What's the safest mooring/berth?

[whisper]

What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

There are 3 options available :-
1) Drying berth alongside quay wall - max. range approx 3m.
2) Drying pontoon berth not connected to the shore.
3) Drying swinging mooring.
The bottom is mud at all the above sites.
Boat is a med/deep V hull with sterndrive and weighs about 3 tonnes. The safety of our pride & joy is by far the main priority.
If it is to be left unattended for a month or so at a time, which of the above would you choose and why ?

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[muchy_]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

If you mean safety from the theiving f*****g scumbags that break into boats while they unattended then I would go for the swinging mooring. Difficult for the oppertunists but the more intent ones will still get at it. But they can get to it whatever you do.

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[Avocet]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

Are you more worried about security (theft, vandalism etc) or damage from the elements? I'd have a vague preference for the pontoon - assuming it isn't located somewhere exposed or where the wash from passing craft could disturb the boats. Maybe have a look at each of them at various states of the tide - especially when there is a strong wind blowing opposite the direction of the ebb at a spring tide. This is where you might well get the worst bumping as you dry out. Best possible thing would be to talk to other berth holders.

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[whisper]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

Worried about damage caused by both humans and the elements in about equal measure.

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[Trevor_swfyc]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

John,

What does your wife think!

Me I would go for the swinging mooring, on the plus side boat cannot hit wall or berth, probably cost far less and the boat will swing bow to gales so water is less likely to get into the boat through the hatch. Down side you have to get muddy from time to time to check the mooring at least twice a year.
In the storm of 1988 most moorings local to me held up while some pontoons were carried away under the tremendous loading that occured by boats in some cases being side on to the wind.
How would you get to the pontoon that is not connected to the shore, if its by tender then you might as well be on a mooring anyway.
If possible get somebody who overlooks your mooring to keep an eye on it give them your phone number for any emergency a small gift in appreciation usually works wonders.

All the best.
Trevor




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[jhr]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

We're on a swinging mooring (our boat is 2.5 tonne, deep V with sterndrive) which, although it doesn't dry, does get shallow at springs. We haven't had any problems to date and I think that I would prefer this option to the other two that you outline. Although I'm not out of touch for a month at a time I have certainly left her unattended for a fortnight without any grief. I agree with the comment about the desirability of being bow to gales.

The main point to watch out for is chafing on the mooring strop. Sheathing for the rope (e.g. some transparent hose or similar) should allay such concerns unless you want to use chain. I prefer rope because of the flexibility. I should perhaps add that our mooring is very sheltered and I'm not sure I'd be quite so gung ho if we were more exposed.

But I think it's the best of the three options, with offshore pontoon as second choice. Quayside mudberth would, imho, be a total pain in the @rse.

Don't worry about floundering about in the mud twice a year. Get SWMBO to bring along a friend to do it with her, and you can have a nice little earner, selling tickets to saddoes who want to watch women wrestling in mud /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

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[Gordonmc]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

If you are asking about safety of the boat from damage and theft - swinging mooring.
If for personal safety of owner getting on board after a sesh at the pub - pontoon.
Quay wall comes a poor third in any event.

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[whisper]

Re: What\'s the safest mooring/berth?

I don't know what she thinks. She never went on the new boat at all last year./forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
In actual fact we currently use the quayside option. Touch wood, no real problem last year. Quayside is by far the most convenient and we will probably continue to use it when we are in residence. But next boat will be rather larger/more windage/more expensive, so I also think that the swinging mooring will be the way to go. Just need to make sure we can get one now.

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