[3889]
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About to lay a new mooring and have had conflicting advice on whether the ground chain (30m)should be stretched out fully or have a percentage of slack in it. All comments welcome.
Slack in ground chain?
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fireball
Well-Known Member
It'll stretch out in a strong wind anyway ...
what size of ground chain are you using?
what size of ground chain are you using?
Refueler
Well-Known Member
IMHO and having laid a number of moorings - the ground chain should not be just dumped over as some do. It can pile and links get locked causing excessive wear and possible "mountain" that sits waiting for your keel !
I used to measure depth actual at time of laying ... allow a short amount extra of chain laid out ready to let sinker go. At the predetermined mark on the ground chain - a light line passed through link to stop it running such that sinker would be in place and chain just slack from it's weight. I could then control the lay out of the ground chain by slacking and paying out the line, slipping the line once appreciable amount was out.
at low water if a drying mooring - the old dig at one side, stand on sinker and rock it into hole ... dig out other side ... stand on sinker and rock it to settle in. Ground chain should be visible and reasonably laid out.
It is not necessary to stretch it out, only make sure it's not bunched up.
Others may have other ways to do it.
I used to measure depth actual at time of laying ... allow a short amount extra of chain laid out ready to let sinker go. At the predetermined mark on the ground chain - a light line passed through link to stop it running such that sinker would be in place and chain just slack from it's weight. I could then control the lay out of the ground chain by slacking and paying out the line, slipping the line once appreciable amount was out.
at low water if a drying mooring - the old dig at one side, stand on sinker and rock it into hole ... dig out other side ... stand on sinker and rock it to settle in. Ground chain should be visible and reasonably laid out.
It is not necessary to stretch it out, only make sure it's not bunched up.
Others may have other ways to do it.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
It'll stretch out in a strong wind anyway ...
what size of ground chain are you using?
[/ QUOTE ]
It will not IF links get locked tigether in a bunch ... never had it happen in your chain locker on board ?
It'll stretch out in a strong wind anyway ...
what size of ground chain are you using?
[/ QUOTE ]
It will not IF links get locked tigether in a bunch ... never had it happen in your chain locker on board ?
neil_s
Well-Known Member
If you're using dug in concrete clumps as anchors, then you want to allow some slack. Imagine the load in the ground chain if you laid it taught and your boat is lying to a F8 cross wind! It might capsize one of the clumps. If you're using CQR or Danforth anchors, these will drag slightly and create slack in the ground chain for themselves. Its good to hear that there are others still laying their own moorings in this insurance driven age!
Neil
Neil
fireball
Well-Known Member
cough ... no not never ... cough /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Refueler
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
cough ... no not never ... cough /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif famous last words !!
cough ... no not never ... cough /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
[/ QUOTE ]
/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif famous last words !!
William_H
Well-Known Member
I think it would be desirable to get as much slack out of the ground chain as possible. Movement of the chain will produce wear so less movement less wear. Also of course your mooring location will change with slack.
You might consider putting some weight at the centre so that for most light loads this will hold it all in one place and the ground chain and anchors only come into play with a big tug. The simplest way to attach weight at this point is to add another ground chain with additional anchors to make it a 4 point mooring.
good luck olewill
You might consider putting some weight at the centre so that for most light loads this will hold it all in one place and the ground chain and anchors only come into play with a big tug. The simplest way to attach weight at this point is to add another ground chain with additional anchors to make it a 4 point mooring.
good luck olewill
[3889]
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Thanks for replies. I could have put more info in original post. I'm using 20mm chain with a 40kg samson on each end. Reading the above I conclude that more slack = more wear but offers better damping of snatch in rough conditions.
Andy
Andy
