# Installed a helix mooring anchor last weekend...



## Joel73

Just thought i'd share our installation experience with the helix mooring anchor. Originally i was going to install two of these anchors but i decided that one would be sufficiant and i could always add the second one later if i felt the need. Unfortunately we didn't take the camera out on the skiff with us so all i have are prep pictures... but you will get the idea.

There were three of us (My dad, my neighbor and myself) but it could have easily been done by two. As you can see in the pictures we used a 10' joint of 4" PVC schedule 40 pipe to extend the turning position above the water. It worked like a charm; we used an old bumper jack/lug wrench handle to turn the pipe and it was fairly easy to turn and was rigid with no flex in the pipe and _relatively_ light weight. We marked the PVC pipe at one foot increments starting at the anchor eye so we would know how deep the anchor was. We even attached the 1/2" chain to the anchor eye and had it fed through the pipe while we turned it down into the mud. The only dive needed was to take the bolt out that had the eye pinned to the PVC pipe so we could slip it off... easier said than done but not that bad. Visibility in the murky water was about a foot or so. I managed to avoid the jellyfish and bluecrabs while on the bottom taking the bolt out of the anchor eye.  We decided to sink the anchor 1-2' deeper than the creek bed for a total depth of 8' which meant digging down to take the bolt out of the eye. All installation work was done from our neighbors 12' Carolina Skiff which was anchored three ways to keep it in place. The water was seven ft deep when we placed this one.

These are the anchors...











Here are the prep pictures...

Dad, Bella dog and I...









Heavy with the 1/2" chain attached... but not too bad. You can see the holes drilled at 1' increments for putting the tire tool in place turn turn with.









Closer view...


















Different angle...









Here is a better picture that shows the holes for turning... as the anchor sank deeper we would simply pull the tire tool out and move it up to the next hole and continue turning... much like a giant cork screw. The rod in the picture was what we originally planned to use but it ended up being too long to manage so that's when the tire tool came into play.









I wish i had the actual install pics but i think you get the idea.


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## erps

Cool. You turned it from the deck of a single skiff? I thought about trying to install one of these but I didn't think it would be possible to get enough torque off the deck of a single boat.


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## sailingdog

I am guessing that the bottom where you installed your helix anchor is relatively soft mud.... if it was hard packed mud, clay or sand, you would have needed a bit more in the way of gear to sink a helix anchor.


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## sailortjk1

Joel,
Do you own the waterfront land where you placed the anchor?
That for me would be the ultimate.
Boat swinging at its mooring in front of my house.
Very Nice!


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## TSOJOURNER

Joel-

How does one go about sinking their own mooring, legality wise? I was looking at sinking one in New Bern, but am not sure who I need to check with. I don't own land along the water. Not trying to hijack, so PM me if thats OK. Thanks for any help!


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## sailingdog

Bermuda-

In many localities you can apply to get a mooring permit, even if you're not a waterfront landowner.


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## Joel73

erps said:


> Cool. You turned it from the deck of a single skiff? I thought about trying to install one of these but I didn't think it would be possible to get enough torque off the deck of a single boat.


It was easier than we thought it would be. Of course the deeper we got, the tougher it was to crack in into the ground. I am a little concerned about how simple it was actually. I may decide to add the second anchor just to have piece of mind during hurricane season.



sailingdog said:


> I am guessing that the bottom where you installed your helix anchor is relatively soft mud.... if it was hard packed mud, clay or sand, you would have needed a bit more in the way of gear to sink a helix anchor.


It is soft mud on top with clay/mud underneath. When our neighbor installed his he had more resistance cranking it down. I'm concerned that we are in a softer spot and may choose to add the second anchor as we discussed last summer. (see above)



sailortjk1 said:


> Joel,
> Do you own the waterfront land where you placed the anchor?
> That for me would be the ultimate.
> Boat swinging at its mooring in front of my house.
> Very Nice!


Mom and Dad have owned it since 1972... i hope to be the owner one day.  It is a beautiful plot of land with water on two sides of the house.... large windows that overlook the water. Definately an awesome place to relax... and sail.



Bermuda30 said:


> Joel-
> 
> How does one go about sinking their own mooring, legality wise? I was looking at sinking one in New Bern, but am not sure who I need to check with. I don't own land along the water. Not trying to hijack, so PM me if thats OK. Thanks for any help!


Owning the property makes things much easier but it isn't required. Even if you are the property owner you have to get permission from your neighbors though. I'll send you a PM with more detailed info straight from CAMA.


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## captainrizzo

sailortjk1 said:


> Joel,
> Do you own the waterfront land where you placed the anchor?
> That for me would be the ultimate.
> Boat swinging at its mooring in front of my house.
> Very Nice!


Tim: Before I moved to Michigan, I lived in NY on Owasco Lake (one of the fingerlakes). I had a lakefront home and it truly was awesome. Here is a pic of my old boat at my dock! You will see the mooring ball through the split backstay. I used a 300 lb manhole cover for the primary weight and a 160 lb block of concrete for the secondary. Still have the dog! You will see her at Eldeans!

-Riz


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## sailortjk1

> It is a beautiful plot of land with water on two sides of the house.... large windows that overlook the water. Definately an awesome place to relax... and sail.





> I had a lakefront home and it truly was awesome. Here is a pic of my old boat at my dock!


To Both of you Guys......
SWEEEEETTTTTT!!!!!!

Riz,
Are you in? 
We will be down all weekend; Our first full weekend of the season. 
See you on the docks.


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## PBzeer

Meant to tell ya I'd seen jellyfish the previous weekend. Glad things went smoothly. Will you guys be down this weekend? I'll probably stay in New Bern till Sat. morning and let the front pass.


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## chucklesR

Joel,
Do you have any numbers on the advantage of the helix as opposed to a hunk of concrete (30 gallon trash can filled with concrete for example).
I've got a friend with three of the above described hunks tied together with 3/4 inch galvanized chain; an additional 20ft of the same chain, a shackel and 5/8 chain going up 8 feet to his ball. 
I always wondered why he didn't just put a helix in.

In Maryland, per the DNR you can drop a mooring anywhere it doesn't block navigation. I'd like to get that in writing before I drop one as it seems to simple. I think a mooring is best for the hurricane remnants we get here on the bay, I'd rather not bash a pier or surge up and come down on a piling.


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## captainrizzo

Chuckles: Concrete loses some of it's weight in water. I didn't believe it but there is a ton of research out there on the properties of concrete in water. You need way more concrete than you think. If I knew about the helix then, I would have gone that route!

-Riz


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## sailingfool

chucklesR said:


> Joel,
> Do you have any numbers on the advantage of the helix as opposed to a hunk of concrete (30 gallon trash can filled with concrete for example).
> ---quote]
> Chuck,
> 
> the helix is by far the bvest system, one evaluation is here The Benefits of Helix Mooring Systems
> 
> That said, I've never seen a helix mooring in the Boston area, I don't know why not, but local providers all use mushrooms. Some North of Boston may still use blocks, but my understanding is they were placing 5,000 concrete blocks as the alternative to a mushroom.


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## sailingdog

Concrete loses a lot of weight in water, due to it having a relatively low density. A helix anchor, properly installed, can take an incredible load. One US Navy test of helix anchors had the strain gauges pinned at *24,000 lbs. of load* when stuff started breaking...

Concrete has a density of 145 lbs/ft3, or just 80 lbs/ft3 in salt water, since saltwater is about 64 lbs/ft3. A block four feet on a side, or 64 cubic feet, would have an in-water mass of only 5120 lbs. or about the breakout force generated by a 15 kg. Rocna ancor in a good sandy or mud bottom (at least according to the Sail magazine tests).  Kind of pathetic, isn't it.


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## Joel73

PBzeer said:


> Meant to tell ya I'd seen jellyfish the previous weekend. Glad things went smoothly. Will you guys be down this weekend? I'll probably stay in New Bern till Sat. morning and let the front pass.


I think we will be there Sunday evening through Tuesday night... but that depends on getting away from work. I've been working 12 hour days this week in hopes of getting away on Sunday. Next project is getting the electric bilge installed which we do not have.  That, and giving her a good cleaning since we have had that chance yet this year.



chucklesR said:


> Joel,
> Do you have any numbers on the advantage of the helix as opposed to a hunk of concrete (30 gallon trash can filled with concrete for example).
> I've got a friend with three of the above described hunks tied together with 3/4 inch galvanized chain; an additional 20ft of the same chain, a shackel and 5/8 chain going up 8 feet to his ball.
> I always wondered why he didn't just put a helix in.
> 
> In Maryland, per the DNR you can drop a mooring anywhere it doesn't block navigation. I'd like to get that in writing before I drop one as it seems to simple. I think a mooring is best for the hurricane remnants we get here on the bay, I'd rather not bash a pier or surge up and come down on a piling.


Looks like the question got answered before i could get to it... and the specs that SD listed are correct. When i was researching the best mooring last spring it became pretty obvious what the most effective (for me) solution was: the helix.

*My concern is this:* I was not able to get a helix larger than the one i got because the company claimed that anything larger would require professional installation. The helix that i got is rated for 3000-4000 pounds. Our boats total displacement is 5800#'s. What i have not been able to figure out is how much pressure can a 5800# vessel put on the anchor? Would it be less because the vessel is floating in the water and it actually being lighter? Would displacement even be the right thing to go by OR.... should i pay more attention to windage and surface area?.... OR BOTH??? This is where i got confused and that is why i decided to go with TWO helix anchors shackled together.... (even though only ONE is in place so far.) Here is an email i got from Helix:

_Joel,
Nice looking boat, and thanks for the info. Generally we advocate the use of our high load Square Shaft anchors for severe storm situations. These anchors are installed by trained installers with special equipment, and there are no installers in your area. 
Another option for your consideration is our "lower load" Round Shaft anchor series. The Round Shaft series is our do it your self anchors and are installed without special equipment. Fully installed in a firm soil such as you describe these anchors can deliver meaningful holding. 
Model H1066 is our largest do it yourself anchor and fully installed in firm soil should deliver an estimated 3000-4000lbs of holding. For comparison purposes a 4000lbs concrete block set on the same firm soil will deliver about 3000lbs of holding. If you are interested in more than the estimated 3000-4000lbs of holding from the H1066 you could install two of them and bridle them together with chain. 
After reading this please let me know if you have any questions or would like more details on the bridal system. Attached you should find a rate sheet for our Round Shaft anchor series. 
Have a nice evening, _

So.... my gut tells me i need both in place for a severe storm but for regular usage i will be fine with only one. My neighbor has ONE installed and has been fine in strong NE storms and some smaller hurricanes. He says that if we get a storm that is more severe than what the anchor will hold then that is what his insurance is for. Me.... i'd rather have a boat still attached to the mooring rather than the headache of an insurance claim. (insurance is a whole other thing i need to know more about. We do have coverage with State Farm but i think we may change)

Any thoughts??? Sorry for the long post.


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## sailingdog

Give Christine Hartge a call, over at Hartge Insurance...


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## hellosailor

It isn't that concrete "loses" weight in water, but rather that concrete is MADE OF water. Think about it, one bag of premix plus one bucket of water, and you get one block of concrete.

If you take that same block of concrete and bake it for a long time at low temperature, you will drive out most of the water--which isn't bound very tightly at the molecular level--and you can literally crumble the concrete with your hands. That's all part of why concrete has to be cured, preferably cured with a water spray in many areas, before it reaches full strength.

So when you put concrete blocks in water, you are taking "a bag and a bucket" and displacing two buckets of seawater. Net product? You're only adding the weight of "the bag", the water is displacing itself, and your concrete anchor is only half as effective as you thought.

Wait till the guys who sell shovels find out that the guys who sell helixes "require professional training". I'm gonna go down and buy up all the shovel I still can, so I can sell them on the black market after "training" becomes mandatory. [g]


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## sailingdog

HS—

I think the professional installation of a helix anchor is due to the fact that you may need specialized equipment to get sufficient torque to drive the larger diameter helix anchors into a hard sand, clay or mud bottom.


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## TSOJOURNER

*Helix Mooring*

I found your instalation photos and suggestions to install a helix mooring recently. I have toyed with the idea of 2 or even 3 for strength for our 22' sail boat. We are on the Indian River, FL and prone to wind and storms. I have 2 quick questions if you don't mind:
1) Now that you have yours installed for some time would you have gone with 2?
2) Where did you get that length of helix achor?

Thank you again for solving my installation issues. Your method makes perfect sense.


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## hellosailor

sd-
Sure, and I MIGHT need power tools to cut a 4x4, but the lumber yard will still sell it to me. No, this is called the manufacturer and distributor want to franchise territories, and make the franchises profitable by ensuring there are no sales to end users. (Which is great if you want a franchise license.)
Even if you want to install them in eight feet of mud and sand, even if you have power tools to set them, you'll find it easier to buy hens' teeth unless you buy the utility company kind, meant to anchor phone/power poles on dry land.


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## chris_gee

The drag on the mooring is not reallya function of displacement (it is not holding the boat up, but of wind force, current and surge.
You will find a useful source at Anchors Principle & Performance
where he discusses this, anchors, scope, and bottom type.
For your boat with a windage of less than 7 sq m the force at 80 knots would be roughly but conservatively 525 kg or 1160 lb well within the safety range as he has built in a 2x.


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## TSOJOURNER

Chris,
Thank you for the link and calculations. Another reason to consider the helix mooring.
Michael


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## YARDPRO

we installes a helix the other day and it was a piece of cake. I was going to use the same pvc pipe method, but have a diver friend that volunteered to help, and had a spare tank and hooka rig. We installed the 10" bit helix. Bought it for $63.00, and used a 10 foot piece of 1" gas pipe to screw it in. We had it screwed down in less than 15 minutes. the entire process took less than one hour from loading the gear into the small boat, motoring over, suiting up, tying things off, etc..... 
We are putting in another tomorrow, ( we eventually will have a 3 screw system up to a mooring ball. but for now it will just be a 2 screw deal.


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## Bene505

After researching helix anchors thoroughly last year, there's one simple truth I went away with: *If it goes in easy it will come out easy.* That's actually the method installers use to determine the whether a helix anchor will hold.

The torque required to penetrate good holding ground - for the large helox anchors -is impossible to achieve without the specialized tool. I think it has 34 times the torque of a post-hole-digger. I wouldn't trust too much in one that went in easy.

Of course, you could always try a breakout test. Get a friend with a big power boat and see if you can break it out. For the possible cost of the second helix anchor, it would be cheap "insurance", given the alternative.

Regards


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## scottyt

yard pro where di you get the helix. the ones i found on line for in the $60 range where only 8 inch or smaller?

i want to put in a mooring, but could not find a big enough one,that was a do it my self with paying over 200 for a helix brand


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## Bene505

By the way, great thread. Thanks for the pictures.


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## YARDPRO

scottyt...
We bought ours from the local ACE marine supply.
They are helix brand anchors..

bene505...

you are incorrect in your assertion. The resistance encountered by the helix going in is not a direct correlation of the pullout force....
you can install a wood screw with one hand, but try and pull it straight out.....

the only resistance encountered by the helix is the front 1/4'face of the fluke (2.25 sq in) Turning this through soil is not very hard to do (especially hen you have the ft lbs generated by two guys on the end of a 10 foot pipe. 

the resistance required to pull it out is generated by the cross section of the fluke (78 sq in), pulling out a 5 foot long, 10 inch diameter column of wet sand. that is if you pull straight up.... now we know that the load on an anchor is never straight up, it is at a diagonal, at least 45deg on a properly setup scope. 

now as a landscaper we use small little auger tie downs to stake large palm trees. A 24" helix with a 4 inch fluke requires over 1500 lbs of pull (straight up) to pull it out.... we have had guys try with tractor buckets, etc, and not been able to get them out without unscrewing them.
We work on the beach, so all of my personal experience is with sand...
these are the same anchors the utility company uses for telephone lines.... we have tried to pull them out with our big skid steer.. it can lift over 6,000 lbs, and could not budge the helix... even after we dug down over 3 feet around the shaft......

after studying all the options, looking at pullout forces, and friction coefficents ( my minor was physics).. i have full confidence that these helix are the best solution to my mooring needs.


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## Bene505

Yardpro,

Thanks for the first hand feedback on this. So it sounds like it was easy for you to put in, not that it went in easily. 2 guys with a 10 foot lever would be a lot of torque. Thanks again, I may pursue this one day. (I got stopped previously by the cost of having a professional installer come all the way out to where I keep our boat.)

Regards


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## erps

yardpro,

So how did you spin it in from the boat?


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## davidpm

I have read nothing but good things about the helix anchor system. But still it worries me that if something goes wrong the boat is 100% loose. If a standard iron mooring drags a little it may still hold the boat and dig in again. 
Of course two helix's are better than one.


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## hellosailor

Guys, who or where sells the groundscrews? Haven't seen them in Home Depot or West but obvisouly someone is selling them.<G>

David, if you don't trust the helix there's no reason you can't add a thousand pound mushroom and shackle it on as drag insurance. Bring out the RR car wheels, one at a time, and slip 'em down.

I'd be more concerned that the galvanizing on the shaft would get chewed up and the shaft let go at an inconvenient time. I'd trust a multi-screw setup but I think I'd want to drop 'em off at a galvanizing shop and have them dipped a couple or three extra times before installing them, since they're not intended for salt water use. (And the folks who make the gen-you-whine marine screws, won't sell them retail.)


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## YARDPRO

we bought ours at the local ace marine hardware..

if you are looking for a source then go to the helix anchor website and they will direct you to dealers close to you.

the galvanization on these is pretty heavy.... they are made for marine usage.

we added two danforths as a safety factor, one shackled on to the helical..

but as i said earlier.. i have no doubt on the holding strength of the helical, especially after using others on other applications.


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## YARDPRO

erps said:


> yardpro,
> 
> So how did you spin it in from the boat?


we did not spin it in from the boat.. I was going to do it that way, but we ended up diving down, and walking on the bottom. It was compact sand bottom, so we got pretty good traction, and, no rocks, etc in the soil... that would have made it MUCH harder...

My friend used the full BC, scuba gear, i however just used a hooka rig with a hose to a tank on the boat..

we have in two anchors ($63.00/anchor), each with 20 feet of 3/8" chain and a swivel in the middle then a 1/2" stainless cable up to the mooring ball... 
the ball is centered in the middle of the two anchors, and the we ran one danforth off each helix as a safety net just in case it tries to pull out.

the danforth was set with a motor boat in hard reverse so it is dug in pretty good... 
i do not think it will let the helix pull out, as the helix would have to drag the danforth at least 5' to pull out... i don't see that happening...
so the anchor is not only a safety net , but ut helps hold the helix in place.


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## davidpm

YARDPRO said:


> i do not think it will let the helix pull out, as the helix would have to drag the danforth at least 5' to pull out... i don't see that happening...
> so the anchor is not only a safety net , but ut helps hold the helix in place.


Since the danforth only works reliably pulling in one direction and the helix is a 360% solution I can't visualize how a danforth can really protect the helix unless you have three of them.


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## mikeedmo

These are the guys that started the helix stuff (see AB Chance below... I think Helix actually buys their product from them... or so I've been told). The units you buy in hardware stores are really only for very small boats. We have a 38', 12 ton kadey-krogen that we're working on getting an installation done here in Pallm Beach County. The quote I got from the Helix Mooring company was for over $7,000! Anyway, the units the pro's use are 8 - 12 feet long with multiple "flights." There are a few guys along the water front here that install the light weight stuff... but it won't hold on any cruiser size sailboat in a storm.
Home › Applications › Boat Moorings 
*Boat Moorings*

Mooring fields for municipal and private harbors are a cost effective way to safely store your boats.
CHANCE Mooring Screw Anchor can offer a simple, economical mooring for boats requiring holding capacities to 100,000 pounds or even more. These moorings are so effective that in areas subject to hurricanes special incentives are often offered by insurance companies to boat owners who use these moorings.
CHANCE Screw Anchors are installed into the harbor bottom by either work boats or divers using hydraulic rotary installing equipment with anti-torque devices. The bearing plates are installed through the silt to good bearing soils and the chains or lines are connected to the mooring or platforms above. The same anchors are used in the fast growing aqua-culture field holding fish cages securely to the ocean bottoms.


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## YARDPRO

davidpm said:


> Since the danforth only works reliably pulling in one direction and the helix is a 360% solution I can't visualize how a danforth can really protect the helix unless you have three of them.


if you have 3 anchors at 120 deg apart, they will receive most of their load on those vectors. we have run the danforths out on those vectors.

We only have 2 helix out now, but will be adding the 3rd later.


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## YARDPRO

mikeedmo said:


> These are the guys that started the helix stuff (see AB Chance below... I think Helix actually buys their product from them... or so I've been told). The units you buy in hardware stores are really only for very small boats. We have a 38', 12 ton kadey-krogen that we're working on getting an installation done here in Pallm Beach County. The quote I got from the Helix Mooring company was for over $7,000! Anyway, the units the pro's use are 8 - 12 feet long with multiple "flights." There are a few guys along the water front here that install the light weight stuff... but it won't hold on any cruiser size sailboat in a storm.
> Home › Applications › Boat Moorings
> *Boat Moorings*
> 
> Mooring fields for municipal and private harbors are a cost effective way to safely store your boats.
> CHANCE Mooring Screw Anchor can offer a simple, economical mooring for boats requiring holding capacities to 100,000 pounds or even more. These moorings are so effective that in areas subject to hurricanes special incentives are often offered by insurance companies to boat owners who use these moorings.
> CHANCE Screw Anchors are installed into the harbor bottom by either work boats or divers using hydraulic rotary installing equipment with anti-torque devices. The bearing plates are installed through the silt to good bearing soils and the chains or lines are connected to the mooring or platforms above. The same anchors are used in the fast growing aqua-culture field holding fish cages securely to the ocean bottoms.


my boat in a 65 knot wind will put 1100 lbs of force on an anchor...
a single 10" helix is rated at over 3000 lbs pullout force.

using the multiple (3) mooring system, the load will be distributed to two screws. giving about 6K of pullout force required.


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## YARDPRO

just wanted to give an update on the helix system that i installed......
We had a problem with the swivel coming loose a month or so ago, but that was not an issue with the screws...

the screws are holding superbly.... we have had three high wind events with gusts of 50 knots or more. last night we had 50 knot + gusts, and today was a sustained 30 + knots. 

i have not added the third screw yet, but will be this fall as i will be leaving the boat in the water in the event of minor hurricanes.


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## erps

thanks for the update. If you wouldn't mind, would you refresh my memory on the diameter and length of your helix screws? I'm really curious on the force required to screw one in.


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## YARDPRO

they were about 5 feet long and the fluke was about 10-12" in diameter.

i have them 180 deg apart with 20 feet of chain from each one to a shivel then up with a cable to a mooring ball.


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## YARDPRO

another update

we have had several significant storms here... many with gusts of 60 knots plus...
Tuesday night we had a front come through... sustained 30-40 knott winds with gusts of 60 knots plus recorded.

mooring is still sound and in perfect position.... 

we had a house boat moored near me break loose three times recently and drag all over the place. He has a small >30 foot houseboat on aluminum pontoons... not much mass, but still broke a 50 lb danforth loose three times now.


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## pdqaltair

*However, no one has discussed the fact that the force is not pull-out...*



YARDPRO said:


> my boat in a 65 knot wind will put 1100 lbs of force on an anchor...
> a single 10" helix is rated at over 3000 lbs pullout force.
> 
> using the multiple (3) mooring system, the load will be distributed to two screws. giving about 6K of pullout force required.


It is in shear. Scope still matters.

Also, when an anchor is placed that deeply into a material like firm clay, it cannot simply pull out; it must pull out a large cone shaped section. If the anchor is 5' in, this cone will weigh nearly a ton, not counting the friction effect.

We really need a soil engineer to weigh in on this, as we are not experts in this area. I am a chemical engineer and have only studied this application in construction.


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## AdamLein

I don't think that doubling up on the helix anchors gives you twice the holding power, depending on how you rig the bridle. With a fixed length of chain to each eye, you're only going to be loading one helix anchor at a time, in almost all circumstances, just like with two regular anchors.


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## flipdoc

Can anybody give me some guidance on how to calculate what the minimum pullout force of a system should be for a given boat. Mine is a Bristol29.9.

The original displacement was 8650lb. I would like to install a system that will securely anchor my boat in a protected bayou, but it is the Emerald Coast area of FL, so prone to hurricanes, although a storm surge is more frequent in this area (Panama City).


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## flipdoc

Didn't want to hijack the thread though, but I am interested in the helix system. I will post this on a new thread also.


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## Scurvysailor

AdamLein said:


> I don't think that doubling up on the helix anchors gives you twice the holding power, depending on how you rig the bridle. With a fixed length of chain to each eye, you're only going to be loading one helix anchor at a time, in almost all circumstances, just like with two regular anchors.


I concur, so consideration of a sliding pennant, or some sort of bridal, could be of some logic, but an interesting physics issue. Continuous equal distribution of the load is the challenge.

Funny but true, over here on the West Coast, it seems Helical Mooring is largely unknown. I've been studying this subject now -and the industrial construction applications that spawned it- for a couple weeks now. Very, very interesting.

Anyone like to update this thread with their more current Helical Anchor/mooring experiences?


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## dvdcnl

*equal pulls*

Scurvysailor wrote: I concur, so consideration of a sliding pennant, or some sort of bridal, could be of some logic, but an interesting physics issue. Continuous equal distribution of the load is the challenge.

You would need 2 anchors to have equal pulling in two directions, 3 for 3 directions...ect. What hasn't been mentioned is something to keep the helix shaft from being pulled sideways when it's in a strain as the scope of the rode will try to pull it out sideways, not straight up. House trailer helixs use a side plate to take the lateral strain. For a marine helix, a 12" diameter steel pipe cap about 12" long welded near the top of the shaft might work. It would turn as the helix turns and would hinder lateral movement of the shaft.


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## Reef33

Great Post! Thanks to the original poster for taking the trouble to take the photos and provide the detailed instructions.

I am researching how to place a Helix for my 23.5' Hunter sailboat in about 10ft of water on the northern Chesapeake Bay. My problem is that I don't have any help and would like advice on how this could be done by one person. I don't mind getting wet because the water is about 80 degrees right now. The location is only about 30 feet off the beach so I could easily walk/swim out. 

Do you think I could use the ingenious PVC pipe method and turn it while floating in the water in my PFD, or would I need the traction of standing on the bottom? On some days the tide goes out so far that I could probably stand on the bottom and a snorkel would reach the surface. I am a certified diver but don't have any gear any more. Would it be smarter to rent gear and do it from below? I'm trying to keep costs and complexity to a minimum. Am I crazy?


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## Flybyknight

*Tri Anchor*

Read in Chapman's that 3 anchors 120 degrees apart was way superior to massive mushroom anchors.
That proved itself correct when I used 3 Delta's which held my 4000# 25' Cape Dory 25 in an infamous nor'easter that devastated much of the Chesapeake several years back.

It follows therefore that 3 helix's at 120 degrees apart connected with chain would always have at least 2 of them holding regardless of the wind direction.

That would be my approach for anything short of a major hurricane.

Dick


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## klem

Reef, you will not be able to install the mooring by simply swimming as you won't be able to exert enough force if the bottom is any good. You either need good traction on the bottom (note- I have personally never installed one in deep enough water that I have had to suit up and dive) or you need to have a boat very firmly anchored in place to work from. If you have a way to extend the shaft of the helix so that it is long enough to be reached from above the water's surface, this works decently well but you do need to spend some time getting the anchor lines adjusted right (or you need to rent a spud barge). Anytime you do this, you should make sure that the soil is appropriate for the anchor type.

Flybyknight, putting 3 helix anchors at 120 degrees apart is very different than putting 3 danforths or similar in the same arrangement. In this arrangement, each anchor has to be able to independently take all of the load from the boat (imagine 1 anchor being directly upwind, the other two won't do anything). A helix makes a great boat anchor not only because of its holding power but because it doesn't need to reset or rotate if the direction of pull changes. If you take the examples of danforths, 3 anchors is necessary so that the anchors always see a relatively straight line pull. There is way more to the 3 anchor arrangement than most people realize, the lengths of chain are very critical to really minimize the load. The arrangement does work quite well but a lot of people install them improperly because they don't understand the important of the geometry.

It is possible to rig up a load sharing arrangement between multiple anchor points so that they will have relatively equal loading independent of wind direction but this is not standard to my knowledge. The problem is that you need to allow for moving parts which tend not to work well over long periods of time underwater. The way that most systems are setup, in most wind directions, one anchor will be doing all of the work and the other one will simply be there for backup.


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## Reef33

Hey, thanks Klem. I thought so, about getting enough torque while treading water. I guess I'll try to catch it at maximum low tide and see if I can do it without SCUBA gear. If not, I guess I'll go rent gear. Still much cheaper than hiring someone.

And I completely agree with your analysis of the anchor trilogy. Anchors are designed for directional forces. Helix are non-directional. You could plant 3 Helix right next to each other and have the same amount of redundant protection. If the 1st one pops out the load then goes to the second, etc. As for load, the 8" Helix could hold my boat if the world turned upside down and the boat was hanging from the anchor. No competition as far as holding power of a Helix. Plus they're about 1/10th the cost!


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## YARDPRO

i wanted to give an update on the helix system.
I have had it in for a while now and dove down to check it after we had a direct hit from hurricane irene... helix anchors are fine and dandy. We are getting some corrosion on the first few feet of chain that connects to the stainless cable.. i am thinking about adding some zincs to see if that will help with that issue.

I did not have boat on my mooring in the storm, but three boats got hung up on my mooring and it held a 24 foot sailboat, a 22 foot sailboat and a 31 foot motorboat all broadside in direct eyewall winds for several hours. the float pendant finally chafed through letting the boats go...

the only two boats that made it through the storm in my area were on helix anchors as well. there was a 30 Catalina that chafed a pendant and went wandering about, but the helix held.. no issues.

I am now a die hard fan of these systems... we had a tropical storm come through last fall... no problems.... several high wind events with gusts over 80 mph. several boats have come loose, but mine, and all the other helix anchors have held solid.


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## goodone1

Hi there,
Helix anchors are virtually unknown in Australia and impossible to buy. I've been searching and emailing for nearly a year now. Does anybody know of a company that will ship to Australia?
cheers
Sean


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## hellosailor

Not surprising, Sean. That was the situation in the US a short few years ago, you could only buy one from a gen-you-whine certified installer who came along to install it.

Utility companies apparently use them to secure guy wires for poles, and the heavy galvanized products they use seem to be up to marine use. You've probably got them in that market.


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## goodone1

HelloSailor
Thank you. I'll follow that lead. I'm also exploring the option of having them fabricated. I don't have a strong math background so I feel like the blind leading the blind.
Sean


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## hellosailor

Sean, there are also helical mixing "screws" used in industrial mixers. To mix up paints, foods, cement mortar type products, all sorts of things in huge quantities.

Most of that stuff is fabricated in stainless steel, so if you can find a local shop that fabricates stainless for large machine parts, for industrial customers, food service, etc. they may also be familiar with fabbing up "helixes". Except in the anchor, you just need the bottom disc of the helix, not a whole screw of it.


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## goodone1

HelloSailor. I've spoken to engineer(s) about making a helix anchor. Their response is "Yes it can be very easily done" but thats as far as they go. I'm definitely not a 'difficult' customer and cannot understand why somebody will not take the job on.

I think part of the problem is that I cannot specify exactly what I need; in terms of pull-out strength, windage of the boat and soil cohesion of the swamp marsh it will be screwed into because I do not have the expertise. I have gathered lots of data but need to find someone to pull it all together. It's not rocket science but it's not something they want to take on.

Thanks for you input. Perseverence furthers.


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## Reef33

goodone1, Hello Mate! Helix's are still pretty unusual in my area, too. You mention a Helix around here and people look at you funny. Most Hillbillies where I live will throw an old engine block or something in the water and call that a mooring!

Anyway, here are a couple of links that might help you, the first is the maker of Helix. The fellow there always replies to my emails very quickly. He might be able to work out shipping for you. The second link is where I bought mine. Good Luck to you!

Helix Mooring
ANCHORS


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## goodone1

Aarrrrgh Scurvy Dog!
Thanks heaps
Wilco
Sean


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## Harry Tams

New to forum. Tried to provide a link but wasn't permitted. If you google Octopus or Wombat mooring and have a look, I'd be very interested in what you think about this helix anchor (Wombat) and the attached springer system (Octopus) designed and sold in Western Australia. Any thoughts?

Harry
Tasmania


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## klem

Harry Tams,

I googled the anchor/mooring system that you mentioned and here is my take on it. These helix anchors are pretty small meaning that the holding power per helix is going to be pretty low. In a relatively hard bottom, this would be okay for a smaller boat but not a larger one. The trick with helix anchors is that you need to match them to the bottom. The professional installers will often take a sample from the bottom to analyze so that they can estimate the holding power from the different size helix's. Also, the stated weight is pretty light which makes me think that these are lightly constructed. It is quite possible that they are plenty strong to resist bending, my concern would be the reduction in strength related to corrosion because thin pieces lose a greater percentage of their strength for the same amount of corrosion.

Regarding the Octopus mooring system, I really dislike mooring systems where multiple anchors are put together to increase the holding power of the system. The problem is that until you have 5 or greater anchors in a star pattern, there are directions of loading where a single anchor will take all of the loading. If the force on this single anchor is too great, then it will pull out and the next anchor in line will be shock loaded with all of the load and likely pull out. Therefore, every anchor needs to be sized to carry the entire load so there is no need for multiple. There are ways to load equalize in all directions but I am unaware of any that I would trust for a permanent mooring because they are prone to chafe, fouling and sticking. The major advantage of setting multiple anchors in a star pattern is that the direction of loading does not change so that you can use anchors like danforths. Since the helix is symetrical about its vertical axis, the direction of pull does not matter.

In the right circumstances, I feel that a well engineered helix install is one of the best mooring systems possible. However, I feel that a single helix should be used which means that it must be pretty large for a reasonably sized boat.


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## Harry Tams

Klem
That's what I suspected. They are light. Discovered they are hollow; not solid. Great for 500kg load minus a safety factor in a temporary setting. Thanks
Goodone1
Did you follow up Helix Anchor and get a cost delivered to Australia? They seem like the best option I've been able to find. 
Harry


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## goodone1

G'day Harry
I enquired about the Wombat system last year but eventually gave up because I couldn't get any specific info about the holding power from the manufaturers/developers. My impression was that they were for smaller than 30 ft-ers. Finally I had a 10ft helix anchor made locally. I'm goimg to attempt to install it Nov. 17th by the method described in the forum. Wish me luck.
Cheers
Goodone1


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## MastUndSchotbruch

goodone1 said:


> G'day Harry
> I enquired about the Wombat system last year but eventually gave up because I couldn't get any specific info about the holding power from the manufaturers/developers. My impression was that they were for smaller than 30 ft-ers. Finally I had a 10ft helix anchor made locally. I'm goimg to attempt to install it Nov. 17th by the method described in the forum. Wish me luck.
> Cheers
> Goodone1


I do wish you luck!

And I also wish you will report to this group how it went.

Thank you in advance.


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## goodone1

Harry
With the help of three friends, I installed my jerry- built helix anchor using YARDPRO's 'PVC pipe' method over the weekend. We moored sternfast two metres off the wharf and secured port and starboard bowlines to the river bank and a houseboat moored nearby.
On our first attempt we snagged something about 2 metres down and for a while, were unable to screw up or down. We eventually retrieved it with the assistance of a 4WD and managed to drill the full 3 metres on our second attempt. It was tough going... even into swamp marsh !!

If you look closely at YARDPRO's photos, you'll notice the wooden disc fixed to the anchor shaft to keep the shaft in the centre of the PVC pipe. It's a touch off genius that works like a charm! 

I apologise for the lack of photos...all hands on deck were busy.

Sean G


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## Harry Tams

Hello Sean G
Re: "If you look closely at YARDPRO's photos, you'll notice the wooden disc "

I don't know where to find the photo's you refer to.

I would expect the job to be difficult. 10' (3m) is a long way into the earth!

How did you rig it? Rubber Bungee?

Harry


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## Harry Tams

My apologies
The answer to my own question is in the first post by Joel73 on 5/15/08
Harry


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## goodone1

Greetings Harry
Re: The helix anchor rig
The marina pool depth varies by 1 ft (plus or minus) depending on the prevailing wind and the river flow; which is regulated by a system of weirs and dams upstream. I felt fairly confident therefore just using a nylon rode from the eye of the anchor to the buoy and a slightly longer chain as back-up.

I would have prefered a bungee rode but was quoted about $1000 so I'll see how this set-up works for a while. 

I don't really have any hard data to back me up; but I'm sure that if we had hurricanes here, the anchor would hold fast.
Cheers
Sean


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## Harry Tams

Sean

Re: "...using a nylon rode from the eye of the anchor to the buoy and a slightly longer chain as back-up.

I would have preferred a bungee rode but was quoted about $1000 so I'll see how this set-up works for a while". 

A thousand dollars ($1,000) seems like too much 'profit' for some good quality tested rubber extrusion with attached fittings.

Can anyone assist with a more reasonable source of rubber (bungee type) mooring rode that can replace the use of chain for a permanent mooring?
Harry Tams


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## SimonV

There has been quite a bit about helix type mooring, around Sydney in relation to protecting the sea grass. I haven't had time to look it up but I think I read it in the Afloat magazine.


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## tcjohn2

I used your technique to install a helical anchor in the intracoastal off Lake Worth, FL. It went well. Thank you for sharing!


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## goodone1

Hi- it wasn't my method - but like you -it worked for me. Helcal anchors are hard to find here, so I ended up having one made by local ironworkers. It's a bit 'agricultural' as they say, but thus far it has held fast in 100 kph gusts. Congratulations.


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## knlyle

Can you tell me where you purchased this helix mooring anchor?

ken


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## Reef33

knlyle said:


> Can you tell me where you purchased this helix mooring anchor?
> 
> ken


I got mine from Hamilton Marine.

https://shop.hamiltonmarine.com/products/anchor-mooring-helix-jr-galvanized-44798.html


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## Bob Upp

I am wanting to fabricate a helix anchor. Can you tell me what material they are made of and the size of the rod please. I am in the Philippines and cant find any here.


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## Concrescence

tcjohn2 said:


> I used your technique to install a helical anchor in the intracoastal off Lake Worth, FL. It went well. Thank you for sharing!


What size boat if i may? thanks


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