Running mooring

[Spinner35]

Hello folks,

I fish Loch Ness and have recently moved location.
I’ve also changed over from a small 13” boat which i used to pull up and leave on the shore to a slightly larger boat (Orkney 16) which is on a running mooring (I think there are lots of different names for this but it’s basically an endless rope tied fore and aft).

I’m getting on ok so far, weights are on the bottom set at around 7ft deep and shoreline ropes are all set etc. I’m not quite sure where the snatch pulley should be though.
Should it be clear of the bottom held up by the buoy or should it be on the bottom of the loch? If it is suspended, how deep should it be? Probably a daft question but there are no other running moorings nearby so I can’t ask any locals.

It’s a stoney bottom and is fairly well protected from the wind although it can get rough occasionally. I’ve gone for 19mm rope and added anti-chafe material where the rope goes through the the pulley.

I’m completely new to this so any other advice would be much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Seajet]

I'm guessing I would approach the mooring line from whichever direction is into tide as possible - tide and current have far more torque than wind - but if no tide approach into wind with the boathook ready on the handy side - possibly starboard if you're right handed.

Secure the bows to the mooring first then take the line aft and secure the stern.

NB fore and aft mooring cleats will require strong through-bolted backing pads under them.

 

[Spinner35]

Thanks for reply. There are no currents/tide on the loch but it can sometimes get quite lumpy if there’s a really strong SW wind. Cleats are tested and fine.

Cheers again

 

[Ian_Edwards]

All my experience with running mooring has been on West Coast Sea Lochs, where the main problem is weed being caught up on the rope and then pulled into the block under the buoy. The best solution there was to put the block directly under the buoy and allow to float near the surface, but that could be considered antisocial and other users may get tangled in it, Although, it is common to see floating ropes on mooring in many West Coast Lochs.

On Loch Ness there probably isn't a significant weed problem, so I'd be tempted to try it midwater, say at least a 1m off the loch bed, so that it doesn't catch on stones and avoids the slime. I'd also experiment a bit, if the first location doesn't work, try another.

I'd also be tempted to moor the boat from the bow, so that it weathervanes into the wind, it'll reduce the load on the mooring and may also reduce the amount of water you get on board. However, if you do moor from the bow, make sure the painter is short and you have some sort of stopper knot on the running rope so that the boat can't wrap the painter around the buoy. Having made that mistake a few times, I know it can be a real pain to have to get another boat to go and untangle it.

 

[Spinner35]

Thanks very much Ian. There are no weeds to get tangled up in the pulley so I should be fine in that area. I’ll definitely try the pulley around a meter off the bottom to begin with and see how I get on.
Do you think 19mm rope is ok for the job?
The stern rope is thinner as it doesn’t have as much strain on it.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

A running mooring in basic terms is a mooring where there is an endless loop of line running through a block attached to a sinker on the seabed and a block fixed securely ashore.
The only running mooring with which I have had experience had its seaward block attached to the sinker by a very short strop, perhaps a metre in length. It was in quite shallow water and it would have been possible to work on it by wading out, on a low spring tide.
The landward end consisted of two blocks attached to the stonework, about 1.5 to 2 metres apart. This separation was intended to prevent the two parts of the loop winding around each other and getting bound up with weed during the winter - this wasn't entirely successful
The the buoy to keep it afloat, and the pick-up buoy, were attached to the loop by a strop. This was strong enough and long enough to be used to secure it to the bow cleat on the boat.
The whole arrangement was placed so that it was across tide and prevailing wind. The mooring technique involved approaching the buoy upwind, (little or no tide at this location), picking up the buoy and cleating on, then getting hold with the other part of the loop with the help of a boathook, and pulling the boat shorewards. Once ashore all that remained was to pull the boat back out to a point where it was safe from being stranded and still had enough slack in the lines to allow for rise of tide. The shoreward end of the loop was given a couple of turns around a post or ring or something, although this was probably unnecessary.
You mention in your OP a snatch block; I'm not sure how this would apply to a running mooring, as the one I used had standard becket blocks both ends.
Unless it's in very close proximity to other moorings I would advise you to just moor by the bow.

 

[Spinner35]

Thanks for replying. That’s an idea I never thought of - (having the two blocks on the shore). Mine are currently just tied up around a post each and padlocked. The posts are about 2 m apart to try and prevent the ropes from crossing over each other when the wind direction changes. It remains to be seen whether or not this will work though!
I did say snatch block pulley in my op - I’m sorry, I’m still getting used to the names of all the new bits & pieces.
It’s just a heavyish metal pulley with the rope going through it and the other end is attached to a chain which goes down to the weights on the bottom, the weights were already in place when I moved there. (5 concrete blocks joined together by a chain I believe)

I’ve heard concrete loses almost half of its weight underwater but I think it’ll be fine for a 16” boat.

I just hope the 19mm rope is strong enough so I can sleep better on stormy nights!!

Thanks a lot for your input guys - most appreciated!

 

[Graham_Wright]

Hello folks,


I’ve also changed over from a small 13” boat

That's quite a step!

 

[Spinner35]

It certainly is!

 

[Ian_Edwards]

To add to my previous post, you really need two blocks on the shore, separated by a several meters, this is prevent the two ropes getting twisted together. This is especially true if you are using 3 strand rope, not so much of a problem if you are using a torque neutral rope, i.e. some sort of braided or plaited construction. If you keep the stern rope slack, make sure that it isn't too slack, to avoid the problem of the boat spinning around the buoy and getting tangled.

19mm is probably overkill, we used 12mm polypropylene, cheap orange stuff, and it lasted for years. The boat was a 14ft heavy dinghy, with a 6hp outboard.

Our reason for using a running mooring were slightly different to yours, it was to keep the boat floating even a low water springs. We used a continuous loop and kept the line as tight as we could. Over a period of about 10 years, with almost daily use in the summer, we found that gave the least number of tangles.

 

[Spinner35]

Thanks again Ian.
My stern rope won’t allow my boat to go around the buoy as it’s too short. It only allows the boat to face West, east or north. It’s on the south shore so it doesn’t ever need to face south.
I’m glad 19mm is over kill - better too thick than the possibility of it breaking. I’d also thought about putting some kind of swivel on the buoy chain but I will try without one first.

I’ll report back and let you know how it goes.

 

[scottie]

Gael force should have specifically designed rope guaranteed to be monster safe at the beginning of next month 1/4/18

 

[fisherman]

Consider a Dan Leno on the outside end, as well as two points ashore. Short steel bar attached to the sinker with two short strops, with two pulleys attached, lays on the bottom. Stops the tangles. We use leaded rope as there is a string of moorings along the shore, always manage to clear the weed by giving the rope a vigorous back and forthing. We only moor up to the bow, painter long enough to not lift the sinker, not bring the rope to the surface 12mm is plenty.

 

[Spinner35]

Thanks for reply, forgive me but what’s a dan leno?
Leaded rope would be a good shout actually.

 

[fisherman]

roughly speaking, a triangular steel plate or framework, with one hole to tow with, and two holes to tow two things from. For splitting the trawl warp into upper lower bridles, for nstance

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=d...UICigB&biw=1429&bih=766#imgrc=C0O7GcdUQ-g15M:

 

[Plum]

Thanks again Ian.
My stern rope won’t allow my boat to go around the buoy as it’s too short. It only allows the boat to face West, east or north. It’s on the south shore so it doesn’t ever need to face south.
I’m glad 19mm is over kill - better too thick than the possibility of it breaking. I’d also thought about putting some kind of swivel on the buoy chain but I will try without one first.

I’ll report back and let you know how it goes.

Hi, cheep polypropylene line 19mm diameter has a breaking strength of over 4 tonnes and basic polyester 19mm line over 6 tonnes. Your enemy is not the strength of the line, it is chafe, so I am glad you have taken precautions. In a storm if your mooring line is rubbing on something sharpish it will chafe through in a few hours without protection.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Spinner35]

The only point of chafe is where the rope enters the water. I try to keep it tight but it’s not always possible so it rubs against the stones etc on the shore. I’ll try adding more anti chafe material to these areas or find a way of keeping the line tight

 

[William_H]

Note OP will need a polyester rope as polypropylene or nylon will float and become a menace. Cheaper the rope the more it floats. Or is that what "leaded" rope is (weighted)? I presume this mooring is to enable OP to bring the boat ashore for climbing into and out of while being able to remotely haul the boat out to deep water mooring. Not common but quite doable. Do consider multiple attachments to hull. (cleats) as they can fail before the rope does. Should not need a swivel if boat is restrained to 270 degrees of freedom by stern line. However you could conceivably find the boat not weather cocking because the stern line is fouling rotation. Just something to watch if wind turns to from shore. olewill

 

[Iliade]

The only point of chafe is where the rope enters the water.

I thought that hard water was only a problem for we Sassenachs?
(I'll get my coat)
The few times that I have rigged a running mooring it has only been for temporary se, but I used sinking rope for the runner with a floating section tied on for the bow line. I still manage to get it caught in the prop and elsewhere, but that's just me.

 

[Spinner35]

thanks again for replies guys. The rope does float but since the pulley
is set about a metre under the buoy, the prop will just go over the top of it when the wind changes direction (I hope).
I’ve heard many different opinions on this subject but would you guys recommend leaving your Engine tilted fully upright, half upright or in the water when the boat is moored?

I don’t have salt water, weeds or other boats to worry about where I am and the main arguement for leaving it in the down position seems to be so it doesn’t ice over and crack.

The Orkney’s also have a floodable section in the bottom and have 2 bungs. I’m not sure if this should be flooded or not either! Thank god for message boards!

Cheers