Construction of Mooring Rigs, Maine Style
Our thanks to Captain John Kettlewell for sending us this video from Hamilton Marine on how mooring rigs are made and, especially, how they should be constructed. This video certainly adds fuel to the argument about whether you would rather trust your own ground tackle or that installed by economically strapped and budget restricted communities.
Larry:
Since lousy moorings are a hot topic in Florida, and one of the city moorings failed in Salt Run in St. Augustine, I thought your readers might be interested in the commercial video below. That mooring failure in St. Augustine would make a good article. From what I have seen and read, other mooring fields in Florida utilize similar construction methods.
John J. Kettlewell
Comments from Cruisers (2)
Jim, you can certainly ask about rental moorings, but I would not expect to get a straight, accurate answer. The chances are very high that the person taking your money will have no idea, and even if they do I suspect you will get a generic response. The simple fact is that you have no idea what you are tieing up to in most cases. I have observed very large vessels in bad weather tied to moorings that were not designed for the load. How will you know that? Or how about the mooring that got wrapped up in someone’s prop the night before? I have helped boats untangle themselves from commercial rental moorings. It could have been inspected two days ago and you will not know the condition of the mooring pennant below the surface. Even in New England I have helped rescue boats from and observed many more failed moorings. The most common problem is a chafed pennant, but I have also seen failed shackles and chain, failed staple on the mooring block, shackles with the wrong pin in them, and even seen many moorings dragged ashore in bad weather. The typical mooring does not have the holding power of my anchors, which have been storm tested up to hurrican force. And, I get to visually inspect everything as I use it.
I am familiar with the video John posted. As a rule the New England commercial moorings are serviced and inspected every year and reasonably trustworthy. As you get further south it sometimes becomes questionable and worth asking the harbormaster when they were last inspected.
The St. Augustine incident shows the need to ask and as always treat trust with a grain of salt. Of course we also need to remember our own anchor never drags (said tongue in cheek). Also I have less respect for modern sailors/power boaters ability to properly set a hook even if it is big enough.
Jim Davis