Swinging mooring bridle - is this OK?

I prefer chain. It can damage topsides so I always run it inside a push bike inner tube. I thought this would perish badly but it is fine, I guess these modern synthetic compounds are bombproof. I also use a quality snubber fixed in a bight of the chain, and a heavy pvc tube at the bow.
 
Should be ok. A hazard which has not been mentioned (I think) is the bridle being trashed by passing speedboats when you are off the mooring. Some lead tube to sink the bridles and keep the pick up buoy close to the float solves this. Basically, the fewer joins the better and guard against chafing with plastic tube.
 
I would not recommend using chain to a mooring buoy; based on my experience of typhoons in Hong Kong.


During a typhoon boats moored using nylon lines to a buoy generally have had no trouble in the worst conditions (my junk survived a direct hit from Typhoon York in 1999 when moored in this way). On the other hand a large number of boats that had been moored with the anchor chain to a buoy broke loose from their moorings. The problem is the shock loading that the inelastic chain puts on deck fittings: these are often fairly flimsy on modern boats, making the problem worse.

IMHO the best configuration is two separate nylon lines taken through fairleads on either side of the bow and spliced or shackled to the mooring buoy. If one line fails the other is still intact. With this configuration it is very easy to protect the lines against chafe.

How the lines are attached to the buoy depends on the design of the buoy. The most common design in HK is a smaller version of a big ship buoy. This is a steel drum with the riser chain ring and the mooring ring fabricated on the ends a single rod which passes through the centre of the drum. Simple and as strong as one can get. With this layout the mooring line can be connected to the ring on the top of the buoy and it is very easy to check the whole line for chafe.
 
As an added bonus you will also be able to use your bridle when anchored. Use it to take the pressure off the winch and give those in the forward cabin a quieter night. It stops any rattle of the anchor chain over the roller.
 
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Searush,
If the first strop is weak enough to break, the second will follow in due course, it just buys you a little time!
(cut)

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Yup, that's the whole point! I am not suggesting the use of two feeble lines. It is unusual for them to break if sized sensibly, they normally chafe & then break. You will see the warning signs of chafe if you visit regularly.

Each strop should be strong enough for the worst expected conditions. Failure is then unlikely, use of two, as you say, simply gives you more time -buty even if it's only an extra tide or two it can make a significant difference.
 
My first choice would be chain from bouy to boat ensuring that all shackles are fully tightened and "seized" Second would be rope, well parceled and passed through plastic tubing where in contact with boat ie bow roller and then onto sampson post
be sure to whip the thimble to the eye splice as this is possibly the most common area for failure due to the thimble falling out
Never been happy with a double set up due to additional wear at top of riser
 
Plastic tube can harden and crack due to UV exposure in as little as 6 months. It happened to a Moody 33 next to me on Windermere. The tube goes opaque and splits where it goes over the bow roller. The, by now, sharp ends of the hardened plastic cut through the strop hidden from view by the opaque tube. It happened to both his new strops. I noticed as I was rowing past and called him. One strop was hanging and the other had a few strands left.
 
Ah. Therein lies the crafty bit that I failed to mention. I continue the rope from the compensator, alongside the chain, and take the weight of the boat on that line. Thus a springy line and chafe free in one go. Always attach the two lines to the same (very large) shackle though...
 
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