Swiveling mooring buoy

[NickC]

Anyone got any experience of these new swiveling mooring buoys?

The older traditional way; putting the swivel beneath the buoy I believe tends to clog-up with weed and stop working. I understand that these new buoys with the swivel built-in avoid this and may be more reliable. Has anyone tried one?

 

[sailorman]

Anyone got any experience of these new swiveling mooring buoys?

The older traditional way; putting the swivel beneath the buoy I believe tends to clog-up with weed and stop working. I understand that these new buoys with the swivel built-in avoid this and may be more reliable. Has anyone tried one?

I have a rope riser from the ground chain swivel the riser passes through the buoy with a splice on the end

 

[winsbury]

we moored on one in Langstone harbour with two strops - one 24mm rope and one slightly longer 8mm chain as backup as per the insurance company's requirements - a week later we returned and the strops were horribly twisted together and chafing the rope; the mess was preventing the swivel tuning and was a b**ger to undo. The swivel wasn't particularly freely turning so perhaps this contributed to the problem or perhaps it was the mix of rope and chain, either way I wasn't impressed.

 

[Lodesman77]

Do you mean one of these?

 

[sailorman]

we moored on one in Langstone harbour with two strops - one 24mm rope and one slightly longer 8mm chain as backup as per the insurance company's requirements - a week later we returned and the strops were horribly twisted together and chafing the rope; the mess was preventing the swivel tuning and was a b**ger to undo. The swivel wasn't particularly freely turning so perhaps this contributed to the problem or perhaps it was the mix of rope and chain, either way I wasn't impressed.

That doesnt happen with a rope riser through the buoy

 

[NickC]

Do you mean one of these? View attachment 35990

Yep thats it. Never actually seen a physical one but it looks like the swivel bearing is on top of the buoy and at slack tide the buoy can be slid down enough to allow the bearing to be greased.

 

[Border Terrier]

Yep thats it. Never actually seen a physical one but it looks like the swivel bearing is on top of the buoy and at slack tide the buoy can be slid down enough to allow the bearing to be greased.

And the supplier is?

 

[sailorman]

And the supplier is?

Bing o
http://www.bing.com/search?q=mooring+buoy+supplier+uk&form=OPRTSD&pc=OPER

http://mooringequipment.co.uk/buoys.html

 

[Swanrad2]

I had a lovely stainless steel one to a mooring in Conwy at the bottom of the mooring buoy, superb bit of kit and didnt have any issues with twisting. Someone obviously agreed with me as during my first weekend away it was nicked.

 

[William_H]

We have mmoring buoys provided by the licensing authority (govt) which while different shaped are essentially the same design. ie a stainless steel rod witha loop on one end and a swivelling loop on the other end. The first design had a rod about 12mm in diameter. They failed fairly regularly at the thread where the nut for the swivel was fitted. This left boats free. The authority as you can imagine started supplying buoys with a heavier rod (about 15mm) and no attaching ring. So users where obliged to fit a swivel under the buoy with tether take off from underneath. Fortuantely I had modified my mooring with a swivel underneath and take off from the swivel not through the buoy when the SS threaded sectrion gave way. So only the buoy turned up on the beach. They gave me a new heavier rod for the buoy. I got the swivel section drilled out so now am back to ropes on top of buoy chain from below. The only swivel is the buoy swivel. I hope the larger size will be strong enough. Cos if it parts boats departs.
One of the concerns was that a galvanised iron shackle attached to the stainless steel ring seems to wear very fast. Different metals I suppose. Fortunately being at the top it could be easily checked. I subsequently got some stainless chain and have all stainless steel so no different metals. This seems to last really well compared to GI.
No real problems with rope twist despite my using 2 rope tethers to the boat. good luck olewill

 

[Lodesman77]

Yep thats it. Never actually seen a physical one but it looks like the swivel bearing is on top of the buoy and at slack tide the buoy can be slid down enough to allow the bearing to be greased.

I have one, the swivel is on top and it works fine(seven years now). I'm not sure what you mean by slid down - the fitting through the middle of the buoy doesn't slide through it, it is held by the buoy once it's inflated. The ring on top is the only bit that moves, it's easily greased by leaning over the bow on my boat or from the dinghy. The supplier is Boat Gear Direct (EYE Marine) - link as per sailorman's post - the central fitting is shown where it says 'buoy centres' and has the advantage of no threads or moving parts in the water.