CRD
New member
Can a mooring buoy be to big for a small boat?
Size of Mooring Buoy
- Thread starter CRD
- Start date
Kelpie
Well-known member
Only if you plan to bring it on deck. You only really need it to be big enough to support the weight of the riser (including any growth on it).
I suppose a hugely oversized buoy might put more strain on an otherwise occupied mooring over winter.
I suppose a hugely oversized buoy might put more strain on an otherwise occupied mooring over winter.
lw395
Well-known member
A bigger buoy will wear against the bow sometimes.
It may also affect the dynamics of the mooring in rough weather. I've sat on my boat in a F7 and seen some boats much more affected by the chop and wind than others. When the boat starts moving against the mooring buoy, a smaller one might be better, or not.
There are a lot of variables in how a boat moves on a mooring in a storm.
Apart from making the strop easier to reach, what's the upside of a bigger buoy?
So long as it's big enough to easily lift the riser....
It may also affect the dynamics of the mooring in rough weather. I've sat on my boat in a F7 and seen some boats much more affected by the chop and wind than others. When the boat starts moving against the mooring buoy, a smaller one might be better, or not.
There are a lot of variables in how a boat moves on a mooring in a storm.
Apart from making the strop easier to reach, what's the upside of a bigger buoy?
So long as it's big enough to easily lift the riser....
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
CRD
New member
My buoy went “missing” last autumn so I replaced with one I had in the workshop. It was smaller than my original
I’ve acquired another buoy which is maybe 3 times bigger. It will certainly be easier to see amongst the many other similar sized/coloured buoys!
prv
Well-known member
Yes.
I've moored to one of those before, in a 20-foot-ish open motorboat (like a RIB, but all aluminium). Worked fine, and made a nice wind-break while the instructor briefed us on our next PB2 exercise
Pete
Corribee Boy
Well-known member
Visitors seem to judge the strength of a mooring by the size of the buoy...
CRD
New member
No It’s not about strength but the mooring is due for its yearly check so I will be replacing shackles, chain etc and thought shall I put the larger buoy on or not.
JumbleDuck
Well-known member
I've moored to one of those before, in a 20-foot-ish open motorboat (like a RIB, but all aluminium). Worked fine, and made a nice wind-break while the instructor briefed us on our next PB2 exercise
I've been tempted by the one which lurks, unlit, off Rothesay Bay ...
When I was a child there were three of them in Kames Bay, one step north, which were very popular with fishermen in hired rowing dinghies. Long gone, but the admiralty couldn't be bothered to remove the ground tackle ... or perhaps they thought they might reactivate them with new risers one day:
Corribee Boy
Well-known member
I was suggesting that your larger buoy may be taken an invitation for people to carry out stress tests on your ground tackle, which may be irritating or expensive.
Elessar
Well-known member
No as long as your lasso line is the right diameter.
