Mooring Buoys - How to Find / Best Practice - Can I just use any?

[vyv_cox]

I can't promise the same for those north of the Bridges.

We kept boats on moorings north of the bridges for some years. This was some years ago but I doubt that much has changed, as the demands of the area require top quality equipment. All moorings were professionally laid and maintained except for drying ones at Beaumaris Bay and Bangor. Even with our first 27 foot boat our mooring had heavy anchors, about a hundredweight each, upstream and downstream with 3/4 inch ground chain between. A 3/4 inch riser was attached at the centre of this, to a large buoy. The pickup chain was 1/2 inch galvanised chain, renewed annually. These dimensions remained unchanged and we're perfectly adequate as our boat size went to 29 and 34 feet.

 

[dunedin]

…… These dimensions remained unchanged and were perfectly adequate as our boat size went to 29 and 34 feet.

But don’t forget that for many people nowadays a “starter boat” may be 50 foot LOA or so

 

[vyv_cox]

But don’t forget that for many people nowadays a “starter boat” may be 50 foot LOA or so

Even for those I would think that an anchor weighing 50 kg on 3/4 inch chain is probably adequate.
Until the OP returns to advise the size of his boat we will have to keep guessing.

 

[fredrussell]

I've seen people tying up to creel floats.

Wise move that, breakfast covered.

 

[William_H]

Just out of interest our mooring authority ( West Australia) have introduced a formal system for occasional picnic use of private moorings. They give a decent discount on mooring licence costs for owner participation. Users have to have a sticker showing they have paid for a licence to use the occasional use system. Mooring owners are given a plastic disc to attach to the mooring whose color indicates max size of boat that can attach. To pick up a mooring you are supposed to limit it to 4 hrs and always have someone remain on board who can move the boat.
Mooring are required to be inspected and certified every 2 years so condition is not a problem.
My boat is 6.5 metres so my mooring has a limit of 5 metre boat for visitor use. (7 metres is the next step up) really stupid as any boat of less than 5 metres long would always go to shore.
In practice either my boat is attached to my mooring or the dinghy is attached to the mooring. Or for winter nothing and I don't care if people use the mooring. Anyway I get the discount on mooring fees for no pain. But i think in reality a bureaucrat's brain storm that is not very practical.
Prior to this sytem we would just hook on to any mooring even though it was illegal and hope for the best just not leave the boat. ol'will

 

[ylop]

. The last time I did in my home port, it belonged to someone I knew, when I told her what I had done she sounded quite unhappy, I don't know why, it might be that her boat is much smaller than mine and she thought that I might drag it.

Well, I pay the crown estate for lease of the sea bed, I bought the hardware, I pay a mooring contractor a significant amount to maintain it. So, I expect to be able to go back to my mooring and pick it up not wait whilst someone else gets round to moving - nor do I want additional wear / chaff from others using. Certainly I know what weight it is rated for and the swing room it is ok for, you will at best be guessing.

So I would happily let a friend use it who asked first (and had a sensible sized boat). I would be much less happy if an acquaintance helped themselves without asking, and extremely irritated if I came back and found a stranger on it - even if they were on board (unless some genuine emergency).

Popular areas usually have some sort of visitor moorings, if conditions are not favourable for anchoring are they good enough to leave your boat tied to a random mooring?

By 'fairly safe' I meant, as my post clearly implied, that the owner is unlikely to be returning

the rest of your post referred to as safe because professionally maintained. The OP is a newbie and I read your post as suggesting safe to tie up to - so I suspect he (or others reading the thread in the future) would too. Someone asking the question in the OP may well not have realised that not all moorings are suitable for all pleasure vessels (indeed he may not even have considered if they are drying moorings or not).

Ive always been under the impression that in general they're all the same, especially if laid by a Harbour Authority in which case they will all be the same colour.

May or may not be the case.

 

[jdc]

Well, I pay the crown estate for lease of the sea bed, I bought the hardware, I pay a mooring contractor a significant amount to maintain it...

Same here. But

So, I expect to be able to go back to my mooring and pick it up not wait whilst someone else gets round to moving - nor do I want additional wear / chaff from others using. Certainly I know what weight it is rated for and the swing room it is ok for, you will at best be guessing.

So I would happily let a friend use it who asked first (and had a sensible sized boat). I would be much less happy if an acquaintance helped themselves without asking, and extremely irritated if I came back and found a stranger on it - even if they were on board (unless some genuine emergency)...

here I differ slightly. I am quite happy for someone to use my mooring when I'm not there, and have written a web address and QR code on the buoy which details the size of boat it's designed for, the design details and conditions under which a stranger can use it (essentially stay aboard and be prepared to move until getting permission from me to use it for longer).

I commend the web page for a buoy idea, although I've had stick (from others on this the forum) for doing it. Happy to share details of how (or even host the pages).

I must admit however, I was slightly peeved when getting to it after fairly long passage (Falmouth -> Plockton, anti-clockwise around and through the Pentland firth) someone had tied to it, with no phone number and not having told anyone ashore either, and gone away for a couple of months! But it was sorted with a bit of patience and a lot of asking around (and took a week).

 

[vyv_cox]

Well, I pay the crown estate for lease of the sea bed, I bought the hardware, I pay a mooring contractor a significant amount to maintain it. So, I expect to be able to go back to my mooring and pick it up not wait whilst someone else gets round to moving - nor do I want additional wear / chaff from others using. Certainly I know what weight it is rated for and the swing room it is ok for, you will at best be guessing.

So I would happily let a friend use it who asked first (and had a sensible sized boat). I would be much less happy if an acquaintance helped themselves without asking, and extremely irritated if I came back and found a stranger on it - even if they were on board (unless some genuine emergency).

Popular areas usually have some sort of visitor moorings, if conditions are not favourable for anchoring are they good enough to leave your boat tied to a random mooring?

the rest of your post referred to as safe because professionally maintained. The OP is a newbie and I read your post as suggesting safe to tie up to - so I suspect he (or others reading the thread in the future) would too. Someone asking the question in the OP may well not have realised that not all moorings are suitable for all pleasure vessels (indeed he may not even have considered if they are drying moorings or not).

May or may not be the case.

Good to see that the fellowship of the seas is still alive and well

 

[crown22]

I have a mooring between Bangor Pier and Penryhn Dock.I have dropped the riser into the mud now because my boat is out for the Winter.It all drys.Horrible smelly mud.Some of the moorings have been abandoned and not maintained.The Gazelle side is better if you can't dry out.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

There isn't a single answer as attitudes to moorings vary wildly as shown by the differing points of view of @ylop and @jdc. It does seem to depend a lot on where the mooring is; local customs regarding the sharing of moorings prevail. Also, in some areas, visitor moorings are widespread (e.g. the West of Scotland) and in others they are non-existent. The latter can make the use of private moorings by visitors unavoidable, as it is likely that there will be nowhere safe for a visitor to anchor. But in all cases, the use of an unknown mooring requires the visitor to be vigilant and prepared to leave!

 

[NormanS]

There isn't a single answer as attitudes to moorings vary wildly as shown by the differing points of view of @ylop and @jdc. It does seem to depend a lot on where the mooring is; local customs regarding the sharing of moorings prevail. Also, in some areas, visitor moorings are widespread (e.g. the West of Scotland) and in others they are non-existent. The latter can make the use of private moorings by visitors unavoidable, as it is likely that there will be nowhere safe for a visitor to anchor. But in all cases, the use of an unknown mooring requires the visitor to be vigilant and prepared to leave!

Believe it or not, some of us have been sailing AND ANCHORING before visitor moorings were even thought of. It's a sweeping statement to say that in the absence of visitor moorings, the use of private moorings by visitors is unavoidable, and that there will likely be nowhere safe to anchor. I don't recognise your description of the West Coast.

 

[Aja]

Believe it or not, some of us have been sailing AND ANCHORING before visitor moorings were even thought of. It's a sweeping statement to say that in the absence of visitor moorings, the use of private moorings by visitors is unavoidable, and that there will likely be nowhere safe to anchor. I don't recognise your description of the West Coast.

There is obviously a lot more to buying a boat and going sailing. It's not acceptable to say "we're new to this and assume that using others property is common or OK".

I argue that sailing schools have a lot to answer for, suggesting that lasooing mooring buoys is good practice, and where the knowledge is that new boaters may be able to handle the basics, are not sufficiently educated when simple things go wrong, for example being caught out in an unfamiliar area and relying on moorings which may or may not be appropriate.

I suspect @AntarticPilot may have been away from the west coast for too long. As an example, east Loch Tarbert used to be anchor only. That's now impossible, but that's progress. Sailing has shifted considerably from traditional moorings to marina based boats as disposable income has increased. There are now no 'free' moorings that I know of. The old HIDB moorings are long gone. Some places like hotels have assumed control but either charge ( I don't want to point fingers but £20 per night is common) or they have been left to rot.

This has placed increasing pressure on private mooring. I don't think it is acceptable to say that, as had been describe earlier, that all moorings are sized and maintained to the same standard as a boater might assume when picked up. They're not.

There's not an easy answer to this and the situation is not going to resolve itself. With the lack of take up in sailing clubs and a change to Facebook 'groups' traditional sailing is changing and it will take some time for the more traditional owner to accept that it is not what it was even 10 or 20 years ago.

 

[Thresher]

argue that sailing schools have a lot to answer for, suggesting that lasooing mooring buoys is good practic

There is obviously a lot more to buying a boat and going sailing. It's not acceptable to say "we're new to this and assume that using others property is common or OK".

I argue that sailing schools have a lot to answer for, suggesting that lasooing mooring buoys is good practice, and where the knowledge is that new boaters may be able to handle the basics, are not sufficiently educated when simple things go wrong, for example being caught out in an unfamiliar area and relying on moorings which may or may not be appropriate.

I suspect @AntarticPilot may have been away from the west coast for too long. As an example, east Loch Tarbert used to be anchor only. That's now impossible, but that's progress. Sailing has shifted considerably from traditional moorings to marina based boats as disposable income has increased. There are now no 'free' moorings that I know of. The old HIDB moorings are long gone. Some places like hotels have assumed control but either charge ( I don't want to point fingers but £20 per night is common) or they have been left to rot.

This has placed increasing pressure on private mooring. I don't think it is acceptable to say that, as had been describe earlier, that all moorings are sized and maintained to the same standard as a boater might assume when picked up. They're not.

There's not an easy answer to this and the situation is not going to resolve itself. With the lack of take up in sailing clubs and a change to Facebook 'groups' traditional sailing is changing and it will take some time for the more traditional owner to accept that it is not what it was even 10 or 20 years ago.

'I argue that sailing schools have a lot to answer for, suggesting that lasooing mooring buoys is good practice'
You have it there. I followed the example of my sailing instructor from 20 years ago, I wonder if they still teach that? probably not.
I was once moored next to a boat of comradely French/Belgian/ Dutch businessmen on a cruise and they all pissed over the side of the boat. I thought this acceptable behaviour for many years, until I caught a look from someone (and in my home port as well).

 

[PetiteFleur]

As dunedin says earlier - a few years ago, someone picked up my mooring on the R Deben in December and dragged it out of position. Only discovered when the mooring was lifted to check condition later. They believed a large motor boat had used my mooring for a couple of days but couldn't prove it. Normally it's not a problem on the Deben to pick up a mooring as long as you ask permission or stay onboard.

 

[jwilson]

There are two sides to this - so everyone please be a bit flexible. Lots of often empty moorings are now cluttering up virtually every decent safe anchorage. If I wanted to be very very awkward I could turn up in a boat with an extremely powerful anchor winch and drop my anchor on top of your mooring, in amongst several other empty moorings, in what is marked on the charts and is clearly suitable as an anchorage. Oh Dear, terribly sorry my anchor lifted your mooring chain and block, and dropped it some way away.

Custom and general friendliness says ".... use an empty mooring in good weather if it looks big enough, but be aboard and ready to depart in minutes if the owner returns". Essentially as long as it takes to start the engine and drop the mooring.

Many harbourmasters are happy to charge you for similarly "borrowing" an empty mooring.

 

[Tzu]

Hi,

We have finally got our boat sorted and we have left Liverpool heading down south. We are in the early stages of boating and we went over to Puffin Island yesterday to anchor for a few hours to ensure everything was in good order and to get myself and partner used to it (The first time she's been on anchor). I was looking at heading up to Moelfre to anchor overnight in a couple of days but she wants to go on a mooring ball first as we have seen these in the River in Conwy.

Also, there seem to be many in Bangor. I have tried to look these up in the books, but I can't find anything relating to mooring buoys in the pilot books.

What's the best practice? Can we just use them? Someone told me to use them and put your phone number in the window in case you need to move. Im not fussed about moving etc but I don't want to annoy people if im using their mooring.

Any advice on where to look or what to do would be great thank you!

I've been there, done that! Even though we know that our own anchoring equipment is usually the best option it's not alway so easy to convince the admiral. And if its a rolly night at anchor its not so easy to convince anyone at 3am about the relative merits of a strong anchor chain over an unknown mooring. - Work up to it is my un-requested advice. (a good turning point for anchor confidence in our household was the anchorage in the pool outside Beaumaris. Wonderful place in sheltered waters that has distinct one way or the other tidal streams) I've only ever been asked to move on from a Straits mooring once and that was by the nicest man ever who didnt appear at all phased by our presence near to Menai Bridge. I tend to go for the furthest from shore moorings as these will be in the deepest water and thus for the biggest boats. Be careful of your depth if trying Conwy - there are not too many deep moorings up at the town. I also see that this is a few days later than your planned mooring or anchoring... how did it go?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

There is obviously a lot more to buying a boat and going sailing. It's not acceptable to say "we're new to this and assume that using others property is common or OK".

I argue that sailing schools have a lot to answer for, suggesting that lasooing mooring buoys is good practice, and where the knowledge is that new boaters may be able to handle the basics, are not sufficiently educated when simple things go wrong, for example being caught out in an unfamiliar area and relying on moorings which may or may not be appropriate.

I suspect @AntarticPilot may have been away from the west coast for too long. As an example, east Loch Tarbert used to be anchor only. That's now impossible, but that's progress. Sailing has shifted considerably from traditional moorings to marina based boats as disposable income has increased. There are now no 'free' moorings that I know of. The old HIDB moorings are long gone. Some places like hotels have assumed control but either charge ( I don't want to point fingers but £20 per night is common) or they have been left to rot.

This has placed increasing pressure on private mooring. I don't think it is acceptable to say that, as had been describe earlier, that all moorings are sized and maintained to the same standard as a boater might assume when picked up. They're not.

There's not an easy answer to this and the situation is not going to resolve itself. With the lack of take up in sailing clubs and a change to Facebook 'groups' traditional sailing is changing and it will take some time for the more traditional owner to accept that it is not what it was even 10 or 20 years ago.

I was thinking of busy places like Gourock Bay, Tobermory and many other places where anchoring would be liable to get you a foul anchor (been there, done that 40 years ago in Tobermory!). Of course, there are many places on the West Coast where you can anchor without a worry - but they aren't places where you're likely to find moorings laid, either

 

[ylop]

Good to see that the fellowship of the seas is still alive and well

How will a potential user of a mooring know if the normal occupant is off for a day sail and could be back in an hour or has gone for a month or more and won’t be back? We could go to the lengths jdc does and create a web page - but even having done that he seems to have found his mooring hijacked, not for an hour or two but a prolonged period where he couldn’t use his own mooring for a week! From someone who didn’t leave their contact details! I pay for a mooring so that I have “certainty” that I have somewhere to put the boat when I get back. I’m not particularly local, hunting down missing skippers or finding somewhere else to leave my boat until they move theirs is not a trivial inconvenience. It staggers me when I hear people suggest it’s ok to occupy someone’s mooring.

There are now no 'free' moorings that I know of. The old HIDB moorings are long gone. Some places like hotels have assumed control but either charge ( I don't want to point fingers but £20 per night is common) or they have been left to rot.

The Ayrshire and Arran council moorings are still free; plenty of hotels and pubs providing free moorings for customers, but £20 is quite common if you are not eating ashore. The reality is that moorings cost quite a lot to professionally maintain - so being expected to contribute is not unreasonable. A bigger issue is those which are not well maintained.

 

[dunedin]

I was thinking of busy places like Gourock Bay, Tobermory and many other places where anchoring would be liable to get you a foul anchor (been there, done that 40 years ago in Tobermory!). Of course, there are many places on the West Coast where you can anchor without a worry - but they aren't places where you're likely to find moorings laid, either

Tobermory has pontoons and lots of designated visitor moorings, regularly checked and serviced.
There is also a small designated anchorage area inside the moorings, and a huge area outside moorings, but due to the steep sided nature of the bay, the anchorages (and the moorings) are in deep water.
Not a place where picking up a private mooring is either necessary or accepted practice.

 

[vyv_cox]

How will a potential user of a mooring know if the normal occupant is off for a day sail and could be back in an hour or has gone for a month or more and won’t be back? We could go to the lengths jdc does and create a web page - but even having done that he seems to have found his mooring hijacked, not for an hour or two but a prolonged period where he couldn’t use his own mooring for a week! From someone who didn’t leave their contact details! I pay for a mooring so that I have “certainty” that I have somewhere to put the boat when I get back. I’m not particularly local, hunting down missing skippers or finding somewhere else to leave my boat until they move theirs is not a trivial inconvenience. It staggers me when I hear people suggest it’s ok to occupy someone’s mooring.

Perhaps if you read the posts instead of attacking other posters you might learn something. The OP posted a couple of days ago, in November. Very few boats will still be occupying moorings on the Menai Strait by now as these are quite unsuitable in winter. As I read his post he has no intention of finding a mooring for anything other than an overnight stop.
In the far off days when I began cruising it was quite understood that unoccupied moorings could be picked up, always leaving someone aboard to move if necessary, on the understanding that my own mooring might well be occupied while I was not using it. It seems that like so many courtesies of the past, this is no longer the case, at least by some owners.