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Old 01-08-2015, 03:31 PM   #1
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Sailing at Mooring Buoy

When tied to a mooring buoy in a light breeze our previous boat would sail back and forth. It was gentle enough for me but the Admiral did not like it.

Our mooring line was cleated on the port side, run through a fairlead, then through the buoy, back through a starboard fairlead and then cleated on the starboard side.

Does anyone have a solution to stop a boat from sailing back and forth on a mooring buoy?
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Old 01-08-2015, 03:40 PM   #2
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A small steadying/riding sail, if you have a mast and its in a suitable place, would help.
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Old 01-08-2015, 04:11 PM   #3
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more windage aft can help but so can springing the rode. You attach a spring line to the mooring from a midships or after cleat and hold the boat at an angle the wind.
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Old 01-09-2015, 03:35 AM   #4
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Does anyone have a solution to stop a boat from sailing back and forth on a mooring buoy?
it doesn't bother us; in fact we both like it when the boat moves around a bit. However, if we didn't like it we'd put a steady sail on the mast and boom.

Another solution is to use a stern anchor. We do this when the wind comes from one direction and the waves from another. This is a not-uncommon condition in some of the long, narrow anchorages we have up here. We set the stern anchor to hold us into the waves so we pitch rather than corkscrew. We carry a large Fortress on the swimstep for this purpose.
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Old 01-09-2015, 06:38 AM   #5
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A stern anchor will work but best be sure that other moored boats won't swing into you if they swing and you don't. A tide or wind direction change as an example. Howard
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Old 01-09-2015, 06:55 AM   #6
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The small sail in the aft is the best solution if you have that option. For me the stern anchor is not a good solution if you are sleeping or leaving the boat. I have seen too many boats take off in a storm because the boat could not swing into the wind. We have had some success with running two lines to the mid ship cleats. One on each side. Try to have the lengths the same. It improves it a fair amount but it does not stop it. This was one of the biggest differences that we noticed when we switched from sail to power. Of course the other was the large amount of room we had to live in, which is by far the best difference. Good luck.
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Old 01-09-2015, 08:19 AM   #7
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A stern anchor will work but best be sure that other moored boats won't swing into you if they swing and you don't. A tide or wind direction change as an example. Howard
You can't set a stern anchor in a mooring field. Plus mooring fields are tight and you risk someone fouling your stern anchor line as they negotiate the mooring field.

If you're in an anchorage a stern anchor may help, however you will have to either anchor amongst other boats with stern anchors or far away from every who is swinging on a bower only.

Stay sails or a marina are really the only solution for this.
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Old 01-09-2015, 08:38 AM   #8
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@ Buds. Could you clarify the mooring pennant arrangement?

It sounds like you are picking up a mooring fir the night. Are you using your own line and passing it through an eye or shackle on top of a mooring ball? If so you can't just pass a line through the mooring. You have to make the line fast on the eye of the mooring.
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Old 01-09-2015, 08:43 AM   #9
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Dan, I think a bridle setup tends to slow down the sailing. There are a lot of ways to do that, and to get some ideas look for the thread on here called "All chain rode".

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Old 01-09-2015, 11:31 AM   #10
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It sounds like you are picking up a mooring fir the night. Are you using your own line and passing it through an eye or shackle on top of a mooring ball? If so you can't just pass a line through the mooring. You have to make the line fast on the eye of the mooring.
If I was going to make a line fast to a buoy ring I think I would tie a shackle on my bridal and connect the shackle to the buoy ring rather than tying a line to the buoy. Will this set up then reduce the oscillation?
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Old 01-09-2015, 11:39 AM   #11
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Yes, I would definitely try it. I did not read the first post well to see that the line is free to slide back and forth in the buoy ring. I would think that would cause sailing. Use a clip on shackle and I would expect things would improve.
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Old 01-09-2015, 11:58 AM   #12
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Tie the mooring to the stern, on one side or bridle to the middle. The boat will sail around less. Alternatively tie to the mooring from the bow and throw out a sea anchor aft. Hang it on a very short line, so it's just below the surface but can pull sideways, and that will slow the sailing about. If you don't have a sea anchor use a strong bucket.
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Old 01-09-2015, 01:12 PM   #13
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I have a drift sock like this that I deploy at anchor to minimize the swing.





It's about 4 ft across at the opening and has a light line attached to the trailing end. I can easily retrieve the sock by pulling the light line. It stores compactly in the lazarette.

I always tag my keys so I know not to start the engines with it deployed.
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Old 01-09-2015, 01:55 PM   #14
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FW, it looks like that drift sock has a buoyant strip across the top. Am I seeing this right?


I have a small sea anchor. I'm wondering if it will work the same?
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Old 01-09-2015, 02:20 PM   #15
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The purpose of using a bridle is to shorten the amount of oscillation. (the other purpose is to let the owner sleep better at night) It only works though if each side is made fast to the mooring as well as on the deck. You can't have the line sliding through the mooring ball. Either a cow hitch on the mooring ball, or tie a loop in the mooring pennants and shackle it on.
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Old 01-09-2015, 04:11 PM   #16
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FW, it looks like that drift sock has a buoyant strip across the top. Am I seeing this right?


I have a small sea anchor. I'm wondering if it will work the same?
Yes, although neither are actual pics of my drift sock, mine is similar to the white one with a built-in float on the top of the collar and small weights on the bottom to facilitate its opening and filling upon deployment.

Here's a lousy picture of mine deployed this past summer while fishing at anchor in the wind. It typically runs just at and below the surface.

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Old 01-09-2015, 04:15 PM   #17
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FW, it looks like that drift sock has a buoyant strip across the top. Am I seeing this right?


I have a small sea anchor. I'm wondering if it will work the same?
If your avatar is your current vessel then I doubt she shears much on the hook. However if you need a crew, I would be glad to join for festivities.
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Old 01-09-2015, 04:22 PM   #18
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if your avatar is your current vessel then i doubt she shears much on the hook. However if you need a crew, i would be glad to join for festivities.

lmao
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Old 01-09-2015, 06:46 PM   #19
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Anyone ever just drop a length of chain tied to some nylon off the stern to act like a stern anchor without the negatives?

It would add drag to keep light/med wind sailing down yet not catch enough in a blow.....

Anyone?
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Old 01-09-2015, 06:50 PM   #20
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Anyone ever just drop a length of chain tied to some nylon off the stern to act like a stern anchor without the negatives?

It would add drag to keep light/med wind sailing down yet not catch enough in a blow.....

Anyone?
The only thing I have seen that is this kind of bother is a sailboat with an untethered tiller (helm)
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