Rubbers for the weekend

[itsonlymoney]

Until the new jetties are fitted the boats on a temporary berth, she's taking a lot of wind and cosequently quite a bit of yanking of the cleats . I was thinking of fitting some of these rubber shock absorbing things to the mooring ropes. Questions relating to the matter as follows.

1-are they worth it. ie. do they work

2-as I may not need them for long were to buy at reasonable cost

3-rubber or I have also seen advertised cheaper metal spring things

4-do I need to fit on all ropes ie. both stern, bow and spring or is this overkill

Thanks in advance of a reply

Ian


<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[longjohnsilver]

Yes they do work, but only needed on bows and stern, not springs. But if you're moored properly with sufficient length of rope and proper springs then they really shouldn't be necessary.

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[itsonlymoney]

Please elaborate on "proper"
I thought I was tied up correctly but I am always open to suggetions if you no something I dont.It just seems to be "Yanking" the cleats a lot or am I worrying unnessasarily.

Ian



<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[longjohnsilver]

Proper means sufficient length, for springs as long as pos.

You're probably worrying unnecessarily, haven't yet seen a piece of ropew with an unattached cleat tied onto it! I suppose it's also down to size of cleats and how securely they're attached to your boat.

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[itsonlymoney]

Me neither so yeah worrying about nothing. I do have sufficient length I THINK

Ian


<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

For stern-to mooring in the Med where the quay is fixed non-floating, some kind of snubber is essential and I've found these things work well although I've seen them break. In a UK type marina with floating pontoons it should'nt really be necessary particularly if you can use long spring ropes as ljs suggests but in some marinas (eg Town Quay, Southampton) there is so much movement that snubbers are worth having

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[rich]

A couple of years ago , after a stormy night in Granville, I threw out all my old mooring lines, some of them old pre-stretched halliards with no give at all. We had spent a horrendous night on the boat, so the next day I changed all the lines for nice new strtchy warps - the difference is unbelievable! You don't need a lot of rubber bits and pices, just invest in some decent ropes.

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[Gordonmc]

Tip from a raggie.
Use an old fender... even a bust one will do... with eyes either end. Put the warp through one end, turn round the fender a couple of times and through the other eye.
Used frequently on a mooring when snatch was horrendous.

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[tcm]

agree with the replies below.

The lines should be set so that the runs are as long as possible, and tight, so instead of the nearest quay cleat to the stern (say) use one further along, and then perhaps another the the outboard cleat to shore, to reduce snatching. To gettem tight you can use the windlass, or another rope to temporarily take the strain, tho i wouldn't make them TOO tight and wdn't leavem on the windlass all winter.

To avoid damage on grp you can cut up an old bucket or similar and slot it over the boat cleat first, or at least take a turn around the cleat and have the line coming off the cleat above the turn rather than hard against the grp.

The right ropes are the twangy nylon ropes, not any braided ropes like on a sailyboat -specially made not to stretch at all.

important: there are some steel spring things often used in the med and if these break the boat is loose. There are some others that if there is a prob the lines is stil intact, and the same applies to rubber snubber thingys, so they are better.

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[ParaHandy]

Re: Rubbers & Birds & the bees ...

ahmm ..... most useful for population control on any day of the week ...

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[itsonlymoney]

Thanks to everyone for there replies, some very interesting comments. I particularly like Gordons suggestion. Cos I only need to worry for another couple of months, it wont cost anything as long as I can find some old fenders.
We are currently on a fixed jetty but soon will be on fancy new floating things. It is supprising how much variation in water level on the lake, even an overnight down pour can see the jettys underwater. The point is that we cant tie up tight. Definetly going to try your trick this weekend Gordon. Any other suggestions or comments are still welcome though I am always eager to learn new tricks.

Regards Ian

<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[Jim44]

Just make sure the fender is attached to a rope. I re-did my fenders and tied 1 to the wooden post. It fell off and the 'helpful sailor' in the next berth, put it in his cabin to look after!!!!

If I had not gone back to check it when I did I would have lost the fender for good

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[itsonlymoney]

When you say look after it do you mean "look after it permanently"
Tis a jolly good suggestion of Gordons dont you think. Onboard on Sunday by the way cos our friends take delivery of there new Maxum 27. may see you up there.

Ian


<hr width=100% size=1>Play the best game you can with the cards you've been dealt ! ! !

 

[Jim44]

Yes i Do, luckly I came back and started looking for it, he said are you looking for a fender? then produced it from his cabin.

Yes I think it is a good idea, only problem all my fenders only have a hole in 1 end so it could be tricky. Being on the end it is not so bad because I can get more play in the ropes but I know when I had the 26 what a problem it was being tight enough not to hit the next boat or jetty, but lose enough if the lake rose or fell and that was on E jetty which is sheltered. The boat did break a mooring line one night and hit the next boat, luckily without damage.

Yes I hope to be up either Sat night or Sunday, not sure yet.



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[Blue_Blazes]

I've seen an old tyre used as a shock absorber in the middle of a mooring line before. Not very elegant but it looked to be doing the job.

Bill.

<hr width=100% size=1>One of these days I'll have a boat that WORKS