Cure for noisy warps?

[rafiki_]

To be fair the rubber snubbers as suggested above will also help.

But I always favour the cheaper solution

I had a look at the snubbed on the Force 4 website, but I'm in the 1 step at a time, and I really think the soap on the cleat will make a big difference. Will give it a go, next time on board.

 

[lanerboy]

paul

I had the same problem on my new boat never had it with the old one and I bought a couple of the rubber snubbers and it stopped the noise 99% we sleep very well now even in the strong wind of late

well worth a try in my opinion

 

[rafiki_]

paul

I had the same problem on my new boat never had it with the old one and I bought a couple of the rubber snubbers and it stopped the noise 99% we sleep very well now even in the strong wind of late

well worth a try in my opinion

Thanks Shawn. Will try the fairy liquid first, then the snubbers. How are your heads?

 

[JSYmartini]

I've slept on board every night since october and had exactly the same problem. Not sure if you're on a pontoon?

Fairly liquid can help but doesn't really get to the root of it all. From my experience the first thing to do is acquire some braided rope. 3 strand is the absolute worst for creaking.

And as someone mentioned, one major cause is a warp made around a cleat tightening up as the boat snatches. Rather than throwing gallons of fairy on it every couple of days I tied a bowline through the middle of the cleat then figure eighted at the pontoon end.

Also a huge help to getting a comfortable nights sleep, get the lines all tied as tight as possible to minimise movement. After a few days you'll probably need to readjust as they stretch to get it really tight. If the boat doesn't move then it can't snatch, reduces all the stress on everything that snatching causes.

 

[LionsDen]

Turn your boat round may help - We use Marlow ropes and have no problems sleeping on Lions Den :encouragement:

 

[johnwest]

It is the 3 strand bow warp, just on the front of the cabin

Fit a rubber snubber.

j

 

[Bertramdriver]

That should read warps/CLEAT. Blooming iPhone. It does work, I use it quite often

Only method I've found that works consistently is washing up liquid drizzled on the warps around the cleat, where the warp runs through the fairleads and where it fouls the grp. Do the job last thing before you go to your bunk and you'll sleep well. Also stops crud fouling the strands. The liquid acts as a lubricant and wetting agent so the warp stays moist.

 

[rafiki_]

Turn your boat round may help - We use Marlow ropes and have no problems sleeping on Lions Den :encouragement:

Turning the boat won't work on the pontoon. We would have to board over the rails. I might make it, but a no no for swmbo.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I have the same problem on my boat from time to time. For a quick fix, I stick an old towel under the rope as it passes through the fairlead but I also have a couple of rubber snubbers pre-attached to short lengths of line with a loop at one end and a steel hook at the other. Normally I use these as anchor chain snubbers but they can also be used with mooring lines by forming a loop in the mooring line and attaching the hook to it. You can also buy these contraptions ready made from chandleries
Earplugs certainly help too

 

[rafiki_]

I have the same problem on my boat from time to time. For a quick fix, I stick an old towel under the rope as it passes through the fairlead but I also have a couple of rubber snubbers pre-attached to short lengths of line with a loop at one end and a steel hook at the other. Normally I use these as anchor chain snubbers but they can also be used with mooring lines by forming a loop in the mooring line and attaching the hook to it. You can also buy these contraptions ready made from chandleries
Earplugs certainly help too

Thanks Mike. No fairleads on the bow of the 39, but I like the idea of the pre-set snubber warps. I use earplugs too when it's breezy.

 

[MapisM]

try a different way of making the line fast on the bow cleat, perhaps going through the centre of the cleat.

I don't think the OP has that option. The AZ39 have closed style (if that's the right wording) cleats, not the mushrooms shaped ones.

 

[Spi D]

I moor between poles/bridge (bow in) and use fixed length warps with rubbers on all four corners. Crossed rear lines to allow longest possible run.

The 'shock absorbing' rubbers ensure soft and comfortable movements even in very windy conditions and even out the stress on cleats. The strength in the setup lies in the flexibilty.

Lines are made to keep the bow well clear of the bridge, but to ease access I've fitted an extra (thin) line to the bow, running straight forward - thought a block on the bridge and attached to a counterweight hanging a few feet above the sea bed (actually an old garden plastic watering can filled with stones because I wanted to be able to adjust the pulling weight).
Pulling some 10 kgs it gently holds the boat forward but has no other impact on things.

All in all we have little movement and nice, quiet ropes

 

[rafiki_]

I moor between poles/bridge (bow in) and use fixed length warps with rubbers on all four corners. Crossed rear lines to allow longest possible run.

The 'shock absorbing' rubbers ensure soft and comfortable movements even in very windy conditions and even out the stress on cleats. The strength in the setup lies in the flexibilty.

Lines are made to keep the bow well clear of the bridge, but to ease access I've fitted an extra (thin) line to the bow, running straight forward - thought a block on the bridge and attached to a counterweight hanging a few feet above the sea bed (actually an old garden plastic watering can filled with stones because I wanted to be able to adjust the pulling weight).
Pulling some 10 kgs it gently holds the boat forward but has no other impact on things.

All in all we have little movement and nice, quiet ropes

Any chance of a picture please?

 

[Spi D]

I searched my albums without much luck. Being on the hard currently an actual pic can be taken but will show only an empty berth with the line/block/counterweight.

Will pop down to the marina this afternoon and give it a shot.

 

[Nick_H]

Thanks Mike. No fairleads on the bow of the 39, but I like the idea of the pre-set snubber warps. I use earplugs too when it's breezy.

If there are no fairleads, then just loop the spliced end of your warp over the bow cleat and make off the other end on the dock cleat, and you shouldn't get any creaking. As others have said the creaking is the noise of the rope moving against the boat's cleat or against itself. If you make off the rope around the bow cleat, or if you run it through a fairlead, then as the boat pulls hard in a blow, the rope stretches and/or the figure of eight tightens on the cleat, and either way you get movement of rope against metal or rope against rope, which generates noise.

Even looping the spliced end under the bow cleat and back over itself to make it secure (is there a term for that?) allows for some movement, so better just to loop it over the cleat, or if you're concerned about it jumping off the cleat then tie it through as someone suggested earlier.

 

[Spi D]

Managed to get a few pics. Regretfully I couldn't persuade the fog to go away, but still a nice calm day

Some browsers/devices may show pictures a big large - sorry. File sizes are modest.

This is my berth

Lines on the poles are two sets:
One (yellow with rubber) that crosses and attaches to the rear cleats. Mainly to prevent boat from moving too far sideways
One (blue, no rubber fixed lenght) that goes to the cleats on respective sides, amidships. This line is the definitive stopper that will allow the boat to get close to the bridge, without touching. Length is set so that the boat can be left in fwd and still not touch wood

Lines on the bridge are three:
One (with rubber) each side. Not fixed, commonly left somewhat loose but will control sideways movement.
One thinner line, attached to boat (ie. the anchor). Under constant pull from the counterweight this line in reality keeps the boat in place under most normal conditions. It pulls the boat forward until the blue lines from the poles to amidships stops it.

Attempted a drawing:

The counterweight:

The cam-cleat is used for unloading the free end of the line. Handy sometimes...

My neighbour has the same setup and since he is in all year, here's s video from today


Hopefully this helped...

 

[rafiki_]

Thanks Spi D. It looks like you have your mooring very well sorted. We used to have a similar mooring at Acle on the Norfolk Broads, with pilings bow and stern, and a small jetty at the stern to get on/off. Our boat was a 25' American Sports cruiser, so no side decks, and quite a lot of slope on the bow, with no antislip, so it was always a bit challenging mooring.
I think I will make up some fixed mooring lines for Rafiki, fixed to the pontoon cleats, and then rig to the boat bits. Meantime I am going to give the fairy liquid a go on the bow cleat.

 

[RogerRat]

I've slept on board every night since october and had exactly the same problem. Not sure if you're on a pontoon?

Fairly liquid can help but doesn't really get to the root of it all. From my experience the first thing to do is acquire some braided rope. 3 strand is the absolute worst for creaking.

And as someone mentioned, one major cause is a warp made around a cleat tightening up as the boat snatches. Rather than throwing gallons of fairy on it every couple of days I tied a bowline through the middle of the cleat then figure eighted at the pontoon end.

Also a huge help to getting a comfortable nights sleep, get the lines all tied as tight as possible to minimise movement. After a few days you'll probably need to readjust as they stretch to get it really tight. If the boat doesn't move then it can't snatch, reduces all the stress on everything that snatching causes.

Sorry to jump on you guys, but this is 'Mooring 101'. You're treating the symptoms and not the problem! :ambivalence:

Everything bold above is bad advice, in as much as your fixing one problem by introducing another.

Fairy liquid is useful in a diluted form as a short term fix if you happen to get woken up by a squeaker. If your 3-ply ropes are ageing (and braided too) and therefore hardening, give them a good wash in warm soapy water, to get rid of the salt etc.

Soft braided rope is quieter but has less stretch, which makes it less suitable as a spring. It also costs more and far more difficult to splice. Tying your breast ropes tightly is what causes snatching! Don't do it. Leave some slack in them, you'll damage you boat, craze the gel coat.
(especially if you're not using a fairlead) and even bend some types of cleat tops. Rubber 'snubbers' are a waste of money for mooring. imho. Only really useful when anchoring, but even then, extra scope on the chain will fix this if there's room to swing.

Leave your breast ropes with a little slack in them and put all the load on long springs. If the ropes are clean, you may use fairy liquid, maybe once or twice in a year. :encouragement:

If you must use a 'Bowline' then make sure you lock it. They do come undone under variable loading and release. Always splice if you can or getter a rigger or a neighbour in the marina to do it for you.

Sleep well!

RR

 

[Robert Wilson]

I hope I'm not repeating a post/response here.
I too have been pondering the problem of snubbers and where in the warp(s) to put them, assuming that if permanently threaded onto the warp they will always be in the least convenient position for mooring, cleats, fairleads etc.

So, I reckon I could thread each snubber onto a reasonable length of line (say about 2 metres) then, when made fast with bow, stern, springs, breast-ropes as applicable I can place the "snubber length" where I wish with a rolling hitch (top and bottom) to the main warp - obviously with a bit of slack in the main warp to allow the "spring effect" of the snubber.


That way I keep my main warps free of clumsy rubber thingies and can quickly, at ease, attach the snubber - if/when required.

Just a thought. I'll try it this year.

 

[RogerRat]

the problem of snubbers and where in the warp(s) to put them, assuming that if permanently threaded onto the warp they will always be in the least convenient position for mooring, cleats, fairleads etc.

So, I reckon I could thread each snubber onto a reasonable length of line (say about 2 metres) then, when made fast with bow, stern, springs, breast-ropes as applicable I can place the "snubber length" where I wish with a rolling hitch (top and bottom) to the main warp - obviously with a bit of slack in the main breast rope to allow the "spring effect" of the snubber.


That way I keep my main warps free of clumsy rubber thingies and can quickly, at ease, attach the snubber - if/when required.

I agree with you, as you said yourself. If your springs are secure, the breast ropes are almost redundant, they have to be slack enough for the snubber to flex so you don't need those awkward snubbers for beginners. If your springs are long enough, snubbers don't provide any additional assistance. Rolling hitch? Don't think so, wrong application, I'm afraid.

Btw. A couple of weeks ago, there were 3 foot waves in the 'Itchen' bows were rising and falling well over a metre. Snubbers will never allow for this type of movement. They will also snatch and finally snap and still the boat will suffer.

To be fair, snubbers will assist in a home berth with fixed mooring lines, especially if the owner cannot be present very regularly. But for us regulars, I'm not a fan of fixed lines either.