Marina Cleats and shackles?

[C08]

i have just moved onto a pontoon berth and plan to attach to the cleats with shackles as I have got made up lines with spliced hard eyes. How do marinas generally feel about this as I wonder about a stainless shackle damaging the galvanizing on the cleat?

 

[dunedin]

In very bad weather the metal can wear the cleats - I ended up removing the thimbles from the hard eyes and converted to attach by looping the rope through instead.

 

[johnalison]

It is not a problem I have since we have steel hoops rather than cleats. I think if it were me I would use lines with loops and cow hitch them to the cleats, not ideal but should last a reasonable time.

 

[Poignard]

 

[C08]

Thanks I did wonder about wear-I will give up on that idea.

 

[Plum]

i have just moved onto a pontoon berth and plan to attach to the cleats with shackles as I have got made up lines with spliced hard eyes. How do marinas generally feel about this as I wonder about a stainless shackle damaging the galvanizing on the cleat?

Agree with the other who suggest removing the hard eyes and not use shackles.

 

[Neeves]

Add sacrificial abrasion sleeves and renew as necessary. Hosepipe works, hollow dyneema tape works (but expensive), sewn leather covers works - lots of options. You need to add many of such covers before the eye is made, obviously.

Jonathan

 

[Poignard]

I used a piece of chain (18-24") encased in a length of lay-flat plastic hose; doubled around one leg of the cleat.

The pin of galvanised bow shackle passed through the two end links of the chain, and its bow passed through a galvanised thimble spliced into the end of the mooring line.

The marina manager was happy with that.

 

[Refueler]

My only comment is that many cleats are not just for one boat to use ... so take in mind that another boat may have their line on that cleat as well.

Personally - I would not use shackles ..

 

[Ian_Edwards]

I used nylon mooring lines when I kept my previous boat (Dufour 40) in the water at Peterhead Marina.
The lines were fastened to the cleat with one round turn and then crossed in the usual way.
When I removed the lines in the spring, the nylon rope was almost worn through on the first part of the round turn, which was hidden from view by subsequent turns on the cleat.
The nylon rope had obviously been stretching and relaxing against the rough surface of the cleat, in response to the surge in the marina.

So I'd reinforce the advice to use a loop in the rope, making sure the the loop is protected by, lay-flat hose, leather, Dyneema, or whatever, and that it is check regularly over the winter.

The other end of the mooring lines were made fast to the SS cleats on the boat with loops spliced into the nylon mooring lines. They did not sufferer any significant wear. The difference being that the boats cleats are polished SS, and the marina cleats rough castings.

 

[Rappey]

Whats wrong with using a cleat as intended and tie the rope? If its going to chafe through it will be at your fairlead.
Why would anyone put a steel shackle or chain around an aluminium cleat ?
Do you shackle your ropes to your boats cleats ?
When its tied the rope can be adjusted now and then to move the wearpoint on the fairlead

 

[RivalRedwing]

Suspect it depends on the amount of swell/movement the marina suffers from. I shackle on to the cleats of my home berth with no ill effect to the cleat evident or dark mutterings from the marina. Must admit I thought our cleats were an alloy, not galvanized, but I could be wrong there. Shackling also tends to reduce 'borrowing'.

 

[Refueler]

The worst mooring is where people double a rope back to the boat ... that rope then wears away where it rides the shore cleat or ring.

Make that line fast properly so that chafe is minimised. When getting ready to depart - I often change to a doubled line - so everyone can be on board as lines slipped ..

 

[DanTribe]

There seems to be lots of complicated and expensive solutions to a problem that doesn't exist. Put the rope round the cleat as intended.
Personally I dislike hoops. OK if it's your permanent berth but a visitor has to get off the boat to pass the line, bigger problem if single handed. A cleat you can just lasso.

 

[johnalison]

Depending on circumstances, using a cleat normally might make it harder if the cleat is shared. In any case, I prefer my permanent dock lines to appear as such. Berths differ a lot in the amount of likely wear. I see a number of cow-hitched lines in my marina that might not be suitable elsewhere. Such a fixing shows that the line belongs to a resident and might briefly deter the light-fingered.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Depending on circumstances, using a cleat normally might make it harder if the cleat is shared. In any case, I prefer my permanent dock lines to appear as such. Berths differ a lot in the amount of likely wear. I see a number of cow-hitched lines in my marina that might not be suitable elsewhere. Such a fixing shows that the line belongs to a resident and might briefly deter the light-fingered.

If as you are an East Coaster ( I avoided the expression East Ender out of politeness) and you bump in to Photodog ask him about shared cleats and ropes spliced onto the cleat so as not to interfere with the "owners" mooring lines. You might have to mention my name and Plymouth to jog his memory.

 

[DanTribe]

Depending on circumstances, using a cleat normally might make it harder if the cleat is shared. In any case, I prefer my permanent dock lines to appear as such. Berths differ a lot in the amount of likely wear. I see a number of cow-hitched lines in my marina that might not be suitable elsewhere. Such a fixing shows that the line belongs to a resident and might briefly deter the light-fingered.

Good point. My neighour's occasional crew [not the owner] seems to think that all the available rope has to be wound round the cleat, about 20 turns, leaving no room for my warps. But this only happens at the bow warps.
My preferred method of entering a berth is to have a spring from forward and lasso the first cleat on the finger, this pulls the boat gently into the finger. Then sort it out at leisure.

 

[Refueler]

All the marina berths I have had in UK and over here have frowned upon permanent dock lines ..... basically because they reserve the right to allocate another berth ...

Its a common misconception that Marinas provide a specific g'teed berth. Yes you are given a slot and its identified - but if circumstances change / dictate - Marina can move or require you to move boat.

I have been asked to move berth twice when my boat was based in UK ... first was in Thornham Marina ... later was in Hayling Yacht Co.

 

[Poignard]

It all depends where you are. In my case my first pontoon was for my exclusive use.

It was in Portsmouth Harbour and subject to a lot of wash from passing vessels. Shock absorbers and anti-chafe measures were essential.

I was able to dispense with these when I moved into Haslar Creek, where all was tranquil.

 

[srm]

I was in marinas that had metal hoops for mooring lines. hard eye and shackles were obvious for permanent mooring lines. The second marina did not did not allow shackles as concerned they would quickly remove the coating from the hoop. I spliced sacrificial loops from hard three strand rope and cow hitched them through the hoops and hard eyes. They would wear after two or three winters but no chafe on the stretchy nylon mooring lines. Now use the same method through the middle of cleats in the current marina with the mooring line tied to the rope loop with double sheet bends. This leaves the horns free for neighbour boat to use without disturbing my lines.
I was taught that the tail of mooring lines should be on the boat, not left on the dock.