Rope for Swinging Mooring

E

Equinox

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I shall be using a swinging mooring for the first time in a few days. I have a 27ft yacht at 3500kg and was wondering what length,diameter and type of rope I should be using in order to secure it effectively to the ring on the buoy. Also, is a cow hitch the most appropriate knot to use or should I be directing my mind towards another type of knot?

Any responses much appreciated!

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Unless you are only there temporarily or it is in a very sheltered position, I would use the biggest diameter nylon that will fit over the bow roller or through the bowfairleads allowing for the addition of an anti-chafe tube, splice an eye with a S/S thimble in the buoy end and shackle this to the buoy, wire the shackle with monel wire. Better still would be a chain strop, at least up to and over the bow roller after which it could be split into a 'Y' with a rope strop, assuming you have 2 foredeck cleats, to avoid rust stains on deck. Make sure the strop/chain cannot jump out of the roller/fairlead and either use a pin or a tie to keep it in place - a loose strop in a gale can do a lot of damage. If you don't trust the buoy ring integrity (you cannot see the condition of it inside the buoy) you may be able to connect the strop to the chain riser below the buoy but it must be above a suitably sized swivel or the whole lot will end up tangled.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
This is sound advice I would just add

Suggest you get the strop professionally made - I have used Jimmy Green Marine in the past.

I would use galvanised rather than stainless for the eye if the chain/ring is also galvanised.

To hold the strop in the roller you could use a drop-nose-pin, but you could also use a big SS bolt with a wing nut. This will add greatly to the strength of the roller sides; I have seen then very distorted after a blow.




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The point about the ring is important. Just over a year ago I connected to just the top of the buoy and within two days the boat was off doing walk abouts. Therefore unless the ring is very good connect also to the underneath of the buoy for safety.

<hr width=100% size=1>Dave

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.MyCleopatra.co.uk> My Cleopatra - now with it's own Discount Chandlery</A>
 
Some systems though just have a swivel in the ring, through bar and bottom ring part of the buoy rather than a separate swivel and if you just jump a strop across between the 2 rings it risks a total twist up. Personally when I laid my own moorings or used club ones (they came with only pickup buoys) I put a large soft buoy on with NO top ring and made the attachments below the buoy but above a swivel, the strop had a pickup buoy attached with a reasonable sized line in case it took some load whilst the mooring was picked up.. That way the buoy just takes the weight of the chain riser but doesn't bump noisily on the boat or risk scraping it with metal rings, eyes and shackles. My moorings have always been in Poole with stong tides and exposed to the SW.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
Cow hitch is a non-locking hitch used for stoppers etc. and is TOTALLY UNSUITABLE for your purpose.

Many will advocate a single strop ...... possibly 12 up to 16mm or more .... ME - I advocate a more safety related system. I use a multiple approach ... having had a single line on a boat many years ago carry away. On a heavy 25ftr, Motor Sailer - I used 3 x 10mm strops made fast to different points. The strops were made fast to the chain just below the buoy .... I do not agree with buoys providing 'strong-points' .... and then one went to bow mooring post, 2nd to the anchor windlass, 3rd to the mast base. With this I knew that it would be a miraculous happening to have a break away of my boat from its mooring.

Oh and the lines were individually saved from cahfe by using garden hose pipe over to protect where they passed over the stem.


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
To stop strop(s) from jumping out ...

I do not like use of pins or bolts .... having done it myself years ago ..... I distorted the stemhead fitting seriously on a boat before when the mooring post gave way and the boat hung on the buoy lanyard. The mooring line was pinned to the SH fitting ....

I now use a lanyard passed over then you can cut it in emergency ..... unlike a bolt / pin with weight on like mine did !! Boy it was hard getting it out .....


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
When was the mooring last serviced? Does it have a swivel and suitable ground chain to act as shock absorber? Why doesn't it have it's own strop attached under the bouy?
I put out my own moorings - better peace of mind that way.

Stu

<hr width=100% size=1>As with most posts here - my personal opinion - take it or leave it.
Stu
 
Re: To stop strop(s) from jumping out ...

Hmm, disagree. You get a massive increase in strength of the stemhead by bolting it. I don't understand your tale but if my boat was hanging below its strop, releasing it would be the least of my worries !

Multiple strops. I use a single massively over size stroip. I thought about doubling it up but I could not get a second one through the roller. They must be feeble strops if you can get garden hose over them (or one hell of a garden). The weakest point is now probably the swivel on the riser. However, I don't believe it will require a miracle for my boat to break free !



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Whether or not you use chain or rope strop and whether or not you secure it above or below the buoy, I have found it important to ensure that the strop is short enough to take up the weight of the riser chain when it is secured to the boat. This means that the weight of the heavy riser chain is always being used to control the motion of the boat and prevents snatch. A way round the concern about the integrity of the rod through the buoy is to replace it with chain through the buoy. This can then be withdrawn periodically to be checked.

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Bong ..... correction to post

Yes you can use the mast base ...... I forgot to mention that this rope is slightly slack compared to the others and is there for insurance and back-up - NOT as primary mooring line.

The fact is that the mast base in shear is stronger than the average deck cleat ...... believe me it is. OK if you have a blade step - then you may choose to use another secure point.

To give an illustration of strength ..... when I had a boat carry its Oak mooring post away - the boat hung on by the buoy lanyard that was used to lift the pick-up buoy out of water and hang it off the pulpit rail........

What I advocate is splitting the large rope into smaller multiple ropes which in total = greater than the single. Also they have different points of securing ...... all in all a better security of mind and physically better.

The suggestion that NOT to use mast base by the immediate post above this is in my opinion a comment that goes against my observations and facts as I have seen and done for years.

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
Re: To stop strop(s) from jumping out ...

a) dont understand your comment < ... if my boat was hanging below its strop ......> my reason for a lanyard to secure the strops in stemhead fitting is to be able to cut it free in emergency case..... with bolt or pin there is risk of jamming etc.

When quoting garden hose .... I mean large bore flexible plastic pipe from the DIY shop .... and anyway if you compare the overall strength total of 3 x 10mm strops to a single large strop - you will find it exceeds by a fair margin.

This appears to be a personal opinion based on what you prefer to do .... mine is what I prefer to do and I have been fortunate enough in Langstone Harbour to remain moored, whilst others on single strops etc. have gone wandering off to the concrete wall in storm weather.

My system is based on years at sea and like a large merchant vessel ..... rely on many ropes instead of just a few larger ones ..... my system has built in security and redundancy .....if a strop breaks - there are 2 others to take up..... and in all fairness the single strop is enough to hold the boat ......

When you have a boat carry away its mooring post as I had .... reason is not important but effect is !!! (The post had rotted actually where it passed through the deck - impossible to see and check .....) then you may consider my system ..... maybe !!


So I'll continue to have peace of mind and I believe that you will to ......

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
agree with Jimmy Green recommendation - they have a table on their website recommending warp diameter needed for boat. If £ no object double up with 1 slightly longer than other as a reserve. i would use a shackle cable tie to secure to buoy having lines made up with soft hard eyes spliced in. £100 for mooring warp is worth it for peace of mind

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Contrary view

I've never yet seen a boat part from her mooring because of the failure of the buoy rope. Failure of the shackle under the buoy, yes, often, Failure of the riser chain itself, yes, sometimes. Failure of the rod through the buoy, yes, occasionally. But never the rope from boat to buoy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Que scais-je?
 
Re: Contrary view

Hi Mirelle

You have led a sheltered life !! Those in less sheltered areas and/or with wind over strong tide will think differently I'm afraid and the killer blow is chafe not the breaking strain of the warp.

Robin

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
Re: Contrary view

My preferred choice was all chain over the bow roller (and with a bolt through to stop it jumping out), once on board it diverted to a side foredeck cleat and a second short chain (kept on board) was shackled to it close to the roller to even the load and go to the other foredeck cleat. Alternatively (and really only with a centre foredeck cleat (NOT on the windlass) the chain would go just over the roller and a short rope strop would go from there to the centre cleat, just to avoid rust stains on the deck. My then boat survived the 1987 hurricane in Poole harbour unmarked using this set up and very heavy ground tackle, anchors & swivels, anything else is false economy IMHO.

I'm paranoid about chafe, we carry a length of chain which we use to tie into a warp and pull through any buoy rings in places where chafe is likely (especially in places like Alderney), it is easily set up and takes chafe out of the equation, it is long enough even when doubled back as it is to just come over the bow roller if necessary. I once left a boat on a buoy for just 30 minutes whilst we picked up a new gas cylinder ashore and came back to find a doubled 12mm warp was almost cut through, but the decider was seeing an Alderney fishing boat return a walkabout and charge the (very lucky) owner £50 for the priveledge!

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
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