bow roller stem head too small for swinging mooring line

[ctb]

We have a Sadler 25 on the moorings at Fairlie in the Clyde. The hawser from the mooring buoy is covered in a tough plastic tube to stop chaff. The mooring line fits in the stemhead but it is impossible to get the retaining dropnose pin across the top of it, The plastic tubing is about 3 mm too high. To remedy this a clove hitch is used around the plastic tube and the end of that rope fed under the bow roller and secured to the deck cleats; a bit of a pain to arrange.
Options to resolve more permanently are:-
1. Smaller bow roller.Not sure this is possible or advisable.
2. Weld an extension to the existing stemhead; is this feasible in situ?

The photo below shows the stemhead. Note that the pin shown in the photo has been replaced with a drop nose pin. The old one got damaged at lift out a couple of years ago.

All thoughts gratefully received

 

[VicS]

I dont have a pin.

I always put a lashing round the roller and, in my case , the mooring chain.

I'd not want to reduce the size of the roller.

A good welder should be able to weld on larger cheeks in situ but you have a support for the pulpit on there ?? That may complicate matters

Your picture doesn't appear in your post for me.
Although I can view it in your P'bucket album OK

 

[Lady Campanula]

I managed to solve a similar problem to yours, by adding a 3-4" short mini-strop - made up in s/s wire with swaged loops - with a captive-pin snaplink on each end.

The snaplinks clip into the existing holes in the bow roller cheeks, and attach the securing mini-strop over the top of the boat's mooring strop/plastic antichafe. I also use a short length of green plastic hose 'sleeving', as shown.

The original dropnose pin is retained on a cord, as shown, for when that's more relevant.

The pic below shows the 'prototype' which used ordinary cord. It works really well. Ignore the mini-Manson - that's another thread altogether!

 

[KREW2]

Make a chain bridle from the maximun size that will fit in the roller.

 

[greenalien]

The hawser from the mooring buoy is covered in a tough plastic tube to stop chaff

If you have the option, use something else other than plastic tube as an anti-chafe covering. There's some good tough woven fabric tubing about that will probably do as good a job, but be a better fit in your stemhead.

 

[Lakesailor]

I have stopped posting this advice, but it is still sound.
Don't use plastic tube.
The sun affects it, turning it opaque and brittle. It fractures where it passes over the roller and then cuts the mooring strop. You can't see that because the pipe has become opaque.
As suggested use a woven strop protector.
People say that plastic pipe is OK. Are you going to risk it though?
I had a boat boat next to me that suffered with the above problem within 6 months of new strops being fitted.

I've not used any protection on nylon strops and only had one chafe in 9 years. If you use 2 strops and renew alternate ones every year there is no problem.

 

[fireball]

I have stopped posting this advice, but it is still sound.
Don't use plastic tube.
The sun affects it, turning it opaque and brittle. It fractures where it passes over the roller and then cuts the mooring strop. You can't see that because the pipe has become opaque.
As suggested use a woven strop protector.
People say that plastic pipe is OK. Are you going to risk it though?
I had a boat boat next to me that suffered with the above problem within 6 months of new strops being fitted.

I've not used any protection on nylon strops and only had one chafe in 9 years. If you use 2 strops and renew alternate ones every year there is no problem.

Ls. I know you've had this issue. But I do use plastic tube. The clear stuff from chandlers. The line inside is a tight fit. The tube has gone opaque bit no splits or chaffs - probably because it is a good fit. I use the same pipe for the chain and have no problem either. The current stops have do ne 3 seasons and look good for next.
I also use bike innertube to do the chain loop part to keep the chain off the desk.

All strops should be checked frequently. cracked tubeswould be an immediate concern.

 

[Lakesailor]

I know what you say.
Chandlers supply strops with the pipe fitted.
It's a personal thing. I wouldn't fit it. I wouldn't want my 33 foot Moody to go walkabout.
He didn't come down to the boat more than once a month, but even checking every week, a few days of gale-force winds will do the damage.
We get a lot of boats going walk-about here. Luckily there isn't far to go and most don't damage themselves too much.

Well, not too many

 

[Nigel_Ward]

I know what you say.
Chandlers supply strops with the pipe fitted.
It's a personal thing. I wouldn't fit it. I wouldn't want my 33 foot Moody to go walkabout.
He didn't come down to the boat more than once a month, but even checking every week, a few days of gale-force winds will do the damage.
We get a lot of boats going walk-about here. Luckily there isn't far to go and most don't damage themselves too much.

Well, not too many

Another boat aground in the same place during September gales.

 

[DavidTav]

I have the same issue. I simply cut a notch in the plastic pipe with a Stanley knife carefully where the pin fits. All seems to work ok.

 

[William_H]

Swing mooring rope

I tend to agree with Lakey the plastic is not necessary especially if you have a backup strop as well.
The roller should be reasonably kind to the rope and you can/should check for chafe often. olewill