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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Mooring

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Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/14/2007 : 13:40:59

I am mooring my C25 in a bay that is open to some pretty rough waves and wind. Loooking for some advise on proper mooring technique, use of weights or screw in anchor, and how to leave rudder and outboard. My biggest concern is leaving the rudder on while at the moooring.

Chris Z.
Water Warrior
1982 Force 5

Former Owner Blown Away - C25

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 14:21:34

Is the anchorage under the control of a harbormaster or some such authority? If so, they might have standards for the type and size anchor--such as helicals only, no mushrooms, etc. (to get rid of old spikes). I'd be concerned about the rudder, too--particularly your gudgeons. But I haven't had to face that... Somebody here certainly has.

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5908 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 14:45:27

A clip should be inserted in the hole in the pintle, to ensure that the pintle won't come out of the gudgeon. The tiller should be lashed (preferably centered) to prevent it from swinging back and forth, causing excess wear on the pintles and gudgeons. The outboard should be tilted up, with the prop clear of the water, and the motor should be chained and padlocked to the motor mount, to discourage theft.

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dblitz
Navigator

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240 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 18:49:40

On the Hudson, I use 250 lb mushroom, 20 ft of 1/2 chain, 20 ft of 3/8" chain, swivel, ring, 15 ft. pennants (2). Ball and tallboy (pickup stick) on end of pennants

The tiller is centered and tied off on cleats to port and starboard

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Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 19:25:20

I use a 24 inch mooring ball with a "Mooring catcher" on it. Also, your chain should be about 3 times the depth of the water. I use 2 rails (train track) welded in the shape of a "T". About 400 lbs. Use at least 4 swivels with one at the ball. I also have another 80 lb. weight on the chain about 6 feet from the anchor. It acts as a weight to keep the chain horizontal to the bottom to help the anchor from being pulled up and down in a blow breaking it free. I built a 4 foot 3/4 inch poly line with 2 steel eyes braided to each end and fasten to the swivel on the ball. I run a 1/2 dockline rope 14 feet long through one of the eyes (clove hitch) as a bridal to both cleats at the bow. Eyes also at bow cleats. Don't make this line to long as your boat will "hunt". I run a second "safety line from the chain below ball (swivel), to the trailer eye using a steel hook. This line is longer than the bridle and has no tension.

Run a line around your tiller and secure it from banging. I also raise my outboard to get it out of the water.

I am required to remove the whole thing at the end of the season. Disconnect your chain, place in a large bucket and spray it completely with WD40. Store inside your garage. No rust in 3 years.

Also remember to drill all links used to connect all components together and secure with stainless wire to stop them from loosening. Also use locktight on all links with pins and run wire through pin loops and twist to secure from loosening.

All this sounds like a lot of work, but it sure pays off in spades when the big wind comes and you're watching from shore. I've watched many a boat get away from it's mooring because the owner hadn't paid any attention to the age of his chain and links or his mooring rope is all frayed and waiting for disaster. Most at my club think I'm a bit anal about all this, I got $35,000 in my boat, I also have about $200 in my mooring. Not a bad investment for the boats security and my piece of mind.

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saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 20:48:54

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Turk
 I use a 24 inch mooring ball with a "Mooring catcher" on it. Also, your chain should be about 3 times the depth of the water. I use 2 rails (train track) welded in the shape of a "T". About 400 lbs. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

How the hell did you get it out there?

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Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 21:56:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by saribella
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Turk
 I use a 24 inch mooring ball with a "Mooring catcher" on it. Also, your chain should be about 3 times the depth of the water. I use 2 rails (train track) welded in the shape of a "T". About 400 lbs. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

How the hell did you get it out there?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Well, we have a pontoon boat that we've outfitted a tripod from steel. It's a crane with a chain winch. I also have a 14 ton 416C Caterpillar backhoe that we use to load the pontoon boat with. Heavy equipment for sure. Just right for the job. I have to admit, I have the heaviest anchor in the club. But in all fairness, I'm the furthest out and in the mouth of a creek and in a bed of silt. Previous 250 lb. anchors just didn't hold at all.

Our club puts in 21 moorings and it takes us a little under 2 hours. The backhoe was a big improvement over the hand cart!

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Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 22:23:33

Here is the mooring anchoring I am looking at utilizing. http://www.boatmoorings.com/products3.php

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/14/2007 : 22:24:12

On my mooring ball, my primary mooring line is a 24" Heavy duty snubber with 5 wraps of 5/8" line and heavy duty oversized shackles. I connect from the bow eye to the topmost link in the chain, just below the mooring ball. This eliminates much of the stress and motion that you would get from tying off to the 'handle' at the top of the mooring ball. It extends the life of the mooring ball by several years. Two safety lines are attached from the bow cleats through the bow roller, both safety lines are slack. In our mooring field of 50 boats, we expect one boat to get loose every season.
I agree with Turk's approach, you can't overdo it when securing a boat left unattended in unpredictable weather.
Not to mention the powerboaters who think moored sailboats are placed their as a slalom course.

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crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2007 : 16:45:38

I was once on a mooring at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. I forget how the ball and pennnant were rigged, but I'll never forget asking the Harbormaster what my mooring was made of.

Two railroad wheels and 20 feet of anchor chain off a destroyer. I figured that would hold the little Coronado 25. I wish I'd asked about the moorings for some of the bigger boats.

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Trust Me
1st Mate

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USA
71 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2007 : 17:15:50

Chris: We have a mooring field provided by the local city on Muskegon Lake which is connected to Lake Michigan which gives us some good storms now and then. I am not sure of what's below the water but I believe it could hold a freighter. From the mooring ball shackle I use 3/4 line with eye splice(thimble) to another shackle where I take two 1/2 inch lines-one to each bow cleat. I alway use two because chafe is the enemy here and if a storm somehow rubbed one line through I have a second to hold the boat to the mooring(which has happened). I use two new 1/2 inch lines each year.
I also tie my tiller straight using a clove hitch and a light weight ratchet and hook arrangement to the stantions on either side.
Motor up out of the water.
A night sailing tip I like in a crowded mooring field is to put one six inch strip of reflective tape on either side of the mast above the spreaders. A quick sweep of a flash light across the tops of a field of masts finds your boat quite quickly and does disturb those sleeping on board by flashing a light from one hull to another.
Ron

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glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2007 : 19:55:50

Hazelett mooring systems are popular in my area (http://www.hazelettmarine.com/new/). They are a bit pricey up front but eliminate a lot of labor in the long run because they don't have to be pulled over the winter. Check the download link near top of page for articles on various mooring techniques including conventional systems.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2007 : 20:18:13

"The backhoe was a big improvement"

Amen. Life without a backhoe... hardly ain't worth livin'.

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saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2007 : 21:16:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by crcalhoon
 I was once on a mooring at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. I forget how the ball and pennnant were rigged, but I'll never forget asking the Harbormaster what my mooring was made of.

Two railroad wheels and 20 feet of anchor chain off a destroyer. I figured that would hold the little Coronado 25. I wish I'd asked about the moorings for some of the bigger boats.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Oh God! Rosie Roads!!! The stories...........

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crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/17/2007 : 21:40:43

Green beach

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