Close call, but Lucky

[Bristol14]

This afternoon I çhecked to make sure Mudlark was still safe on her mooring after 5 days of heavy wind from Jose. To my surprise, she was 30 feet from the mooring. I quickly realized that the anchor I had dropped with about 40 feet of scope as an extra precaution was all that was preventing a disastrous beaching. I pulled my dinghy off the beach, rowed out and secured my 23 to the mooring ball with several stout lines and left the emergency anchor in place. Just in case.

So what happened?  My pendant is brand new and has a chafing guard. But the pendant was worn through just below the chafing. What appears to have happened is that the pendant rubbed up against the bow sprit cable and wore through as Mudlark hobby-horsed in the wind.

I spoke to a friend who suggested putting a piece of PVC pipe below the chafing guard. I'm also thinking the bow sprit cable needs a chafing guard as well. Overkill?

Has anyone had a similar experience? I saw a reference to this happening on a CP 16, but not a 23.

[Bristol14]

I checked the bow sprit cable again today but I'm having doubts that my pendant could have rubbed it. Instead, I'm thinking that the metal frame that forms the bow sprit is the culprit as the underside has an exposed edge (the top of the frame is covered by the teak insert). In any case, I plan to deal with both possibilities in the off-season.

[Bob23]

I've had a similar disaster almost happen when I moored my 23. I used 2 5/8" lines as a pendant to help prevent swaying but what really works is a riding or steadying sail. Not only does it cut the swing in half (yes, I compass checked this) but in stronger winds, the boat tries to slightly sail ahead, which reduces the strain on the mooring tackle. It really doesn't sail forward enough to overcome the mooring, just enough to ease the tension off the mooring tackle. Once my 23  got caught moored out in a 60 mph gusts nor'easter here in NJ. Needless to say, I did not sleep that night. But in the morning, there she was!
Bob23

[Bristol14]

Thx Bob, good advice. Did you source the steadying sail locally? Also wondering if you determined where the chafing was occurring?

[Bob23]

Because I use 2 lines and the steadying sail, the chafe never was an issue. However, I can see how the bobstay could saw through a pendant in no time. I changed my bobstay to chain last year...for looks and also now I have a spare.
When the steadying sail is hoisted, swing is so greatly reduced that the lines never touch the bobstay. I'll try to find a photo.
The sail was purchased at a local nautical flea market for the hefty sum of 5 clams!