# Do-it-yourself mooring



## grumoll (Jun 25, 2002)

i have a problem -- we live on an isolated part of the st. lawrence river, just before it meets Lake Ontario -- reportedly a mud/weed/rock bottom -- i need to do a mooring in 15'' of water, and can''t get any commercial outfits to come out here and do the job -- so i''m considering doing it myself -- i propose to do as described in Chapman''s, put in 3 anchors, (danforth, plough?)connected by bridle chain, then single chain rising to buoy -- my ancient Chapman''s claims this is more secure than a heavy mushroom -- is this nuts?? -- for now, its a 22, but may eventually be home for a 30'' -- bob


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

Your insurance company might have some ideas on what they consider sufficient. Other owners in your area probably have experience with things that are both cheap and effective. I know one guy who set himself up a mooring in Kingston (Ont.) with an abused chevy block, but he wasn''t a Chapman''s type.


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## grumoll (Jun 25, 2002)

yes, i suspect there are many car parts at the bottom of the "harbor" here in c.v., but this was before the "authorities" got more involved -- now it requires approval from the Dept. of Environmental Conservation, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the local sheriff -- also, i suspect that the less formal route would be to get a hunting license, buy a pick-up, start hanging out at the local bar, etc. -- but as a non-hunter, non-drinker, this puts me at a disadvantage.


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## peterpan2k (Feb 20, 2002)

Hi
283 Chevy bare block will do a real good! 20 feet of galvanized heavy chain and clevis will last at least 5 years. Use chain buffered with a big bunji or rope to secure the boat to the bouy.
Jim


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## peterpan2k (Feb 20, 2002)

Hi again
Realistically a five gallon bucket filled with concrete will work great and is completely enviromentaly compliant. simply mix some up and put about 18 inches of the chain in the wet cement and once it hardens it will never pull out. if your worried it isn''t heavy enough use three buckets. aught to weigh about 200 pounds when your done.
JIm


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Sorry to say but a 5 gal bucket filled with cement is a terrible idea. Even with three buckets a small boat would drag them in a good blow.The weight of a mooring is not as important as its ability to dig in to the bottom and it''s density. A mushroom anchor is the best or if you insist on making your own i would reccomend that you imitate the idea of a mushroom. If you want to use cement I wouldn''t go with any less than 500#. Jim


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## tanzer (Oct 26, 2002)

Last summer I moored my 28'' Tanzer to the following rig:

22lb Danforth

50'' 1/4" HT chain

35lb CQR

100'' 1/4" HT chain

Swivel and mooring buoy

Two 3/4" pennants

This was in mud/clay, good holding ground. It worked all summer and was easy to remove at the end of the season. I thought the combination of anchors worked well: Danforth, which holds well but doesn''t reset well, and a plow, which resets well but can drag/plow through the mud.


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## RichardElliott (Sep 24, 2001)

WA State Marine Parks use a 2,000lb. block of concrete connected by about 10ft. of chain to a 500lb. block. The 500lb. block is intended to lift to relieve extreme strain.


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## tiz_1 (Nov 20, 2000)

It''s not do-it-yourself but may cost less than the three-anchor setup you suggest: A helix mooring. I have no interest in the company or its products but I use one and it is very strong. Excellent for river use. Must be installed by a contractor. Lasts 20 years or more.

They''re on the web at:

http://www.helixmooringsystems.com

--Kevin


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## grumoll (Jun 25, 2002)

sounds great, but this area here is pretty isolated from that technology -- i can''t even get someone to put in the older, chunk of concrete, type of mooring -- if i don''t do it myself, it appears that it won;''t be happening


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

grumol,
You can float your ground tackle with fifty-five gallon drums.
If your interested,my email is [email protected]

Dennis


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## peterpan2k (Feb 20, 2002)

Hi Y''all
I realize I''m not a psychics professor but this isn''t rocket science. Your mooring a 22 to 30 foot sailboat not the Titanic. Comercial moorings take into consideration a much larger boat. I''ve anchored a 25 foot sail boat with a 10# danforth in 100 feet of open water off Catalina. I Anchor my 37 foot aft cabin motor cruiser with a 30# Danforth and 30 foot of 3/8" chain. Think about it!!! Mud has very little weight under water. a five gallon bucket holds about 100# of concrete. ie 1 90# bag.
Jim


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

If you use a 5 gal pail of concrete to moor a 22 to 30 foot boat any where you get more than 10 knots of wind, you will end up on the beach. Jim L.


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## colehankins (Feb 1, 2002)

I think that hardened concrete has only 40% weight under water. The methode used at my former YC was to add 10 lbs per foot of boat and 2x the max depth of water for chain, 5/16 and 2x the distance from the water to the stem 3 braid rope and put swivels on the mushroom anchor and the float. The warps have eye splices( i used 1 peice of rope with a eye splice on a bight) and that allowed me to connect it on the float with only 1 shackle. The bottom at the YC was clay and sand and mud in the Delaware river. This rig wont guarentee you stay put as the tide and weather and wakes, may coil the chain up and the tide will lift the boat and the anchor.you can take it from there. A 300 lb mooring isnt that heavy to lift using the halyards.


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