Mooring Point Advice Needed

[MSN-Travelers]

Hi all,

I have normally kept the boat on a trailer in mast-up storage. This year I may have the opportunity to keep the boat at a mooring point. I've never done this before so I don't know what is the most common way to attach the boat to the mooring ball.
I have a 2006 model . I will be on Lake Mendota (Madison, WI) at either a municipal or Univertity of Wisconsin mooring field. This is a 9,800 acre lake and tides are not an issue.

What is the recommended way to attach the boat to the mooring ball? (primary line to the bow eye or primary and secondary lines to the bow cleats)

What is the recommended size & type line to use?

Should the bow eye or the bow cleats be re-enforced? Should the standard bow cleats be replaced to accomodate heavier lines?

I have read in the threads that the boat will "hunt" or sway back `n forth in the wind. What can I do to reduce they sway at the mooring point?

And finally, what is the minimum water depth that any of you would moor your boat in & do you do this with water ballast in or out?

Thanks in advance ...

Paul

[James V]

Use the cleats and not the eye, take down all sails. Protect from chaft. Use 1/2 or better if you can. Keep ballest in. If you want, run a safety line to the mast.

A riding anchor sail will help the sway. You can try stern mooring and use the 2 stern cleats as a yoke, But, try it a few times and keep an eye on it during a storm to see what happens.

Keep all boards up.

[Jack Sparrow]

Paul

Some of our experiences

Rudders up when left unattended (stresses steering system due to swing)
Rudders down when on board (limits swing, trading off steering damage for comfort)
Ballast tank full (change water regularly)
Dagger board up when left unattended
Dagger Board down when on board during the day (limits rolling)
Dagger board up at night (knocks constantly)
We installed this http://macgregorsailors.com/cgi-bin/mod ... record=887
with backing plates
The chain mooring rode has a loop that passes over the bollard then over the bow roller. On the bow roller there is a ¼” hole above the roller which we pass a bolt through, it is used to captive the mooring rode on the roller
We leave our sails on and use covers
Keep a keen look out of your standing rigging it takes a pounding
We tie a mooring line from the mooring rode where it enters the water on to an aft cleat this forms a triangle and limits swing at night
If you have a furler tie the headsail clew off when moored unattended (stops it unfurling and sailing around the mooring)

Jack Sparrow

[Ron]

I have my boat moored in Florida. I now keep the rudders up and the centerboard up when I leave the boat. You should have at least 1-foot of water under the boat when moored. I'm in 5 ft of water at low tide.

I have two lines attached to the mooring ball that I connect to the bow cleats. All the other 200+ boats moored by me have the same setup.

To leave the mooring, I turn on the engine, leave it in neutral, go forward and unattach the mooring ball, then go back, and leave -- making sure not to run over my mooring ball.

To return, you go up-wind to your mooring ball.

Hope this helps.

[Love MACs]

Just a curious question. I have never used a mooring ball so I have no experience to draw upon... but what keeps the boat from banging into and up against the mooring ball in bad weather. Seems like this could damage the boat???



Allan

[Catigale]

In higher wind, you will be stretched out on the mooring line and you wont come near the ball.

[Love MACs]

DUH! Thanks Cat it all makes sense now that you said it and I had time to think over the dynamics of the situation. That is why I need to think before I type.





Allan

[NiceAft]

Paul,
Try attaching a float like this to your mooring line when you leave the mooring. It will make retrieval of that same line easier to pick up. Much easier.

Ray

[bastonjock]

im putting my boat on a fore and aft mooring that dries out,so my game plan is to add a second roller to the bow roller hoping that it will stop the warp jumping out of the roller,i will also cover my lines with a old garden hose to stop chaffing,i intend to leave very little slack line,hopefully this will cut out ant whiplash effect

[Catigale]

If its rough out, I make a bridle out of dock line and attach the mooring line to three points on the boat - both cleats and the bow eye, to distribute the load. Once you have done that, you have to protect chafe - I use the pipe foam insulation and slip it over the lines. You can also use dock line and wrap the mooring lines as chafe protection. Inspect often.

[live2shift]

Great tips Jack.

Anyone else have any mooring advice or tips based on experience?

Is it possible to hang a line off the stern with some chain or some other device like that to slow down swinging?

[tangentair]

What do you mean by swing? I know that sounds like a dumb question. But read through this thread and you may get some ideas
http://macgregorsailors.com/phpBB/viewt ... r+swinging
I am not sure in a marina where you are packed closer than at anchor if Frank's bridle is the best option, but it works at anchor.

[dthomas]

I very much second the advice on the pick up stick! We kept our Mac26X on a mooring for a summer and snagging that ball right off the water with a boat hook is a pain in the neck! By the way, something you may consider is wrapping colorful reflective tape around the mast portion of the pick up stick. Use a unique pattern, with different colors, if you can. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find *your* mooring ball in a field of dozens and dozens of identical mooring balls! The numbers on them identify them, but they often get covered with algae and can be hard to read. Ours is wrapped with red and white "caution" tape I picked up at Home Depot (I think) and is real easy to spot, especially with a flashlight at night!

By the way, I found that our 26X did swing around like crazy on the mooring - just the nature of the boat. I considered punching a big hole in a weighted plastic bucket and tying it off the stern, but never tried it. Always wondered if that would have worked...

Dean Thomas
Dutch Harbor Boat Yard, Jamestown, RI
Formerly Lion's Paw, 1999 MacGregor 26X
Now Second Wind, 2001 Beneteau 361

[live2shift]

Any advice on what mooring line diameter that will fit onto the cleats well. I was thinking 1/2" sounds about right? Obviously bigger is better from a strength standpoint, but there is nothing worse than trying to jam oversized lines onto cleats at a mooring. The Mac cleats are also a bit small. Anyone have suggestions?

[RickJ]

Any advice on what mooring line diameter that will fit onto the cleats well. I was thinking 1/2" sounds about right?

Well, mine are 1/2" and work fine, and about the right size for the cleats. Seems amply strong enough to me. Not sure they'd be hurricane strength, but in a hurricane I think you'd have other things to worry about - the rig would probably come down first.

Cheers, Rick