Mooring a Picnic Cat

[glenn1489]

Does anyone keep their Picnic Cat on a permanent mooring? I'm curious what the best practice is about attaching mooring lines. My PC has just a single cleat on the bow, with no side chocks to distribute the load, so last year I just clipped the mooring line onto the bow eye ring. It's simple, but is this recommended, especially in high wind conditions? Last year, I noticed the boat bouncing and swinging pretty wildly in storms. Is the bow eye designed to handle this stress? Most other boats around me use a Y-bridle attaching to port & starboard bow cleats.

[Gerry]

I suggest two painters.  Primary from just below mooring ball attached to chain leading to bow eye.  Secondary from above the ball to your forward cleat.  This is the method I learned in Captain's School.

[bruce]

Great question, I look forward to the discussion. I have zero experience, but what I have heard from those on a mooring is that the PC sails about smartly. The light weight, high freeboard, and shallow draft can't help.

Structurally, I share your concerns about the bow eye. It's just a 5/16" U bolt. Pulling straight ahead to load the trailer is one thing, but the side loads generated with the boat jerking from side to side on a mooring could bend the eye, or stress the mount and bedding excessively. And, trying to repair damage to the bow eye is going to be a nightmare given the access.

I will point out that the stout outward facing deck flange does make it easy to install additional cleats or chocks in from the rub rail. Com-Pac just uses washers, but with good backing plates you could make them quite strong, and inspection and maintenance would be easy.

[mikehennessy]

I belonged to a sail club which owned the sailboats and kept them moored on the Delaware River which had tidal current of up to 3.5 knots.  The boats were either Thistles (540 lbs) or Flying Scots (1000 lbs).  We had a dual painters system for security, one from boat to mooring ball and one from mooring ball to boat.  Sixty-five years of current, storm and neophytes and not a boat was lost. Hope this helps.

-Mike

[glenn1489]

I like the idea of a dual painters. My mooring guy offered to look at it once the boat is in the water and make a recommendation, but that's a few weeks away. If I'm going to add new cleats or chocks, obviously it's easier to do before the boat is put in. I'll report back what I end up doing. Meanwhile, keep the suggestions coming - thanks!

[bruce]

Redundancy is always good. I think it's most important that additional painters share the load, as opposed to coming into play after one has failed. At the ground tackle or the boat.

[Jon898]

I have never had Dabchick on a mooring, but I would be very hesitant to use the bow eye as the attachment.  These are not designed for sideways loads, particularly when those are applied as a snatch load.

Although it's on a CP16, you might want to refer to this thread: http://cpyoa.com/forum/index.php?topic=3156.msg20311#msg20311 .  I vaguely remember catching a glimpse of the back of the bow eye when I was installing the battery box, and I don't believe there was any kind of backing plate...not something I'd want to depend on with a mooring pennant.

Jon

[bruce]

Thanks for that link, Jon. Could always check with Com-Pac for their current recommendation.

I was able to get a usable photo of the bow eye backing shooting through the hawse pipe. Visually, I see a triangular wedge held in place with gobs of sealant. I don't see a substantial metal backing plate. My guess would be it's the same as the chainplates, a thin metal plate on both sides.

[Vipersdad]

Glenn:  Check your PM's

[bruce]

Glenn,

I've asked around and heard back from a PC owner in Bonaire in the Caribbean. He lives on the west coast, in Kralendijk, so some protection from the prevailing easterlies, but still big water. He's had his boat on the water year 'round for 4 years. He uses a single, heavy 12-15' line as a bridle. Made to the bow cleat, through an eye on the mooring pendant, and back to the bow cleat over the opposite rail. Plastic hose for chafe protection at the rail and deck on both runs, and at the mooring pendant. No chocks, and also no bow roller or hawse pipe, so a pretty clear deck.

Another northern freshwater sailor, on a 210 acre lake, has used the bow eye for 4 seasons with no issues. He has a full boat cover, and likes the bow eye because the painter doesn't interfere with the cover. On a small lake, that prohibits gas motors, he isn't facing the same level of stress to the gear that the Bonaire sailor is.

[glenn1489]

Thanks Bruce. Another suggestion I got was to feed a primary mooring line over my anchor roller to the bow cleat (or tied to the mast), and a secondary line clipped to the bow eye. So I've got some good options without the need to add hardware to give me the added confidence I want. Once the boat is in the water, I'll figure out what's needed to avoid chafing and keep everything secure.

[bruce]

Excellent, Glenn, you've got some good ideas. Now to get back on the water!

[glenn1489]

The boat is finally in the water! Though the weather is still pretty dreadful here on Cape Cod, it's given me time to tweak the mooring issue. Attached are a few pictures.

I've got a primary pendant doing directly over the anchor roller to the bow cleat. The line was pretty thick (3/4" I think), so it's a little big for the cleat, which is why I moused it with another line (blue in the picture). It also may be a little short, so I need to measure it. My understanding is it should be 2.5 times the height of the bow from the waterline.

Secondary line (with slack) will be clipped to the bow eye. Currently made with a bowline while waiting to get the clip I ordered.

All seems pretty secure. Some pretty stiff winds the past few days to test it out. Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions and thoughts. Happy sailing!

[Tim Gardner]

I for one would like to know just what your chafe guard is made from.  It looks pretty stout.

TG

[Andre]

Glenn,

I've never had occasion to use a mooring for anything other than overnight stays with much larger boats, so find your photos very clear and informative.  Thank you.  Seems like a good setup to me but then I only trailer launch and daysail my PC and HC so far.

One related comment I'll make is maybe the forestay quick pins should be replaced/enhanced with something that can't work its way out or safety wired/cottered in place.  I can't quite tell if you've done so from the photos.  Like I said I've never had my boats in the water for long so don't have any long-term personal experience with those pins but you may want to play it safe.

Andre