Mooring compensators/snubbers

[stuartwineberg]

I know there has been a thread on this but I can't find it. I have 18mm docklines, an 11 ton motor boat and a berth at Haslar that is a bit exposed to the wash from the ferries. I have only been there a couple of months and can see wear on the friction points on the cleats already. What is the consensus on the best type/make/size to use? My recollection of the thread I saw was a series of piccies of broken snubbers!!

 

[peterb]

Stuart

Is the wear on the springs or on the breast ropes?

My experience (with a boat at Woolverstone, where they can be exposed to a long fetch) is that the wearing condition is when the boat is pitching heavily. This shouldn't cause a problem with the springs, but can with the breast ropes. If there is wear on the springs, then it's usually because they are too slack, allowing the boat to surge backwards and forwards.

The breast ropes need some slack, to allow the boat to pitch. The problem is that this slack allows the boat to turn until one breast rope is tight and all the slack is on the other one; pitching now causes the tight one to snub and chafe.

We found that using rubber snubbers on both breast lines (but not on the springs) allowed the boat to pitch but absorbed the snubbing loads on the lines if they suddenly came tight.

 

[stuartwineberg]

Hi Peter

Right on the money. No wear at all on the springs but loads on the breast ropes. The moorings at Haslar nearly all use another breast rope forward on the opposite side to the dock to stop the boat veering into the pontoons which are those stupid ones with a flared section so you can only go in forwards. So I guess I will need three snubbers - breast port and starboard forward and one at the stern.

Do you use any particular make of snubber as they seem to vary in cost hugely from £18 on ebay to over £40 at the swindleries

 

[peterb]

We found that the rubber ones were better as giving a more progressive spring effect. Other than that, the bigger the better.

Plastic tubing round the rope can reduce the chafe. Even better is a hard eye spliced into the end of the rope and shackled on to a chain loop round the pontoon cleat, though some marinas don't like it because it wears their aluminium cleats.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I'll echo Peter's comments.... when we use 'em, its just on the breast lines...

We've got the spring type rather than rubber... and they squeak like pigs... so we only use them when really needed.... we're fortunate that our home berth is locked in, so rarely a problem with movement....

I will add that they are worth having on board for those occasions when a less than ideal berth is neccessary.... we watched a boat get its fairleads ripped out when a large scend hit a marina.... but it was way too rough to think about moving....

 

[johnalison]

Certainly as big as possible and you can improve the longevity of the snubber by having only one, or two, turns instead of the maximum of three (which allows the snubber to extend further). If used for your home berth, the metal spring type is probably more durable and it will mostly be your neighbours who are disturbed by the squeaking.

 

[Athene V30]

[ QUOTE ]
I will add that they are worth having on board for those occasions when a less than ideal berth is neccessary.... we watched a boat get its fairleads ripped out when a large scend hit a marina.... but it was way too rough to think about moving....

[/ QUOTE ]
Too right! Having spent a very rough day and night in Ramsgate a couple of years ago and been unable to buy any in there, I now always take my 14mm shore lines with rubber snubbers with me when on a cruise.

Also stops some <word deleted> nickign them whilst away!!

 

[Poignard]

I bought some from the Marine Warehouse Chandlery at Fareham. I didn't do a very thorough price comparison but they were cheaper than a few other suppliers I looked at. They are also on the way to Gosport so minimum time/petrol spent getting there.

 

[jonjo]

Complain to the marina management and request a more sheltered berth, there tends to be some turnover at this time of year as people debate about renewing for a week or two into the new accounting year and then move on.

 

[cashinone]

I've moved from Southsea to Gosport this year and have a similar issue. Went for rubber compensators bought from an ebay shop (see below). Too early to tell if they are doing the trick but early signs are encouraging.

grimsbyrigging@ukonline.co.uk

 

[GMac]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you use any particular make of snubber as they seem to vary in cost hugely from £18 on ebay to over £40 at the swindleries

[/ QUOTE ]

Last year we got a pile from china which are Forshede knock-offs, they are everywhere and often sold as the real thing. Our cost approx. 3 quid each.

Only got one lot, they were crap. We now use Elastos out of Italy cost more but far far superior.