Mooring strop/bridle

[lw395]

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.....

It's something that should only be necessary if you need to secure to metal that is quite rusty, or run a line over the edge of a concrete wall etc.
Not your average private or visitor mooring.
At least not on the South Coast, where visitor moorings have rings polished by frequent use!

 

[bitbaltic]

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

Cheers Steve

I've ordered a similar bridle with 1m of 8mm spliced to three strand. Turned up this morning and looks the business.

We're completely new to picking up buoys but Jen certainly would rather us be safe than sorry! Like yourself i may well pick up with lassoing but wouldn't leave the boat attached like that for any length of time.

Cheers
Huw

 

[jdc]

...
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

I don't understand this. You attach to a mooring and then pull it up to look at the arrangement under the buoy: very laudable, but what does the material of the strop have to do with this?

My point was that visitors, not keeping their boats on moorings as a matter of course, suppose themselves naturally much more expert on all matters mooring than those of us who actually keep our boats on moorings all season and have done so for decades without mishap. Does this give nobody pause for reflection?