Med mooring - springs

[MRC]

Having moved the boat to the Med im on a steep learning curve. Thanks for the heads up this week from a member on here about the boat moving about due to no spring lines. Having looked at the boat the tender gets in the way of the springs. Moving the boat further forward on the mooring would mean teh passerelle wouldnt reach the quay. Any ideas on fitting X spings?

May be able to spring against the next door boat but thats not always an option.

 

[Nick_H]

Having moved the boat to the Med im on a steep learning curve. Thanks for the heads up this week from a member on here about the boat moving about due to no spring lines. Having looked at the boat the tender gets in the way of the springs. Moving the boat further forward on the mooring would mean teh passerelle wouldnt reach the quay. Any ideas on fitting X spings?

May be able to spring against the next door boat but thats not always an option.

[pic]
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/... a job as they'll need lots of reinforcement.

 

[MRC]

Yep, seen that, was going to add some chain to add a pair of large round ball fenders off to help mooring when its just myself and my wife.

Looking at the photo above the angle down to the chain would still mean the tender would still foul the line?

 

[MRC]

What about fitting a pair of cleats lower down on the aft quarter and taking a line from those to the chain?

 

[Nick_H]

What about fitting a pair of cleats lower down on the aft quarter and taking a line from those to the chain?

I can't think of a better solution.

 

[fireball]

What about using the tie down point for the tender at the back of the swim platform? Would it be man enough to take a bit of load?

 

[MapisM]

Having looked at the boat the tender gets in the way of the springs.

Is it really the tender which gets in the way?
The boat cleats look pretty high, I would have told that only the passerelle could interfere the with stbd spring.
In which case, I'd rather live with the problem than leave the boat with no springs.
By leave with the problem, I mean remove the stbd spring while the boat is being used, and secure it when you're not onboard.
You might need also to detach the automatic stanchions of the passerelle before leaving, but that's no big deal.
But of course, if the tender really gets in the way, the springs rubbing would quickly ruin the cover, and possibly also the tender itself.
If so, you could consider fitting a couple of cleats (possible retractable) above the corners of the swim platform.
I understand it's a low/down platform (innit?), but it should be able to cope with some transversal load, hopefully.

 

[Nick_H]

I understand it's a low/down platform (innit?), but it should be able to cope with some transversal load, hopefully.

I wouldn't want cleats on the platform, if that's what you're suggesting. MRC is on a 23m mooring, so could have an 80' high sided neighbour leaning on him in a mistral. The platform mech is designed for up/down loads, not transverse, as you know.

 

[MapisM]

could have an 80' high sided neighbour leaning on him in a mistral. The platform mech is designed for up/down loads, not transverse, as you know.

Yep, I know. Didn't think of an 80' pushing sideways, I must admit.

 

[benjenbav]

Why not lower platform to water level when using springs then there should be enough clearance over the tender.

 

[Nick_H]

Why not lower platform to water level when using springs then there should be enough clearance over the tender.

nice lateral thinking BJB (or should that be vertical thinking?). I understand the platform locks in the fully elevated position though, so if you left it lowered long term (ie. unlocked), it may gradually self lower and end up in the drink. Worth considering though.

 

[jfm]

nice lateral thinking BJB (or should that be vertical thinking?). I understand the platform locks in the fully elevated position though, so if you left it lowered long term (ie. unlocked), it may gradually self lower and end up in the drink. Worth considering though.

Yup, nice thinking but it wouldn't work. As you say it wouldn't be mechanically locked so the hydraulics would weep and it would move down. Plus more hardware would be submerged = fouled. And worst of all the hydraulic rams would get fouled becuase they are fully retracted only in the full up position and this point is an absolute showstopper

I'll make a reply to OP's original question later

 

[Portofino]

SS preds in the 60- 72 range all seem to have the issue re Springs
I have seen all sorts of chaifing of the gel coat and tenders from springs , regretfully especially black ones.
I would set the boat in the normal position for the Passerelle .tigthen the bow line(s) v tight . Protect the stern with additional fenders or place some large ones on the quay.
Remember min tide here and if slck then springs basically useless .
Ok for boats where additional cleats " designed in " ,
Yours is a true designed Med boat .
Cheeky tip-- nip on boad your neighbour s and make sure they have v tight bow lines too if you feel they " lean " excessively on yours in blow .
This what I do with my SS . Seems to work its as if SS are not keen on springs , throughout the range ?

 

[PlanB]

It's a sad fact that tenders are often a nuisance when stern-to mooring in the Med. One possibility is to tie your tender to the bow, although that then makes going out a faff. We abandoned ours!

 

[jfm]

Cheeky tip-- nip on boad your neighbour s and make sure they have v tight bow lines too if you feel they " lean " excessively on yours in blow .

Wooah! These are big moorings with heavy chain. You can't nip on an 80 footer and tighten the bow lines. As soon as you undid the line off the cleat you'd lose 2metres of line becuase of the tension and weight of chain, even on a boat you suspect to be a bit slack. To tighten the lines on this size boat you have to use a winch. The Drettman to MRC's port side needs fire up of engines to run the hydraulic windlass; the 'hattan 70 to his stbd side has only an electric winch iirc

 

[jfm]

It's a sad fact that tenders are often a nuisance when stern-to mooring in the Med. One possibility is to tie your tender to the bow, although that then makes going out a faff. We abandoned ours!

You'd then need to antifoul it unfortunately...

 

[Marsupial]

wandering around the marina I ve noticd lots of damage to stern cleats (like they are ripped off) on mobos, caused by short mooring lines with no give in them, like the ones in the picture. As you are unable to share the loads with spring lines I would suggest you explore ways of putting mechanical springs on your stern lines and beefing up your fenders, they do look a bit light, longer and fatter will be needed in a blow. (the other boats around you are similarly under equipped). The other issue you have is that its all very well trying to make your boat stable but the others around you are very close and not constrained, this is a receipe for disaster, so keep the boats apart with big fenders.

 

[MapisM]

wandering around the marina I ve noticd lots of damage to stern cleats (like they are ripped off) on mobos, caused by short mooring lines with no give in them, like the ones in the picture.

I'm not sure to have understood what you mean by "no give in them", but if you think that tight mooring lines can be the reason for cleat damages, think again.
No boat on earth can suffer such damages just because of the STATIC load.
It's the dynamic load which can and does damage boats.
By dynamic load, I mean what happens when lines are NOT tightened enough.
In fact, in strong wind, the boat can move laterally, and this creates a much higher peak load, due to the wind working together with the boat inertia.
And this effect is obviously proportionally higher with heavier boats.

Otoh, I agree that having the lines properly tightened and the spring lines secured on your own boat can be useless, if and when moored between boats whose mooring lines are loose - particularly the boat moored upwind.
But I don't think that leaving also your boat lines loosely secured is a great solution, also in such event.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Mmm, its a tricky one. What about if you fitted a couple of cleats on the centre section of the transom ie above the S and the W of Shadow but as high up as possible, to change the angle of the springs. I'm really not sure that solves it but it would allow the s/b spring not to foul the pasarelle. I have a somewhat similar problem with my springs in that one touches the top of the o/b motor on the tender and I had a cover made up with a leather contact patch to protect it. I don't know how severe the contact with your tender is but maybe you could consider having some patches put on the tender cover?

 

[benjenbav]

Would it be possible to take a jackhammer to the dockside and concrete in a couple of nice big bollards to lift the lines up?

I don't know what the neighbours are like but I expect they'd be quite understanding about a bit of dust and noise...