Salutary lesson or why you always have a second line to a mooring.

[NormanS]

We were in Alderney two nights ago, riding to that strop in reasonably breezy conditions. There was the occasional groan and clunk, but nothing too dramatic and certainly not enough to keep me awake in the forepeak. I did look at the middle of the chain when I brought it on board yesterday morning, and couldn't see any wear to speak of.

Certainly I wouldn't use a setup like this for a home mooring, I'd shackle on either a chain or a strop with a thimble in the eye, but for occasional nights on visitor buoys I'm not at all worried about wear.

I don't have any fairleads; I suppose I could put both legs onto one cleat, but it seems preferable to me to arrange things symmetrically to lead straight ahead.

Pete

Each to their own. I can't stand groans and clunks.

 

[DannyB]

Bit of thread drift, but does anyone have any tricks for keeping away from the buoy when the wind drops ? I sleep in the fore cabin and find the noise of the bow and buoy kissing during the night keeps me awake. I normally anchor.

 

[Seajet]

You could try trailing a drogue sea anchor ( available from Force 4, no connection - sadly for my bank account ) at temporary moorings.

At our permanent moorings we have floating buoys which clonk on the forefoot of the boat, some people have rigged large diameter ' food grade ' plastic pipe around the topchain, the slight stiffness is meant to keep the buoy away from the boat.

 

[lw395]

It might just be the piccies, and not wishing to cast any sort of Nasturtium , but those lines look to be about 1/2 to 3/4 the width of those on my club mooring with a 35ft, 6 ton yacht on it.

That's what I thought.
No point having two lines, neither of which is to be trusted.
OTOH, chafe just takes a bit longer on a thicker line.
Tying lines to rusty metal is OK for a night or two, long term a proper hard eye seems to be the only way to avoid chafe.

 

[prv]

Bit of thread drift, but does anyone have any tricks for keeping away from the buoy when the wind drops ?

A couple of times in Kindred Spirit I ran a length of elastic from the tip of the bowsprit aft to the buoy (technically known as a bull-rope, I believe).

Not much good if you're not so well endowed with spars, though

Pete

 

[lw395]

I have a set-up like that for the very few occasions that I use a mooring like that. However, I always bring both ends back aboard over the (second) bow roller. The way that you have it, the chain will incessantly saw back and forth on the buoy, as the boat swings around. The noise and wear on the chain and buoy are entirely unnecessary. If you can't use the bow roller, it would be better for both ends to come in through the same fairlead.

Also if you borrow our mooring, don't do this please, the top loop is plastic coated and you'll wreck it.

 

[lw395]

A couple of times in Kindred Spirit I ran a length of elastic from the tip of the bowsprit aft to the buoy (technically known as a bull-rope, I believe).

Not much good if you're not so well endowed with spars, though

Pete

I've seen this improvised with a spinnaker pole.
Alternative is a fender mat on the bow and haul the buoy up close.
Or leave the engine in reverse...

 

[Seajet]

This thread has become a remarkable example of ' How to do inconsiderate things to other people's boats and one's own, all of which deserve better '

 

[prv]

Also if you borrow our mooring, don't do this please, the top loop is plastic coated and you'll wreck it.

Thanks. I like to think I'd notice such considerations, but I'll be especially alert now. Never come across a plastic-coated top ring before.

Pete

 

[bbg]

Dry-sailing? Is that another way of saying caravaning?

Thread drift, but dry-sailing is when the boat gets put in the water when you want to use it, and taken out and put on a cradle when you're finished.

 

[NormanS]

Also if you borrow our mooring, don't do this please, the top loop is plastic coated and you'll wreck it.

You can rest assured that I won't and wouldn't.

 

[NormanS]

I picked up my mooring ten days ago. The weather has not been anything unusual 20 kts max I suppose.

Anyway I cam back from a spell ashore today to find this.

View attachment 58470View attachment 58471

I guess there must have been some fouling on the loop which chewed through my primary line. Just as well I had a backup.

Going right back to the start of this thread, and I've had a further look at the photos. It looks as if your mooring line came out of one fairlead, round the eye on the buoy, and then back to the other fairlead. Am I correct in this assumption?
If this is the case, it is no wonder that the line chafed through. Every time the boat swung, the line would render through the eye on the buoy.

 

[RichardS]

Going right back to the start of this thread, and I've had a further look at the photos. It looks as if your mooring line came out of one fairlead, round the eye on the buoy, and then back to the other fairlead. Am I correct in this assumption?
If this is the case, it is no wonder that the line chafed through. Every time the boat swung, the line would render through the eye on the buoy.

Errrrr ..... I think that's where John Morris and I were many days ago....

Richard

 

[NormanS]

Errrrr ..... I think that's where John Morris and I were many days ago....

Richard

Maybe, but still awaiting confirmation.

 

[dunedin]

I am somewhat surprised that both the OP and Prv seem to have their anchors on the bow - and indeed Prv saying could not use morning through a bow roller for that reason.

Whilst we will moor to a visitor mooring overnight in moderate weather, when on board, with ropes through the bow fairleads, if leaving the boat or any weather expected we always remove the anchor from the second roller to avoid chafe. Anchors are very sharp edged, and worse could exert all sorts of wrong angles if the rope ever got hooked round the anchor.

Coincidentally I noticed last week in Plockton (sheltering from a bit of moderate F6) that all of the surrounding boats had done likewise - nobody doing the usual chance it overnight.
We are still working on the simplest approach for this slight hassle, but current approach uses the asymmetric halyard (always attached to the bow roller) plus a small 3:1 purchase easily hooked onto the Rocna's helpful "handle" (aka roll bar).
Lower a bit of chain then lift back up using the tackle and tie to pulpit.
Anchors beside mooring ropes do not mix well, except on some very rare bow roller/anchor combinations (eg Malo)

 

[Seajet]

It is sadly the case that people do not go to the trouble these days to protect their- and other's - boats as you and I do.

It's not so much a matter of knowledge about things, just general attitude.

I have often done things to ' help the poor lovely boat ' while wishing a meteorite strike on the owners !

 

[TQA]

Going right back to the start of this thread, and I've had a further look at the photos. It looks as if your mooring line came out of one fairlead, round the eye on the buoy, and then back to the other fairlead. Am I correct in this assumption?
If this is the case, it is no wonder that the line chafed through. Every time the boat swung, the line would render through the eye on the buoy.

Yes that is how I had it set up. Through one fairlead, down to the mooring a single turn on the mooring and back to the other side.

I was swinging on the same mooring for months last year with exactly the same set up with no sign of wear or chafe. But I am doing it differently now.

I am think the culprits were small barnacles on the loop at the top of the mooring which does not have a plastic cover.

Re having the anchors on the bow rollers, yes they do catch on the mooring lines on the very rare occasions the trades stop blowing and I get some clanking. But I like having two anchors ready to go at a seconds notice. I have only needed an instantaneous anchor twice in 13 years continuous cruising but when you need them you really need them.

 

[RichardS]

Yes that is how I had it set up. Through one fairlead, down to the mooring a single turn on the mooring and back to the other side..

Ah .... I think you, John and I have been talking at cross purposes.

When John and I said "a turn" on the mooring buoy eye we meant a 360 degree turn. When you agreed that in your second post #12 that you had put a turn on the eye, I now suspect that you meant a 180 degree turn i.e. to the eye, through it, and back again.

Richard

 

[dunedin]

Re having the anchors on the bow rollers, yes they do catch on the mooring lines on the very rare occasions the trades stop blowing and I get some clanking. But I like having two anchors ready to go at a seconds notice. I have only needed an instantaneous anchor twice in 13 years continuous cruising but when you need them you really need them.

Agree entirely about sailing with the anchor ready to go, when at sea. BUT if there is a risk of chafe I would certainly remove the anchor when on a mooring - and refit afterwards.

 

[TQA]

Agree entirely about sailing with the anchor ready to go, when at sea. BUT if there is a risk of chafe I would certainly remove the anchor when on a mooring - and refit afterwards.

I don't think I could ever sleep easily with out the ability to drop anchor at a moments notice. I have never had any sign of chafe but the mooring lines very rarely come in contact with the anchors as the trades blow year round.