Mooring strop/bridle

[bitbaltic]

We are hoping to cruise our boat to Milford Haven in the next couple of weeks which will involve picking up buoys in places like Tenby, Dale etc.

Being as our home area is the inner Bristol Channel where mooring buoys do not exist we have no specialised mooring strop/bridle and I would like to make one up with warp tails spliced to a chain centre section so we are not going to risk the lines fraying on rings at 2am etc.

Boat is 30ft, 3 tonnes plus cruising kit and with about 1m or so of freeboard at the bow.

Does the panel have any suggestions on suitable dimensions- length and sizing of the chain centre sections and length and type of warp for the tails.

Jimmy Green options for guidance: https://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/products/yacht-ropes---rigging/strops-and-bridles

Thanks

 

[VicS]

Seems very complicated.

If you moor to a buoy with a ring on the top a round turn through the ring will prevent chafe.

In exciting conditions rig a second line as back up

 

[blackfish]

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We've been down to Dale (from Neyland) three times in the last month. Under the fort there are plenty of free moorings at the moment. Most of them have a large buoy with a riser and rope and chain to pop over your bow roller. There are one or two ring-tops around but you won't need to use one of them at Dale. There's also the pontoon in the middle of the anchorage at Dale, if you fancy it. There are also two 'day visitor' buoys in Sandy Haven bay, which are ring-top types. Plenty of good holding for anchoring too.

 

[LadyInBed]

I have made up two, so they can be used mooring stern to wall rings.
I used one mtr of 6mm s/s chain between two one and a half mtr lengths of 10mm laid rope.
I would have liked to use 12mm rope but I couldn't splice it to the 6mm chain.

 

[gasdave]

I carry and use a rope/chain/rope bridle - 18mm anchorplait and 10mm chain in 4/2/4m lengths - but this is on a 37' 7+ tonne with slightly higher topsides than yours. Most of the buoys I have used around Clyde have pick-ups but there are a few with ring tops. As VicS says most of the time you'll be fine with a round turn but I have been grateful for the peace of mind the chain has given me on a few stormy nights. And this is about peace of mind after all!

 

[jdc]

I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

There are essentially two kinds of moorings: (i) those with the strop attached below the float, where the strop is already part of the assembly so you get no choice, and (ii) a buoy with a metal loop on the top to which one can attach a strop of one's choice.

You only have to worry about, (ii). In this case I always go for all rope.

A rope (14mm dia) loop through the ring or shackle if only staying a few hours. If staying a few days or a month I attach a rope strop with hard-eye to the buoy using a shackle, od of the rope dia 16- 18mm dia will do fine for your boat (it's never about strength, always about chafe, so actually the boat size isn't really that important). If it's for all season I might go for bigger, say 20mm. I like polyester ropes, and would use 8-plait in preference but 3-strand is ok.

In case you think me cavalier, have kept my boats on moorings since 1984. One can also do some sums: 100 mph (87knot) wind will generate about 2000 kg of force on a 30' boat. Breaking strain of 16mm dia polyester 8-plait is around 4700 kg. Breaking strain of a 16mm green-pin galvanised shackle is around 19000 kg!

 

[simonfraser]

chafe is the main issue, its all very individual, so you need to experiment and check often.

i used to have cheap flexi pipe round my straps, straps were old so i replaced the lot, and 'improved' the pipe to 'proper' reinforced stuff. Disaster, it all wore out way too quick.
back to cheap flexi pipe which has now been on for 2 years ....

 

[bitbaltic]

As VicS says most of the time you'll be fine with a round turn but I have been grateful for the peace of mind the chain has given me on a few stormy nights. And this is about peace of mind after all!

Yes, that is largely my way of thinking. I agree with Vic and others that a turn around the ring of a decent warp will be fine- but SWMBO knows our pals have a bridle made up and she will not sleep at night on a buoy if we don't have one too, that's for sure!

I think I shall get something of similar length(s) sized down a bit for a smaller boat.

Cheers

 

[bitbaltic]

If staying a few days or a month I attach a rope strop with hard-eye to the buoy using a shackle, od of the rope dia 16- 18mm dia will do fine for your boat (it's never about strength, always about chafe, so actually the boat size isn't really that important). If it's for all season I might go for bigger, say 20mm. I like polyester ropes, and would use 8-plait in preference but 3-strand is ok.

We actually have some large lines with hard eyes made up already which are intended for a drogue bridle should we ever need one, so we could do this is needed- thanks for the suggestion. We won't be stopping for more than a couple of days thoug (I imagine) but I will definitely bear it in mind.

Cheers

 

[bitbaltic]

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We've been down to Dale (from Neyland) three times in the last month. Under the fort there are plenty of free moorings at the moment. Most of them have a large buoy with a riser and rope and chain to pop over your bow roller. There are one or two ring-tops around but you won't need to use one of them at Dale. There's also the pontoon in the middle of the anchorage at Dale, if you fancy it. There are also two 'day visitor' buoys in Sandy Haven bay, which are ring-top types. Plenty of good holding for anchoring too.

Brilliant advice thank you.

Does one need to contact e.g. the yacht club at Dale before picking up one of the moorings?

 

[Boo2]

I carry and use a rope/chain/rope bridle - 18mm anchorplait and 10mm chain in 4/2/4m lengths - but this is on a 37' 7+ tonne with slightly higher topsides than yours. Most of the buoys I have used around Clyde have pick-ups but there are a few with ring tops. As VicS says most of the time you'll be fine with a round turn but I have been grateful for the peace of mind the chain has given me on a few stormy nights. And this is about peace of mind after all!

With the chain middle do you put a round turn on anyway ? Not to avoid chafe, obviously, but to stop the chain sliding around the ring as the boat moves about ?

Boo2

 

[VO5]

My suggestion to you is to deliberately overdo it. A hefty chain and a hefty warp.
There are two benefits: Peace of mind and a happy SWMBO.
It can't get better than that, can it ?

 

[blackfish]

Brilliant advice thank you.

Does one need to contact e.g. the yacht club at Dale before picking up one of the moorings?

You could contact the club if you don't want to run the risk of being turfed off by a returning 'owner'. But that hasn't happened to us thus far. A quick look around last weekend revealed that the current occupancy rate is about 50% of the available moorings. You'll stay afloat on most of them, even on low springs, but perhaps not on those closest inshore.

 

[bitbaltic]

You could contact the club if you don't want to run the risk of being turfed off by a returning 'owner'. But that hasn't happened to us thus far. A quick look around last weekend revealed that the current occupancy rate is about 50% of the available moorings. You'll stay afloat on most of them, even on low springs, but perhaps not on those closest inshore.

Good to know, thanks

 

[lw395]

I've used chain when securing to rusty rings etc.
We just keep a few bits of chain and shackles etc, make it up as we go along.
Being moored to chain can be noisy!

 

[gasdave]

With the chain middle do you put a round turn on anyway ? Not to avoid chafe, obviously, but to stop the chain sliding around the ring as the boat moves about ?

I didn't to start with but would now, simply to reduce the chain noise. If you cleat your bridle off at the right lengths on the deck I think it's unlikely that the chain will slip so far that you end up riding on the rope.

 

[jdc]

I must admit that I'm considerably surprised by the number of people who pick up visitors' or unused private moorings and attach using chain for some or all of the strop.

The reason I'm surprised is that this goes rather against a trend I observe in those who keep their boats permanently on moorings where there is a definite move towards risers made entirely of rope (apart from the swivel of course). And a quick and un-quantitative trip around the moored boats here in Plockton shows that almost all are using rope strops because rope is:

- equally strong or stronger than chain
- less subject to snatching and shock forces
- kinder on the mooring float (which is always plastic and rather expensive and one doesn't really want scratched or grooved too much)
- kinder on the boat's fairleads and cleats
- quieter
- is less likely to jam in the cleat and can be cut in emergency anyway.

So it seems curious - I don't want to put it more strongly - that visitors, who may very well be lying to a mooring with rope riser for all they know, feel it to be safer or more reliable to include or use exclusively chain for the strop. Tying up to a ring on a concrete or stone wall is another matter where a short strop of chain can be very useful to avoid abrasion but I don't think that's what we are discussion here.

I don't go as far as to say that you'd not be welcome to use my mooring if you tie up with chain (unlike lassoing which I'd much prefer you not to do unless in extremis), but I do encourage thought about and justification why the practice for visitors should differ from that of residents.

 

[LadyInBed]

The reason I'm surprised is that this goes rather against a trend I observe in those who keep their boats permanently on moorings where there is a definite move towards risers made entirely of rope (apart from the swivel of course).

Certainly not the case in Poole Harbour.
Chain risers and chain to pickup buoy!
I use my rope / chain bridle on moorings with a through rod with a solid ring on top of the buoy, like Alderney where there have been cases of boats going adrift after the rope bridle has chafed through.

 

[TSB240]

Hi Bitbaltic

Beverley like Jenny feels more secure when we are attached with a strop and chain.

Ours is .75 M of 6mm chain with 3 strand spliced on and covered with shrink tube with spliced loops that will just clear the closed toe rail fairleads on the 301 and fit the foredeck cleats.

Works for us and I am happy to use it to lasso a mooring (waiting for incoming).........

Especially: If I am single handed because Beverley is asleep or otherwise incapacitated/intoxicated!

If conditions are lively and a quick pick up is essential without the hassle of a boat hook or threading device.

Re roving one side of the strop through the swiveling shackle on top of most of the lassooable moorings and back through our awful closed toe rail fairleads is relatively easy once you are lying flat on the foredeck!
Done in a matter of minutes.

If it is intended to only stay for a short stop and it is relatively calm and little tide I don't bother with re-threading. The chain usually drops well down the chain riser and avoids the nasties on the underside of the mooring buoy and any chafe on the buoy.

In wind against tide I have ruined a set of lines with chafe despite the usual precautions mentioned above.

The chain takes all the abrasion and grief away.

Plus I get a relaxed good lady......

Cue grumpy old men about lassooing.....

Steve

 

[TSB240]

Certainly not the case in Poole Harbour.

Chain risers and chain to pickup buoy!
I use my rope / chain bridle on moorings with a through rod with a solid ring on top of the buoy, like Alderney where there have been cases of boats going adrift after the rope bridle has chafed through.

Same on the Menai. I don't think I have ever seen an all rope riser. Probably because of insurance requirements!

Most permanently moored boats might use a rope pick up buoy attached to a chain mooring strop covered in a fire hose.

The only exception is the Caernarfon Harbour Trust trots use a short length of chain riser and then two thick rope risers to each adjacent trot ground block.

If I ever pull up on a mooring as a matter of fact I check the riser to see what load it can take.

In some cases (remote anchorages) my riser check would indicate that even leaving a clinker dinghy on it would have been risky for ten minutes as the risers chains can be so badly corroded.

Using a chain strop is very useful as you are able to lift the chain rather than the buoy and the chain.

Rope usually floats to just under the buoy whereas the chain engages with the bigger riser links lower down.

Steve