Rough weather mooring advice for pontoons

[Stellina]

I have a pontoon berth here (sorry if it's dark when you look!) that suffers when the winter storms arrive from the north-west. Even the short fetch behind the molo is enough to generate waves that get past the first wave-damper pontoon. The combination of waves and wind put the boat into motion often out of phase with neighbouring boats and the pontoon itself. I've destroyed 12,14,16mm ropes over the years and now I'm onto 18mm. What is the best way to secure a 33ft, 4.5 tonne boat with mid-cleats for hard weather?

 

[damo]

Are you on the windward or leeward side of a pontoon?

If to leeward, and there is enough room between you and the neighbouring boat, then you could let the lines off a little and use dampers on them. The boat could then bounce around, but you would still need chafe protection on the lines, and check them often.

If to windward then there could be an argument for getting the lines as tight as possible to minimise movement (depends on the freeboard of your boat and the height of the pontoon - it doesn't work very well with relatively high topsides.)

I see a lot of chafe on cleats where the warp does not have a round turn to prevent slippage - I would recommend a round turn and bowline on the pontoon cleat, with the rest of the line onboard. Many owners put the wraps on the pontoon cleat and the constant working on the line often causes problems there.

Thinner line is cheaper and stretches more, so there is an argument to use that, and replace it more often.

The first thing to do may be to see if you can get a more sheltered berth /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[rob2]

This month's PBO includes some tips from those moored, preparing for the ARC. One suggestion was to use a chain loop on the pontoon bollard, shackled to a hard eye on the mooring warp. Of course, you'll still need anti chafe through the fairlead, or across the toerail. Many people use large size fuel hose or similar to protect the lines. These would be permanent lines, tailored to your own berth - and not so quick to release when you want to sail, but only need to be attached in the winter months.

 

[damo]

Chain or shackles on the pontoon cleats are a big no-no as far as marinas are concerned (mine at least) - they can cause a lot of damage to the cleat, leaving sharp edges and corrosion. The next person to use the cleat could find their hands or lines have been cut.

 

[Thistle]

It looks as though there are plenty of berths available well into the marina; can you arrange to move to one of those during the winter? The wave should be much less there.

You mention movement out of phase with neighbouring boats; do make sure that your masts are well out of line with each other so that they can't tangle.

Interesting that you seem to have fairly narrow pontoon fingers between each pair of boats. Here we usually have two boats between each pair of fingers. Anyone know of any reason for the difference?

 

[michael_w]

Try leading the lines long. ie: bow lines made up on your stern cleats and vis versa. I know it sounds daft but the extra length will allow a lot more give and not be so hard on your fittings. this coupled with snubber springs will give your boat an easier life.

As far as chafe gear is concerned, there is nothing to beat chain and hard eyes on the dock and leather where lines pass through fairleads.

 

[Endeavourquay]

Mooring compensators (donkey doodahs we call them) and use a piece of plastic hose threaded up the mooring line to cover the section that passes through the fairleads, see through tube will enable you to inspect for damage, It works on our pontoon with the cross channel ferry passing close by.

 

[Ruffles]

Sounds like the line is too vertical. I had the same problem on my pontoon berth - a low pontoon, high topsides and the cleat on the pontoon directly opposite the fairlead on the boat. This meant the mooring line was only a metre long and the boat was trying to lift the pontoon out of the water.

One way round it is to take the line to the opposite side of the pontoon. Only possible if you're the only boat there 'cos it's a major trip hazard.

 

[Talbot]

I suffered a lot of problems with this especialy at the cleats and the fairleads.

I changed my permanent mooring warps and used chain for the last bit from outside the fairlead to the securing around the cleat (5/16 chain). I also used chain for the pontoon cleat.

Didnt do the anodising on the cleat a lot of good, but I havent had a single problem with broken warps since.

Peace of mind versus cleat replacement every 5-10 years - no brainer.

 

[dovekie]

Can you pull her away from the pontoon completely? We used to use a couple of cheap 24mm polypropylene lines across the (vacant) neighbouring berth and hold her off the pontoon completely. A lot of the warps then ran more cleanly to their respective cleats. I agree with all the advice about hose to protect lines, preferably not split hose, but threaded over the end of the rope.

 

[rhumlady]

I would always try for lines across to the next finger berth which is ok if there is no other boat there or it is shorter than you. I never use the midships cleat for my springs as I like to cross them so that any fore and aft movement is taken up by them and the fore and aft lines are just used to hold the bow/stern in. I usualy keep the springs fairly tight but the head and stern ropes have some slack. This is the way I was taught in the RN yeears ago and I haven't had any problems summer or winter.

 

[wotayottie]

Interesting question but I suspect you are asking in the wrong place - all my mooring snubbers are made in Scandinavia which suggests that you have more of a problem than we do and likely know more about it than we do.

I wouldnt risk chain - there is no worthwhile stretch in it so it will work fine until you get to the limit when it will pull the cleat out of the boat / bugger up the fairlead. Over here, we are sheltered but I've gone for the opposite route, putting as much stretch and cushioning into the system as posssible with lots off snubbers and loads of fenders. Each rope has a back up rope slightly looser.

Cant you lift out and store ashore? By comparison with us, Norway is largely empty so storage should be available at sensible prices, and I can imagine it being very warm sailing there in winter.

 

[Stellina]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm not allowed shackles or chain on the pontoon so I use a round turn and bowline, giving another possibility to adjust the length.

My standard set up is springs and breasts, all with snubbers but after a winter the lines are stiff and often damaged. I have a dolphin nose which gives a bad angle for the forward lines through the fairleads so I tend to go over the toerail instead. I usually use hose but even that can be damaged fairly quickly. I think part of my problem is how the pontoon itself behaves as some other boats are left poorly moored but don't seem to suffer as much. I could borrow a berth but we still get bad weather in the autumn/spring when the marina is full.

Winter ashore is possible. There is a trade off though between sitting still in -20 cold air or in the "warm" +4 water with movement. Boat cradles sitting on frozen/thawing ground have a certain risk as well.

I think I need to try making the springs as long as possible.

Andy