mud weights

thamesS23

thamesS23

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hertfordshire
www.spotonprint.net
moored up at the Brocas in windsor on sunday and noticed a few of the larger boats had what looked like mud weights thrown of the back to keep the backside out. I want to get something similar made up for that use, plus for when anchoring or when tied up at the front to a overhanging tree.
Can anyone suggest anything suitable to use or adapt for that purpose?
 
Mud weights

Had one on a boat that I bought on the broads; I reckon you could create something quite usable with a seaside bucket, an "eyelet" from a diy store (unlesse like me you have that sort of thing hanging around in your garage), and a bit of concrete.
 
The one on my boat I now use as part of the ballast - on the Thames it's useless as will not steady the boat against wind or current. I now use an anchor of the bow and one off the stern and that has always worked well for me whether in the channel or up a weir stream.

They work well where you've room to swing a bit and the current is too small to worry about, like much of the Broads for example, and would probably keep your stern in position in a marina if the winds were light. Personally, I've tried mooring to a tree but the risk of stray branches damaging windows or hood I find unacceptable if there is any breeze at all. Otherwise to be any good they have to be heavy, you have to ask yourself if you really want to lug all that weight around? Try anchors - you can then stop pretty much anywhere although remember to use an anchor light at night on the Thames - it's law, and stay out of the main channel as there is often quite a bit of night time traffic.
 
I mixed some sand and cement and set it in a large saucepen with a rope loop in it.
I have a few metres of chain then rope attached. Once deployed I find the weight of the chain pretty much holds stern out in deeper water (outdrives). I leave the stern mooring line slack.
Works very well - use it all the time.
 
In case you're wondering I did remove the saucepan ..!
Concrete shrinks back a fraction as it dries and saucepan is tapped off
 
I've often wondered [well twice], do mud weights as used on the Broads work by suction or just because they are heavy?

If the latter, a lead or iron weight would have the advantage of taking up less space in he boat.
 
In my case I think its the chain (I have 3 or 4 metres) that does the work .. not the actual weight of the dollop.
Using centre cleat I can actually hold the whole boat (29 foot cruiser) a foot or so off the bank if its a rough edge. Boat might drift in a bit if something goes by, but then the weight of the chain just gently pulls it back out again.
 
ms1 said:
In my case I think its the chain (I have 3 or 4 metres) that does the work .. not the actual weight of the dollop.
Using centre cleat I can actually hold the whole boat (29 foot cruiser) a foot or so off the bank if its a rough edge. Boat might drift in a bit if something goes by, but then the weight of the chain just gently pulls it back out again.
Click to expand...

Its always the weight of the chain, or rather the length of it, that does the work - that's why the recommended chain length should be at least 3 -5 times the depth of water.

I find it quite amusing when peeps drop their anchors as a safety measure when on a mooring. Unless they also let out a substantial amount of chain it will be useless.
 
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apollo said:
brocas, dredging YADA YADA...
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Come on Mike, you know that the EA is only responsible for fairway navigation depths. The banksides are down to the landowners so I guess that means Eton College?

Now, lets see, how can we persuade reluctant landowners to maintain their river frontage for our benefit?

Not defending or attacking anybody, just asking a question that desperately needs an answer.........
 
Agree with you on most locations eg somewhere like Byrons out in the sticks.

But this is the centre of Windsor one of the flagship locations on the Thames.

Also fairly narrow fairway compared to a lot of places now often partly blocked with boats with Mudweights out!

So no, I put the blame at EA door on this one.
 
apollo said:
Agree with you on most locations eg somewhere like Byrons out in the sticks.

But this is the centre of Windsor one of the flagship locations on the Thames.

Also fairly narrow fairway compared to a lot of places now often partly blocked with boats with Mudweights out!

So no, I put the blame at EA door on this one.
Click to expand...

And if Eton dont want the area dredged but are happy as it is, what then?

Why should the EA involve itself with a private landlords responsibilities?

In principle, any or all the riparian owners could decide to just let bank-side mooring gradually silt up to the point of it becoming unusable. As I understand it, we have no legal rights to mooring space unless the 'owner' chooses to allow it. Even if we pay a mooring fee I surmise that is just a simple payment for a service rendered with no commitment or warranty from the landowner.

The EA does take and hold responsibility for its own 24 hour mooring sites but thats about it as far as I can see.
 
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It is not for Eton to decide, I am talking about the watery bit not the grass.

EA are selling a product, they send out a glossy magazine telling us how wonderful it is to get peeps to go boating.
If I saw a photo of a river bank, and windsor has appeared in this mag in the past, as a paying customer I would expect to be able to moor my boat there like the portrayed deliriously happy people in the photo.
If I cannot, I call that false advertising.
(Remember the story of the Winebago and the cruise control?)
There are locations that regularly appear, those I would call "Key" locations e.g. Windsor, Marlow, Henley.
If they don't maintain the fairway properly in these places then the whole thing will collapse but I will be long gone by then.
 
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