Tetra Dock on a Swing Mooring

Bigplumbs

Bigplumbs

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Does anyone know of a situation where Tetradock or similar has been used on a swinging mooring. This would be for a small 17 foot sports cruiser with outboard. Tide in this potential situation is quite strong so I think would hold the boat when you 'pushed' to get on.

Any real life knowledge appreciated
 
if you could get on ,i would be worried on tide turn and wind in the wrong direction it could flip over in a strong tide ,but i have seen one with a winch on so you could winch on
 
Bigplumbs said:
Does anyone know of a situation where Tetradock or similar has been used on a swinging mooring. This would be for a small 17 foot sports cruiser with outboard. Tide in this potential situation is quite strong so I think would hold the boat when you 'pushed' to get on.

Any real life knowledge appreciated
Click to expand...

No chance. You'll just push the swing mooring round in circles. We have in the estuary two floating jetty made of similar construction and they work very well indeed with one solid anchor point to land and a mooring on the deep end and can support a large commercial boat coming alongside. But a single point mooring, no chance.
 
In our marina there are Tetradocks for a bunch of Jetskis.
Waching them dock, it needs a fair push to get them onto the dock, which works fine when there is something solid holding them in place.
(they are attached to the pontoon).

Here's an example of one that isn't attached to a pontoon.
But the dock is attached both at both the front and rear: it's not exactly swinging.

Fowey-1-1024x633.jpg
 
Last edited:
FlowerPower said:
In our marina there are Tetradocks for a bunch of Jetskis.
Waching them dock, it needs a fair push to get them onto the dock, which works fine when there is something solid holding them in place.
(they are attached to the pontoon).

Here's an example of one that isn't attached to a pontoon.
But the dock is attached both at both the front and rear: it's not exactly swinging.

Fowey-1-1024x633.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes I saw that one on the Tetradock website and it is in Fowey Harbour and I have actually seen it in real life. This was the one that caused me to post the question. I could not moor it both ends but as I said the river It would be in has a very very strong tidal flow.

I am not sure my idea is a good one to be honest hence seeing if anyone has actually done it
 
simonfraser said:
how do you stop the prop from catching the mooring on the way up ?
Click to expand...

Tilt you engine back. Usually there is no mooring at the rear. I think the one in the picture is on the side. If it were on a swing mooring there would not be a mooring line at the back
 
If you have a strong tidal flow I am presuming large tides as well. With the chain catenary required to facilitate significant water depth changes you may find that even with fore and aft moorings on the platform that getting onto the dock may still only be viable within a window period at high tide. It would be worth investigating that with the owner of the RHIB in the photo above if you can locate him.
 
I would imagine there will be very little tidal pressure on the dock when unloaded, as it will be in effect planing on top of the water, so you'd likely just push around in circles.
Best solution I can think of would be to drive onto it from up river. just create a bridle going down to the mooring from each corner so the engine doesn't catch the rope. It would look a little strange being pointed in the wrong direction and you may swing around if you don't approach at the correct angle but I think it would work.
 
The winch idea seems sound.

You could have a winch with a 12 v lead acid battery and a remote

Position boat, attach line, winch in. Find some nice person to come and collect you.

The battery would last a long time. Possibly Indefinatly with a small solar cell unless used daily.
 
jrudge said:
The winch idea seems sound.

You could have a winch with a 12 v lead acid battery and a remote

Position boat, attach line, winch in. Find some nice person to come and collect you.

The battery would last a long time. Possibly Indefinatly with a small solar cell unless used daily.
Click to expand...

A winch certainly makes a lot of sense the only potential issue is the winch points on the dock itself. As a unit they are quite strong but there are no strong points readily available on which to put a winch post and the plastic although durable would likely give way.
 
BruceK said:
A winch certainly makes a lot of sense the only potential issue is the winch points on the dock itself. As a unit they are quite strong but there are no strong points readily available on which to put a winch post and the plastic although durable would likely give way.
Click to expand...

I always think a winch would be a good idea but when you see Tetradock you never see a winch on them. I also think it would be difficult to find a strong point to attach the winch post to
 
Slightly off topic,but why do people use these?

Is it just so you don't need to antifoul the hull ? Or is there more to it.

I suppose a side benefit is that your boat is unlikely to sink on it's mooring due to a leak.
 
julians said:
Slightly off topic,but why do people use these?

Is it just so you don't need to antifoul the hull ? Or is there more to it.

I suppose a side benefit is that your boat is unlikely to sink on it's mooring due to a leak.
Click to expand...

Pretty much, doesn't sound like much but if you have a high performance hull that little saving pays big dividends
 
BruceK said:
Pretty much, doesn't sound like much but if you have a high performance hull that little saving pays big dividends
Click to expand...

In a similar vein, years ago I used to keep my speedboat on a hydrohoist lift at Brighton marina. Absolutely brilliant: no antifouling, anodes and bellows last forever. Had it for a couple of years and sold it for a profit after I'd sold the boat.
 
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