2383
Active Member
I want to lay my own mooring for a 26ft yacht. I have the relevant permssions. How should I go about doing this, or should I look at professional mooring laying?
Laying my own mooring
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MrCramp
Well-Known Member
Do a search as this question has been raised a number of time in the past two years.
2383
Active Member
I have searched the site, and it seems there is no concensus as to whether using a sinker such as an engine block or using sampson type anchors is best. Thus I wanted to get some more ideas/comments.
G
Guest
Guest
Where in Devon? It's ok by me to ask the question, don't matter if it's been raised before /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Dipper
Well-Known Member
In view of the fact that there is no firm consensus, I would assume that either system would be adequate. One factor that may affect your choice of sinker would be whether the depth is likely to get so shallow that your keel or hull would hit it at low water.
Our club moorings seem to consist entirely of scrap metal ranging from railway wheels to industrial compressors. I don’t know of any moorings that have gone walkabout and any boats that have come off moorings (the last one was seven years ago) seem to have been the result of a failure in the rising chain.
I know many people on these forums have laid their own moorings but personally I would have it done professionally. If you go along this route, it is worth seeing what has been used as a sinker and how the heavy ground chain has been attached. If the rising chain has a large ring (egg shaped) welded on one end, the chain can be passed through the last link of the ground chain, through the large ring then pulled tight. That way there is no shackle to fail.
Assuming you are not in water that is too deep, you can renew your own rising chain yourself - easiest at low water springs! Every 5 years or so, it would be best to have the whole mooring lifted and inspected.
Our club moorings seem to consist entirely of scrap metal ranging from railway wheels to industrial compressors. I don’t know of any moorings that have gone walkabout and any boats that have come off moorings (the last one was seven years ago) seem to have been the result of a failure in the rising chain.
I know many people on these forums have laid their own moorings but personally I would have it done professionally. If you go along this route, it is worth seeing what has been used as a sinker and how the heavy ground chain has been attached. If the rising chain has a large ring (egg shaped) welded on one end, the chain can be passed through the last link of the ground chain, through the large ring then pulled tight. That way there is no shackle to fail.
Assuming you are not in water that is too deep, you can renew your own rising chain yourself - easiest at low water springs! Every 5 years or so, it would be best to have the whole mooring lifted and inspected.
DanTribe
Well-Known Member
Whatever method you use, it might be worth checking your insurance policy.
It's likely that they will want proof that it's been regularly checked and maintained by someone with liability insurance.
It's likely that they will want proof that it's been regularly checked and maintained by someone with liability insurance.
Searush
Well-Known Member
A lot will depend on the bottom, soft mud/ fine sand lends itself to the use of its suction powers, other materials may require anchors.
halcyon
Well-Known Member
While our club moorings are all granite blocks.
For our 27 footer we have a 4' x 3' 1.5 ton block with 12' of 1 inch chain as ground tackle, and then 1/2" chain up to bouy and then the same to boat. We maintain them. but a professional chap lays them.
Really a matter of local knowledge, and what is standard for your area.
Brian
For our 27 footer we have a 4' x 3' 1.5 ton block with 12' of 1 inch chain as ground tackle, and then 1/2" chain up to bouy and then the same to boat. We maintain them. but a professional chap lays them.
Really a matter of local knowledge, and what is standard for your area.
Brian
MM5AHO
Well-Known Member
In this context, how do we define "professional". Does it just mean someone who is paid to do it?
2383
Active Member
Thanks for the posts so far. I'll look at the surrounding moorings to see what's around.
pete
Well-Known Member
On our <u>drying</u> moorings at the club we have used railway wagon wheels, 2 chained together with 150` of 3/4" ground chain to another set of wagon wheels and so on down the trot, The riser is connected half way between the weights starting in 3/4" for a few feet then reducing to smaller chain most of the time the weights and ground chain is buried under the sand but some times they are scoured out but that is not a problem.
There is quite a run there when the tide comes in so obviously the trot is in line with the run. Some of the boats have 2 risers and are moored fore and aft.
If you do use concrete be careful as we tried some very large concrete blocks on non drying moorings that had to be levered of the barge but when we went down with diving kit on they were reasonably easy to move about on the bottom.
Pete
There is quite a run there when the tide comes in so obviously the trot is in line with the run. Some of the boats have 2 risers and are moored fore and aft.
If you do use concrete be careful as we tried some very large concrete blocks on non drying moorings that had to be levered of the barge but when we went down with diving kit on they were reasonably easy to move about on the bottom.
Pete
William_H
Well-Known Member
The style of mooring if you are going to DIY depends a lot on facilities you have and of course if it is a deep water or drying mooring.
Not many of us have facility to move a 1.5 tonne weight into position ourselves. Hence you use smaller weights or anchors each placed individually. it is however quite tricky to set up individual anchors if you can't dive down to connect them or do it at low water.
You may find by diving or checking at low water that there are old mooring masses in the area. You can join one or more with a suitable length of chain and an anchor (or 2 or 3 anchors to give you a mooring where you want it.
Anchors can be fabricated from old steel (railway line) for a shaft and something similar welded on as a fluke. You may also fit a stock. If it is a drying mooring make sure it is well buried so your hull doesn't settle on it.
The joining chain needs to be as heavy as possible. ie 1 inch metal thickness. This is best obtained second hand from scrap yard. It doesn't have to look good just have lots of metal remaining where the links wear. Fortunately the fixed chain between weights or anchors does not wear much cos it doesn't move much.
The riser chain does however move constantly and needs to be checked at least annually. Possibly more often initially. This is a lot easier if you dive or it is a drying mooring. You will need at least one swivel shackle in the riser.
A heavy riser chain however will sink your mooring buoy but will lat a long time. One of my neighbours has fitted all rope riser. He may well be right but I havn't had the courage to try it.
All shackles need to be big and locked (moused) with substantial wire or cable ties.
Most boats around here escape because of shackles working loose (mouse wire corrodes and dissapears) or the chain/shackle wears right through. Don't use stainless steel.
So if it is a deep water mooring you might consider buying a wet suit and taking scuba course. It will pay off in the long run. Or if you are like me simply stubornly DIY. (yes water is warmer here and I do enjoy swimming and diving) (this may bias my preference for DIY mooring.) (I have maintained my own deep water mooring for 25 years) Incidentally no one lifts moorings here on Swan River it is always a diving job. (amateur or professional)
Good luck just keep asking questions of everyone in your area. olewill
Not many of us have facility to move a 1.5 tonne weight into position ourselves. Hence you use smaller weights or anchors each placed individually. it is however quite tricky to set up individual anchors if you can't dive down to connect them or do it at low water.
You may find by diving or checking at low water that there are old mooring masses in the area. You can join one or more with a suitable length of chain and an anchor (or 2 or 3 anchors to give you a mooring where you want it.
Anchors can be fabricated from old steel (railway line) for a shaft and something similar welded on as a fluke. You may also fit a stock. If it is a drying mooring make sure it is well buried so your hull doesn't settle on it.
The joining chain needs to be as heavy as possible. ie 1 inch metal thickness. This is best obtained second hand from scrap yard. It doesn't have to look good just have lots of metal remaining where the links wear. Fortunately the fixed chain between weights or anchors does not wear much cos it doesn't move much.
The riser chain does however move constantly and needs to be checked at least annually. Possibly more often initially. This is a lot easier if you dive or it is a drying mooring. You will need at least one swivel shackle in the riser.
A heavy riser chain however will sink your mooring buoy but will lat a long time. One of my neighbours has fitted all rope riser. He may well be right but I havn't had the courage to try it.
All shackles need to be big and locked (moused) with substantial wire or cable ties.
Most boats around here escape because of shackles working loose (mouse wire corrodes and dissapears) or the chain/shackle wears right through. Don't use stainless steel.
So if it is a deep water mooring you might consider buying a wet suit and taking scuba course. It will pay off in the long run. Or if you are like me simply stubornly DIY. (yes water is warmer here and I do enjoy swimming and diving) (this may bias my preference for DIY mooring.) (I have maintained my own deep water mooring for 25 years) Incidentally no one lifts moorings here on Swan River it is always a diving job. (amateur or professional)
Good luck just keep asking questions of everyone in your area. olewill
ms1
Well-Known Member
a thought .... there was also that recent prob where owner had laid his own, very successfully, but he discovered that the insurance stated that mooring had to be prof laid .
halcyon
Well-Known Member
Yes, 1st of October our moorings have to be clear, due to the Oyster dredging.
This chap with a barge and diver lifts them start of October, we remove riser and bouys for winter. Then Spring we renew chain as required, and all shackles, and they are relayed at the start of April by Ken.
Lift and relaying is part of our mooring fees.
Brian
This chap with a barge and diver lifts them start of October, we remove riser and bouys for winter. Then Spring we renew chain as required, and all shackles, and they are relayed at the start of April by Ken.
Lift and relaying is part of our mooring fees.
Brian
wotayottie
Well-Known Member
As far as anchors are concerned, the best advice is to see what is general practise in your area. For the risers, consider rope as well as chain.
We have 100 moorings in the club and every one has rope risers because they dont rust and fret away like chain ones do. Its years and years since we had a boat brake away and invariably this has been failure of metal shackles. Mind you, our boats are moored fore and aft at the centre of 4 anchors laid out like a narrow letter X so there is no twisting of the ropes as there would be with a swinging mooring.
We have 100 moorings in the club and every one has rope risers because they dont rust and fret away like chain ones do. Its years and years since we had a boat brake away and invariably this has been failure of metal shackles. Mind you, our boats are moored fore and aft at the centre of 4 anchors laid out like a narrow letter X so there is no twisting of the ropes as there would be with a swinging mooring.