Chafing on Buoys

[LeonF]

Any ideas on how to stop a boat on a swinging mooring chafing at the bow? I have a hard yellow mooring buoy with the riser chain coming through to a ring and swivel with warps onto the boat. When it's wind against tide the boat rubs heavily against the buoy lying down the starboard side. I've tried a bow fender in various positions without success.
I'm considering replacing it with a soft inflatable buoy with warp through the middle which i've been told would be suitable. I could possibly then lift it on shorter warps so it's suspended from the bow roller and hopefully clear of the boat, although I belive this would place a heavier strain on the bow roller. Or perhaps the softer buoy won't scrape the gelcoat /waterline mark so severely if I just leave it at water level. Any sugestions would be appreciated.

<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson

 

[hlb]

Only thing I can think of is can you find a tyre of the right size to jam round the buoy.

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Haydn

 

[seaesta]

This year I am using some old stainless rigging to secure the boat to the mooring. I am hoping that this will be stiff enough to hold the buoy away from my hull. I have reinforced this by routing the cable through some old stiffish plastic tube which projects forward over the bow roller. I have toyed with the idea of a rigid, but pivoted link from the bow to the buoy and may try this if the above does not work. Let me know how you get on
Martin of Seaesta of Whitby

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[Jacket]

I hope you're using some chain as backup? Because stainless wire will fatige and fail fairly quickly, what with all the flexing its undergoing.

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[snowleopard]

when i were a lad...

we'd run a line from the end of the bowsprit to hold the buoy off.

i do the same sort of thing with my cat by rigging a short bridle from the bows.

of course if you haven't got a proper boat you could always rig your spinaker pole over the bow.

i've seen superyachts with springy poles to hold the tender away from the gleaming topsides.

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[Jules]

I use a strop coming from the shackle/swivel below the buoy. this avoids anything hard above the waterline. Thonly other bit you need is a handbuoy.

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[longjohnsilver]

I would think that a big inflatable mooring buoy which the the riser and pickup chain isshackled below is the best answer. I've used this method for 4 years now with no problems, although other boats on the river with your sort of arrangement have suffered fairly severe scuffing.

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[vyv_cox]

My experience too. The buoys in which the mooring load runs straight through on a rod will inevitably press hard against the hull. Best practice is to use a peardrop-type buoy with the riser and pick-up chain attached beneath. Riser chain can usefully be sheathed with old fire-fighting hose that can usually be picked up from your local fire station. The buoy tends to sit outboard of the chain, although there are circumstances in which it will rub on the hull. I always found that a white buoy left no marks except that it could transfer antifouling from the hull to the topsides.

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[roger]

Someimes you can heave short on your mooring chain so the buoy is out of the water. You then have more control. The buoy doesnt move about much so your padding has a better chance of staying in place.
As a second thought - permanently secure the buoy to one side or the other with a second line back to say your midship cleat and use say a flat fender between it and the hull.

<hr width=100% size=1>Roger

 

[LeonF]

I've decided to try an inflatable buoy-- from EYC. It has a 32mm warp through the middle with hard eyes in each end. I will shacke it to the riser having inserted a swivel lower down in the riser-- i've noticed on another mooring that swivels lower down in the dark don't get barnacled and keep on working. I've had a seized swivel cause my mooring warps to unravel! I intend to shackel double warps to the top hard eye and will experiment with how long they are, maybe shortening up so the buoy is lifted clear of the water. A bow fender should keep the hard eye /shackle of the boat, and the fender is soft enough to not chafe--i hope.

<hr width=100% size=1>L.A.R.Ferguson