Best practice for Walcon Bollards

[Andrew M]

Hi, Once everything is, hopefully, back to normal we are moving the boat back about 4mtrs to use the Walcon bollards on the pontoon, they appear to be stronger than the other cleat styles. Is there an accepted best practice for how to tie off to a Walcon bollard, or in other words...what's the best method for me to use them for our bow and stern lines please ?

Thanks.

 

[Rappey]

A walcon "bollard" is the plastic outlet for water and electricity.
Your standard walcon marina cleat is rated to 3 tons.
You tie with bow, stern and two springs. Accepted practice how to is however it fits in with the cleats on your boat.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I think he means the MH5

 

[Andrew M]

I think he means the MH5

Thanks Scala, that's the one.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

As for best practice. Well, I don't like them if you're leaving your boat for any length of time, they're intended to take a line with a loop, and easy for multiple people to share the post as long as they know the trick of passing the new line up through the existing loop. But it seems all too easy for your line to lift off. Or be lifted off by a passing ne'er do well.

 

[Andrew M]

Yeah, that's sort of what I mean, I'm not sure of how best to secure the boat using them. Is it several loops around and that suffices, or is it a few times around and then back to the boat and tie off on boat cleats etc ? Or maybe I should just use the spliced loop over the bollard and tie off on boat ?

 

[Boathook]

As for best practice. Well, I don't like them if you're leaving your boat for any length of time, they're intended to take a line with a loop, and easy for multiple people to share the post as long as they know the trick of passing the new line up through the existing loop. But it seems all too easy for your line to lift off. Or be lifted off by a passing ne'er do well.

Wrap the rope round twice and finish with your preferred knot. The round twice might be a problem for a spliced loop though.

 

[Rappey]

They are for small ships rated 5 ton. There is a lot more pontoon chassis reinforcement to accommodate those.
You must have a huge boat if you think a bollard like that is necessary.
The customs cutter (257 tons) happily secured to the 3 ton cleats for many years with no problems.
It used one to spring from one very stormy night and completely twisted it round but it didn't snap.

 

[Andrew M]

Thanks Rappey, it is the version attached here that we are looking at using . I've not used this style bollard for permanent mooring before hence the question if there was a "correct" way to use them. The marina staff will obviously advise as well but I was just wondering if there was any conventional wisdom on it .