Pile Mooring

[Roger52]

I have been allocated a pile mooring for next season and would welcome any advice as to the best way to set it up.
I have in mind to double up on the bow and stern lines for added peace of mind. Is it better to shackle/splice some chain to each line and attach the chain to the riser or sufficient to shackle the lines directly to the riser having, of course, put in a hard eye? I would use galvanised thimbles. All shackles will be seized. The lines will be protected from chafe on board.
I would prefer to attach the lines directly to the riser. More rope, more stretch.
The lines would be joined by a thinner floating line with buoys/fenders or the like. I assume that the whole thing should be fairly taut when not in use so there is less chance of fouling it when leaving or returning.
I was planning to use 3 strand nylon, say 20mm. Boat is 28ft and 3.5 tonnes approx displacement
All advice gratefully received. We have always been on a swinging mooring up to now.

 

[LadyInBed]

I have been allocated a pile mooring for next season

shackle/splice some chain to each line and attach the chain to the riser or sufficient to shackle the lines directly to the riser

Does your Pile mooring have riser buoys?
I thought that you attached direct to the Pile, no buoys or risers involved

 

[sarabande]

piles don't have risers which is the chain beneath a buoy.

Do you mean the chain or bar attached to the pile, top to bottom ?

 

[Roger52]

pile mooring

Sorry if I have used the wrong terminology. By risers I mean the ring that is attached to the bar that runs from the top of the pile to the bottom

 

[sarabande]

OK. Two mooring lines at each end is fine. Hard galvanised shackle at the ring end, as you suggest, and well protected at the inboard end with anti-chafing wrap.

I prefer to keep the lines quite tight so that with a cross wind, the boat does not shear across tide and increase pull on the bar.

If you are going to be away for a while, a chain with a shackle at each end is a good backup, 8mm should be strong enough. Keep it just looser than the lines so that it acts as a shock absorber. Really not necessary but comforting.

We detach the intermediate floating line when the boat is secured so that is doesn't collect weed or trip anyone up. Caribiners are strong enough; you may need a float or two if the ropes are heavy.

 

[Twister_Ken]

That was me until last season (Not H36 on the Hamble is it?).

Your thinking is about right. On the pick-up line I had one central pick-up buoy so that it could be collected with a boat hook from the bow before anything bendable got too close to the pile. Only thing was that the galvanised thimbles have a relatively short life, and it's worth keeping a close eye on them after the first season. HM insisted on two lines each end. Also, I never solved the problem of what to do with the lines when away for a period, so they spent time underwater and collected various examples of marine flora and fauna, and needed gloves to handle until they could be cleaned up or replaced.

As to rope size, critical thing is what you can get through your fairleads and around your cleats. Think I ended up with 16mm on one set and 14mm on the other. Three strand nylon is right - a dark colour for preference coz they don't show the muck too badly.

 

[anderson]

pile mooring

when away from piles we used to hook up the line above high water markthey last longer that way.

 

[Twister_Ken]

when away from piles we used to hook up the line above high water markthey last longer that way.

How?

 

[ianat182]

Right angle Tool hanging type hook fixed to the pile at each end ; also keeps the pickup buoy out of the water and the lines easier to grab from the piles. Hooks at about 3/4 tide height works OK.
Some yachts have a loop of 3/8" chain through the ring and shackled to two warp eyes, nylon or galvanised if preferred.
This makes it easier to spot chafe of the shackle/eye the and renewal of chain if worn.


ianat182

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

We have been on piles for many years. Boat is a bit heavier than yours and we had similar weight lines so that should be OK. Some points I would consider.

• 2 lines at bow and two lines at stern. As tight as you can get them by hand will prevent lateral movement.
• If you do get lateral movement due to wind or tide, depending on the boat shape you can find that the leeward or downtide line chafes on the hull as instead of just the fairlead. We put stainless protectors on our bow to stop this.
• We have ring splices on the lines, with thimbles and attach those to a ring on the riser with bow shackles. Important to really grease the shackle pins. If you do that they easily undo after a season in the water. The mooring staff in Yarmouth often have to cut off shackles that have not been greased.
• Depending on how you get to you get to your boat, you might consider having a dinghy that you can leave on your mooring when you are out sailing. You can then drop your lines in it (tied together of course) and thus make your pickup easier. This is so much nicer than leaving them floating in the muck.

 

[brians]

What's wrong with H36?

Heard those moorings are like gold dust. Passed from father to son as they say.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Heard those moorings are like gold dust. Passed from father to son as they say.

Nothing, except that the piles are too close together for the new boat.