Mooring springs

[KompetentKrew]

Can anyone tell me if and when these are useful, please?

I must admit a bias against them, as I have never seen them on the boats on which I learned to sail, and I have certainly never used them.

I found a pair in the lockers of the boat I bought this year and am inclined to throw them away, but I am struggling against a deeply ingrained hoarding instinct which makes me resist disposing of anything that "might be useful one day".

 

[steve yates]

dont throw them away, use them, or send them to me and I will use them!

 

[johnalison]

I always keep rubber snubbers ready for use but there is something to be said for the springs for a permanent berth. I don't think there is much to choose between them, though the higher hysteresis of the rubber should be an advantage if comfort is the aim. I would be very critical of anyone who chose to throw away anything potentially useful.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I'm a liveaboard, so a permanent berth is not a consideration, but locker space is.

 

[vyv_cox]

We use ours from time to time in surging conditions. Very helpful, having lost a couple of fairleads to twanging warps. We also used them when we overwintered afloat at Bastia, a very windy place.

 

[Bouba]

In Med moorings almost everyone uses them. They prevent snatching that puts huge forces on the boat cleats. The wind can be very strong, I’ve actually broken a spring and now use oversize ones.

 

[duncan99210]

In Med moorings almost everyone uses them. They prevent snatching that puts huge forces on the boat cleats. The wind can be very strong, I’ve actually broken a spring and now use oversize ones.

+1. Don’t have any on board at the moment as the boat is out of the water overwinter but they make for a much more comfortable time when surge hits the berth. Also cuts down somewhat on creaking warps. Some folks use a loop of chain as a bridge over the spring, so that if it breaks you’ve got the chain to stop the boat going walkabout.

 

[KompetentKrew]

In Med moorings almost everyone uses them. They prevent snatching that puts huge forces on the boat cleats. The wind can be very strong, I’ve actually broken a spring and now use oversize ones.

I had no idea they were so important.

Some folks use a loop of chain as a bridge over the spring, so that if it breaks you’ve got the chain to stop the boat going walkabout.

Ah! I found some lengths of chain in the same locker, that I thought worthless because they were so short. I shall have to reinspect them.

 

[Tim Good]

We have them in the Canaries where swell can be a problem. HOWEVER.... sometimes they're good and sometimes they act like a spring and make you bounce around more. Just depends on the situation really but occaisionally having very loose mooring lines without the metal springs can be better.

 

[johnalison]

We have them in the Canaries where swell can be a problem. HOWEVER.... sometimes they're good and sometimes they act like a spring and make you bounce around more. Just depends on the situation really but occaisionally having very loose mooring lines without the metal springs can be better.

That is when rubber snubbers are better. My feeling is that rubber is better when you are on board but springs possibly when you aren't.

 

[Poecheng]

Used them in Ostend last year - Ostend harbour can get massively swelly.

It was extremely swelly one night and really straining things.
I changed the ropes to the stretchiest I could find but still snatching badly.
Remembered I had a couple of springs in a locker (think I bought them on here) and strapped those on to the pontoon cleats and then tied to them. Peace !

 

[Rocksteadee]

There could be some confusion here.
A mooring line used as a spring are 2 lines going for and aft to stop the boat moving backward or forward. Either from a mid cleat on the boat to a forward and an aft cleat on the pontoon (one for each) or midships on the pontoon to the forward and aft cleat on the boat. As in the middle 2 line of a W or an M.
These shock absorbing coil springs are generally used on the forward and stern lines, the outside 2 lines of a W or an M as these are where most shocks or snatches are felt when alongside a pontoon

 

[Quandary]

There could be some confusion here.
A mooring line used as a spring are 2 lines going for and aft to stop the boat moving backward or forward. Either from a mid cleat on the boat to a forward and an aft cleat on the pontoon (one for each) or midships on the pontoon to the forward and aft cleat on the boat. As in the middle 2 line of a W or an M.
These shock absorbing coil springs are generally used on the forward and stern lines, the outside 2 lines of a W or an M as these are where most shocks or snatches are felt when alongside a pontoon

Aye Right!

 

[Neeves]

Ah! I found some lengths of chain in the same locker, that I thought worthless because they were so short. I shall have to reinspect them.

They might be for shore lines, to put round rocks or trees. If they are very short - the trees are too small and might not hold you. We have short lengths of chain precisely for this application and some spliced (both ends) rope we find on beaches (they are kinder to trees - the trees will thank you, as might any green). The strops are sacrificial - in case we leave in a hurry.

Jonathan

 

[Old Bumbulum]

How does their performance compare with the rubber dog-bone things with the mooring line passed around them?

Is it possible to improvise with a fender and a line rigged à la dogbone device?

 

[Bouba]

There could be some confusion here.
A mooring line used as a spring are 2 lines going for and aft to stop the boat moving backward or forward. Either from a mid cleat on the boat to a forward and an aft cleat on the pontoon (one for each) or midships on the pontoon to the forward and aft cleat on the boat. As in the middle 2 line of a W or an M.
These shock absorbing coil springs are generally used on the forward and stern lines, the outside 2 lines of a W or an M as these are where most shocks or snatches are felt when alongside a pontoon

In Med mooring they go best from shore cleat to opposite stern cleat. So when both lines are on it makes an X (so the stern has four lines altogether IXI ). These then stop the sideways movement (and crashing into the boats either side) because the windage is always greater on the sides (especially on a flybridge cruiser) the spring is very useful.
If you don’t use the chain you can always use a continuous line tied to one end of the spring, allow a generous loop, then tie to the other end of the spring. So if the spring breaks you still have one, continuous, line from boat to shore.

 

[RupertW]

In Med mooring they go best from shore cleat to opposite stern cleat. So when both lines are on it makes an X (so the stern has four lines altogether IXI ). These then stop the sideways movement (and crashing into the boats either side) because the windage is always greater on the sides (especially on a flybridge cruiser) the spring is very useful.
If you don’t use the chain you can always use a continuous line tied to one end of the spring, allow a generous loop, then tie to the other end of the spring. So if the spring breaks you still have one, continuous, line from boat to shore.

I often envy a motorboats ability to do that. Our stern cleats are too far forward and the lines would rub on the stern and then on the back stays. So we move from side to side.

 

[Bouba]

I often envy a motorboats ability to do that. Our stern cleats are too far forward and the lines would rub on the stern and then on the back stays. So we move from side to side.

Well that’s the problem! You tie your boat nice an snug and the boat next to you still hits you!

Only joking

 

[RupertW]

Well that’s the problem! You tie your boat nice an snug and the boat next to you still hits you!

Only joking

That’s ok - a good motorboat beside you is like a harbour wall - it shelters you, doesn’t move and you can put your oldest genders against it.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I inherited some of the springy things with my boat. I found them very squeaky in use and got rid. The rubber bone type are quieter but don't last more than a couple of years I've found.