Swinging Mooring

What is the consensus in regard to using swinging moorings? I know that Luke prefers to tie his mooring line to the end of the chain - he knows the quality of his own line. However, this involves pulling up a muddy heavy chain onto the deck. However, if the line from the bouy to the chain is heavy and good, it would make more sense to tie your (short) mooring line to the bouy and take advantage of the heavy scope of thick line from the bouy to the chain. Also it is cleaner. On the other hand, if it's dodgy, you could come a cropper. What do you think?

Best system I would suggest, (I was a Marina Manager once) Make up a nylon rope strop with plastic clear plastic hose as a protector. Thimble on the chain end a soft eye on the top (2 metres long subject to freeboard of the boat.) Splice light line and small pick up bouy to this. This gives you easy pick up if working alone before you go for the heavy pull on the chain. Ensure the weight on the chain is taking the boat not the strop this avoids snatching and possible breakage of strop. I its a small boat use stainless clip to the bow eye and safety strop onto bow cleat.

Hope this helps.

p.s. ensure all shackles are seized (moused) with stainless wire.

I have no idea what you said! I think I need diagrams........

basicly he telling you to do what i said on the other forum!!!

check your messages my tel. is on it quite happy to explain

rgds

I didn't understand that either! I was trying to establish whether the scope (I think that is the correct term) of the chain + heavy rope (to bouy) will cushion the pulls on the line better than a line (or chain) directly to the mooring chain. Basically, a pull on the line raises the rope and chain, acting as a damper, rather than putting a sudden strain on the mooring line.

In anchoring, the larger the scope, the easier the anchor will hold, and I thought that the same would be true for a swinging mooring.

Clearly, I need to increase my boating knowledge to match that of my halieutic skills (which are few, as it is)

p.s. Halieutic is a word describing things related to fishing, which I just learnt today. Use it to break the ice at parties........