Mooring chain /anchoring with no central foredeck cleat?

[Fergus]

My new boat has only side cleats on the foredeck. Where can I get a bridle for the mooring chain or how do I make one?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Goldie]

How about fitting a good substantial foredeck cleat? Otherwise, you could make the chain off on one cleat and use a chain hook on a short length of nylon taken to the other cleat to create a bridle effect.

 

[claymore]

That would work - I measured distances and then eyespliced two lengths of rope with hard eyes at one end and soft eyes which go over the cleats. I then got a couple of huge shackles and these go onto the mooring chain and through the hard eyes, so when I pull the whole thing onto the deck its a simple matter to just put my two mooring strops over the foredeck cleats.

 

[Robin]

I used to have the riser chain attached to a small pickup buoy by a length of about 12mm nylon with an eyesplice to drop over the port side cleat temporarily. We carried a chain bridle made from 2 measured lengths of chain which then shackled to the riser chain in a 'Y' going to each side cleat to spread the load evenly, with the riser only just coming over the bow roller. The bridle stayed on board which meant it didn't rust and stain the decks plus it was very useful for threading through mooring buoy rings to prevent chafe, it is still used for that purpose even though we now have a marina berth.

 

[steveallan]

Make the chain off to one cleat Then use a length of nylon rope made off to the other cleat to act as a stubber. Climbers rope is good for this.

 

[Duffer]

We had the same problem. We tried a bridle direct to the side cleats but found the boat would swing rather more than with a line over the front roller. We then tried a bridle with a fixed shackle in the middle to attach to a mooring buoy but this required the dinghy which we might not otherwise want to get out. To improve the lead from the bow roller to the side cleats (which otherwise fouled the pulpit stanchions) we fitted an optional rope drum above the (vertical axis) recessed chain gypsy of our Quick windlass which works a treat. (Quick was slow to provide the part however.)

 

[PeterGibbs]

Get a chain hook suitable for your calibre of chain and attach it to the centre of a very stout piece of mooring guage rope about 3 meters long - 14m three stand nylon is what I use. Then insert eyes at each end of the rope, so they can be dropped one over each cleat when the hook is inserted into the chain. The mooring chain will then, when deployed, be held by your new bridle, taking strain off other fixtures. If you slack off the chain inboard of the hook, you will benefit from a bit of piece and quiet when your bridle acts as a snubber.

PWG

 

[Lakesailor]

Stick one of these on your foredeck. I did and it was the best purchase I made in 2 years.