Mooring options

[Gordonmc]

I am in the process of moving the boat from a marina pontoon to a loch swinging mooring and would appreciate advice on the gear to be used for mooring.
To date a strop consisting of plait warp onto a short length of chain has been used with the plait bent on to foredeck cleats. This seems to have been ok for overnights and lunch stops, but would I be safer to drop the riser over the sampson post?
If I do should I use the strops as a safety back-up?
What do you swingers do?

 

[MacW]

The golden rule for swinging moorings is, tight chain, slack rope.
In other words the chain riser should be supported by the mooring buoy,with enough chain to allow for height of tide etc, and then some more to allow for meteorological effects on the tide , then a substantial mooring rope tether, complete with plastic hose chafe protection, and its own pick up bouy, attached, through your anchor roller to your foredeck bollard. this tether should be long enough to allow the boat to lie back from the mooring buoy about 6 feet in quiet conditions. tied up this way the boat will lie quetly, even in brisk conditions. Time and again I see boats tied onto too tight mooring rope chain , jerking about,pinned down slightly by the head,risking fittings/rope etc. The mooring tether should be attached to the top connector of the chain UNDERNEATH the mooring buoy. Some say there should be a swivel in there,others that swivels wear out far too quickly.
Hope this helps.Take a look at some of the visitors/boatyard laid mootings for the general idea,but not all are ideal.

 

[MacW]

Sorry,just reread your post. I think dragging the chain on deck will make it all too tight. If you`re happy with the look strengthwise and chafe wise of the strop and its ends, look to the strength and security of your cleats,deck gear etc. If its a rented mooring make sure you know the last service date,for your insurance co,they should be serviced every year at best,every two years at worst,either by hauling up or by diver. I`ve been on various moorings now since 2000 and they do vary in quality. The trick is to make sure its all ok now ,then you don`t have to worry about it when you are tucked up at home and the wind howls. Its a wrench going from a marina to a mooring. Things like arriving late at the boatyard or shore and having to get into the dinghy and paddle out to her in the rain and the dark, witha dinghy full of foodbags (they`re not watertight) etc ,but you will sort out a system. Tip - keep oars,oilies and lifejackets in the car, suit up and load up each time you arrive, and reverse if leaving to go home.