Damn mooring buoy busted off.

[The Bigfella]

I took a mate for a run down the river on Grantala today.

We got back to the mooring and I had the boathook down and was hauling up the mooring buoy - SNAP - the damn rope holding the buoy to the mooring rope snapped. I'll admit I had a bit of tension on it (the boat was still just moving and I wasn't about to ask my mate to throw it into reverse) - but hey....

So - my 40hp fishing boat - which was hanging off the mooring buoy (no - it didn't cause the problem) drifted off with the buoy attached and the mooring rope is somewhere in the 34' between the river bottom and its surface.

I get the mooring serviced every year - normally at a cost of about $250 - $280, to lift the block, replace whatever needs doing (swivels, ropes etc) - and I'm almost due a service. Obviously, the contractor has never replaced that bit of 1/2" rope - but I know the main ropes get replaced.

Oh well - Grantala is on a public mooring about a mile downstream and I'll happily ignore the 24 hour limit to be on it. I guess a diver will be needed, although a grapple may get it. I gave a passing small boat a hoy and asked him to rescue my small boat before it drifted too far.

But, what a pain in the bum eh?

[BrianW]

Have done a bit of 'fishing' for anchors, chain, and submerged research equipment (submerged on purpose ) a simple grapple and line does work pretty good. Should be easy enough to figure were to drag, given the current (it's a river, right?) How long is the anchor line? The hard part is going to be trying to remember exactly where the mooring anchor is located, now that there's nothing on the surface marking it. Then trying run over it slightly down stream and perpendicular the current.

Hmmm... might be more interesting than I thought.

[The Bigfella]

The mooring contractor hasn't rung back.... maybe he knows I'm going to suggest that since he services it, and its within time between services... that he can fix it.

I might borrow "the Mayor's" grapple again tomorrow and give it a go. I had a go at recovering my lost grinder / linisher a year or two back when it went over the side - but didn't do any good.

I guess another day on the river tomorrow won't be such a bad thing eh?

[skuthorp]

Maybe they could look for that barbie you lost at the last EBS too?
Once upon a time my scuba club put in moorings etc. It's one thing in a sandy bay, quite another in a river. Good Luck. (You dont have a GPS position by chance do you)

[The Bigfella]

The lost barbie is 20 miles down river...

The problem today is at my fixed mooring at Berowra Waters... the one in my avatar photo (not the buoy that is in the photo thought - that shot is from about 1km away - and the "big" yellow buoy is much closer to where the photo was taken)

[RFNK]

In Port Stephens, each mooring location has to be approved by NSW Maritime who then record the position with GPS. However, the mooring maintenance guys typically shift the mooring a lot each time they lift to inspect. I'd be surprised if this wasn't the case in the other areas of NSW. I've dived under our boat in Tilligerry Creek. There are effectively two layers of mud. The first is a very fine layer of silt that hides absolutely everything, including the mooring, the ground chain and heavier rope. Under that is the thick, sticky black stuff that comes up with the anchor, mooring chain etc. The only way a diver could hope to find a mooring in this area would be by dragging an arm though the fine silt which would be obscuring the whole apparatus but this would stir up the silt so much that the diver would lose all visibility unless the current was reasonably strong.

I think the grapple hook approach is a better idea unless the bottom is sand, and I'd be surprised if Berowra Waters doesn't have a very muddy bottom. The downside is that, as the GPS location is likely to be way off, you might have to drag a large area and 34' is pretty deep for dragging.

I guess I'd be wondering (again) why we pay these guys to inspect our moorings if they then take no responsibility if the mooring fails but I've not heard of any of them actually taking any part in any recovery process. I think you've got Buckley's chance of them taking responsibility for busting the line to the buoy as they'll just argue that it's not meant to take any weight. Maybe they'll give you a discount on a new mooring? Rick

[bruce w]

use a light chain and sweep the area boy one end of the chain then set it out in a ring or a triangle covering the area you think your mooring is in ,bring both ends together and slowly draw them in towards you ,with look you will find around 5 old anchors non yours but keep at it .

[StevenBauer]

So you guys use rope from the mooring to the buoy? Here ti is always chain. A heavy bottom chain and a lighter chain going up to the ball. Then a rope pennant from the ball to the boat. Like this:




Steven

[StevenBauer]

Here are the regulations for us:

The Board of Harbor Commissioners recommends a 2.5 to 1 ratio for permanent moorings with the following minimum specifications:
Mushroom, Granite Block, or Pyramid (of ample size/weight) - see chart below
Heavy Chain 1.5 times maximum water depth
Light chain or Nylon line (not floating line) 1.0 times maximum water depth
Pennant 2.5 times the distance from chock to waterline
Buoy (white poly ball preferred)
Must have assigned number and blue band painted 3" (or larger) on buoy
Total scope = Heavy chain + light chain + Pennant
Example: 25 ft. cruiser;
20 ft. maximum water depth;
Distance from chock to waterline = 3 ft.
Requires: 1.5 x 20 = 30 ft. of heavy chain
1.0 x 20 = 20 ft. of light chain or equivalent nylon line
2.5 x 3 = 7.5 ft. pennant
The following chart contains the minimum requirements for seasonal moorings in sheltered waters. Vessels moored year-round and/or in open areas should upgrade 1-3 steps.
Boat Boat Mushroom Block Chain Chain
Length Weight Weight Weight Size (Bottom) Size (Top)
22’ 1,500 lbs 75 lbs 300 lbs 1/2” 3/8”
26’ 5,000 lbs 150 lbs 500 lbs 3/8” 3/8”
30’ 8,000 lbs 200 lbs 1,000 lbs 5/8” 3/8”
35’ 12, 000 lbs 250 lbs 2,000 lbs 3/4” 1/2”
40’ 500 lbs 3’000 lbs 3/4” 1/2"
50’+ over Reviewed on an individual basis
For the safety of his/her boat and that of adjacent boats, mooring permit holders are responsible for having their mooring set and making any required adjustments or repairs.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
Hh'mmm. In the British system, forget about mooring to that length of light chain between the buoy and the mooring chain proper.That piece of chain (or rope -- the "riding" line) is simply to anchor the buoy to the mooring, nothing else.

When mooring, you pull in the entire riding line and use the mooring chain proper to moor from. (Traditionally you hung the buoy up in the rigging to show you were on a mooring rather than anchored.)

I daresay Ian's mooring works this way.

Of course, the riding line has to be strong enough to be able to lift the mooring chain, and obviously it should be checked whenever the mooring itself is. Equally obviously, Ian's wasn't.
.

[The Bigfella]

As I recall the mooring set-up, its a 4' diameter circular concrete block about 15" thick with a bit of 1" rebar bent to provide the attachment point. It has about 8' of ferry anchor chain - links agout 6-8" long and about 1 1/8" thick. It then goes to rope - with a swivel just below water level and a separate top rope. The rope is about 1" thick. The top rope has a spliced loop that goes to the samson post and a protective plastic sleeve. The buoy is tied to that top loop. It was the piece of rope attaching the buoy that failed, the top rope is replaced every year, sometimes two, but generally, every year...

I spent about 2 hours with a grappling hook (reef anchor) today - with a couple of metres of fairly solid chain. I hit what I think was the mooring block with the first two runs - then scored another grappling hook fairly soon. Nothing much else. I could feel it plowing the bottom - and it is possible I ran over the rope (probable more like it) - but I never managed to snag it. I'm still playing telephone tag with the mooring contractor.....

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
Ian, when you say "a swivel just below water level," I assume you're talking HWS?

I wonder if you're making a mistake by mooring to the top rope? Perhaps that should be considered the riding line and you should be lifting it all up and mooring to the heavy line? That would imply that (a) the swivel's at the wrong end of the heavy line (which it probably is anyway, by the sound of it,) and (b) the heavy line needs to be longer.

What diameter is the heavy line? And what's Grantala's displacement -- I assume several tons at least?

Whatever the answers, there's no excusing the mooring maintenance people for not checking both lines as part of the annual mooring check of course.
.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

See if you can contact a diver, the guys who clean boats should be able to tie a rope on your chain quicksmart.
I have one of these if it will help.

http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_it...AbsolutePage=1

[The Bigfella]

Gee thanks Paul....

Mike... I may have the position of the swivel wrong in my description - but no - I'm mooring to the right rope. It's all heavy rope up to and including the loop. The rope attaching the buoy to the mooring line is the only lighter line in the system - and they obviously haven't replaced it over the years - whereas the heavy line has been.

I think I will switch to a tyre - type mooring buoy - one which stays in the water with a separate rope that I can leave on a 6' high pole.

I just left a somewhat more urgent message on the mooring guy's message bank.

I'm thinking seriously of lodging a complaint with Maritime NSW.

[RFNK]

I wonder if you're making a mistake by mooring to the top rope? Perhaps that should be considered the riding line and you should be lifting it all up and mooring to the heavy line? That would imply that (a) the swivel's at the wrong end of the heavy line (which it probably is anyway, by the sound of it,) and (b) the heavy line needs to be longer.

The standard arrangement in NSW is a heavy line which is used to attach the boat to the mooring. The line that Ian broke is only designed to attach the buoy to the heavy line, not for mooring. However, it's common to pick up the heavy line using the buoy line and common for this to involve placing tension on this rope temporarily. The rope should be strong enough for this even though it's not intended for actual mooring. It's just not acceptable for this line to break when hand held under any circumstances. If Ian had attached the boat to this line, then it would be unrealistic to expect it to hold. The mooring guy is likely to say that this rope is only meant to hold the buoy and if it was used in any other way it's not his problem. Anyone owning a boat a boat on a mooring in NSW would disagree I suspect and I think Ian should complain to NSW Maritime. This rope should be strong enough to be able to pull the boat up to the mooring line - this is often necessary, and it's an important safety issue. Rick

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
Ah. Okay, I read your description wrong and it apparently is the UK type you have.

"I'm thinking seriously of lodging a complaint with Maritime NSW." I would be too. What's Grantala worth on the open market? Would the mooring guy's insurance (assuming he has any) cover her loss due to his negligence?
.

[The Bigfella]

Here's the spot....

I ran perpendicular lines, circles, long trawl lines, short lines - but no luck. I think I'd have to be lucky enough to snag the loop to get it....

[BrianW]

Ian,

I can see the anchor in the picture!!! It's right behind your boat!

[S.V. Airlie]

I took a mate for a run down the river on Grantala today.

We got back to the mooring and I had the boathook down and was hauling up the mooring buoy - SNAP - the damn rope holding the buoy to the mooring rope snapped. I'll admit I had a bit of tension on it (the boat was still just moving and I wasn't about to ask my mate to throw it into reverse) - but hey....

So - my 40hp fishing boat - which was hanging off the mooring buoy (no - it didn't cause the problem) drifted off with the buoy attached and the mooring rope is somewhere in the 34' between the river bottom and its surface.

I get the mooring serviced every year - normally at a cost of about $250 - $280, to lift the block, replace whatever needs doing (swivels, ropes etc) - and I'm almost due a service. Obviously, the contractor has never replaced that bit of 1/2" rope - but I know the main ropes get replaced.

Oh well - Grantala is on a public mooring about a mile downstream and I'll happily ignore the 24 hour limit to be on it. I guess a diver will be needed, although a grapple may get it. I gave a passing small boat a hoy and asked him to rescue my small boat before it drifted too far.

But, what a pain in the bum eh?

A chain is only as good as its weakest link.. KAt what $250.00 to maintain it, I'd be having a little chat with the contractor.

[The Bigfella]

I just got off the phone to the contractor - he's organised a diver (his cost) to go find the rope, won't happen for a couple of days though. I need to drop a marker buoy in the general vicinity of the block.

I spoke to the contractor about going to a tyre / pole style buoy - a foam filled tyre with a bit of plastic electrical conduit on a spigot, so that when you un-hook the rope you leave it on the pole (the conduit) - at deck height. He said that the maritime authority are trying to get rid of them (rubber isn't good in the water - it leaches nasties - and they have a low profile, so are harder to see at night).

I'll see what I can make up in the next week or two before he services my mooring again. I've never had anything but good weather when coming back to the mooring - but I have been out on that stretch of water with it blowing over 45 knots - and whipping up some decent whitecaps - and given I lose sight of the mooring buoy I have now about 50' before I get to it... I'd rather go with something that I can nudge right up to.

[rufustr]

Ian,

Why don't you make up your own float with a 6 to 8 Foot high stick on it to attach to the buoy when you leave the mooring.

Then when you come back you can see it and motor right up to it, retrieve it, and store it inside the boat.

Easy peasy for a skilled innovator like yourself.

[The Bigfella]

I skived off to the river again today (copy of the Google Earth piccie in hand) and trawled around for nearly 2 hours again - in the rain this time. The old arms know they've been doing some work - dragging that reef pick, chain and rope through the mud on multiple passes.

I figured that a change in strategy was needed, so I went to the reef anchor and light chain that I dredged up the other day - and hooked it to some lighter anchor rope that I had. Second pass. Bingo - hit the block. So I dumped the buoy over to mark it and rang the diver.

He doesn't want to dive in the river at the moment - its full of rainwater runoff. I can't say I blame him. There's probably 20 million (disolved) dog and cat turds in the water at the moment.... its been a while since a big rain event.

It may take a week till this all gets sorted....

[py]

With my saintly halo fitted and with all the benefit of hindsight, I'd have to respectfully suggest you were a bit of a dill mate for not checking the top line yourself from time to time-its up on deck, plainly visible, handled by you every time you pick up or leave your mooring, and you leave your 40hp fishing boat moored by only that thinner line. Don't be too quick to blame the mooring contractor, who looks after all the underwater bits for you.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

The other trap is if your float sinks, the cheaper ones are hollow and the mooring contractors seem to use them rather than the ones with foam inside.
I had to fix mine up after I came back after a few days and it had almost sunk.

[Lew Barrett]

I can think of a downside to the tire thing, which has been widely used around here. Of course, as you're in fresh water this might not apply, but the tire (sorry....tyre) buoys up here get rapidly encrusted with mussels and barnacles, and are no longer fun to rub your hull against after a few months. I guess the buggers attach to almost everything anyway, but they seem to really dote on the tire float thingys. I suppose one could view this as a harvest opportunity.....

[Hwyl]

With my saintly halo fitted and with all the benefit of hindsight, I'd have to respectfully suggest you were a bit of a dill mate for not checking the top line yourself from time to time-its up on deck, plainly visible, handled by you every time you pick up or leave your mooring, and you leave your 40hp fishing boat moored by only that thinner line. Don't be too quick to blame the mooring contractor, who looks after all the underwater bits for you.

I agree, the integrity of your mooring and essentially all your boaty stuff, is ultimately your responsibility HTFU

[Salty Sailor]

With my saintly halo fitted and with all the benefit of hindsight, I'd have to respectfully suggest you were a bit of a dill mate for not checking the top line yourself from time to time-its up on deck, plainly visible, handled by you every time you pick up or leave your mooring, and you leave your 40hp fishing boat moored by only that thinner line. Don't be too quick to blame the mooring contractor, who looks after all the underwater bits for you.

Your responsibility? Yes ultimately. but that’s why you pay someone every year to inspect it, so pass the buck if the line was faulty. The right rope for the job inspected every year shouldn't fail like that unless it was faulty when installed or was damaged which you would more than likley notice so I guess it would depend on what section gave way and why?

[The Bigfella]

I haven't got a photo of it... I tied the buoy to the reef anchor that I found the block with.

Let's put it this way... the contractor didn't even have to be asked - he said he would pick up the cost of the diver.

Yeah - I agree, I should have picked it - but I didn't. The rope in question was about 1/2" maybe 5/8" diameter. It had me pulling on it ... not the boat - so at a guess, no more than 75kg of force - and it just snapped. There is no other way to pull the top mooring rope up - the buoy has a handle in it for just that purpose.

Before it snapped, it looked fine - no wear but it was obviously sun affected. I'm willing to bet that he replaces it every year from now on - like the top mooring rope.

[The Bigfella]

Ahh - just had a call from the mooring contractor... my mooring has been "re-instated" ... after what's that, five and a half weeks? The diver went down on Monday and couldn't find the old block, chain or rope - although apparently the contractor did raise a telecoms cable all the way to the surface (!!!).

We agreed that enough time had been spent diving and grappling. He put in a new block, chain, swivels and rope. Only cost to me is my annual service fee. I'll head back down to the river later on and move the boat back off the "24 hour" mooring that its been on since the end of March.

[rbgarr]

I always handle replacing the mooring pennant line and splices myself. It suffers from sun exposure more than the chains, shackles and swivels degrade from corrosion, therefore they are on a different schedule for replacement.

[hansp77]

Sheesh what a saga!
Glad it has come to a happy ending.
Did you get any grief staying on the 24hr mooring for so long?

[py]

Sounds like your contractor is a good bloke. Happy ending.

[The Bigfella]

Nah - no grief for being on the 24 hour mooring. The contractor spoke to the authorities. I guess they define it under emergency use or something like that? The blue emergency use mooring in my area is very limited in what it can accomodate though.

[PeterSibley]

So how does a mooring block and chain disappear ....sink into the ooze ?

[rbgarr]

So how does a mooring block and chain disappear ....sink into the ooze ?

It's happened here in this harbor at least twice that I know of. The problem here is if grapelllng doesn't work a diver can start a search, but as he explores the bottom, mud and silt get stirred up obscuring everything. In both cases it became cheaper to just put new moorings in.

[The Bigfella]

Its not even a matter of stirring up the silt. Its zero visibility at 34' in the river to start with. I don't know how far the chain and block sink in... I just know that an awful lot of time spent with grappling hooks didn't locate it. I didn't come up with my bench grinder that went down there a couple of years back either.

We went down and moved the boat just before dusk. It was lovely on the river.....

[WX]

I didn't come up with my bench grinder that went down there a couple of years back either.

I didn't have much/any luck trying to snag the BBQ either.

[py]

Best give it the chop then.

[The Bigfella]

Mate - there'll be no chops in my galley thank you!

[BrianW]

Might have been cheaper to skip the block, and use the telecom line.

[The Bigfella]

Might've been cheaper to stay on the public mooring...

There's one or two who seem to be permanently anchored a bit downstream too.