Is this very expensive for a mooring strop? (£600)

[Macka1706]

Our club have fore/aft moorings on Railway wheel rims/shafts.
They usually made up steel rods 8ft long with rings linked on ends to suit tidal range. 20 + ft where we are.
I went round to the Tugboat basin. and got 2 x ship tow lines ready splices ends for a carton.
They can only use those towropes of differing lengths, for so many hrs/uses? then have to dump them. there was always a stack to dig through.
2in to 10in plenty of choices. Mostly looking near new.
Last ones 5 yrs. lifted every yr for a look with winch barge in Hot Water inlet channel for power station in Adelaide.
Still good. Had 1 in safety line beside each with Orange float just below top float so would come to top if main rope ever went and somebody would notice, we have liveaboards.

 

[Macka1706]

I wouldn't want to give the impression I'm some kind of splicing god, that's what I'd be doing; splicing it with the book in front of me. I find splicing nice new rope quite relaxing.

GOOGLE. Type in rope splicing...Take your pick. Just wait till you try splicing eyes into lifting wire strops for crane work.
That's interesting. (ex craneDragline operator

 

[Refueler]

Interesting little 'bit' about splicing :

Australia has had its ups and downs with ropework ... and with regard to splicing - the 3 strand eye splice springs to mind.

For years - a quick splice was often used by deckies but there was one flaw in it ... the tuck at 'rear' from where the bight met the standing part - was prone to opening the rope lay. But it was quick and easier to make. 99% of the time it made no difference to use of the eye.
But it became known as the Liverpool Splice .... based on the liner trade Liverpool to Aussie.
The correct 3 strand splice has a 'Locking Tuck' in the rear first tuck to force the lay to stay closed when load comes on.

Just mentioning ....

I can now imagine people scurrying off to find out about Liverpool splice !!

 

[Daydream believer]

I have done dozens of 5M 25mm multiplait mooring ropes for our mooring holders. I currently charge them £57-00 each.
I change the thimbles, if they deliver to my workshop, 200yds away, for the cost of the thimble only. Usually £3.50 ea, as we use nylon ones because they last the 3 year cycle that the moorings are recovered for service.

I have just made 2 mooring strops for buoy to the deck of our committee boat. 2.100 long, 25mm multiplait thimble one end & 250mm eye on the other 1M of plastic tubing on the rope. I felt bad about charging £77.20 total for the pair, until I saw what some charge.

The initial cost of a mooring on our river at St Lawrence bay, (along with sailing club fee if wanting to lay up there) is high because of cost of tackle & placing on a single mooring basis. However, annual fees come down very quick after that.
www.stonemoorings.com

 

[Crinan12]

Sounds like i got bumped
I don't mind a bit of a premium because it's a boatyard, but 600 seems way OTT. I think they charged about 5 hours labour, when in reality they will have probably just bought the strop already made up and surely it wouldn't have taken an hour to fit it.

I did query it with them but didn't get anywhere

 

[Praxinoscope]

GOOGLE. Type in rope splicing...Take your pick. Just wait till you try splicing eyes into lifting wire strops for crane work.
That's interesting. (ex craneDragline operator

Nothing to do with splicing or ropes but just noticed the ex crane/dragline operator comment, I remember many years ago I would have been about 10yrs old, when Ransoms in Ipswich had an open day which I was lucky to go to, and in pride of place was a massive Ransom 'Walking Dragline'.

 

[Daydream believer]

Nothing to do with splicing or ropes but just noticed the ex crane/dragline operator comment, I remember many years ago I would have been about 10yrs old, when Ransoms in Ipswich had an open day which I was lucky to go to, and in pride of place was a massive Ransom 'Walking Dragline'.

The evening before my 11 plus exam it suddenly snowed very hard. (6 inches that night) My father was driving me home from my grandmothers house in Rainham on the old A13. As we approached the place where Arena Essex is (the speedway etc) the road was blocked by 25 & 32RBs laying timber pads across the road in the snow. As they finished, 3 giant walking draglines crossed the road. As a yound lad watching these monsters with the heavy snow falling it made a picture that I will never forget. The cranes then picked up the pads & the road was opened.
They then went on to dig the pit that became Arena Essex etc.
I had a Meccano No 10- most kids dream at that time. So I built a walking dragline & dad gave me a barrowfull of sand which I moved around the garden.

 

[Koeketiene]

Sounds like i got bumped
I don't mind a bit of a premium because it's a boatyard, but 600 seems way OTT. I think they charged about 5 hours labour, when in reality they will have probably just bought the strop already made up and surely it wouldn't have taken an hour to fit it.

I did query it with them but didn't get anywhere

What am I missing here?
Do you mean attaching the strop to the mooring buoy/chain?

Surely this is something you can do yourself?
I am by no means the worlds most DIY minded sailor (not by a long shot), but even I fitted my own mooring strop when I was assigned a different mooring last week

 

[sawduster]

A few years ago we replaced the mooring pennants on our mooring with 4m of 24mm octoplait with chafe protection on the full length and on the eyes at both ends, was about £65 from here Tradline Rope & Fenders.

While I could have done it myself I took the view that I would rather focus my time on other jobs and the cost wasn't significant. At £600 I would probably take a different view...

 

[Praxinoscope]

Daydream believer, very envious, always wanted a No. 10 set but parents couldn't afford it, so never got to build the crane in the picture. Meccano so much more educational than sitting around playing computer games.

 

[Crinan12]

What am I missing here?
Do you mean attaching the strop to the mooring buoy/chain?

Surely this is something you can do yourself?
I am by no means the worlds most DIY minded sailor (not by a long shot), but even I fitted my own mooring strop when I was assigned a different mooring last week

Yes purchasing the mooring strop and attaching it to the riser chain. The boatyard here tend to maintain the moorings, but they are privately owned so there is nothing to stop owners doing it themselves. I wish i had. Although it might have been a bit tricky for me because the strop doesn't just attach to the top of the bouy like some do - mine is an inflatable bouy and the strop is tied to it underneath and then shackles to the chain underwater so i would have needed to haul it up somehow.

 

[Koeketiene]

Yes purchasing the mooring strop and attaching it to the riser chain. The boatyard here tend to maintain the moorings, but they are privately owned so there is nothing to stop owners doing it themselves. I wish i had. Although it might have been a bit tricky for me because the strop doesn't just attach to the top of the bouy like some do - mine is an inflatable bouy and the strop is tied to it underneath and then shackles to the chain underwater so i would have needed to haul it up somehow.

I see your predicament.
If you mooring buoy is an inflatable one it can not be that heavy.
Just thinking out loud, could you not get to your mooring in your dinghy around LW? Preferably LWS.
There should be quite some slack in the riser chain at that point and just lift your mooring buoy into your dinghy and attach the strop to the riser chain.
Like I said, just a suggestion.

 

[ylop]

Sounds like i got bumped
I don't mind a bit of a premium because it's a boatyard, but 600 seems way OTT. I think they charged about 5 hours labour, when in reality they will have probably just bought the strop already made up and surely it wouldn't have taken an hour to fit it.

I did query it with them but didn't get anywhere

Ok let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and say they made it up themselves. Time to order the materials, fabricate it etc - 1hr for 1 person?

Then you want it fitted, whilst to you it’s a one man job I suspect to a reasonable sized boat yard it’s a two person job as they have to comply with health and safety rules which should make lone working for someone dangling off a small boat a no-no. So two people for two hours? Is that ridiculous - I don’t know what it involved. Eg if they have to go and get the boat yard launch from a shed and launch it, and recover it afterwards then even a simple job quickly racks up time. Every job I’ve ever said “I can do that in an hour” turns into a full day (or sometimes a weekend!). And of course you want it done right, you expect them to be insured so if it’s done wrong you can have some recourse, then they’ve got someone doing admin to raise and issue the invoice, process the payment etc.

Interestingly I had a sail repaired recently and was amazed it only cost £40 (Inc vat). In my line of business those sort of small jobs are such a nuisance we charge £165+vat minimum.

 

[Crinan12]

I see your predicament.
If you mooring buoy is an inflatable one it can not be that heavy.
Just thinking out loud, could you not get to your mooring in your dinghy around LW? Preferably LWS.
There should be quite some slack in the riser chain at that point and just lift your mooring buoy into your dinghy and attach the strop to the riser chain.
Like I said, just a suggestion.

Yeah i think that would be possible on a low tide like you say , the yard just check the moorings from a small workboat and they haul them up over the bow roller to inspect the strops. The ground tackle etc is dived to inspect.

 

[Crinan12]

Ok let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and say they made it up themselves. Time to order the materials, fabricate it etc - 1hr for 1 person?

Then you want it fitted, whilst to you it’s a one man job I suspect to a reasonable sized boat yard it’s a two person job as they have to comply with health and safety rules which should make lone working for someone dangling off a small boat a no-no. So two people for two hours? Is that ridiculous - I don’t know what it involved. Eg if they have to go and get the boat yard launch from a shed and launch it, and recover it afterwards then even a simple job quickly racks up time. Every job I’ve ever said “I can do that in an hour” turns into a full day (or sometimes a weekend!). And of course you want it done right, you expect them to be insured so if it’s done wrong you can have some recourse, then they’ve got someone doing admin to raise and issue the invoice, process the payment etc.

Interestingly I had a sail repaired recently and was amazed it only cost £40 (Inc vat). In my line of business those sort of small jobs are such a nuisance we charge £165+vat minimum.

Och i know, the overheads of these boat yards must be hefty and it's a good thing they exist so don't want to be too stingy.

But then the other bit of me thinks 600 quid for a bit of bloody rope!!

 

[Koeketiene]

Yeah i think that would be possible on a low tide like you say , the yard just check the moorings from a small workboat and they haul them up over the bow roller to inspect the strops. The ground tackle etc is dived to inspect.

There you go.
I suspect the figure the boatyard quoted you was a 'go away - we're busy' quote.

PS: I can recommend the Jimmy Green mooring strops/bridles.
Ours is now 18 years old, and counting.

 

[Crinan12]

There you go.
I suspect the figure the boatyard quoted you was a 'go away - we're busy' quote.

PS: I can recommend the Jimmy Green mooring strops/bridles.
Ours is now 18 years old, and counting.

That was my mistake - i didn't ask for a quote. They just billed me.

18 years! This is my 2nd in 4 years.

 

[Koeketiene]

That was my mistake - i didn't ask for a quote. They just billed me.

 

[Koeketiene]

18 years! This is my 2nd in 4 years.

Supplied by the boatyard?

 

[Crinan12]

Supplied by the boatyard?

Yes both supplied and fitted by the boatyard.
4 years ago £300. This year £600.