Swinging mooring buoy - where to buy?

Do you mean the Buoy, or the equipment for a swinging mooring? (chain, swivels. shackles etc?0

I find that Alan Boulton, Burdett Road, Southend on Sea. Phone Alan Boulton: 07720 26 0591 has better quality gear than Dauntless. Most of the fishermen use Alan for their mooring gear
 
I thought about buying one of those locomotive railway wheels a few year's ago from E.Y.E. They could deliver to more or less anywhere but getting it out to they mooring was the problem.
 
LONG_KEELER said:
I thought about buying one of those locomotive railway wheels a few year's ago from E.Y.E. They could deliver to more or less anywhere but getting it out to they mooring was the problem.
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It is easy really
Attach an airbag to the sinker
this one weighs 2.4 Tonnes
Airbag & sinker.jpg

Wait for the tide to float it off & here I am towing it to position behind my launch
Airbag under tow.jpg
Once in position release the sinker. We have purchased 2 airbags but one can hire them. Cost of airbags recovered over the first 30 moorings laid.So from now on we will only charge a nominal fee every 3 years when moorings are re laid
I did an article for PBO on the system & how the release system works but the editor though it was an advert for the airbag manufacturer so refused to publish.
Pity really because loads of clubs could do this & apart from the cost of the airbag etc (£1200 or £40 per day to hire) it only needs something to tow it.
I & a friend bought a launch from the RCYC at Burnham which we let the club use for this purpose.
With 2 airbags I can place 4 moorings per day with 1 helper plus the mooring owner, who is there to confirm the drop position; because once dropped it cannot be lifted
 
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Ah .. So that's how you do it. Nice one.

I suppose at a pinch, depending on your keel configuration , you could lift and transport a sinker with your own yacht. Possibly lifted and strapped mid ships.
 
LONG_KEELER said:
Ah .. So that's how you do it. Nice one.

I suppose at a pinch, depending on your keel configuration , you could lift and transport a sinker with your own yacht. Possibly lifted and strapped mid ships.
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I assume you mean lash it to both sides of the boat with the sinker below.
What happens if the sinker were to jam after you released one side thus putting the weight of the sinker all on one side of the boat?
How will you handle the mooring tackle?
It is not as simple as it looks. I made 3 different release mechanisms for use off the airbag. That was after doing at least half a dozen experimental drops on dry land off our club tractor bucket. One of the early sinkers weighing 1.6 tonnes jammed & we were swept down river unable to tow it. ( it hung sideways like a drogue so was impossible to tow.). We had to wait for the tide to turn to get it back an hour later. All the time worrying that it might drop off in the wrong place.( in Marconi sailing club's moorings!!!)
My launch has a 35HP engine driving a 3 bladed prop.
There is a distinct learning curve which we had to undertake.
I now have it as a slick operation.
 
Slawosz, Essex is a big county, you don't say where you are going. If you are near Walton then Trevor Halls (01255 675 596) might be worth a phone call for all mooring needs including laying them. I'm on one of his and he's a fair bloke. Andy
 
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