mooring hardware

[amayotte]

Hi,

I'm trying to figure out how much hardware a guy needs to anchor the c26 permanently.
I currently have 3/8 grade 80 chain attached to a 45 gallon drum full of concrete and rock.
Is this good enough? I think the chian is rated for 7100 lbs. or something.

Adam

[Guillaume C.]

You need some nylon on the system, nylon rope is elastic and absorb chock.

[Gus]

If you are using concrete, I think you need to anchored it down with chains and metal spikes, since concrete has a tendency to float.

Gus

[thepartydog]

Adam,

I have thoroughly researched this subject. My advice is to ditch the dead weight anchor. The a chrylser 26 will roughly generate around 3500 to 4000 pounds of lateral force (in around 65 mph winds). For a dead weight anchor to work, you would have to sink at least a pound of dead weight for every pound of lateral force, depending on the material you use. If you use concrete, double it to compensate for the air in the concrete. Yes, 8 thousand pounds of concrete. Here is an article from inamarmarine on the subject. http://www.inamarmarine.com/pdf/Moorings.pdf

You are going to be much better off with a plow, or mushroom anchor, depending on the composition of the bottom where you plan to anchor. And Guillaume is right, you will also need nylon to absorb some of the shocks that the system will be exposed to. Check out westmarine's website for design tips for mooring systems.

"Ya Never Know" was moored with over 200 pounds of concrete, plus I had a 15 pound fluke style anchor. Let me tell you it's not good to get that phone call from the sherrif's office telling you that "your boat is just off someone's dock, and could you come move it before we declare it a 'hazard to navigation' and impound it." When I got to the boat I expected to see that her anchor and mooring lines had broken, or at least one of them had broken. She was over 1/4 of a mile from where I anchored her and had both the dead weight and fluke still attached. She is now hanging from a new 22 pound Delta plow. That way the anchor will reset quickly if it is pulled by the boat's swing during tide and wind changes. Plus, the plow is a good choice for the bottom (sea grass) she is anchored over.

Good luck, and enjoy your Chrysler.

Darin

[Guillaume C.]

Are you saying that you use a 22# delta as a mooring?!

[thepartydog]

Yup.

[thepartydog]

[thepartydog]

By the way, thanks. I feel much better about the situation now.....runs off to call his local contact to see if his boat is still where he left it.

Darin

[keysskipper]

we are in the process of putting in our own permanent mooring, we are going with the Helix screw anchor, having it installed and a mooring ball, we have very shallow water around the islands and have to play the tide to get to our dock, I agree with partydog and been there done that. google it and check out the helix, cheap just need to install and no worries when the gales blow. it works best in shallow water and needs to be installed by a diver, a dime a dozen here. Keysskipper

[thepartydog]

Ok KS, I was letting you get by with all the talk about how nice the weather is down there, I live in Florida and it's cold here, my boat is farther south in Florida and it's cold there.....but a Helix screw mooring system...I can't hold back anymore.

I am positively green with envy.

We want all of the details, and pictures if you can manage them. What size are you using, who is installing it? Is it still considered rude to ask how much? Although if the west coast of Florida was any indication of the prices farther south, it is probably less expensive to install a helix screw than a years slip fees. Tarpon Springs has waiting lists, and then $600+ per month when you finally get a slip.

Darin

[Guillaume C.]

My marina use screw used for telephone pole as mooring screw. May be cheaper/easier to find, or may not..

[keysskipper]

they have two sizes, the larger has been tested in hurricane conditions and exceeded everything else, in fact it never gave way, a shackle broke, and the line gave, the helix held. as for price $139 I think, my buddy is getting on the mainland at Sailormon in Dania, installation should be around $100 and a batch of Conch fritters, they use these @Boot Key Harbor in Marathon a lot of large vessels and they ALL held during the hurricanes of 05. we love being out on the hook for sunset but find it to hard to play the tide and occasional tourist, soon we can take the dingy out into the natural harbor, just got to fix the anchor light and buy a better solar panel, come on down from the cold part of the state and bring your C-26, we will show you the part of the Keys only the locals see
KS

[thepartydog]

I have read articles where they were very highly reviewed, and I thought they were more expensive than that. That's less than what I paid for the Delta, chain and rode. I might have to find someone who installs them around here FWB/Destin/Niceville. Thanks for the eye opener on the price.


Darin