ropes and pull them tight to release the tension on the marrying line and maintain the buoy spacing. Disconnect the marrying line, untie the halves and coil them at the ends of the vessel so they are out of the water but not taking the load from the buoy. (Nor rubbing away at the hull)

It is better to use the forces of wind and tide to drift the boat onto the marrying line rather than use too much propeller thrust at the last minute which from experience is where lines get caught on the boats propeller. As they say practice makes perfect but in the case of mooring on a trot this is not always the case. In the past I’ve had lots of practice but have still been swimming under Heather’s propeller.

To leave a trot mooring, it is suggested to have the wind blowing you off the marrying line.

Reconnect the marrying
line with a sheet bend or the small line to connect the eye splices and lay it on the guard rail on the windward side, release the down tide mooring lines and attach to the short length of rope on the marrying line. Repeat with the up tide mooring lines. Throw off the rope bundle and let the boat drift away from the marrying line and down tide, before engaging any gear, this minimises the chances of collecting the ropes with the propeller.
Dinghies left on a trot mooring MUST be tied at the centre point of the marrying line so as not to cause damage to adjacent boats when the tide turns.

Vey helpful - thanks!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

If you are able to modify the mooring to your own design then I recommend you consider the system I devised after problems with prop pick up on my club mooring.

For buoys I used the Hippo pill shaped ones with the chain through the middle. The chain was 2 metres long and at the bottom there was a rope ( leaded or with lead sheet wrapped at intervals) running between the two buoys. This rope maintains buoy separation distances but is always a good 6 foot under. For extra security, this rope is the same diameter as the ropes holding the buoys.

On top of each buoy was a circular horse feeding bowl or bucket with the bottom cut so that the connecting link from the buoy chain peeped through. To this connecting link was attached the two ropes at each end that tied onto the boat.

On leaving the mooring the boat ropes were dropped into the horse bowl where they were easy to pick up on return. But the big advantage of this system was that you could not pick up the marry rope and indeed could do figures of 8 under engine round your mooring if you wanted. Our moorings were in strong tide flows so the ability to use engine without any risk of rope pick up was great. It also made it very easy to leave single handed whatever the tide by letting go the bow ropes and weathercocking round the stern ropes which were easy for the helm to get at.

I would not go near a system with floating ropes on the surface. Its simply a matter of time before one gets round your prop.

 

[wklein]

Mooring methods on the trots:

This knot prevents wear of the rope and is easily removed when required. Metal fittings are not permitted as they increase the wear and corrosion of the moorings, especially as trot moorings have stainless steel fittings.

Check this with your harbour authority as our buoys are galvanised and they require 1m of galvanised chain at the end of each mooring line.

 

[Seajet]

I find this mention of stainless fittings a bit odd, surely the rest of the mooring is galvanised not stainless, unless they mean the stainless bits are not in contact ?

One big problem with floating lines barely mentioned is that they tend to get very weedy, slippery & messy, so a pain to drag across the boat when getting to the correct side for departure etc, so Bosun Higgs' buckets sound a wizard wheeze !

However the golden rule with fore & aft or trot moorings is generally 'do the same as everyone else has found works for that place'.

 

[LadyInBed]

I would not go near a system with floating ropes on the surface. Its simply a matter of time before one gets round your prop.

I agree that you have to be careful not to get the rope near the prop but if the jackstay between the two buoys is doing its job then the tension will hold it on or very near the surface!

My lines do get slimy, but being on a river (and only able to leave/arrive from one side) it's a fact of life.
When leaving I hold the line that joins the fore and aft mooring lines and use it to either turn the boat round (with the help of the river flow) or walk the line along the deck to help push the nose out (to miss the boat on the mooring in front) then drop the line clear of the stern.

My biggest problem is when the wind is blowing me onto the river bank. I then have to use the dingy to drop a small kedge anchor across the other side of the river, then with the aid of an appropriately placed snatch block and the sheet winch, I pull myself off .

 

[Bosun Higgs]

My biggest problem is when the wind is blowing me onto the river bank. I then have to use the dingy to drop a small kedge anchor across the other side of the river, then with the aid of an appropriately placed snatch block and the sheet winch, I pull myself off .

It's impossible to make really good general advice on moorings since every situation is different. So my ideas might be no help to you. That said my original motive in making the above arrangement was the problem of picking up the nelson line between the ends of the mooring when you could not keep the engine running for fear of getting it round the prop. The incoming tide made it as much of a pull as I could then manage to get the boat against the tide up to the point where I could attach the permanent mooring ropes.

The beauty of the arrangement I devised was that you could keep the engine going in tickover to stem the tide or wind whilst wandering forward to pick up the permanent ropes with a boathook. What more when leaving the mooring you could again start the prop rotating before casting off the bow lines or alternatively release the bow ropes and allow the current to weathercock you round the mooring so that you were hanging off the stern ropes downtide. Then you could release the stern ropes which could be reached from the wheel and gun the engine to get steerage way.

It worked so well that all bar one of the boats on the trot adopted the same system