Permanent Mooring Lines

Ruffles

Ruffles

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Joined
26 Feb 2004
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Boat: Portsmouth, Us: Stewkley
www.soulbury.demon.co.uk
I notice lots of people keep lines permanently attached to their mooring. I'd like to do the same to avoid wear and tear on my lovely rope and also to speed up putting the boat to bed. What's the best setup?

I've noticed some peeps use a short length of chain on the pontoon itself to reduce wear. I presume a hard thimble on the rope and a shackle is required to join to the chain. I have some retired 8mm chain.

Can I use cheapo but oversize polyprop rope? I can serve a loop on the boat end so the stuff could be oversize for the cleats on my Moody 31. If you see what I mean.

Rob.
 
First don't be a cheap skate, use proper rope at all times, and yes put an eye in the boat end you know then the bat is in the same place every time you leave her.
BUT ALWAYS have lines ready when you come in just in case someone has borrowed the line!!!! It happens.
Mine are spliced to the cleats on the pontoon but chain works well if splicing is not your best subject.
 
Agree with mrpopeye (but he may well not have a boat on his mooring for a long period of time - see posts /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif so I understand where he's at re lines)
Keys -
1. Have the right line - ie stretch is good
2. Wear occurs in a number of places and having some sleeving material to protect the line works well (and looks good) - this would seem to be in conflict with your old oversize polyprop - better sleeved clean/new nylon. This can also provide an easier loop to pickup with the hook.
3. Yes to metal eyes properly fitted and good sized shackles. A length of chain can be used to adjust the lines effective length if the set up goes wrong but should be avoided really..... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Finally the time saved in having them set up right, relative to the time spent setting them up, is a complete no brainer - saves those lasting negative thoughts too...............
 
We use hefty nylon lines shackled with big wired shackles to the pontoon cleats. Nylon has some give in it but we also have rubber compensators 'snubbers' in the 2 bow lines to take any snatch out of the system. Good antichafe tubes are essential too. We don't splice fixed eyes into the on board ends simply because we prefer to have a long enough warp to reach even if we are not exactly in position, or want to warp the boat back in the berth prior to leaving, or indeed to reverse in sometimes. We only use a centre spring line when returning to our berth, this with the wheel over and engine back in gear at tickover holds us whilst the other lines are put on.
 
But...

What is that horrible rough stuff that fishing boats and commercial fishing use?? It's always a bright colour like orange or green. Is it polyprop or a very rough version of nylon? Surely if it's good enough for them...? I'm sure they don't pay 2 quid per metre.

I (luckily) just missed a load of it floating in the water near one of the forts off Portsmouth a couple of years back. A good 30m long and 2" thick. I did a quick U turn and dragged it on deck. Presumably polypropylene - I don't think nylon floats. Ended up giving it to the yard a Birdham.

Anyway. Verdict is:
Nylon with sleaves.
Served eye on pontoon end
Large wired shackles
Probably leave the yot end as is because we're nose to tail on our pontoon so may need to adjust.

Thanks,

Rob.
 
You're mooring set up is partly dependent on wher you keep your boat. Mine is in a locked marina, which is very well sheltered and I simply use 5 separate 16mm nylon lines. 2 springs, 2 short ropes for bow ans stern and one from the bow to the neighbouring cleat. Ropes are attached at the cleat by a round turn and a bowline, the round turn taking the strain. It's a set up that has worked for me for 15 years. I ws in a non locked, more exposed marina I'd also use nylon snubbers on the fore and aft lines.
 
I use chain at each end of my permanent mooring lines, and that chain continues until outside the fairleads. Thus the mooring line is rope just on the straight piece clear of anything that could possibly chafe, whilst providing enough to ease the load of any jerks by the elasticity of the rope. I come alongside using a single rope controlled from the helm using a long pole to drop it over a cleat, and then use engine power to reain alongside until the permanent lines are attached. simple and elegant solution to singlehanded operation.
 
I have a combination of nylon and chain all made up with eyes etc. left on the mooring, so that when I come in it's just a case of dropping them over the boat cleats. Boat sits in the same position and you don't have to worry about knots !!
 
Similar .... no chain on mine also

I have good size warps permamently rigged to suit my boat and they do not have chain in any point. Reason .... the point of connection to chain would basically suffer similar wear to that of rope to cleat .... sa the wear / chafe is only as a result of movement of the warp at that point it bears on. Given a good hitch to the cleat .... like Bill - a round turn and then bowline / or even clove hitch with last half hitch back on itself - you'll find the rope should not chafe so easily. The only other chafe I would expect is where the warp passes of the pontoon and on the edge .... this after many years on my berth has given not a jot of worry or problem ... warps are in similar condition to when first set out.
I would not fit chain on an inborad end for my boat - as I do not have suitable surface around boats cleats to save the boat from the chain scrape etc. !

If you do have edges chafe'ing warps - then the garden hose approach wound onto the rope at suitable point (hose cut in a spiral fashion to allow winding onto rope .... and then a couple of bindings of tape / whipping is enough.

I do not in this post knock others who do use chain etc. in fact I applaud they ebing able to do it ... but my boat is like many others and does not lend itself readily to this approach. Therefore I have to find alternatives in way of hitches used and position of warps ....
 
\"Wired Shackles?

"Wired Shackles"

What kind of wire? Have I overlooked "shackle wire" by the metre at the local chandlers ..... or can I strip a length of 2.5mm twin and earth? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Strongly suggest that you DO NOT USE Polyprop. It degrades in sunlight & can fail without warning. Yes the fisherfolk use it, but they also handle it every day, so it has very frequent inspection. If you are anything like me & don't see the boat for a few weeks at a time, then you could find your boat in trouble unless you know a good bit about how to inspect a rope.
Nylon is good, has decent stretch & fair anti abrasion. Polyester has better abrasion but far less stretch. Nylon can lose up to 15% of it's strength when wet, whereas polyester does not. Having said that, most boat moorings I see could lift the boat out of the water on a single line, let alone keep it alongside! There seem to be 2 extremes, where some boats are moored with 2 bits of string & a mares nest of knots, and others are moored with sufficient rope to secure a battleship. Good idea really as if the pontoon carries away, it will be Marina's insurance that coughs up, not yours!
Happy mooring.
Mike
 
Re: \"Wired Shackles?

The purpose of wiring shackles is to prevent them from loosening under constant movement. For a berth line connected to a pontoon cleat you can use S/S shackles (pricey) or plain mild steel or galvanised ones as used on moorings. There is monel wire on spools available in most chandlers which is best used doubled (its a bit thin for big shackles) or for mild steel/galvanised ones you can use fence wire from B & Q. Pass it around the shackle body by the pin, then through the eye in the pin, then twist the two ends evenly together. Trim off any excess and bend the tail flat against the shackle out of the way. For easy removal in future I grease shackle threads with Vaseline (or Lanolin if I have any). If you use chain as the connector to the pontoon cleat it too will need a shackle to join the ends to the mooring warp and this shackle needs to be wired too. It may seem unlikely but even shackles tightened with a bid wrench can still undo in days if they are not wired.
 
Re: \"Wired Shackles?

You can use cable ties to lock the shackle pin. Just have a look at them every now and again to see that they have not chafed through. Very simple and effective. Don't rust!
Don't use galvanised fence wire as the galvanising gets damaged when twisting and rust starts straight away creating weakness and rusty marks.
 
Re: \"Wired Shackles?

Being a former m/cycle racer and mechanic, I've always used left-over drums of stuff designed for the job: stainless steel locking wire, as also used on aircraft. Copper wire is too prone to fatigue failure, but even s/s can fail over time. It certainly shouldn't be assumed to last for ever.
 
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